PS102 Spring 07
Requirements for Paper
“Introduction to International Politics”
Emil Nagengast
30% of course grade
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March 30 deadline for reading rough drafts
Paper due April 13 at the start of class: Your paper grade will fall 10% for each day that the paper is late.
Paper requirements
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4 pages Maximum (excluding end notes)
Use endnotes (as opposed to footnotes or internal citations).
See the sample citations at the bottom of this page for your endnote format. You MUST use this format for your
citations, unless I formally allow you to use a different format prior to handing in the paper.
Use a title page and do not make it page #1. The first page of text is page #1.
You must use double-spacing, 12 point fonts, standard 1” margins and numbered pages. Please note that this paper
assignment handout is not formatted properly.
Do not underline anything in your paper or in your end notes except subheadings and URLs.
You may not tell me that you cannot get your computer to put your paper into the format I have required.
You may not tell me that you cannot find enough information for your paper.
Your paper must be free of sloppy writing mistakes. If your paper has more than two “sloppy errors” (defined as a
typo, a misspelling, grammatical error, etc.) your paper grade will be reduced by one full grade.
Do not put anything in quotes unless you are very clear (in the text of the paper) about who is “speaking.”
Do not use the first person in writing this paper. (Do not use “I”)
I recommend that you use appendices.
PAPER TOPIC:
Select one of the following countries as the focus of your paper: Vietnam, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Panama. Pretend that
I have hired you as my personal analyst. You must write a report that addresses the following:
Part 1: Summarize the current political and economic situation in the country. (dictatorship, democracy, stability,
civil war, human rights problems, prosperity, starvation, international disputes, … ?)
Part 2: What should US priorities be concerning this country?
Before you start writing this paper, and before you speak with me about your paper, you must conduct extensive
research on the country you have chosen. You must read at least twenty good articles about your country before you
can even begin to structure an adequate outline for this project. Your final paper must have at least twenty good
sources. For an “A” paper I expect at least thirty. If you do not know how to conduct research I suggest that you start
by looking at the “research links” page of my Juniata webpage.
Grading criteria:
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following the format directions described above
avoiding sloppy mistakes (poor spelling, bad grammar, typos, messed up margins)
the quality of your writing (clear, succinct sentences and paragraphs)
the clarity and comprehensiveness of your overview
 supported by strong research
 clearly organized
 demonstrating a solid grasp of the relevant issues
 presenting a convincing argument concerning US priorities
sample citations: If you have any questions about your citations please see me.
Newspaper and magazine articles.1 Books.2 Websites.3 Website without an author.4
Joe Smith “Why the US smells funny” The New York Times (August 26, 1998)
Mary Jones A History of US Stench (New York: Random House, 1997) p. 45
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Robert Williams “The US still smells funny” Website of the US State Department
(http://www.state.gov.stinksville/Europe/erpf)
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“Statistics concerning US Stench” Website of the US Defense Department
(http://www.pentagon.gov.stench.1998statistics); For information about the sources of US stench see: Fred Jones
“Origins of Stench” Journal of Politics vol. 5, issue 3 (summer 1994); Jane Smith Stinking around the world (New
York: Dumb Publishers, 1994)
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IMPORTANT WARNINGS:
You must keep a copy of all the materials that you reference in your paper. I may ask you to show me
one (or more) of your references. It is your responsibility to bring me this material if I request it.
It is your responsibility to keep a “back-up” copy of your paper. If I request an additional copy of
your paper you must be prepared to provide it.
Academic Dishonesty
Improper use of information found on the internet or elsewhere for your research papers will
result in AT LEAST an F on your paper, and most likely an F in the course. If you are not sure
about what constitutes plagiarism it is your responsibility to find out (i.e. ask me or refer to the
Pathfinder). Plagiarism entails either: illegal collaboration with a classmate (e.g. using someone
else’s work as your own); using someone else's words or ideas without providing a citation; OR
providing a citation, but "cutting and pasting" from a source without using quotation marks to
indicate that you are using someone else's exact words. To avoid plagiarism you must paraphrase
the cited information (i.e., put it into your own words). Please review college policy concerning
academic dishonesty in the Pathfinder as well.