PrintThis week, you need to compile and submit an outline for your term project paper. By now, you've received my feedback on your project abstract, and you had time last week to collect some background information.
Outline Description
A good outline will help you complete your term project as efficiently as possible. I like working with an outline, because then I know the gaps that I need to fill. It's also an excellent way of narrowing what your paper will cover given a specific word count constraint.
Your outline should include:
- major sections and subsections of your paper;
- organized sections in a logical flow that guide the reader from start to finish;
- some details about the dataset and analysis you plan to use including where you plan to source data if you haven’t already (now is a good time for me to help out if you are having any problems).
The outline should reflect the limitations you have on word count (no more than 3000 words) for the final product (you won't be able to have dozens of sections covering every possible topic).
I like to add short statements for the key ideas I will cover in each subsection; that way I know exactly what I must cover to complete the paper, but I'll leave it up to you to decide how much detail your outline includes beyond section and subsection headings.
For your term project, you must include the sections/headings provided in the table below. These are the major items I will be looking for. You can create subheadings as you see fit.
| Section | Description |
| Introduction | The introduction meaningfully engages the target audience/reader and clearly presents the central argument along with its substantive, technical and applied contexts. |
| Background and Supporting Research | The paper is well researched and contains references to peer-reviewed articles, government documents and industry reports that relate to the arguments in a logical manner. References are correctly cited. |
| Analysis and Interpretations |
The design and implementation of a methodology was appropriately used to address the central arguments of your topic. Critical, relevant and consistent connections are made between evidence and central arguments. Includes appropriate use of maps, graphics, and tables. Analytical insights are sound and show a deep understanding of the issues. Depending on your selected topic, this may involve describing the steps taken for data analysis and mapping (NOTE –step by step instructions can be put into an appendix and will not count against word limits – disc |
| Conclusion |
Excellent summary of topic and central arguments with concluding statements that impacts the target audience/reader. |
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Submission Instructions
Submit your assignment as a word document or PDF to the Term Project: Outline dropbox in Canvas.
Save your files in the following format: L4_tp_firstinitialLastName.doc.
See our Canvas Course Calendar for specific due dates.
Grading Criteria
The goal of this exercise is to pave the way for you to write an exemplary term project; therefore, each section will be graded on a satisfactory (1 point)/unsatisfactory (0 points) basis. You need to address the following criteria:
- a title is present that reflects the focus of the project,
- clear headings and subheadings are present for each paragraph,
- appropriate and high-quality datasets for your project have been identified,
- a plan for locating and acquiring the data has been determined (and instructor consulted if having problems),
- a clear and detailed plan for analyzing the data has been given.
The outline is worth 5% of your total course grade and will be graded out of 45 points.