Research Paper Enabling Objectives
Research Paper Purpose, Instructions, and Enabling Objectives
Purpose Statement 1 Instructions 1 Enabling Objectives 3
Purpose Statement
The purpose of the research paper is to provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning after exploring a topic in-depth. It will help develop their academic writing abilities by improving paraphrasing, brainstorming, and academic resourcing. Building from the work done for the decision brief, students will complete a 10-15 page paper (not including cover & reference pages). Students will include information from academic and military sources such as articles, books, dictionaries or encyclopedias, news, doctrinal publications, and current events.
What is research paper?
- It is an extended essay.
- It should have a thesis, not a subject. In other words, a clear point of view.
- It consists of sources that directly support your thesis.
- It has citations at the end of the paper to show that you are not plagiarizing.
- It has a clear focus. For example, if your topic is forced migration, narrow your topic to ‘internally displaced people in Ethiopian territory.’
- It has an arguable thesis statement. It should not be a fact or a statement.
- It is a unified paper focused on the thesis. It does not stray away from the purpose.
- It is organized around the most significant points, in your opinion.
- It has summarized and paraphrased ideas and facts from multiple sources. (Write these ideas and facts in your own way!)
Instructions
Pre-writing Questions
- What is the purpose of my writing about the issue?
- Now that I have collected input from my classmate’s questions during the decision briefing, what else do I need to research in-depth?
- How can I convince the reader that the issue needs solving?
- Do I need to propose an additional solution or change my proposed solution from the decision brief?
- What would be required to implement this solution?
- How will the situation change if my solution is implemented?
- What statistics or expert knowledge can I include as convincing facts?
Questions to consider while writing
- Have I completed a proper outline for my research paper? (Is my argument divided into sub-arguments?)
- Is there enough historical background in the paper?
- Does my thesis indicate a direction for my reader?
Questions to consider during editing
- Does the argument make sense from start to finish?
- Does the conclusion clearly restate the thesis?
- Do I have proper transitions between paragraphs?
Technical writing elements to keep in mind:
- Pay attention to your use of grammar and syntax, and strive for a mix of sentence types (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).
- When possible, use self and/or peer review before you submit this to your instructor.
- Get your ideas down in a rough draft. Read it over and revise. Do not expect to complete your paper all at once.
Formatting in Turabian/Chicago Style :
- Choose a standard font like 12-point, Times New Roman
- Double-space the text
- Indent the first line of each new paragraph (half an inch)
- Use 1-inch margins
- Place the page numbers at the bottom right
- Title Page: Your title page should be written in the same font as your text. It should be center-aligned and double-spaced. It should not have a page number and should be included in the page count.
Citations: For in-text citations and notes, please refer to The Chicago Manual of Style and seek your instructor for more guidance.
Enabling Objectives
The following Reading Enabling Objectives are practiced:
- 1.1.1 Can analyze explicit details, arguments, ideas, and opinions and recognize some inferences in linguistically complex academic and military texts ≥ 60% of the time
The following Writing Enabling Objectives are practiced:
- 1.4.1 Can use high-frequency and some mid-frequency vocabulary and complex structures with elaboration and cohesion in writing ≥ 60% of the time
- 1.4.2 Can improve ideas, organization, grammar, style, and mechanics, with some improvement of voice, diction, and conventions while editing a linguistically complex text ≥ 60% of the time
The following Intercultural Effectiveness Enabling Objectives are practiced:
- 2.1.1 Can demonstrate a thorough understanding of core aspects of the values and beliefs, social communication styles, history, politics, diplomacy, economics and military practices that are important to members of another culture ≥ 60% of the time
The following Procedural and Technical Skills Enabling Objectives are practiced:
- 3.1.1 Can use software (i.e., LMS, word processing, presentations, reference management, annotations, internet browsing, plagiarism detection, and email correspondence) to meet course expectations for communication and coursework, ≥ 60% of the time, independently with minimal guidance and direction
- 3.1.2 Can research academic and military topics, including the use of academic databases, basic boolean queries, and citations that are faithful to source material, independently with minimal guidance and direction ≥ 60% of the time
- 3.1.3 Can take effective notes (i.e., Cornell notes) on an unfamiliar topic while reading a complex and unfamiliar text or while listening to a linguistically complex presentation or lecture, independently with minimal guidance and direction ≥ 60% of the time