Note: I include my "tips" sheet here for your reference.
I also include some tips for your formal proposal for the paper and presentation topic, from my graduate courses Proposal Tips. Just remember that for my graduate students I was asking for well over 20 pages, you will be expected to follow the same quality guidelines, but not the same length (unless you so choose.)
This course requires a written termpaper on some topic related to computer science professional responsibilities. The paper will be a minimum of 20 pages long double spaced. You must give a 5 - 10 sentence abstract of the contents as part of the cover page. In addition, it must have a bibliography attached with several citations given as sources for material used in the paper, web citations are not sufficient. The topic must be preapproved by the instructor. The topic will be the same as for the formal 10 minute presentation.
The topic for the termpaper (and formal 10 minute presentation) must be preapproved by the instructor. A formal topic proposal must be made to the instructor as required by the instructor. The proposal is to include a (1) proposed title, (2) proposed abstract (a two or three paragraph explanation of the topic and your point about it), (3) outline of your approach to the topic (list the big issues and how you want to look at them, maybe a note about why this is an important or timely topic) and (4) a short bibliography (2 or 3 sources minimum, books, papers, or other sources).
Note that I suggest a format consisting of the following sections for the paper (you may diverge from this if you are an experienced writer, but know that I expect this sort of organization from you.)
Introduction section: you will give a rough overview of what issue you are writing about and your own resolution.
Facts section: This section should have NO opinion or slant, just give the basic facts that give rise to the issue of interest.
Statement of Issue: This is a few sentences (preferably one!) of the issue of interest. What question do you answer in your paper?
Arguments about the issue: This will probably be two (maybe more) sections detailing arguments about the issue. If your issue is mainly two sided, you may have one section advocating something, then another section giving the opposite arguments. This section should not hold your arguments or judgments, it is for listing and explaining others arguments just as though you agree with them (even when you do not agree with them.)
Analysis: This is YOUR time to analyze, synthesize, argue, support or attack others' arguments about the issue. This is the main part of the paper where the A's can be earned. Show me what you think, reason out a resolution and show why it works. I do not have to agree with you, just make a good argument. This section will account for a majority of the final paper grade.
Bibliography and Citations: It is imperative that whenever you make reference to a FACT of some sort, you cite an authoritative source for that fact. (Ex: "the internet now makes up 4% of the Gross National Product of the USA" [cited source goes here and in your bibliography.]) This is very very important. Whenever you use ideas of others, you must give me the reference. It is GOOD to use ideas of others in YOUR analysis. Just give me the reference. DO NOT GIVE unsupported opinions in this paper.
As announced in class, I have examples of papers in my office you may review. You may also check the papers from CSC 300 that have been published to see how they look.