Dr. Stephen Davies
The Research Essay: Points to Remember

These are the basic format and style parameters which are required for every essay and failure to adhere to these points will undoubtedly have a negative impact on your mark.

Note:  Some points may not be applicable depending on the course assignment.

Introduction
· The introduction must provide a clear and well defined thesis statement or argument around which the following paper will be built.
· The introduction must also interest the reader to continue ("the hook"). An introduction can make or break the rest of the paper.

Parameters
· You must clearly define the parameters around which the paper is built and explain those parameters. Parameters would include such things as the time frame (beginning and ending), place, class or gender considerations, etc.

Language
· You must be certain that terms and concepts used in the paper are defined clearly ( ie what is meant by middle class in this paper, etc)
· Language must be clear and concise. Do not use vague terms such as "significant" or "important", etc, as analytical or descriptive terms. Such terms are so vague as to be meaningless.
· Use scholarly language. Scholarly writing is not the same as everyday conversation or street language. Do not use cliches or slang.

Quotations
· Quotations do not make a paper more authoritative, and their overuse becomes intrusive and detracts from the overall presentation. As a rule of thumb, quote only when the original is so unique that it cannot be paraphrased into your own words without losing the meaning.   Generally it will be best to quote the primary materials (within reason) and paraphrase the secondary materials.  It is crucial that you examine carefully the linked websites on paraphrasing.

Bibliography
· A bibliography must be included and is to consist of only those sources actually used in the writing of the paper (that is, they have a reference made to them in the paper.

Mechanics
· For bibliographies and references, the correct form and content must be used. In the history discipline these details are important.  You must adhere to the History Department style guide. 

Annotated References
· These references are one of the most useful techniques that you can learn for an upper level research paper. They open up a range of new possibilities within the paper and add a noticeable level of sophistication to the writing. Annotated references can be used to do the following:
· Include material which is relevant but not crucial to the overall thesis and which otherwise might be discarded (tangents);
· Remove the 'secondary' material which is not crucial to keep the essay focused and flowing;
· Refer the reader to similar material, or to contrasting material, which allows you to incorporate more of your research into the paper;
· Allows the inclusion of your own interpretation or comments which might otherwise be intrusive or inappropriate in the body of the paper;
· Provides a place to include statistics, methodological explanations, term definitions, etc. which are essential to understanding the essay but would be intrusive in the body of the paper.
· Best of all this can all be done without being included in the word count of the paper.

Tense
· Be consistent in your use of tense throughout the paper. In most cases for history essays the simple past tense is the most appropriate.

Subheadings
· Do not use subheading (ie introduction, literary evidence, conclusion, etc.) in the paper. The are intrusive and break the flow of the paper. The movement between sections or ideas must be done with proper transitional phrases, sentences, or paragraphs. The paper should be a smooth unified whole flowing uninterrupted from beginning to end. Therefore good sentence and paragraph structure is crucial.

Person
· Do not use the first person in the essay.

Outline
· A crucial step in the writing process which is too often ignored. The time spent on an outline invariably produces a better final paper, one with logical development, flow, and cohesion.

Miscellaneous
· All essays must have a cover page with the relevant information.
· Papers should be stapled only. No plastic covers, booklets, etc.