writing

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For your term paper, you will research an issue about computing that you are initially undecided about. In your paper, you will take a position on that issue and support that position. Your paper should be approximately ten pages long. Don’t worry if it’s a bit longer or shorter–just make sure to cover your issue well (and please don’t go over twice the suggested length).

Try to be balanced and fair in your presentation of evidence. You don’t necessarily need to take a strong stance on the issue. If as you research you find you are really undecided, you may instead write about why there is currently not enough evidence available on your issue. You can review all the existing evidence, and in your conclusion outline what sort of empirical research would be desirable to fully understand the issue.

Quality of writing counts. Please try to make your prose clear and readable. Do not use overly formal language, but also do not use colloquialisms. Your textbooks are reasonable models for the desired writing style.

To the greatest extent possible, all statements in your paper should be supported by appropriate references. If you include personal opinion or other sources of data, mark those clearly (and use these sparingly). Your bibliography should be in APA style. (See Ch 18.3 of the Writing Arguments book.)

Please avoid citing the same reference over and over. Sometimes we get term papers that are essentially a summary of one source. This does not make a good paper.

Your submitted term paper will be compared to an archive of past term papers.

Reference Format:

  • Please use APA format for all references. APA format is described in Ch 18.3 of the Writing Arguments textbook, and also here. (Links to an external site.) You will be given a LaTeX starter document that will handle most of the formatting for you.

Format:

  • Approximately 2500 words (about ten pages of content - not including title page, references, and figures)
  • double spaced
  • 12 pt font
  • written using LaTeX and submitted as a PDF

Deliverables

  1. Term Paper Topic Proposal
  2. Term Paper Outline
  3. First Draft
  4. Peer Review
  5. Final Draft

Term Paper Topic Proposal

For your term paper, you will research an issue about computing and society that you are initially undecided about. In your paper, you will take a position on that issue and support that position. Your term paper should be approximately 2500 words, or about ten pages long (the eventual paper you will submit, not this proposal).

For your proposal, upload the following to the course LMS:

  1. Identify the issue you have chosen
  2. Explain why you are interested in the issue
  3. Explain why you are undecided about the issue
  4. Identify a few initial information sources you will examine to begin to research the issue. List at least three refereed sources–either journal articles or conference papers.
  5. Make sure to pick a topic that others have written about. You are being graded on how well you research the issue and cite the literature about it. If there’s little to cite, you will have trouble with this assignment.

A refereed source is something that has gone through peer review–like a journal article or most conference papers. Books and journalistic articles do not count. For each reference you provide, please provide the full, correct reference in APA format, and include the URL where it can be found, if it is available online.

The instructor and TA will send you comments on your proposal. In some cases, we will ask students to choose another topic and submit a new proposal. Revised proposals should be submitted as soon as possible; by the due date of term paper outlines at the absolute latest.

Either before or after these proposals are due, you may message the professor or TA to make an appointment to discuss your topic. Or find us after class. We would love to talk with you about it!

Term Paper Outline

Write an outline for your term paper. The outline will be structured as a series of major and minor section headings. Use as many levels of sub-headings as you need. In each section, you will include a list of points to make. The points should have citations to the bibliography. Try to follow one of the argument structures and the Toulmin system that we discuss in class. Your outline might look something like this (with more detail):

  • Should cell phone use be banned in cars?
    • Why the issue is important (Waits 2006)
    • The controversy: is it really dangerous to use a cell phone while driving? (Bell 2004, Hancock 1999)
  • Background: the history of cell phone use
    • First mobile phones invented in the 70s (Dylan 1995, Springsteen 2002)
    • Increasing ubiquity of cell phones (Bowie 2005)
  • Technological underpinnings and how they affect the controversy
    • Talking on a cell phone is different than talking to a person in the car, because the person pauses when the driver needs to pay full attention. (Costello 2000)
    • Dialing a number is the most dangerous part of use in cars (Twain 1998) Voice dialing is safer (Ibid.)
  • The history of legislation regulating cell phone use in cars
    • In the United states:
      • First legislation in the US in place xxx said xxx (Macintyre 2004)
      • Second legislation in the US in place xxx said xxx (Amos 2002) etc.
      • Legislation in Europe is quite different (Summers 2006) etc.

Include a complete bibliography in your outline. Your bibliography should be formatted in correct APA style. If your references are not in correct APA format, you will be penalized.

After your bibliography, include a section Quality of References. In this section, discuss the quality of sources you have found so far. How many of your sources are peer reviewed? How many by reputable experts in the field? What parts of your topic do you still need to find more references on, if any? This section should be approximately 125-250 words.

By the time you hand in your outline, most of your research should be done.

First Draft

While this is a “first draft” it should feel to you that it is done. That means that you are at the requested length, your argument style decided and implemented, and your research done. Your spelling and grammar should be in good to great shape. Your grade for this draft will be based more on the evident effort into this draft than the final quality of the paper.

Peer Review

You will be given the opportunity to receive feedback on your first draft from students in the class. You will also be providing feedback to other students on their drafts. The quality of your feedback will decide your grade.