Writing Homework Help

Your final product for this research paper should be 6-9 pages in length. Be sure to look at the grading rubric to see exactly what I will be deducting points for. I will use this to grade your rough draft and your final draft.

GENERAL STRUCTURE:

Page 1 – Title page

Pages 2-?? – Body of paper, should be no more than 6 pages, no less than 4 pages

Last 1-2 pages – References

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:

• The body of the paper should be structured according to the outline you made.
• You must have an introductory paragraph that explains why this research is important and what your paper will be about.
• You must have at least 2 primary sections in your paper (begin with subheadings that are in bold). Each section should have its own introductory paragraph and conclusion paragraph, and as many paragraphs as you need to discuss the research you found to support your main idea.
• Your paper must also have a general conclusion paragraph.
• Be sure to use 12pt. Times New Roman font and 1 inch margins on all sides. USE YOUR APA MANUAL as a guide. Your paper should look very similar to the Sample Student Paper that begins on p. 61 of the manual. (Not in content; just in appearance.)
• Be sure you cite all of your facts.
• Try to practice using both parenthetical and narrative citations.
• Any research you cite in your paper must also have a reference in the reference section.
• Any source you have in your reference section must appear as a citation in your paper.
• Write concisely and clearly. Remember, you are not being graded for length. In fact, this paper should be short, but dense with research. Look at the introduction section of the papers you are reading and try to write with a similar focus on only the most important details of the research you are writing about.
• Do not use any direct quotes. Everything must be written in your own words – even definitions.
• Be sure your paper has flow and direction. It should not sound like you are rambling or don’t know how to organize the research you are talking about. This may mean you have to decide not to include some studies you found and try to find others instead.
• You must include research that comes from at least 15 primary level studies.
• You can include “facts” from websites, government reports, newspaper articles, books, etc., as long as you have at least 15 primary level studies, too. Be sure you cite them correctly and reference them correctly.