POLS 4368: Conflict Analysis
Dr. Cigdem V. Sirin
RESEARCH PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
Overall Goal of the Research Project
You will receive various pieces of information about a (fictitious) pair of countries over a 20 year time period (1992-2011). You will predict whether or not these countries will fight a war against each other. This prediction must be supported on the basis of relevant information provided, and the arguments must be drawn from the theoretical material covered in the course on the scientific study of conflict. For each factor you select in making your prediction (e.g. alliances), you must explain how that factor is related to war in general (citing the appropriate material from the course), and how you think it will relate to a potential war (or lack of war) in this fictitious dyad. The research project constitutes 20 percent of your final grade point average.
The paper should be double-spaced; 9-10 pages long (not counting the cover page, abstract, tables, figures, and references); typed in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins; and pages should be numbered. There should be no more than two extensive quotations (in excess of three lines of text).
Citation and References
In your research paper, you must provide at least 10 scholarly sources (academic books and articles) or you will lose 5 points for each missing scholarly source. You can use up to four readings assigned for the course, but they should not be the sole source of information. If you are unclear about what constitutes a scholarly book or article, please ask! (For example, Wikipedia is NOT a scholarly source, nor are magazines and newspapers such as the Economist or the New York Times).
The formatting of your paper should follow the American Political Science Association (APSA) style. Specifically, you are required to carefully read the document on citation and reference requirements (also available on Blackboard) and employ these formatting rules for your research paper. Papers submitted with an inaccurate citation/reference format will lose up to 25 points (depending on severity).
Plagiarism
Make sure you are aware of the scholarly pitfalls of plagiarism, which are discussed in detail in the document on academic misconduct (available on Blackboard). Specifically, whenever you use an idea or information from another source, you must give credit to the author by properly citing her/him within the text as well as by including a list of all references at the end of the text. Not doing so constitutes an act of plagiarism, which will result in a score of zero for the paper.
Quality of Writing
In addition to the substantive quality of your assignments, grades will also be based on the clarity of one’s writing (e.g., appropriate tone of writing, organization, quality of spelling and grammar, etc.). Please note that the University Writing Center (UWC) provides writing assistance to all UTEP students. The UWC is located on the second (ground) floor of the library in Room 227 Library; phone: (915) 747-5112. The UWC also provides online writing consultation – visit http://uwc.utep.edu/index.php/online-consultation to make an online appointment.
Deadline
The research paper is due by December 3, 2015, 11:00pm. You should submit your paper electronically via “Turnitin” (an online originality checking service made available by UTEP) by the designated due date and time. Papers submitted late will lose 10 points (1 letter grade) per day (including weekends).
Note: For more information on Turnitin and how to use this service, you can visit the Turnitin website to access manuals and visual aids through the Online Training Center (see: https://www.turnitin.com/static/training/student.php).
Last Completed Projects
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