Research Paper Requirement
Fall 2005 Update
Basic Requirements: To receive a degree from Quinebaug Valley Community-Technical College , every student must complete a satisfactory research paper. Although a paper may involve various formats or media, its textual portion must at least be equal to ten standard pages of typed (12-point) double-spaced text (on 8-1/2" x 11" paper with one-inch margins)-that is, a minimum of 2500 standard (6-character) words, the bibliography being additional.
Context of Preparation: Each student must secure a faculty member to supervise the preparation of the paper and judge whether it fulfills the requirement. If the paper also fulfills requirements of a course, the course instructor will normally be the supervisor. For papers originally prepared for courses but subsequently revised to satisfy the research paper requirement, the original instructor (if full-time) will typically supervise the later version.
Procedure: The student and supervisor should discuss the requirements. The student must apprise the supervisor of graduation deadlines, so the paper can be evaluated on time . The supervisor should require plenty of time for evaluation, leaving time for revisions, if necessary. When the supervisor deems the paper satisfactory (earning a B or higher), she or he informs the student and submits a completed Research Paper Requirement certification sheet to the Records Office. If the supervisor does not approve the paper, the student may request a review by forwarding a copy of the paper with a cover letter to the Dean of Learning and Student Development. The Dean will choose a board of two faculty reviewers. If both find the paper satisfactory, the Dean's office will notify the student and the Dean will sign a certification sheet for the paper. Otherwise, the paper will remain unsatisfactory and be returned to the student.
Content Area Requirements: The paper must demonstrate the student's appropriate mastery of content, form, procedures, documentation and citation, and other criteria relevant to the field in which the paper is submitted. The supervisor will judge whether the paper is satisfactory in such respects, and thus she or he should make sure the student has enough preparation in the field to perform the work with appropriate independence. The supervisor will judge whether the paper's topic is significant, whether the research covers relevant material in the field, whether the approach involves analytical thinking, whether the student accesses materials by using current information technologies, and whether the student grasps the terms of discussion on the topic and engages it on those terms, recognizing and evaluating the contributions of others.
Information Literacy Requirements: The paper must have a bibliography or works cited list containing a range of sources-books, periodicals (including journals), and usually Internet sources-which must be balanced, not excessively relying on QVCTC and local sources or on a particular kind of source (such as full-text periodical resources). The student must critically evaluate the sources, and a significant amount of research must be integrated into the text.
Writing Skills Requirements: The paper must be organized in a clear and coherent fashion, being readable for the audience it addresses. Its purpose and conclusions must be clear and its points adequately supported. Also, it must demonstrate the student's ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written English, not being marred by errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. The supervisor may judge these aspects as far as she or he feels competent. But once a paper has been deemed satisfactory in content, a supervisor also may confer with English or other faculty to evaluate the writing.
Resources concerning the Research Paper, for faculty and students, are available in the library. Be prepared to show your resource materials to your supervising instructor if requested to do so.
Click here to download Research Paper Preparation Agreement.
