CMPT 320
Spring Term 2009
Simon Fraser University
Oliver Schulte
Term Paper Assignment: Requirements, Guidelines, and
Deadlines
Contents of this page
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Guidelines/specifications for the paper |
Sample topics
See Topic suggestions for a list of possible
topics.
Guidelines/specifications for the paper
Investigate the topic. Use articles and/or books, etc., for background. Your
paper may be based on a project, for example, it may include some background
research and some activity, e.g., an interview or a physical site visit.
Don't just report. Discuss pros and cons. Evaluate. Use your own words.
Quote where appropriate. Give citations for facts and quotes. Discuss how your
topic relates to material covered in the text and/or in class discussions.
The paper length should be approximately 3000 words for the full paper, 1500
for the presentation + paper option.
Outline for the paper (roughly)
Cover page with title and your name
Introduction/overview of topic and issues to be discussed
Background, description, and/or history of the issue
Issues, various points of view
If appicable: Results of interviews, observations, background research, etc.
Your comments or evaluation
Summary
List of references
The project is to be done during this course. Do not turn in a paper done earlier for another course or for your job. Submit a hardcopy in class.
Remember what this course is about. A few students have handed in papers
that are purely factual or historic (e.g., a history of the Internet, a summary
of computer technology used in the military). Such papers will not get high
scores. You must include discussion of issues.
One of the most common problems with papers is poor organization. Write an
outline. Organize your thoughts. You may use section headings to indicate the
topic or purpose of sections of the paper.
A few students have waited until late in the semester to get started, then
discovered that they didn't like their topic, or information on their topic was
unavailable or their activity was infeasible. Start early in case you have to
change topics or find a new activity.
If you use articles from the Web, give the URL and the organization
sponsoring the site. There's a lot of junk and unsupported opinion on the Web.
Pay attention to quality of your sources.
Now and then, a student hands in a paper he or she did not write at all or
in which large segments are copied from other sources. Please don't do this. It
is dishonest, unfair to your fellow students, and unpleasant for both you and
the instructor. Plagiarism is usually reported to the appropriate university
discipline office. Write in your own words. Start early; talk to the instructor
if you have problems.
Tips for interviews (if you do one)
Use ingenuity in choosing and finding interviewees. Choose someone in a
position to have special knowledge of the topic. Don't be afraid of asking well-known
people, but be prepared for refusals.
Start early. It may take time to find someone, to schedule the interviews,
and to do follow-up.
Plan. Write up your questions in advance. Start with easy questions, getting
general information. Ask about positive things before asking about problems.
Take notes so you get details right.
Be polite. Identify yourself and your project. Thank the person.
What to hand in. Please hand in hardcopies of the following.
- Final version of your paper.
- The comments you received from your fellow student.
- The comments you made on your fellow student’s paper.
- A print-out of the turnitin confirmation e-mail. Instructions were sent by e-mail to class list.
Grading criteria
See also the syllabus (syllabus wins in case of contradiction with webpage).
The full-length paper is worth 25% of the course grade. The shorter paper to go
with the presentation is worth 12.5% of the course grade. The critique of your
fellow student's paper is worth 5% of the course grade.
- Correct Description of Course Material (30%)
- Writing (Grammar, style, clarity, etc.) (20%)
- Quality of Argument, Originality (50%)
Things we look for
include: background or history, presentation of issues and various points of
view, quality of argument and analysis (principles, examples, counterexamples),
structure/organization, clarity of writing, sufficient references, sufficient
length, originality, and taking into account the comments you received from
your fellow student. You should define terms where necessary. Be sure to read
and edit your final copy before handing it in. Watch out for these common grammatical mistakes. To give you feedback, we
will include the following evaluation sheet.
For a mark of "outstanding" (A), your paper must develop some ideas
of your own, such as a new argument for the issue you are considering, or a
criticism of an argument in the readings. In the paper you should also consider
objections to your argument. Another approach to original work is an activity,
such as an interview with an expert or a site visit. A mere summary will earn a
mark of at most 70%. You must turn in your paper to turnitin.com. To protect the class password, instructions will be
sent by e-mail.
Additional References on writing and research
Joseph Williams, Style: Ten Lessons on Clarity and Grace.
Gordon Harvey, Writing With Sources: A Guide for Students (Hacket, 1998).
SFU
library assists you with doing research and citing online sources. The
textbook author recommends San Diego
State's site.
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Paper due (both
long and short), to be read and critiqued by another student. |
If you want more time for revisions in light of the critique, I suggest you complete the draft earlier. Your partner should be ready to provide comments any time after March 3, Week 8.
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