CLST 331

RESEARCH ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS

30% of Grade
Due: Monday, November 16th
Late papers will be penalised 2% per day, unless arrangements are made with the instructor
before the deadline. Extensions will only be given for documented illness or personal emergencies.
Length: The paper should be approximately 2500-3000 words in length. Provide a Word Count
on the title page of your essay.
Sources: This is a research paper and secondary sources must be consulted. You should consult
at least 8 sources, although for an A grade paper more sources are suggested. Do not use
Websites as sources unless they contain academic papers (such as JSTOR). Proper citations
of secondary works consulted must by included (footnotes, endnotes, or internal citations) as
well as a bibliography. The textbooks have a good select bibliography. There are also a number
of resources on the website under Essay Information/Research Starting Points. Also feel free to
ask me if you need help finding sources on your topic.
Format:

Use a 12-point regular font (Times New Roman, Helvetica, etc.).

Double Space and use at least 1" margins.

Your essay must also include the following:

A title page with your name, student ID #, course and date. Your title should refer to the
topic you have chosen. Be creative. Please do not call your paper CLST 331 Essay.

Proper citations (footnotes, internal citations or endnotes) noting sources of information

or ideas.

A bibliography of the sources consulted. This should include at least 8 sources (a

combination of journal articles and/or and books). The sources should be listed by author
in alphabetical order. Your bibliography should comprise a separate page at the end of
your paper.

Be consistent throughout in the style of your citations and bibliography. For help consult
The MLA (Modem Language Association) Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or
The Chicago Manual of Style.

Illustrations of any artefacts, building, plan etc. that you discuss at length in your text
must be included. For each illustration used include a Figure number.

A List of Illustrations must be included after your title page. This list should include a)
the Figure number; b) the descriptive title of the illustration; c) the source of the
illustration (i.e. the author and title of the book or article and the page number).

Please proof-read carefully. Errors of spelling, syntax, and punctuation will be taken into
account in the grading.

Be certain to always back-up your paper in case you have any computer trouble and also
keep a back-up copy of your essay.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Based on Colin H. Gordon, Peter Simmons, and Graeme Wynn, Plagiarism: What It Is and How
to Avoid It (University of British Columbia: Faculty of Arts).
Plagiarism is an unacknowledged use of someone else's language, research, or ideas, whether
published or not. It can be intentional or unintentional. Plagiarism can even apply to reusing
one's own work from one course to another without express permission of the instructor
concerned. Degrees of plagiarism include "complete" plagiarism, when someone else's work is
submitted as one's own, or "near-complete," in which the work is taken mainly from another
source. In these cases it is not enough to provide some attributions to the author. More common
is "patchwork" plagiarism in which a number of ideas or statements all taken from outside
sources, are patched together. Even sloppiness in documentation can be considered plagiarism.
Failure to properly cite a source; failure to distinguish direct quotations or by leaving out page
numbers could easily be interpreted as purposeful deceit. To avoid plagiarism, be intellectually
honest. Keep track of where your information comes from. Attempt to organize the material in
your own way. REMEMBER: footnotes document quoted passages and also any paraphrases of
a source. They also document the use of anyone else's ideas whether published or not.
CONSEQUENCES
Cases of plagiarism are brought to the attention of the Dean of Arts and the President's Office
and are usually penalized with temporary suspension and a mark of zero in the course. AVOID
PLAGIARISM AT ALL COSTS.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN WRITING YOUR ESSAY:

Support your arguments with evidence. This is a research paper and not simply a
presentation of our own opinions. You should consult at least 8 sources. If you find
contrary evidence, present the various scholarly arguments.

Encyclopaediae are not considered specific enough sources for a paper at this level. Do
not use the class lectures as sources.

Primary sources (ancient texts in translation) should be consulted if they apply to your
topic.

Begin by collecting information on your topic. The textbook has a good select
bibliography. There are also a number of resources on the website under Essay
Information/Research Starting Points. Also feel free to ask me if you need help finding
sources on your topic.

Start researching as soon as possible (i.e. now). This way the books that you need will
still be in the library, and if there are resources that our library does not have, you can
always request an interlibrary loan, but note this can take several weeks.
2

Reading several sources will give you a basic knowledge of your topic. You must be
careful, however, to avoid simply producing a summary of your readings. You should
demonstrate that you have thought about your topic and understand the material. You
may also include your own ideas.

Before you begin to write your essay, make an outline. Your outline should clearly define
what question(s) and / or ideas that you will be examining, what your arguments are and
what your supporting evidence is. Then continuously refer back to this outline to make
sure you are staying on track. This will keep you focused on your task and result in a
well-organised paper.

Then write a rough draft following your outline. If time allows, put it aside for a few days
and then reread it and try to improve your first effort. If possible have a friend read your
essay to correct spelling or grammatical errors.

Your essay should have three basic parts: 1. An introduction that tells me what you will
be talking about and includes your thesis statement and main points of argument; 2.
The body of your paper: this is where you will discuss the material and your arguments
that further your thesis. Remember that your essay should include not just description,
but analysis; and 3. A conclusion that tells me what you just said. You may include areas
for future study, considerations, but do not include new information or arguments in
your conclusion. Your conclusion should sum up your points and provide a final
perspective on your topic.

Remember that the best essays are answers or responses to specific questions and ideas.
This will help keep you focused. Continue to ask yourself what is the point of what I am
writing, is this necessary for the topic. This will keep you from rambling on.

Cite in footnotes, endnotes or internal citations the sources you have used for all
statements of fact or opinion that are not your own. You must acknowledge the
sources from which you have derived both direct quotations (indicate these by quotation
marks as well as a citation) and specific information.

Cite specific scholars to further your argument and then tell me how this furthers the
argument. Do not simply say Lawrence says . . . and then leave it at that. A good rule of
thumb is to follow every citation with a statement from you.

Use direct quotations sparingly. It is better to paraphrase the author (give the information
in your own words, but remember you still have to cite the source of the information).
The general rule of thumb is that direct quotations should only be used for emphasis or if
they convey the meaning better than you could in your own words.

Do not use contractions and stay away from colloquialisms.

If you need help, ask.

Finally, and most importantly, have some fun with it.