Research Paper Guidelines

Form of the Paper:

1. Title page

2. Abstract (optional)

3. Table of Contents

4. Text (4-5 pages)

1. Review of the literature (5 sources minimum, 3 primary sources minimum)
2. Materials and methods (if necessary)
3. Results and conclusions

5. Exhibits: Tables, Figures, Photos, etc. when not in text

6. Sources Cited: List of sources used in literature review (works cited, bibliography, etc.)

7. Appendices (not required)

Paper: white 8.5 X 11 inches 20lbs (cheap), no linen paper, stapled together

Margins: 1” all around (top, bottom, left, right), no headers or footers

Font: Typed, 10 or 12 point (no larger) Times New Roman, black ink only

Spacing: Double spaced text, no extra spacing between paragraphs, 5 space or ½” indention on tab, no large gaps, no additional spacing for in text quotes

No Plagiarism: make sure it is your own words it is written in

Citations: no in text citation necessary, if you want to cite sources by number, author’s last name or title and date of source, small quotes and quote fragments are kept in text separated by quotation marks, larger quotes (full sentences and paragraphs) are out of text in smaller font and indented on both left and right margins, boxed quotes do not count as part of 4-5 pages of report

Page Numbering: papers must be numbered starting with the first page of text (not title page); numbers must be in center of page on bottom (bottom center)

Title Page: your name, date, title, class section, my name etc. are on a separate sheet of paper, not put at the beginning of the first page of text, with main material centered in paper and my name and class at bottom center, like so:

TITLE

By

NAME

DATE

Instructor’s Name

Class Code and Section Number