Abstract
Term papers serve many purposes. For the student, a term paper provides an opportunity to explore a subject in greater depth than is possible during the course of a normal class. For the instructor, term papers are an indication of the student’s ability to research, organize, synthesize, and present information. In addition, the workplace has expressed a strong desire for employees, especially management employees who can provide clearly written documents on a variety of business issues.
This paper provides the necessary information to properly organize and format term papers as required in this course taught by your professor. The student should closely follow this format when submitting papers. Failure to follow this format when required will result in significant loss of points.
In addition, specific information is provided regarding the importance of maintaining academic honesty as well as guidance for properly citing research materials when writing your term papers. This paper uses the American Psychological Associations (APA) format for citations. All submitted papers to this professor should use the APA format for of citations to avoid loss of points. Guidance on the proper use of the APA style can be found later in this sample paper.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty can be reduced to some very basic principles. Lipson (2004) provides three fundamental principles:
- if you say you did the work, it is really your work,
- if you relied on someone else’s work, give them proper credit,
- when you present research materials, do it truthfully, completely, and without bias
In a more general sense, honesty is about taking responsibility for your actions. In the academic and business worlds, there is little that is done that does not rely on the prior work of others. Truly unique research or idea creation is extremely rare. It is important then to recognize the sources of the ideas, facts, and other research material that provides the basis for our work.
Deciding exactly when to cite is not without some controversy. In general, citations should accompany any specific facts or ideas that were not developed or created by the writer. To make the statement that ‘the population of California is 45 million’ requires a source unless the writer counted each person in California. A more general statement such as ‘California is one of the Western States’ would not require a source. It becomes less clear with a statement such as ‘California is one of the more populated States’. Where did the information come from? Is it a supposition, a ‘commonly known fact’, or was the information from an article or book that was read? The latter requires a citation.
Providing proper citations for your term papers to recognize other people’s work is only part of the equation. Academic honesty also means that the student does their own work. From a practical standpoint, this means writing their own paper and other assignments and taking responsibility for them. Buying papers or having someone else write them is an unacceptable practice and subjects the student to discipline including dismissal at most institutions. It is ethically unacceptable. Having another party critique your paper or assist in locating grammatical and spelling errors is acceptable and encouraged.
Plagiarism
Simply stated, plagiarism is representing someone else’s work as your own (Lipson, 2004). Plagiarism is not always intentional, although it frequently is. Anytime that a statement is made in an assignment such as a term paper which is not cited, it is assumed to be the original work of the author. If it was not, then it is plagiarism. In a very real sense, plagiarism is a form of theft. A plagiarist is stealing someone else’s work and claiming it is your own.
The key to avoiding plagiarism is to give credit where credit is due. Cite sources including facts, ideas, images, charts, graphs, and other material that were borrowed from other sources. It is always better to err on the side of over citing sources rather than under citing.
Citing Reference Sources
There are a number of formal methods for citing reference material. In his book, Doing Honest Work in College, Lipson (2004) outlines several of the more popular styles including the Chicago or Turabian style, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style for the Humanities, and the American Psychological Association (APA) style. All term papers written for this course will follow the APA style. While the Lipson book does provide some examples of the APA style, there are two more definitive sources. The first is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition (2010) ISBN 1-4338-0561-8 (softcover) written and published by the American Psychological Association. This book provides extensive guidance for writing a number of different kinds of papers. For some, this book may provide excessive information as it covers a wide range of topics confronted by the scientific and academic writer. It is, however, an excellent resource for those who write or publish professional term papers.
A second reference option for the APA style is the Concise Rules of the APA style (2005) ISBN 1-59147-252-0, also published by the American Psychological Association. This handy spiral bound reference covers all the basics required to make correct citations and has the advantage of lying flat when in use. Either reference book is well worth the investment if you plan to write professional grade papers.
APA Citations for your Term Papers
APA citations are placed in the text body of the paper or term papers in one of two forms. First is an embedded citation as shown in the first example below followed by the second form, which is a trailing citation.
Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2008) provide a number of timely examples where business ethics are at issue. Using current events, they are able to highlight the importance of maintaining a high level of ethical behavior in business today.
Global business ethics represents a considerable challenge in today’s environment. Foreign business practices are often at odds with the legal and ethical requirements placed on corporations operating out of the United States (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008).
When making multiple references to the same source in a paragraph, the date of the reference is used only in the first citation. Subsequent citations use the author information only. First names or initials are not used. The date should be used in any subsequent paragraphs following this same rule.
For each citation in the text, there must be a corresponding reference in the required ‘References’ section at the end of the paper. Only cited works should appear in the references section while writing your term papers. Although each reference may appear multiple times throughout the text of the paper, only one reference is needed in the reference section. Usage counts or other numeric indicators are not used. The APA style requires references to be placed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author regardless of the order of introduction in the text. In addition, there are a number of special format requirements such as using a hanging indent for each reference, single spacing with a single blank line between, etc. Please refer to the APA Publication Manual or Concise Rules for all the details. The reference section at the end of this document may also serve as a model. Unlike some other citation styles, the APA style does not place references in footnotes.
Format is important in academic papers as well as business. Consequently, grades will reflect how well the format requirements for the Term Papers are followed in this course. Points will be deducted for not following the APA style or the other format requirements displayed or stated in this document.
General Requirements for all Term Papers
A term paper is an opportunity to explore a topic of interest in greater depth than is possible in the normal class periods. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of a topic. As such, a term paper should not simply restate facts or other peoples work, even if well cited. Rather, a term paper should represent the student’s ability to present their own thoughts and draw conclusions through a synthesis of their research on a topic. Any evaluation of the topic should be supported by the properly cited research material used to develop the thoughts and insights presented on the topic.
In the process of supporting a particular stance on the topic under discussion, students should avoid excessive use of quotes, lists, or other material that does not directly support their arguments. Points will be deducted for unnecessary material. As with most academic works, the use of pronouns such as I and you should be avoided.
Organization
In general, the term paper for this course will follow the format presented in this document. All papers should have a cover page providing the required identifying information such as the title of the paper, the author, the date, the course the paper was written for and the instructor for that course. See the cover of this document for a sample.
The cover page is followed by a table of contents (TOC) which lists the headings and associated page numbers from the paper. Each heading in the paper should have an entry in the TOC that is a perfect match. The TOC should be page ii, not page 1, with the number located in the center footer of the page. While technically the cover page is page i, the page number should never be displayed. A list of figures follows the TOC if required. If diagrams or figures are used in the paper, they should be listed in the Table of Figures (TOF). The abstract then follows which is page iii or iv depending on the length of the TOC and whether a TOF is included.
The body of the paper starts with page number 1. The page number is located in the center footer of each page. Page numbers continue throughout the remainder of the paper. Additional information, such as the paper title, date, student name, etc. is not used in the header or footer. Running headers should not be used.
Length
For this class, the body of the paper should be between 8 – 10 pages exclusive of diagrams and figures. The cover page, TOC, TOF, abstract, appendix, and reference pages are not included in the 8 – 10 page requirements. Points may be deducted for papers of excessive length or insufficient length. The paper length is designed to force careful consideration of the material and method of presentment. The student will have to choose their words carefully to convey the facts, analysis and conclusions within the assigned length.
Formatting your Term Papers
The text should be written in 12 point Ariel or Times Roman font. A slightly larger font, not to exceed 16 points may be used for headings. Paragraphs are to be double spaced. Space between paragraphs should not exceed two single spaced lines. Tables, bullets, and quoted paragraphs are to be single spaced. Follow the APA guidelines for quotes. Labels and captions for figures, tables, and diagrams should be single spaced. References should be single spaced with a single blank line between each reference. References should use a hanging indent as shown in the example at the end of this paper.
Overall margins are to be left at the standard one inch. Larger margins used to make the paper appear longer will result in points lost. Insets may be used where appropriate to highlight quotes or other material. See the APA guide for directions.
Paragraphs should not be less than three sentences in length. While using single sentence paragraphs does tend to make a paper appear longer, it is not an acceptable writing style and will result in lost points. Also, excessively long sentences should be avoided. The goal of a term paper is to present information that indicates mastery or thorough understanding of a subject to the reader. If the reader is distracted by poor sentence structure the goal may not be achieved. Long sentences should be broken into smaller more direct statements. It is prudent to have papers reviewed by a third party for spelling and grammatical errors prior to submission.
Sources of Information
There are many sources of information available to support a term paper. By far, the best sources are Journal articles and Books. Articles presented at conferences are also a good source for information. At the bottom of the list of potential sources are trade magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. There should be a minimum of 10 different sources of information, one for each page of the paper. A good mix of resources would include Journal articles, books, and to a much lesser degree, trade magazine articles and other sources. Term Papers that exclusively use the Internet as research sources will have significant points deducted.
Most academic research allows only peer reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings as sources to support published work. The objective is to allow other people in the same field of study to have access to the sources of the papers supporting documentation. This allows a critical analysis of the work as it relates to the preceding works. Some will agree with the conclusion presented and others will not, but the basic material will be available to all. In general, trade journals, popular magazines, newspapers, and the Internet are not subject to evaluation by subject matter experts which makes the information presented in these sources questionable. In addition, trade magazines and similar sources typically fail to provide references supporting the statements made making collaboration of facts very difficult.
Topics
Term paper topics may be on any subject that falls within the general subject matter relating to this course unless they have been designated by your instructor. If there are questions regarding the suitability of a topic, contact your professor prior to investing significant time. In general, the best topics are ones that evoke an opinion from the researcher. The writer can then seek documentation that supports and/or refutes the opinion and present the arguments in the paper. Both sides of arguments should be presented in an unbiased manner. Lay out the reasoning why one side or the other of the argument was adopted. Again, support the opinion with reference material that is properly cited.
Good arguments will be logical and follow from a well thought out series of statements backed by the research of others who are respected in the field. Conclusions in such arguments are seldom final, so there is seldom a right side or a wrong side of the argument. Grades are not dependant on which side is picked, but rather on how well the opinion and conclusions are supported.
For papers with assigned topics, follow the same guidelines for developing the material within the bounds of the topic provided. The best papers are rich in facts but still lead the reader through to a chosen conclusion. In moving the reader through the material, the author should present multiple unbiased viewpoints and allow the conclusions to follow from the logical course.
Conclusions
Term papers are a valuable means of expanding one’s knowledge of a topic. By adopting a topic that has some controversy and choosing a side, a student can develop skills that can be useful in both academic and business environments. Following a specific format for citations and the paper in general is a test of one’s ability to follow instructions and work to a standard. Both are valuable skills that can translate to better jobs and grades. Forming a logical argument to support a position and backing up that argument with research material provides an opportunity to sell an opinion based on merits supported by facts or at least considered opinions of experts in the field.
Honesty is an important factor in all aspects of life. In the academic world honesty and reputation are of paramount importance. The same may be said in the business world. Reputations for stealing others ideas or stretching the truth seldom lead to success and sometimes lead to jail. Value is obtained incrementally through the addition of innovative improvements to the work of others. Giving credit to those that blazed the trails before not only honors their effort, but also avoids the appearance of theft or plagiarism.
Lastly, papers offer an opportunity to expand the depth or breadth of one’s knowledge on a subject of interest. As such, the student should select topics that support their particular field of study or provide an opportunity to explore a new topic. As with all assignments, the student will get out of the experience what they put in. Make the most of the time invested, but remain mindful of the requirements and format.
References
Concise Rules of the APA Style (2005). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Ferrell, O., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2008). Business Ethics – Ethical Decision Making and Cases. (7th ed.). (2008). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
Lipson, C. (2004). Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2010). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
