REQUIREMENT: 8 -10 pages, proper conventions and citations

TOPIC: Topic will be provided. Topic provided will have plenty of supporting information/resources. It is your job to find them.

RESOURCES: You must have at least 10 references to support your paper. While you may use internet sources, they are limited to 3 sources. You must have the following:

- no more than 3 internet sources - finding a source on the internet is not necessarily an internet source. eg. The New York Times can be found on line.

- at least 2 periodical sources

- at least 2 hard bound book sources

- at least 1 scripture sources (not included in references count )

- no more than one Encyclopedia source - Wikipedia is NOT a relieble source and it may NOT be used as a reference!

FORMAT:

- double spaced

- times New Roman 12 pt

- correct margins and headers using the Trinity Academy English Department Composition Guidelines

PROPER CITATIONS:

Anthology, component part: Check MLA for citing whole chapters

Works in an anthology have been published before, collected by an editor and complied into a book. Supply the names of authors as well as the editors. Always cite the author first. Provide all page numbers for the information referenced not just page cited in your paper.

Reagonk Bernice. "Black Music in Our Hands." The Conscious Reader Eds. Caroline Shrodes, Harry Findestone, and Michael Shugre. Vol. 12. 8th Ed. Boston: Allyn, 2001. 345 -49

Bible:

Do not underline or italicize the word bible or books of the bible. Common editions need no publication information. Do underline or italicize special editions of the Bible.

The Bible. Romans 2: 5.

NIV [New International Version] Study Bible. Personal Size Rev. Ed. n.p. :Zondervan, 2002.

Encyclopedia:

Ward, Norman. "Democracy." Encyclopedia Americana. 2003. ed.

Books:

Hearon, Linda. American Government. Wichita: Trinity Press, 2006. 22 -24.

Hearon, Linda. " The Importance of Voting". American Government. Wichita: Trinity Press, 2006. 22 -24. (citing from one work in a collection by the same author. Use the specific name of the work and its page numbers)

Hearon, Linda. American Government. 12th. ed. Wichita: Trinity Press, 2006. 22 -24. (indicate the edition used if it is n ot the first.)

Series, Numbered or Unnumbered:

Hearon, Linda. American Government . The Wise Student Series 2. Wichita: Trinity Press, 2006. 22 -24.

Volumes:

Hearon, Linda. American Government. Vol. 2. Wichita: Trinity Press, 2006. 22 -24.

Periodicals/Magazines:

Hearon, Linda. "Democracy in America" . Wichita Magazine 22 September 2006: 22 -23.

Government Documents:

There is a great variety of government documents the form of the entry is not standardized. Your goal is to provide enough information so that the reader can easily locate the reference. The following must therefore e provided

- Include the name of the government, i.e., United States.

- Body or agency i.e., Dept. of State

- Subsidiary body or agency i.e., Dept. of State, Committee on Foreign Affairs

- Title of document

- Identifying numbers i.e., S.B.2347-06

- Publication fact i.e., date year

Legal Citation:

U.S. v. Hearon, 235 U.S. 445 (1995) - Case law from the United States Supreme Court

U.S. Const. Art 2 sec. 4 - Article of the US Constitution

15 U.S.C. 78, 1964 - United States Statute

Internet Sites:

Never cite just the web site. You must cite only information discovered on the site such as an article, book or other published material. Therefore you must have a title of the work, an author, and a name of the referenced material. otherwise it is not an acceptable/ reliable reference.

"Child Passenger Safety." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration n.d. 11 Sept. 2003 `<http://www.nnhtsa.dot.gov/

people/injury/child's/>.

WRITING YOUR PAPER:

Identify topic

Research it

Find appropriate references

Form a bibliography

Take notes and include proper citation form

Develop your thesis

Begin your paper with a thesis statement

Outline your position/argument

Support your position with documentation, examples and references

Arrive at a solution/conclusion

State your conclusion at the end of the paper in a concluding paragraph

In - Text Citations:

Last name of author and the page(s) of publication referenced. Where the author's name is included in the text of your paper, just use the page number. Example: Mrs. Hearon states the necessity of voting for all americans. (34)

Where the author's name is not referenced in the body of your paper, include the authors name in parenthesis with the page number of the reference afterward. Example: Voting is essential to all americans. (Hearon 34)

Where there are two or more authors, include all names. Example: All americans should vote. ( Swank, Landis, Hearon 34)

Where there are more than two authors use et al. after the first author. Example: All americans should vote. ( Swank et al. 34)

For direct quotes, use quotation marks. Example: "Voting is an important responsibility for all americans" (Hearon 34).

For long quotes: Precede the quotation with a colon.

Indent the quotation 10 spaces from the left margin for the whole quote.

Do not use quotation marks.

Ellipse may be used to shorten and omit part of the quoted material if it is not relevant.

End the quote with a period and the correct citation

Italicize or underline all legal cases cited in paper i.e., Marbury v. Madison is a landmark case.

THE PAPER:

Title Page must contain in this order:

Title of Paper

By line (student's name)

Course : American Government

Mrs. L. Hearon, Esq.

Date

Paper itself should have student's last name in upper right hand header with page number

Formatting must be one inch margins on all sides

Works Cited page must have same formatting with works numbered and listed alphabetically.

Order:

Title Page

Outline of Paper

Discussion

Works Cited

Sample Thesis Statements:

Marbury v. Madison is not only the landmark Supreme Court case which created the doctrine of judicial review, it is also the case which ultimately led to a run away Supreme Court which, for decades, has been guilty of legislating from the bench.

"The landmark decision, Gregg v. Georgia, has not only impacted the life expectancy of a convicted felon, but also has had a profound effect on the deterrence of crime in American society."

" Can a law which is repugnant to the Constitution of the United States of America become the law of the land?"

" Random drug testing of all high school students will ensure school safety, security and discipline in any school system and is not an infringement of any individual's constitutional rights."

Sample Conclusions:

"Marbury v. Madison is undoubtedly a landmark case. It bolstered the constitution as the foundation of American government and established judicial review, the concept that shaped the court system we possess today. Today, however, the Supreme Court risks slipping into tyranny, if it continues to abuse its power. The only hope that the Court will revert to its role as interpreter and not legislator of laws, is to guarantee that the President of the United States only nominates strict constructionists to fill its vacancies."