Department of Politics

Format & Delivery: Use any word processor that you like, but save your file as Microsoft Word (*.doc), Corel WordPerfect (*.wpd), or Rich Text Format (*.rtf). Please use some variant of 12-point Times Roman type. Single-space your manuscript. Double-spacing of paper manuscripts leaves space for editorial notes, but the concept of "leaving space" makes no sense when translated to digitized text. Please do not submit papers with justified right margins. Please submit your paper as an e-mail attachment to callin@cornellcollege.edu. Please consult Common Sense for College Students for information and suggestions pertinent to writing any paper.

Research: You should strive to find and use the best available source materials. "Best available" means different things in different circumstances. Whenever possible, sources should be either primary or scholarly. In the context of policy studies, primary sources are the creations of individuals or groups involved in the policy process. Examples would include the testimony of witnesses at Congressional hearings, the reports of Congressional committees, the speeches of political actors, and the press releases and web sites of interest groups. Secondary sources vary widely in quality. Scholarly sources would include scholarly books and articles in scholarly journals. Real scholarship is characterized by a serious effort to document sources and methods of investigation. Real scholarship will have citations and a bibliography. Real scholarship has often been reviewed prior to publication by experts in the employ of the scholarly journal or publishing company. Journalistic sources are of lower quality and should be avoided unless they are literally the "best available." Journalists work on tight deadlines, get most of their information informally, and rarely tell you where they got it. Internet sources deserve a special word of warning. The Internet is exploding with information: there are more than 10,000 new web sites per day. Some of what is available on line qualifies as primary sources. Examples include Supreme Court decisions from the Supreme Court and Congressional documents from the Library of Congress. On the other hand, much of what is available is garbage. Consider that scholarly books and articles have been reviewed by experts prior to publication as well as by editors employed by the publisher. Even popular newspapers and magazines contain information that has been subjected to a modicum of checking for accuracy and balance. "Information" appears on the Internet without any guarantee of accuracy beyond the professional reputation of the individual or organization that posted it. This places an enhanced responsibility on you to determine the reliability of your sources. Don't be duped into representing somebody's misinformation or propaganda as fact. For further information consult Evaluating Internet Resources at the Library of Congress. For a careful analysis of how to distinguish scholarly from non-scholarly sources consult Distinguishing Scholarly Journals from Other Periodicals provided by the library staff at the other Cornell.

Documentation: Documentation of source is required for all direct quotations and specific facts beyond the realm of common knowledge. Except when your reference is to a book or article generally, that documentation must lead the reader to the specific page on which you found the quotation or facts cited. Documentation is important for both ethical and practical reasons. Ethically, documentation gives credit where credit is due. Practically, documentation enhances the credibility of your work by demonstrating its reliance on and relationship with credible sources of information. Remember to list all sources upon which you relied whether or not you have cited them formally in the text. I expect you to use one of the approved manuals of style and to follow it with care throughout your paper. To learn what manuals are approved, consult Guidance on Documentation. For further information on the difficulties associated with digtal information consult Documenting Digital Sources.

Title Page: Your title page should include include your title and a parenthetical note indicating the form of documentation used (see Guidance on Documentation). The title you choose is your first opportunity to communicate something to your reader. A catchy title may improve the reader's attitude, suggesting that what follows may be enjoyable. A descriptive title may suggest that what follows will be informative. In general, your title should at least identify the topic. If you can convey a sense of your policy direction without the title becoming lengthy or awkward, it would be sensible to do so. As a general rule, titles containing verbs are more forceful than are those without them. Be sure your title is punctuated and capitalized properly. Do not enclose your own title in quotation marks. Always capitalize the first word in your title (and subtitle). Capitalize all subsequent words except articles, coordinate conjunctions, prepositions, and to in an infinitive.

Abstract: The abstract is the paper in microcosm. It should contain the thesis and the best synopsis of the contentions you can manage within the 200-word limit. The structure of the abstract should parallel the structure of the paper. The abstract should be clearly labeled as such and presented on a separate page following the title page and preceding the body of the paper. For further advice see How to Write an Abstract.

Introduction: Every paper needs some sort of introduction to prepare the reader for what follows. A good introduction will state the paper's thesis or the question it is supposed to investigate. Since this is a policy paper, it follows that the thesis will be your policy recommendation. Your introduction should also preview the contentions or describe the plan of the paper in order to provide a road map for the reader.

Argument: A really persuasive argument requires at least three things: (1) crystal clear articulation of the thesis (policy proposal); (2) clear arguments backed by relevant and reliable evidence; and (3) acknowledgment and refutation of reasonable opposing arguments. The policy recommendation must be presented before the arguments that support it. Some history or background may be essential, but most of the body of your paper should be devoted to the presentation of contentions with supporting evidence. Remember a good argument is a hierarchy of contentions, but the contentions are only as good as the evidence that supports them.

Prose: I am looking for effective use of the language. That means, at the least, clear organization of the ideas and arguments, effective use of paragraphs--and subheadings if you like--to orient the reader, good transitions from one part of the text to the next, and sound grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage.

Tables & Figures: If you have tables and figures, please insert them as close as practicable to the point in your text where you make reference to them. They should be carefully designed so as to provide a large amount of information in a compact and readily understandable form. Each table or figure should have a title and be understandable in its own right independent of the text. The text should call attention to each table or figure and explain its importance to the purposes of the manuscript. If a table or figure merely repeats information already contained in the text, it is superfluous and should be excised. Each table or figure must contain a full bibliographic reference (not merely a paranthetical citation), typically following the word "Source:" If such a source note is already part of the table or figure, you must still supply full bibliographic information indicating where you found it.

Editing and Rewriting: Take advantage of the time provided to rework your paper before handing it in for a final evaluation. Read all the comments carefully, and try to respond to each. Rethink, reorganize, and rewrite as appropriate. Where I have called your attention to technical errors in grammar, punctuation or style, look for other instances of the same errors in your paper. It is in your interest to make a serious effort to come to grips with all the comments, criticisms, and suggestions attached to your penultimate draft. As a practical matter, doing a good job of making technical corrections will preserve your original grade; making substantial improvements will raise it.

POLICY PRESENTATION: How to Succeed