TERM PAPER REQUIREMENT

ratified: Academic Council, Nov. 30, 1990, Academic Dean, Dec. 3, 1990
last update: 11/95
archived versions:

In order to qualify to receive a degree from Quinebaug Valley Community College, every student must complete a satisfactory term paper. To be considered satisfactory, this paper must:

1. Demonstrate research and analysis of an important subject.

2. Be at least 10 pages long.

3. Contain documentation in keeping with the discipline from which the topic is selected. (Suggested text: Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide by James Lester. Copies of the most recent edition of Lester's book are available at the Bookstore and in the Library.)

4. Be virtually free of grammatical, spelling and organizational errors.

It is expected that most term papers submitted to fulfill this requirement will be written as part of a class assignment. In this case, the instructor who assigned the paper will make the judgment to determine whether the term paper meets these standards and is acceptable.

A student who chooses to write this required term paper outside of the class setting must first find a full-time faculty member who is willing to supervise his or her efforts. This faculty member will evaluate the finished paper to see if it meets the standards for the term paper requirement.

Any faculty member who approves a term paper for this requirement must forward written notice [on the Term Paper Requirement Certification Card] to the student and to the Records Office indicating that the requirement has been fulfilled.

If a student's paper is judged unacceptable by the faculty member who is supervising the effort, the student has the option to request a review of the paper by a board of two faculty readers.

This request, in writing, should be submitted to the Academic Dean, along with a copy of the term paper. The Academic Dean will then choose the two readers.

If both readers find the term paper acceptable for the fulfillment of this requirement, their decision will be binding. [If both disapprove, or if there is a split judgment, the original determination will stand.]