UN Country Status Report:

Research Paper Requirements and Schedules

Overview: After World War II, modernization and globalization impacted the social,
political, and economic development of nations. Nations also experienced challenges
due to tensions between traditional cultures and emerging trends and ideologies.
Task: Choose a particular country or region to research and write a Status Report to
submit to the United Nations. The report must include:
Your countrys or regions current status related to the following factors:
o Economic development type of economy, major businesses/trade,
developed v. developing
o Social issues freedoms, equality, poverty
o Political organization
o Relations with other nations (alliances and enemies)
o Current crises.
A historical context that identifies specific events in history that have
influenced the current status of the country or region
A brief overview of the countrys or regions geography, including a map.
Length:
Format:

4-5 pages typed, double spaced, 12-point font

MLA style, 1-inch margins, proper heading and header, stapled with page
numbers
Country or Region:
You may choose your own country or region, but you MUST get your topic approved
by your teacher BEFORE you begin. You may NOT choose the United States.
If you are having trouble picking a country or region, please see teacher for a
possible topic list.
Requirements:
Clearly developed thesis statement.
MLA format paper and parenthetical references (in-text citations); you will be given
the MLA citation guide from the library. MLA guides are also available online.
Clear introduction, body, and conclusion that supports and proves your thesis.
Minimum 6 reputable sources (all must be valid sources from experts in the field or
should be published by professionals in the field).
o At least two sources are to be primary sources and/or a human expert.
o At least one source must be a periodical (e.g. newspaper, journal, magazine).
o At least one source must be a book.
o Two sources of your choice.
o Each source should be referenced at least once within the body of your
paper!
Complete Works Cited page at conclusion of paper.
At least one note card (see template below) for each source, for a total of 6 note
cards.
Due Dates:
Topic approved by: May 5
Three (3) sources and note cards due by: May 12

Three (3) more sources and note cards due by: May 19
Thesis statement due by: May 26
Rough draft due by: June 1
Final draft due by: June 8
NOTE: Any plagiarism will result in an automatic zero on the paper.

Research Paper
A research paper is an expanded report using multiple sources to develop a topic or a
thesis.
Step 1: Read and review the assignment until you understand all
requirements.
Step 2: Choose a country or region.
A good topic has these characteristics:
Interesting: it will hold your interest and it is something you would like to
learn more about
Manageable: keep in mind your resource and time constraints
Original: find an angle on your topic that is not the same old way of
looking at something
Step 3: Do some preliminary reading.
Go to encyclopedias to get some background information about your country or
region. This will allow you to further narrow or broaden your topic. This can also
help clarify your interest in a given topic.
Write down some questions you want to answer by the end of your research.
Write down some areas you are planning to research (library books, specific
internet sites, etc.).
Step 4: Locate resources.
Look for a variety of sources. Use books, magazines, newspapers, the internet,
etc.
Evaluate the sources. Are they up-to-date and from reliable authors? Skim the
table of contents or subheadings to ensure it will be helpful to you.
Step 5: Read and take notes on resources.
Label your note cards for each source using MLA format. Writing down the works
cited page information for each source will ensure that you have the correct
information and will save you a lot of trouble later on.
Include the page number of the source (This will ensure you have the proper
citation information).
Use quotation marks when you copy directly from the source.
Paraphrase information using your own words. You can use shorthand as long as
you will remember what you meant later on.
Source Title: ___________________________
Author(s): ______________________________
Where to find source (book title/website/journal/etc.):
_____________________________________________________________________________
They Said
My Words

Step 6: Write an original thesis statement.

Step 7: Begin drafting.
Look over your note cards and put them in a logical order to create an interesting
paper.
Develop an outline with your thesis statement and topic sentences for each
paragraph.
Step 8: Revise and edit so final product is ready for publishing.

Research Paper Rubric

I. Mechanics (15 points)

Usage / Spelling
Grammar / Punctuation
Sentence structure and variety
Typos

II. MLA format (35 points)

Page layout (5 points) maintenance

Works Cited page (20 points)
o MLA format
o Includes ALL materials used
Cited sources (10 points)
o Used at least 5 secondary sources in text of paper
o MLA format

III. Structure (50 points)

Title and introduction (10 points)

o Serves as introduction to the play, clearly and concisely sets up thesis
o Thesis statement
Body paragraphs (30 points)
o All points support the thesis
o Supporting evidence from preliminary sources and secondary texts
o Appropriate explanations and connections discussed by student
o Organization: logical, clear order and progression.
Chronological, order of importance, etc.
Conclusion (10 Points)
o Summary of main ideas
o No new arguments

Where to Look for Sources

Library card catalogues:
Most libraries now offer online catalogues that you can access from anywhere as long as
you have a library card. Try different keywords or phrases to ensure that you find all
related material.
Databases:
Most libraries subscribe to databases. There are different databases for different fields,
so make sure you check out all the databases you can find that related to your research
topic. Databases will offer a variety of substantial articles and books that are all from
reputable sources.
Websites:
Websites can be useful at times. However, often times, it is harder to weed through the
bad material than to just use a library or database. You must always verify that the
information you are looking at is valid. Some helpful hints to assure that the website is
valid:
1. Who is the owner / author of the website? And what are their credentials in the
subject area?
2. What type of domain does it come from?
3. Who published or owns the page?
4. Is there a date on the page?
5. Are sources documented with footnotes or links?

Works Cited
Works Cited pages should be organized in alphabetical order, based on the first letter of
each entry. If you have other sources that do not match the description, see your
teacher or check an MLA guide. Make sure you use the correct form for the source you
have. Also, NEVER rely on internet sources to give you the correct citation information.

Books
Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Location: Publisher, Year.

Journal Articles
Author Last Name, First Name, Author Last Name, First Name, and Author Last Name,
First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical xx.x (year): xxx-xx.

Chapters from Books

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Chapter". Title of Book. Ed. Bernard B. Author.
Location: Publisher, year. xxx-xx.

Online article
Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Article. Name of website. 1 January 2006.
Web. Date accessed <url>.
In-text citation
Sources should ALWAYS be cited correctly. Failure to do so is considered plagiarism. All
quotes, direct or even summarized, MUST be cited. Also, quotes should never stand on
their own, but instead should be somehow connected to your own writing.
(Authors Last Name Page Number)
o Example: The true benefit of exercise is the wellness of the mind (Day 24).

If the authors last name appears in the citation, then only a page number is
required:
o Example: Pat Day suggests exercise benefits not only the body, but also the
mind (45).

Multiple authors are cited in a similar way, although both names are included,
and joined by the word "and":
o Example: (Day and Smith 56)

When citing different authors with the same last name, include enough
information so as to be able to differentiate them:
o Example: (A. Day 24) (T. Day 44)

If you are citing more than one work by the same author, include part of the
title.
o (Day, Practical 84); (Day, Hateful 44)

If no author is available, use a short form of the title (the shortest form that
will allow you to recognize the work properly). If a book is titled: How to Find
Happiness in Everything, you can shorten the title to:
o ("Find Happiness" 22)

Research Paper Contract

Name: _________________________________________

Assignment

Due Date

Date
Complete
d

Topic
3 Sources and note cards
3 additional sources and note
cards
Thesis Statement
Rough Draft
Final Draft

Topic Description:

Approved by: __________________________________

Date: ______

Thesis Statement:

Approved by: __________________________________

Date: ______

Grade