Instruction
Technical details: The following technical details must be followed for the research essay
to be considered complete. Please read this section carefully and ask any questions you may
have as soon as possible.
1. The final draft must be between 2,000 and 2,500 words in length
2. The final draft must be typed in a standard 11- or 12-point font
3. All margins must be normal (i.e., 1” all around)
4. All pages should be numbered in the bottom left-hand corner of each page
5. All paragraphs must be indented and double-spaced
6. All footnotes and bibliographical citations should be in Chicago style3
7. The title page must have the essay’s title; the student’s name, ID number, and
major; the professor’s name; and the class information
Grammar details: For an argument to be persuasive and taken seriously, it must follow
standard English grammar and spelling rules. In addition to those, please keep in mind the
following rules specific to this assignment.
1. Write in the active voice
2. No contractions or personal pronounce (I, you, etc.) ever
3. Avoid commas except when absolutely necessary
4. Avoid run-on sentences
5. Avoid repetitive, wordy, or unnecessarily complex sentences
6. Choose the right word; if you are unsure of a word’s meaning, look it up
7. Forbidden words: “arguably” and “however”
iv. Rubric: The following rubric will be used to evaluate each stage of the project. All are
subject to the late penalties as outlined above.
1. Bibliography and 200-word outline: 40 points
- bibliography must be 7-10 academic sources in Chicago style (20 points)
- outline must contain a thesis statement and have a general path forward; the
latter means that a skeletal plan must be evident (20 points)
2. Rough draft: 50 points
- thesis has been refined
- evidence has been gathered and is shown reinforcing the thesis (i.e., find
good quotations to use from each of the sources)
- paragraphs are taking shape (they do not need to be fully formed)
- introduction and conclusion are there (but do not need to be fully formed)
3. Final draft: 200 points
- all technical specifications are followed
- argument is persuasive and evidence is concrete; details are accurate
- argument is well-structured and flows logically from one point to the next
- critical analysis is evident: of the topic, of the historiography, of the relevant
theories and/or concepts
- bibliography is full and complete