Reference no: EM132857733

How to Write a Research Paper

I. Initial Research and Reflections
Reflect on what aspects of international relations interest you. Bear in mind that this does not mean that you have to agree with your chosen topic. You can be critical of it as well. You might choose your topic in various ways:

• Reflect on the historical events, countries, nations, governments, environments, political organizations, religions, etc. that we have covered (or will cover) in class. Is there one of these things that stimulates your interest?
• If you are already knowledgeable of international relations, reflect on the historical events, countries, nations, governments, environments, political organizations, religions, etc. that we do not cover in class. Is there one of these things that stimulates your interest?
• Is there material that you have learned in other classes that might relate to international relations? Most college courses will work have some connections with international relations, including History, Literature, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Film Studies, Biology, Pop Culture, Music Appreciation, Ethics and/or Political Science.

Examples:
a) Nancy has taken some classes in biology. These classes sparked an interest in James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis. She was pleasantly surprised that the Gaia hypothesis was also discussed in international relations. She hopes to write a research paper on the Gaia hypothesis by incorporating material from biology and international relations.

b) Bob is interested in the effects that European colonialism had on Africa. He hopes to write a research paper on the topic.

II. Thesis Statement
Once you have chosen your topic and performed some preliminary research on it, then you will need to write a thesis statement. It is important to remember that you are not bound to the thesis statement. As you conduct your research, you might discover that it needs to be revised (or, in some cases, completely abandoned). There are a few important things to remember when writing a thesis statement:

• It is not going to be revelatory and/or unique. Please remember that this is a research paper for a second-year course (and not a doctoral thesis).
• It needs to be clear and concise. For instance, are you able to summarize it in 1-2 sentences?
• It needs to be manageable. Find the middle ground between being too vague and being too specific (see example b).

Examples:
a) Nancy formulates the thesis statement, "The following paper will illustrate the various problems associated with James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis. In so doing, it will also demonstrate that the Gaia hypothesis should not govern international relations." Nancy recognizes that her thesis statement is not revelatory, but, rather, suitable for a second-year college course.

b) Bob proposes the thesis statement "The following paper will explore the effects of European colonialism on Africa. In turn, it will demonstrate that the effects of European colonialism on Kenya were, for the most part, detrimental." His instructor informs him that this thesis statement is too broad. He returns with another one: "The following paper will explore the effects of European colonialism on the Kisii People of Kenya. In turn, it will demonstrate that the effects of European colonialism on Kenya were, for the most part, detrimental". His instructor suggests that this thesis statement is too specific (i.e. there is likely not enough information on this topic to write a paper about it). Finally, Bob returns with a manageable thesis statement: "The following paper will explore the effects of European colonialism on Kenya. In turn, it will demonstrate that the effects of European colonialism on Kenya were, for the most part, detrimental."

III. Sources and Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography helps you to organize the various resources that are linked to your thesis statement. They contain a citation (see section IV. Citations) and a brief synopsis of each resource. The synopsis should contain information that might be relevant to your thesis, including (but not limited to) a brief summary, notations on relevant chapters and information about the author.

Please note the primary objective of the annotations is to assist you with your research. As such, please include any other information that might be helpful to you. Furthermore, it can be written in the first-person (i.e. "I").

Your annotated bibliography will contain four or more resources. Your resources can come from a variety of places, including:

• Books and E-Books. In my opinion, books are still the best type of resource for this paper. In comparison to journal articles, books are usually easier to understand and are typically meant for a general audience. When choosing books, be sure to pay attention to the date of publication. This does not mean that you have to reject older books. In fact, you should avoid the assumption that newer books are somehow better. Rather, consider the date of publication in the context of your thesis statement. For instance, if you are writing about the Incan Civilization then a book from the 1970s might be perfectly acceptable. Conversely, if you are writing about the Syrian Refugee Crisis then clearly you want books from the last few years. Lastly, when choosing books, be sure to pay attention to the author and/or publisher. Some books are clearly written from a specific viewpoint. For instance, "Greenpeace International" is a publication house with ties to the environmental/political organization of the same name. This does not mean that you have to avoid such books, but you should make it clear to the reader that they are written from a certain perspective. On a side note: all resources (political, religious, scholarly or otherwise) contain biases.
• Journal Articles. Be extremely cautious when using journal articles. Many articles are written for a very specific audience (which, typically, does not include students taking an introductory course in international relations). Furthermore, many journal articles are poorly written and full of academic jargon.
• Websites. The internet contains some excellent websites on International Relations. Nevertheless, the internet also contains a huge number of questionable websites. If in doubt, please email them to me.

• News Articles. Consider the context when using news articles. If you are writing about the general principles of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms then I would recommend that you avoid news articles. Nevertheless, if you wish to elaborate on specific examples of how the charter has been used in Lethbridge for persons with disabilities then news articles might be your only resource. If you plan to use news articles, please make sure that they are from a reputable source (e.g. CBC, BBC, etc.)
• Documentaries. Can be a valuable resource for general topics. Just make sure that they are from a reputable source (e.g. BBC, PBS, etc.)

IV. Citations
Sources must be cited. I do not have a preference as to what system (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.) you use, but your system must be consistent. I expect citations in three places:

• For each resource that you have included in your annotated bibliography.
• In a reference page attached to the end of your research paper.
• Within the research paper. You need to include an in-text citation every time you quote an author or summarize their ideas. If in doubt, cite it. I will not deduct marks for over-citing sources.

V. Organization
Proper organization is key to a good research paper. A research paper that lacks organization is very difficult to read. As such, it should be organized in the following way:

• Introduction. I do not like to read grandiose introductions (e.g. "Since the dawn of humankind, people have been warring with one another..."). Instead, keep it short and simple. It should be 2-3 sentences, one of which needs to be your thesis statement.
• Body. This should be the vast majority of the paper. One of the best ways to organize the body is to use headings that directly relate to your thesis statement (see examples below).
• Conclusion. As with the introduction, keep the conclusion short and simple. Conclusions provide little value in a paper of this size.

Examples:
a) Recall that Nancy's thesis statement is "The following paper will illustrate the various problems associated with James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis. In so doing, it will also demonstrate that the Gaia hypothesis should not govern international relations." Apart from the introduction and conclusion, Nancy might organize her paper into the following sections.

o Gaia and the Problems of Natural Selection (1.5 page)
o The Quasi-religious Aspects of Gaia (1.5 page)
o Gaia and International Relations: Problems and Solutions (2 pages)

*Note: clearly, the last section is needed for this to be an International Relations paper.*

b) Recall that Bob's thesis statement is "The following paper will explore the effects of European colonialism on Kenya. In turn, it will demonstrate that the effects of European colonialism on Kenya were, for the most part, detrimental." Apart from the introduction and conclusion, Bob might organize his paper into the following sections:

o The Economic Effects of Colonialism in Kenya (1.5 page)
o The Social Effects of Colonialism in Kenya (1.5 page)
o The Political Effects of Colonialism in Kenya (2 pages)

VI. Assistance
If you require assistance with your annotated bibliography and/or paper, there are number places that you can go:

• First (and foremost), please speak with your instructor. I am more than happy to meet with you to discuss any aspect of the annotated bibliography and/or research paper, including looking at your rough-drafts. Generally, I request that students set up a Zoom meeting to do so.
• The Learning Café (online). They can assist with writing and APA citations. You can also access online writing feedback through their writing drop box (please allow for three business days).
• The Library (online). They can assist with online research (including relevant journal databases).

Afterwards, write your research paper. It should be 1500-2000 words in length (size 12 font/double- spaced). It should also be free of grammatical and/or spelling errors.

A reference page needs to be attached to the end of the paper. It needs to include a minimum of four sources.