Description

The final project consists of an individual or two-member group research paper on a development issue, and a class presentation of the research. The topic of the paper will be drawn from class readings, lecture, discussion, and video presentations. Students should avoid choosing a topic that is too broad or general.

For example, “Women and Human Rights in the Third World” is too general; a more focused topic would be “Women and Human Rights under the Taliban Government in Afghanistan.”

“Third World Women and the Economy” is too general; a more focused topic might be “The Impact of Maquiladora Employment on the Economic Well-Being of Women in Mexico.”

“The Effects of Globalization on Mexico’s Population” is too general; a better choice would be “The Effects of The North American Free Trade Agreement on the Rural Population of Chiapas, Mexico.”

For those choosing to work in groups:

Students will create the paper and presentation collaboratively, in groups of two. Each student will receive an individual grade for her/his contribution to the project (15%), as well as a group grade for the overall project (5%). The group grade will be determined by the quality of the class presentation and the overall quality of the final paper. The individual grade will be determined by the quality of students’ individual contributions to the presentation and to the paper.

The Written Paper

The paper will be approximately 10 typed double-spaced pages (12 pt font), not including title page, table of contents, and reference page. The length will be 15-18 pages for two-member groups. The paper will include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference list. The body of the paper will be organized into several sections and possibly sub-sections, depending on the topic and content. It is expected that this paper will be college-level quality: well organized, grammatically correct, and free of spelling, punctuation, and typographical errors. The use of excessive adjectives and wordy, ornate sentences is discouraged; students are encouraged to express themselves clearly, concisely, and in a scholarly manner. For group endeavours, individual authorship should be clearly indicated in a simple table of contents.

The sources for this paper should be scholarly: articles from peer-reviewed academic journals and books by scholars or recognized experts. Appropriate non-scholarly sources may be used to supplement the paper. You may not use encyclopedias (on-line or otherwise) except for definition of terms. You may not use Wikipedia at all. Use of Wikipedia will result in a failing grade.

The paper will be formatted in APA style. You will be expected to adhere to APA style for all technical aspects of the paper, including, but not limited to, citing, pagination, headings and subheadings, and the cover page. All material (quoted, paraphrased, or summarized) must be cited parenthetically (in text) and in a reference list, per APA regulations. We have an APA style guide in the reference section of the Hewes library (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association). APA style is also outlined in your Bedford Handbook. The Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presents a nice on-line summary of APA style - http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPA.html. “Noodletools.com” will format a reference list into APA - http://www.noodletools.com/ - go to the website, click on “NoodleBib Express,” and follow instructions. You are responsible for any errors on the part of Noodletools.com.

The Presentation

Each individual or group will give an in-class presentation, in which each member will present highlights from some aspect of the group’s research. A few visual aids should be included, such as graphs, tables, or figures on overhead transparencies or Powerpoint, slides, maps, etc. Don’t go overboard on the visuals. Over-reliance on Powerpoint is discouraged.

Division of Tasks for Two-Member Groups

Each student will contribute at least one sub-section to the body of the paper and each student will talk for 10 minutes about one aspect of the research

In addition, each student will take on at least 3 project tasks. Tasks that will need to be assigned include:

· Paper – Introduction

· Paper – Conclusion

· Paper – Creation of bibliography

· Paper – Compilation and editing (this is a big task – it includes checking the entire paper for adherence to APA style, typos, and organization)

· Paper – Table of Contents (including each student’s sub-section)

· Presentation – Creation of visual aids

Each group member is responsible to the other for on-time work and attendance at group meetings

Students (individually and in groups) are encouraged to meet as often as is necessary with the professor for assistance with all aspects of the research project.