A paper normally
consists of three parts: the preliminaries, the text, and the
reference material. The preliminaries always include a title
page. While the exact form of the title page may vary, it must
obviously include your name, the name of the course (and section
number if applicable) for which the paper
was prepared, and the date.
Your major effort will center on the text of the paper
which, itself, contains three parts: an introduction,
the main discussion, and your conclusions. Of the
three, students seem most likely to forget about the first, the
introduction.
The text always begins with an introduction which clearly states
the subject of the paper. This means telling your reader about
what you are going to write and why. What do you hope to
describe or analyze? What do you intend to prove or disprove?
What questions will you try to answer or what hypotheses will be
tested? In most cases, the introduction is simply contained in
the first paragraph or two of the paper without a formal
heading. Your professor will appreciate its presence, with or
without formal headings.
The introduction is then followed by the main text of the paper
in which you present in some ordered form, your research,
interpretations, criticisms, or reactions. The final part of
the paper usually offers some form of conclusion related to
points developed in the preceding pages. Apart from explicit
content, coherence, clarity and orderly development of a theme
or argument will add significantly to the value of any paper.
For the basics on term papers, click
here.
Acquaint yourself to the
CPSA-ACSP's
language rules.
References
Notes, whether
footnotes or endnotes, are employed in most political science
papers as a means of (1) citing the source of statements quoted
or closely paraphrased in the text, (2) to make additional
comments about some point of the text, or (3) to acknowledge
someone else for an idea or argument. Notes are numbered
consecutively with the number appearing at the end of the
passage in question and immediately before the note itself,
superscripted. For convenience, notes may appear at the end of
the paper (endnotes) rather than at the bottom of the page
(footnotes). There are numerous types of notes, but they are
always typed single space.
Click here for
information and examples on footnotes/endnotes.
Your professor may request you use embedded, in-text
(parenthetical or author-date) citations, instead of notes.
And just like footnotes and endnotes, in-text citations are
designed
(1) to cite the source of statements quoted
or closely paraphrased in the text, (2) to make additional
comments about some point of the text, or (3) to acknowledge
someone else for an idea or argument.
Click here for
information on embedded or in-text citations.
In addition to
notes or in-text citation, the other major referencing component
consists of the bibliography or reference page. This page
lists the sources consulted in the preparation of the paper. The sources included
in the bibliography are listed alphabetically, with the author's
surname first, followed by forenames or initials.
If you are using footnotes/endnotes,
please click
here for information on a bibliography.
If you are using in-text or
embedded citations,
please click here
for information on a reference page.
Plagiarism:
Regulations
on Plagiarism, Cheating and Academic dishonesty (Academic Calendar
Section 3.9) click here
Useful References:
³American
Psychological Association. Publication Manual, 6th edition.
American Psychological Association: Washington, 2001.
³Scott,
Gregory M. & Stephen M. Garrison. The Political Science Student
Writer's Manual. Englewood: Prentice Hall, 1995.
³Hacker,
Diana. The Bedford Handbook. Bedford: St. Martin's Press,
2002.
³Harnack,
Andrew & Eugene Kleppinger. Online: A Reference Guide to Using Internet
Sources. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
³Sxchmidt,
Diane E. Expository Writing in Political Science: A Practical Guide.
Harper Collins College Publishers, 1993.
Links:
³Canadian
Political Science Association: www.uottawa.ca/associations/cpsa-acsp/
³The Writing
Centre (StFX): www.mystfx.ca/people/writingc/
³Columbia
Guide to Online Style, Janice Walker and Todd Taylor: www.columbia.edu/cu
/cup/cgos/basic.html
³A+ Papers: A
Step by Step Guide - Internet Public Library: www.ipl.org/teen/aplus/
stepfirst.htm
³Index to
Political Science: A Net Station: www.library.ubc.ca/poli/polindex.html
Conclusions
These brief
comments about paper format, reference material and plagiarism
are a minimal comment upon paper writing. Please
check your course syllabus for referencing requirements -
individual professors may suggest their own refinements or
additional requirements.
If you wish a shortened summary of the guidelines, click
here
Student Information