You should begin your “research paper” immediately.
? You will need to use peer reviewed articles to appropriately complete this assignment.
o Peer review articles are available through the Hunter Library website
? (http://www.wcu.edu/hunter-library/)
? You should be able to easily find articles through homepage search box.
? Use a variety of keywords in order to define and redefine your search
? This can be a time consuming process, take your time
? Many sociological issues are researched through the aspects of RCGS
? (Race/Class/Gender/Sexuality)
? Try refining your search by including these categories
o While you will likely get by with 5 peer reviewed sources, the best papers will have more
? You will be graded on the following components
o Correct style:
? 12 pt. New Times Roman font
? 1 inch margins (make sure you check)
? Double spaced
? Reference page with appropriate citation format (APA and ASA only)
? The data base will provide this for you but use Purdue Owl if needed

In-text citations (reference the Owl if needed)
? I need to know where you are getting your information
o Usually takes (Author Year) format, such as (Mwaniki 2019)
? Limited use of quotes, I want your interpretation, not someone else’s
? Watch for long paragraphs, break up your ideas
o Introduction and Conclusion
? The introduction should tell me where your paper is going, what you will cover
? Also why you are covering your chosen topic
? The conclusion should briefly summarize your paper
? Also where you feel things should go into the future
o For example, what policies might alleviate global poverty?
o Body
? Use headers to break up thoughts and transitions
? Academic writing is not always about smooth transitions
? Reference the Owl to see how headings are formatted
? Cite, cite, cite
? Unless you have actually done research on your topic you are building on the
work of someone else
? Proofread
? Comma use, grammar, spelling, etc.
? Interpretation and making connections
? Perhaps most important. This class is not about issues that somehow stand in
isolation from each other. I want to see that you recognize how different
social problems are related and intersect. You should also try to synthesize
your sources into a coherent argument, meaning that I do not want a paper
of individual article summaries.