THE
Research Paper Assignment
Goal:
Write a ten-page research
paper using original, primary documents. The main body of sources for your
paper should be original documents, including declassified documents from the
Topic:
Choose any crisis or
issue relating to
In your paper, contrast
American perceptions and goals with those of the key actors from the
region. Did
We will consider
alternative topics and ways of approaching this research assignment on a
case-by-case basis. If you would like to
conduct a different type of assignment, email Dr. Hanne and Dr. Osgood with
your idea.
Sources:
To assess
To assess the perceptions
and goals of Middle Eastern countries, you can consult published speeches or
key actors, press reports, memoirs, etc.
You may also find it useful to consult secondary sources. Dr. Hanne is best able to help you identify
sources for this dimension of the assignment.
Research Proposal:
You will need to identify
a topic by February 7th. On that day, you must submit a 1-page
research proposal. The proposal should
do the following:
(a)
provide a
working title for your project
(b)
identify the
topic and research question(s) of the research paper
(c)
list the main
body of primary sources that will be used
(d)
list the main
secondary sources that will be consulted
(e)
raise any
questions that you may have
The proposal is due in
class on February 7. Note that you will
need to do significant background research to be able to write your proposal
and identify your topic – this is not a task to be left for the last minute!
Submitting Your Paper:
All papers must be
submitted two ways:
(1)
as paper
copies, turned in during class time;
(2)
and as electronic copies, submitted electronically
using the course Blackboard site.
The electronic copies
will be checked for plagiarism using Turnitin.com software.
All students must submit both
electronic and paper copies. Students
who do not do so will receive a ZERO for the assignment!
Guidelines and Rules:
Format:
Style:
Late Policy:
Citing Sources:
You should use footnotes
according to the Chicago Manual of Style (aka Turabian)
to cite the documents and sources you consult for your project. A quick reference guide is pasted on the
following website. You should follow the citation format for Humanities Notes
(marked by “N” on the samples): http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.
When citing primary sources, you should generally
follow this model:
Title
of source, Date of source, Citation information (where you got the source,
including publication information, if applicable).
Examples:
1. Telegram from the Embassy in
2. Letter from the Assistant Secretary of State
in the British Foreign Office (Shuckburgh) to Francis
H. Russell, 7 January 1955, in Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, vol. XIV, pgs. 3-4, http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/FRUS.FRUS1955-57v14.
3. Memorandum of a Conversation with the
President, 17 January 1955, in Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, vol. XIV, pg. 20, http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/FRUS.FRUS1955-57v14.
4. U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict; and
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Near East and South Asian Affairs (Special
Plans) White Paper Entitled, "'Rapid Reaction Media Team' Concept,"
16 January 2003, in National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 219,
edited by Joyce Battle, http://www.gwu.edu/%7Ensarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB219/index.htm.
5. Cable from Alexander
M. Haig, Jr. to the United States Interests Section in
6. Statement by President
Nasser to Members of the Egyptian National Assembly, 29 May 1967, http://www.mideastweb.org/nasser29may67.htm.
(Note that the citations
include page numbers for the particular document, when applicable, and the web
citation for the volume or source as a whole.)
Research Sources:
On the “Research Resources”
page of the course website, you can find on a separate document listing some original,
declassified documents relating to