RESEARCH PAPER

Each member of the class will prepare a research paper. The paper must identify a research question or hypothesis, explain why this research question or hypothesis is important in the study of political participation in the U.S., review the relevant literature, present careful analysis and explanation, and draw a conclusion based upon the study.

The papers are to be typed, double-spaced with appropriate margins and referenced in a scholarly style (e.g., footnotes, endnotes). Each page must be numbered. The paper should run 10-12 pages and must have a minimum of twelve scholarly sources. The references must include books and journal articles although other relevant sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines, websites) can be included. Although they can be used, be mindful that Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report are not scholarly sources. Also, books used for the class will not count toward the twelve scholarly sources used for your paper.

Students are cautioned to identify the source of material used in the paper. The penalty for plagiarism is an "F" on the paper.

Note:  The paper will be evaluated using criteria adapted from the department's capstone papers requirements.

A topic for the paper along with a one-half page proposal and six scholarly sources are due in class on February 9. The references for this proposal must include books and journal articles only. The instructor will return the proposal to you with comments. Late proposals will result in five points being deducted from the final paper grade. Failure to submit a paper proposal will result in ten points being deducted from the final paper grade. Note: Your instructor highly suggests that you do not change your paper topic later in the semester since problems usually arise resulting in difficulty for the student including missing the deadlines noted above. Select a topic early, make sure that you have a sufficient number of sources, and stay focused.

Papers are due in class on April 9. Late papers will be reduced three (3) points per day beginning the day the paper is due. Do not slide papers under the office door of your instructor. Submit late papers to the department secretary in BAL 7000 only.

Suggestion: do not wait until the night before the paper is due to print it - - computer and printer problems seem to be common at this time! Please consult with your instructor if you have any questions.

Suggested Journals

• American Journal of Politics
• American Political Science Review
• American Politics Quarterly
• Foreign Affairs
• Journal of Politics
• Legislative Studies Quarterly
• Political Behavior
• Political Communication
• Political Research Quarterly
• Public Opinion Quarterly
• Southeastern Political Review

Sample Research Questions or Suggested Topics

• How has the political and legal framework affected political participation in the United States?
• What are the trends in voting turnout among women and men over the last forty years?
• Compare and contrast voting behavior among citizens in the US, Great Britain and Australia.
• How does voting turnout among American citizens compare to that of citizens in other countries? (e.g., pick two or three other countries)
• What role has race played regarding voting behavior in the United States? What changes have occurred over the last forty years or so? How and why did these changes occur?
• Which interest groups support Democrats? Republicans? Why?
• Does the mass media affect voting behavior?
• What impact, if any, have campaigns like Rock the Vote had on young voters?
• Who protests and why?
• Focus on an issue and analyze how members of an interest group (or collection of groups) tried to influence members of Congress and how Congress responded?
• Analyze the membership, actions and outcomes of environmental groups.
• Compare and contrast the the pro-choice movement and the pro-life movement.
• Does region of the country (west, midwest, south, northeast) make a difference in voting behavior?
• What strategies might be beneficial in encouraging young people to vote?
• Does political participation make a difference?

How to Write a Research Paper
The following outline is prepared to provide guidance in writing a research paper for a political science class. The outline is organized along the same lines as an article you might find in a scholarly journal or the approach you should have learned in POLS 308 (Research Design). The advantage of using this format is three-fold: 1) it will make the task more interesting since you will be gathering data and interpreting it, 2) it helps you to organize your thoughts into categories as you write your paper, and 3) it will be less likely that you will run into the problem of plagiarism. Go to the library and compare this outline with articles in scholarly journals. Use both as a guide for your paper.

I. Statement of the Problem
What is the purpose of the paper? What is the problem or issue? Why is the study important? What are you, the author, trying to do?

II. Review of the Literature
Summarize what has been studied in the past. Show how previous studies relate to what you want to do. Present research questions or hypotheses at the end of this section.

Note: This section helps you to organize a framework for your study - - past research that provides a basis for your study. For instance, if you want to compare what factors might have influenced voting turnout during the 2004 election (e.g., gender, race, income level, education level,) first show what the literature tells you about these factors and voting in previous elections then turn to your study.

III. Methods
How are you going to do your study, e.g., conduct a survey, use data already collected from some organization or newspaper or a primary source.

Conceptualization: define any concepts you are using. For example, if you are examining political participation define the term since there are many ways people can get involved in political action.

Operationalization: explain how you will measure any variables or factors. For instance, if you want to evaluate the impact of education on participation, you might use "high school graduate," "some college," "college degree," "advanced degree" for the purpose of comparison.

Describe the source of your data. For instance, voting data, public opinion polls, statistical abstract, Congressional Quarterly.

IV. Findings/Results
Analyze the data you have collected. Use tables or graphs where necessary or helpful.

V. Conclusion
Summarize your paper. What have you learned? What might be the implications of your study, e.g., what else needs to be done (not now but in a later study)?

VI. References/Bibliography
Present your list of sources using proper citation format.