The assignment is pretty simple: Write an 8-10 page (with page numbers please) research paper that proves a thesis on anything. ALL TOPICS AND THESIS IDEAS MUST BE APPROVED. Now for some advice:

10 TIPS FOR WRITING AN "A" PAPER

1. THESIS! Make sure that your thesis is original and strong. Is it creative? Does it prove something original? NOT a good thesis: "The New Deal did some help to get us out of the Great Depression." No kidding Sherlock!!! Try something original ... BETTER THESIS ... "The New Deal was the most important domestic program in the history of the United States." Argue!

2. CARRY OUT THESIS ... Just about every single sentence you write should be related to your thesis. In other words, if you are writing about how the New Deal changed society, DO NOT devote two pages to the biography of FDR. It doesn't help your thesis! You are expected to have some historical context in your paper ... but don't get sidetracked with too much background.

3. SHOW ME THE RESEARCH! I want you to use many sources. Show me you can mix books, journals, and online databases. A good paper blends MANY different sources. Speaking of your sources ...

4. Balance your sources! Please do not rely too heavily on one source. I hate seeing (Klaff, 23) (Klaff, 24) (Klaff, 452) (Adams, 121) (Klaff, 48) Please use your sources wisely. You can rely heavier on some, but PLEASE do not overdo it on one of them!

5. Use only the best! Internet sources don't impress me too much. You can use one, but please don't let that be your dominant source. Show me a lot of journals. I like that. Colleges like that. Also, books are your friends!

6. When in doubt ... Cite! Surprisingly, not everyone knows this. Citing your footnotes is so important. You must cite whenever information isn't yours. Not just when you are quoting. Footnotes also show me your research. The more I see, the more research I assume you have used. If you don't cite -- it's plagiarism. If you don't know what that means, click here.

7. Footnote Format ... As for citing ... I got through most history courses in undergraduate and graduate school by using parenthetical endnotes. These are simpler than the "Ibid" style footnotes. Simply give me the author, and the page (Schilling, 38). If you wish to use MLA style, that's fine by me too. No matter what style you use ... A Bibliography is needed. If you do not know how to do this, see the librarian and ask for the "Green Sheet" of citation formats.

8. Weave it together! Here's an excerpt from an old college paper I wrote. Notice, how I am using different sources, yet interweaving them in the same paragraph. If your paper looks like this, you are showing that you can take different sources, and relate them to a larger thesis.

      Tammany Hall’s political machine, coupled with the influx of would-be Democratic immigrants, created one of the strongest Democratic entities in the North (Bernstein, 7). During the 1880s, New York City’s Democratic allegiance was still existent. New York City considered itself a Democratic city under Republican Rule (Headley, 129)

     Such government anxiety influenced early draft riot literature. These early accounts interpret government and class to be the most profound causes to the draft riots. It is equally important to understand why black and white tensions were downplayed. First, violence directed towards blacks was frequent. In the era of Headley and Volcano, the nation embraced white supremacy by accepting Jim Crow laws and disenfranchisement. Liberty was therefore reserved for the white man (Dawley, 2).

Wow, four sources used in two paragraphs!!!! No need to bold them in your papers by the way.

9. GRAMMAR!!! Don't overlook the obvious. Grammar is a HUGE part of writing a good paper. At this level, you should be very aware of grammar flaws. When in doubt, use the grammar check on the computer. Everyone makes mistakes.

10. Write on something that interests YOU! I want this to be a learning experience. It will be a better experience if you write about something that interests you. There's nothing worse than writing a paper on something that bores you. If it bores you -- odds are, your writing will reflect that. Have fun! Pick something that you enjoy! Research Papers are your friends!!!!!!