CSC 300 Research Paper Specification and Acceptance Test Guide

PAPER Author: Paper Title:

FACTS: (20%) Concise, simple, clear, NARRATIVE that describes the state of the world related to your issue.  Tell the reader a story about the situation that makes her curious about your issue before you tell her about it.  Cite respectable sources for every fact or claim about the situation.  Just a page or two. 

ISSUE STATEMENT: (5%) Very concise and simple, one line is best, narrowly defined [single] question that you will resolve in your analysis.  Avoid side issues!

ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENTS: (25%) Cover other thinkers thoughts about your issue in a neutral manner.  Take no sides, just illustrate the different views and the logical reasoning of others as though they're correct.  (Do NOT inject any of your analysis till the next section!)  Cite sources for the arguments.  Don't make them up.  Cover the field.   Use descriptive subheadings to distinguish the different arguments.  The Code does not belong in this section, use it in your analysis later.

YOUR ANALYSIS: (50%) Answer your question (your issue).  Make informed and logically reasoned judgments about the validity of others' arguments, make new arguments of your own and justify them with logic and ethical principles.  Begin by justification of the applicability of the SE Code to your issue.  You must convince me, even if I actually disagree with you, that your analysis and conclusion have a respectable amount of logical weight utilizing the IEEE/ACM Software Engineering Code and other general ethical principles.   Continue to cite sources for all facts and arguments used in your analysis.  Make sure your analysis is only about your narrowly defined issue!   Use subheadings to distinguish your various arguments.

OVERALL GRADE: ______________

NOTE: You are required to fill out and attach this sheet as your self-evaluation to your paper.

Paper Checklist.  Perform the following checks before turning in the paper:

• ____  PROOFREAD your paper!  (Note: You may hire a proofreader to help with your paper but you must check with me first and cite their contribution, also giving their contact information for the instructor to check.)
• ____  Do a spell check.  You can fail this paper simply by a lot of bad spelling.
• ____ Do a grammar check.  A hard to read paper will result in a failing grade.
• ____ Use a clean, simple format.  Table of Contents, descriptive headings and subheadings must detail a high level outline of your paper. 
• _____  Number pages.  Do not number the title page or TOC.
• _____ The paper must total more than 6000 words of real text or it will be returned to you with a failing grade.  Title page, TOC, abstract and appendices do NOT count towards the word count.  
• _____ Do NOT include any word "padding" like long lists, long quotations, rambling, irrelevant (or off topic) discussion.  
• _____  Graphs, tables, charts and pictures should only be included based on true value added, they must not be redundant with text.   
• ____  Cite all facts and claims you make.  The quality and accuracy of the citation is at issue and if done poorly may result in a failing grade, original sources are best. 
• ____ It is poor form to rely on a single citation for several paragraphs.  Different citations to varied respectable sources are preferable.
• ____ Use of secondary sources such as Wikipedia for some fact that has an original source is unacceptable.
• ____ Use proper citation formats.  Use common CS citation format for this paper.
• ____ Quotations should be short, single spaced, indented and cited.  They must be relevant, not redundant with your text and focused on your issue.
• ____  Your analysis must be rational and logical, opinion is irrelevant.  The Software Engineering Code of Ethics must be central to your Analysis. Other systems of Ethics may be considered important, too. If your analysis does not have multiple references to the SE Code (and possibly other ethics), it will be unacceptable.