RESEARCH PAPER

Each member of the class will prepare a research paper. The paper must identify a research question or hypothesis, explain why this research question or hypothesis is important in the study of the American presidency, review the relevant literature, present careful analysis and explanation, and draw a conclusion based upon the study.

The papers are to be typed, double-spaced with appropriate margins and referenced in a scholarly style (e.g., footnotes, endnotes). Each page must be numbered. The paper should run 10-12 pages and must have a minimum of twelve scholarly sources. The references must include books and journal articles although other relevant sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines) can be included. Although they can be used, be mindful that Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report are not scholarly sources. Also, books used in the class will not count toward the twelve scholarly sources used for your paper. 

Note:  If you prefer, scholarly journals can also be found using JSTOR via the ODU library homepage (www.lib.odu.edu).  You can look for specific journal articles or you can browse through journals to find articles.

Students are cautioned to identify the source of material used in the paper. The penalty for plagiarism is an "F" on the paper.

Note:  The paper will be evaluated using criteria adapted from the department's capstone papers requirements.

A topic for the paper along with a one-half page proposal and six scholarly sources are due in class on September 26.  Include at least two books and two journal articles as references for this proposal. The instructor will return the proposal to you with comments. Late proposals will result in five points being deducted from the final paper grade. Failure to submit a paper proposal will result in ten points being deducted from the final paper grade. Note: Your instructor highly suggests that you do not change your paper topic later in the semester since problems usually arise resulting in difficulties for the student. In short, select a topic early, make sure that you have a sufficient number of sources, and stay focused.

Papers are due in class on November 21. Late papers will be reduced three (3) points per day beginning the day the paper is due. Do not slide papers under the office door of your instructor. Submit late papers to the department secretary in BAL 7000 only.

Suggestion: do not wait until the night before the paper is due to print it - - computer and printer problems seem to be common at this time! Please consult with your instructor if you have any questions.

Suggested Journals

• American Journal of Politics
• American Political Science Review
• American Politics Quarterly
• Foreign Affairs
• Journal of Politics
• Legislative Studies Quarterly
• Political Behavior
• Political Research Quarterly
• Presidential Studies Quarterly
• Public Opinion Quarterly
• Southeastern Political Review
• White House Politics

Sample Research Questions or Suggested Topics

• How has the political and Constitutional framework affected the American presidency?
• What are the trends in voting turnout among women and men over the last forty years and how has this impacted presidential elections?
• Compare and contrast voting behavior among citizens in the US based on gender, race, religion, region.
• Do newspapers (through their editorial endorsements) tend to support Democrats or Republicans for president?
• Examine several factors (e.g., number of speeches, signing legislation, issuing executive orders or proclamations) and determine who is an "environmental" president among Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush).
• How does voting turnout for president among American citizens compare to that of citizens voting for political leaders in other countries? (e.g., pick two or three other countries)
• What role has race played regarding voting behavior in the United States? What changes have occurred over the last forty years or so? How and why did these changes occur?
• Which interest groups support Democratic candidates? Republican candidates? Why?
• In what ways does the mass media affect presidential behavior?
• Compare and contrast how President Kennedy handled the Cuban missile crisis and how George W. Bush handled 9/11.
• What impact, if any, have campaigns like Rock the Vote had on young voters during presidential elections?
• Focus on an issue and analyze how members of an interest group (or collection of groups) tried to influence the president and how the president responded?
• Compare and contrast the the pro-choice movement and the pro-life movement in presidential elections. 
• Does region of the country (west, midwest, south, northeast) make a difference in voting for presidential candidates? 

How to Write a Research Paper

The following outline is prepared to provide guidance in writing a research paper for a political science class. The outline is organized along the same lines as an article you might find in a scholarly journal or the approach you would have learned in POLS 308 (Research Design). The advantage of using this format is three-fold: 1) it will make the task more interesting since you will be gathering data and interpreting it, 2) it helps you to organize your thoughts into categories as you write your paper, and 3) it will be less likely that you will run into the problem of plagiarism. Go to the library and compare this outline with articles in scholarly journals. Use both as a guide for your paper.

I. Statement of the Problem
What is the purpose of the paper? What is the problem or issue? Why is the study important? What are you, the author, trying to do?  At the end of the section, present your research question(s) or hypothesis.

II. Review of the Literature
Summarize what has been studied in the past. Show how previous studies relate to what you want to do.

Note: This section helps you to organize a framework for your study - - past research that provides a basis for your study. For instance, if you want to compare what factors might have influenced voting for president turnout during the 2004 election (e.g., gender, race, income level, education level,) first show what the literature tells you about these factors and voting in previous elections as a foundation for your study.

III. Methods
How are you going to do your study, e.g., conduct a survey, use data that you have collected from a primary source, use data already collected from some organization or newspaper

• Conceptualization: define any concepts you are using. For example, if you are comparing different presidents and their relationship with the media, you can define media by television, newspapers, radio, Internet to examine similarities and differences.
• Operationalization: explain how you will measure any variables or factors. For instance, if you want to evaluate the impact of education on voting for president, you might use "high school graduate," "some college," "college degree," "advanced degree" for the purpose of comparison

Describe the source of your data. For instance, public papers of the presidents of the United States, voting data, public opinion polls, statistical abstract, Congressional Quarterly.

IV. Findings/Results
Analyze the data you have collected. Use tables or graphs where necessary or helpful.

V. Conclusion
Summarize your paper. What have you learned? What might be the implications of your study, e.g., what else needs to be done (in a later study)?

VI. References/Bibliography
Present your list of sources using proper citation format.