Guidelines for Research Proposals or Papers

 

1. Consult with instructor and get agreement on topic and work product to be submitted. More than likely, it will involve preparing a research proposal or revising a paper for publication.

2. Ask the DIS departmental secretary for the instructor's PTE so that you can enroll.

3. No incomplete grades will be awarded and papers are due on due date. Late papers will be substantially penalized. Suspected plagiarism will result in a grade of DR and be reported to the UCLA Dean of Students for adjudication.

4. You should consider the writing services of UCLA's Graduate Writing Center.

Based on my previous experience grading papers, graduate students have difficulty with some of the following:

1. Number every page; do not right justify paper

2. Proofread for typographical errors; i.e., recieved

3. Spell out contractions; a formal paper requirement

4. Cite source of evidence; personal opinion is fine, but how do you know what you know or state

5. Underline titles cited in body and notes, if any

6. Use proper diction. For example, user or inquirer rather than patron; received rather than got; difficulty rather than problem.

7. Observe the following:

A. feel, think, or believe; distinctions are important

B. it's, it is versus its, possessive

C. "this" should be followed by a noun in most sentences

8. Avoid needless intensifiers. For example, very important; either it is important or it is not.

9. Avoid first-person in most cases. Give appearance of objectivity

10. Watch for split infinitives. For example, "to merely serve," or "to automatically become," or "to formally advocate," or "to accurately answer," or "to consistently cite," or "to fully answer."

Revised: 5 February 2008.