ECO201 Research Paper Requirements Topic and Source Instructions A Topic and Source List is by Feb 22. The document will include the topic you have picked (topic list follows the instructions) and a list of the sources you plan to use in your paper. You need to reference the source the same as you are required to do for the paper. Remember this is a source you plan to use for your paper. There are instructions for how to generate your reference list further down this page. This means you have to spend some time before the first due date looking up information on your topic. An outline of your paper is due by Mar 15. This should list the key elements and topics of your paper. The final paper is due Apr 12. A few websites that you may want to use to help you as you prepare your paper are: The Purdue Owl Online Writing Lab http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ (Resources on APA, MLA, etc.) Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/index2.php (Resource for citing sources) Grammarly http://www.grammarly.com (Resource to help detect grammar and plagiarism issues) Paperrater http://www.paperrater.com/ (Resource to help detect grammar and plagiarism issues) Formal Paper Instructions (please, see the term paper rubrics to check how the paper will be graded) LAYOUT of Formal Report 1. Please use a minimum of 5 sources. It is important that you have a variety of sources and that you include resources that are not all from the Internet. At least half of the sources should be from publications or books that you find at the library. CCCOnline does have an online library, online librarian and online library resources available to you. You can find the information under Helpful Links, Online Library, on the Course Home Page 2. Wikipedia should NOT be one of your sources. Generally Wikipedia is considered to be an inferior source of information. This is because anyone can post to Wikipedia without the veracity of that information having been authenticated. There have been many postings to Wikipedia that have proved to be false. 3. You may use any normally recognized format such as APA or MLA. 4. Minimum of five (5) and no more than seven (7) pages of actual writing, this does not include the title page or your bibliography. 5. Please submit in electronic format to the Dropbox (.docx or .doc or .rft) 6. The formal report must include at least two graphics, tables, or charts. 7. The formal report must be word-processed; no handwritten paper will be accepted. 8. It is to be double-spaced with 1" margins all around. 9. The font should be 11 or 12 point, no larger or smaller. 10. Use headings and sub-headings where appropriate. 11. Please include your last name in the file name of the document. Components of a Formal Report 1. Title Page 2. Body (Check rubrics for that) 3. Summary or conclusion 4. Bibliography (References) Five tools writers can use when preparing a long report to help readers stay on track. Use these five points to prepare your Outline. An opening that introduces the subject of the report, indicates why it's important, and previews the key points in the order they will be discussed. Headings and lists to set off important ideas and provide the reader with clues. Transitions to tie ideas together and keep readers moving along. Previews and reviews to prepare readers for new information and to summarize previously discussed information. An ending to summarize the key points, conclusions, or recommendations. Click on this link to look at how to create your reference list (also listed in the menu to the left). ________________________________________ Paper Topics Please choose from the following topics. If you don't find something you are interested in and want to try writing about something else you MUST have your topic approved IN ADVANCE by me. This is a research project, not an opinion paper. That simply means that your sources are to be Credible Sources, not opinion based. Many web sites are opinion based; therefore, you will find better sources in magazines, publications, or books. I would suggest that you visit the site, http://www.plagiarism.org There you will find good information on avoiding plagiarism. Click on the link, "Preventing Plagiarism: Student Resources." Plagiarized papers will earn a zero. Prior to submitting your final paper, it is highly recommended that you submit your paper to paperrater.com, grammarly.com, or another similar site that will help you to detect errors on your paper that you may have overlooked. As with the spell checker on your word processor, these are only tools, but can be very helpful. Money and Banking History of the US Banking System* History of the Federal Reserve System* Current Monetary Policy Monetary Policy and the End of the Inflation of the 70's The Economics of the Great Depression* Fiscal Policy History of the US Tax System* Current Fiscal Policy Analysis of the Possible Economic Effects of a Flat Tax System Analysis of the Possible Economic Effects of a National Sales Tax The Future of Work The Future of the Workplace Impact of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses on Jobs and the Economy International The Effect of the Euro on the European and US Economies Trade Agreements - Are they Good or Bad for Individual Countries? The Growth of China or India and What Does that Mean for the US Economy? * Make sure if you choose those topics don't end up being historical papers. They still need a research question and a hypothesis based on economic theory.