The goal of this assignment is for you to develop a topic and research question from the course materials The propo

The goal of this assignment is for you to develop a topic and research question from the course materials

The proposal consists of the following: statement of research topic, its importance, and theoretical perspective, articulation of preliminary research question/ puzzle, a brief research plan, and a preliminary bibliography of at least 8 non-syllabus sources, 5 of which must be scholarly (i.e., not newspaper reports)

Notes on writing a good paper/ grading criteria:

1) Pose a question, and answer it. Read materials on conceptualizing research.

2) Develop your own analysis. Papers need to feature your ideas and arguments, in addition to any review of the relevant literature.  

3) Supply evidence/examples to highlight the arguments featured in your essay.

4) Use scholarly materials.  I expect you to utilize books, book chapters, journals, government and international organization websites, etc.  Your use of Internet materials must be judicious and take into account quality and source bias (be careful).  Students are encouraged to make use of scholarly journals, recognized sources, and high quality periodicals related to US foreign policy, including, but not limited to: 

Adelphi Papers, American Political Science Review, Congressional Research Service, Current History, Daedalus, Diplomatic History, Ethics & International Affairs, European Journal of International Law, European Journal of International Relations, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Global Governance, Global Society, Human Rights Quarterly, International Organization, International Relations, International Affairs, International Security, International Studies Quarterly, International Studies Review, Millennium, Review of International Studies, Survival, World Politics, the Economist, The National Interest, New York Review of Books, New York Times, Washington Post.

5) Style and structure must be legible. Proofreading is a must. Poor spelling, grammar, or syntax will detract from your work and make it difficult for you to be awarded you a top grade. All essays should be free of spelling and grammatical errors, double-spaced, with numbered pages, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, with a total word count at the beginning of the paperand utilize appropriate citation practices.  

6) Proper (not sloppy) citation and referencing (bibliography in standardized Turabian form) is mandatory.  Make yourself familiar with general guidelines for citations and avoiding plagiarism.  Please approach me with any questions about this.