Please read carefully the Term Paper/Essay notes and requirements below
as this is a major component of the course
TERM PAPER / ESSAY
Value: 21%
See rubric attached to the end of this document how your paper will be graded
Format: Your essay should follow the structure, format, layout and documentation
Mechanics. Please follow APA style for your essay. You are expected to write
2000 words or more in the essay.
* Each student MUST attend the online Citation Workshop
to learn how to follow the structure, format, layout and
documentation mechanics. Please check the Canvas for the workshop materials.
* Each student is requested to submit an essay notes (a blank note can be
downloaded in the course documents) by the due date on Canvas.
These notes will be returned with the instructor’s comments and must be
submitted with the final essay in order to have your paper graded. Once you
submitted the essay notes, you are NOT allowed to change the essay topic.
* Each student is requested to submit the following:
(1) Essay, (2) Essay Note, (3) Proof of attending workshop at the WLC, and
(4) the photocopies of all pages of documents containing your
citations/paraphrased parts
Failure to hand-in your essay notes, workshop proof or photocopies of citations
will result in a ‘D’ grade for the assignment.
* Any overdue submission of essay (both the hard copy and online submission along
with photocopies of citations) will lose 3 points for one day delay.
* Plagiarism may result in an ‘0’ grade for the assignment. In
addition, cases of plagiarism (Academic Alert) will be reported to the college.
Topics: Please follow the steps outlined below:
- Review a topic of interest to you which is related to the focus of this course.
- Next begin an investigation of the ‘roots’ or historical background of the issues
relating to the topic you have chosen. You must use at least 5 academic sources in your in-text citations, such as books, academic journals articles. You can not just rely on newspapers, news websites, interviews, etc. Don’t cite the instructor’s lecture.
In general, AVOID the following:
- Topics which are specifically comparative in nature, since one needs to know a great deal about an apple and an orange before trying to compare apples-and-oranges. If you do select such a topic, can you answer the question “So what?”
- Topics which are mainly biographical in nature, as person’s life story
is difficult, if not impossible, to do well in a short paper. This does not
mean that you ignore the contributions and comments of individuals as
they relate to the subject chosen.
Sources: Your work should show evidence of the use of a variety of sources (including, but not limited to, books, magazines, journals, videos/films, interviews, case studies and www/internet items as appropriate to the topic chosen).
Please note that plagiarism includes the followings, and is a serious offence:
- Taking passages from your own previous work without adding citations.
- Re-writing someone’s work without properly citing sources.
- Using quotations, but not citing the source.
- Interweaving various sources together in the work without citing.
- Citing some, but not all passages that should be cited.
- Melding together cited and uncited sections of the piece.
- Providing proper citations, but fails to change the structure and wording of the borrowed ideas enough.
- Inaccurately citing the source.
- Relying too heavily on other people’s work. Fails to bring original thought into the text.
The essay/term paper is a key item necessary to successfully complete the course.
FEEL FREE TO DISCUSS ANY OF THESE POINTS WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR
| Expert | Proficient | Apprentice | Novice | |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Integration of Knowledge | The paper demonstrates that the author fully understands and has applied concepts learned in the course. Concepts are integrated into the writer’s own insights. The writer provides concluding remarks that show analysis and synthesis of ideas. | The paper demonstrates that the author, for the most part, understands and has applied concepts learned in the course. Some of the conclusions, however, are not supported in the body of the paper. | The paper demonstrates that the author, to a certain extent, understands and has applied concepts learned in the course. | The paper does not demonstrate that the author has fully understood and applied concepts learned in the course. |
| Topic focus | The topic is focused narrowly enough for the scope of this assignment. A thesis statement provides direction for the paper, either by statement of a position or hypothesis. | The topic is focused but lacks direction. The paper is about a specific topic but the writer has not established a position. | The topic is too broad for the scope of this assignment. | The topic is not clearly defined. |
| Depth of discussion | In-depth discussion & elaboration in all sections of the paper. | In-depth discussion & elaboration in most sections of the paper. | The writer has omitted pertinent content or content runs-on excessively. Quotations from others outweigh the writer’s own ideas excessively. | Cursory discussion in all the sections of the paper or brief discussion in only a few sections. |
| Cohesiveness | Ties together information from all sources. Paper flows from one issue to the next without the need for headings. Author’s writing demonstrates an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources. | For the most part, ties together information from all sources. Paper flows with only some disjointedness. Author’s writing demonstrates an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources. | Sometimes ties together information from all sources. Paper does not flow – disjointedness is apparent. Author’s writing does not demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources. | Does not tie together information. Paper does not flow and appears to be created from disparate issues. Headings are necessary to link concepts. Writing does not demonstrate understanding any relationships |
| Spelling and grammar | No spelling &/or grammar mistakes. | Minimal spelling &/or grammar mistakes. | Noticeable spelling & grammar mistakes. | Unacceptable number of spelling and/or grammar mistakes. |
| Sources | More than 5 current sources, of which at least 3 are peer-review journal articles or scholarly books. Sources include both general background sources and specialized sources. Special-interest sources and popular literature are acknowledged as such if they are cited. All web sites utilized are authoritative. | 5 current sources, of which at least 2 are peer-review journal articles or scholarly books. All web sites utilized are authoritative. | Fewer than 5 current sources, or fewer than 2 of 5 are peer-reviewed journal articles or scholarly books. All web sites utilized are credible. | Fewer than 5 current sources, or fewer than 2 of 5 are peer-reviewed journal articles or scholarly books. Not all web sites utilized are credible, and/or sources are not current. |
| Citations | Cites all data obtained from other sources. APA citation style is used in both text and bibliography. | Cites most data obtained from other sources. APA citation style is used in both text and bibliography. | Cites some data obtained from other sources. Citation style is either inconsistent or incorrect. | Does not cite sources. |