RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS

Students will write a thesis-driven essay using and analyzing primary and secondary sources on a topic in American history since 1877. You must select and defend one of the two following theses:

EITHER “By repeatedly choosing military force to solve diplomatic or international differences, the United States has shown itself to be a warlike nation.” OR “By using its military might for the benefit of other nations and in the service of freedom, the United States has shown itself to be a benevolent world power.”

You must seek to explain how the use of military force helped to define national identity in the history of America AFTER the Civil War. You MUST include evidence from AT LEAST four significant commitments of U.S. military might between 1877 and 2010.

Style Requirements
You may follow MLA, APA or Chicago Style, so long as you are consistent.
Regardless of the style you use:
•    The paper must have a TITLE page that includes a title, student name, course name, institution (Butler Community College) and date (semester and year).
•    The paper must be typed, 4-5 pages (double-spaced, 12pt font, 1 inch margins).
•    The paper must be organized according to a written OUTLINE.
•    The paper must contain the thesis statement in the first paragraph.
•    The paper must include a WORKS CITED or BIBLIOGRAPHY page.
•    The paper must be based on at least 2 primary and 3 secondary sources. (See syllabus for definition of primary source. NO internet sources except eBooks and scholarly journals.)
•    The paper must include at least 1 direct quote from each type of source with CITATIONS.
•    The paper must end with a conclusion that summarizes the findings and explains how the evidence supports the thesis.
Evidence of copying from another student’s work OR plagiarism from a published or unpublished source will result in a grade of ZERO on the project and possible FAILURE in the course (at instructor’s discretion).