Research Paper Requirements

Introduction to Restoration Ecology

CFR 590D / CFR 590F

Fall 2009

Graduate students in Introduction to Restoration Ecology (CFR 590D / CFR 590F) are to write a research paper about a topic related to restoration ecology.  This document outlines the requirements of the research paper.

Research papers are due at the start of the final exam for this course: Monday, December 14, 2008, at 8:30 am.

Topic

You may choose a topic of your choice related to restoration ecology.  Topics might include:

Readings and in-class discussions can be valuable place to generate ideas for your paper.  The ‘Resources' page on the course website provides a list of many other resources that you are also welcome to consult.

Your topic should be verified with me before you invest a lot of time in it to avoid doing something unsuitable.  Papers should clearly present the topic, and should consider issues in a balanced fashion (eg, presenting pros and cons).  The linkage of the topic to restoration should be clearly demonstrated.

It is feasible for these papers to develop into publication-quality articles. If this is of interest to you, please begin to consider questions such as the scope of your topic, target journal, and authorship.

Mechanics

Your paper should be clearly written.  Please be sure to double-check spelling and grammar!  It should also include a thesis statement and should be clearly organized. 

Formatting details:

For further information

For more information about how to write a research paper, see the books listed below.  These, and related books, are available through the UW Libraries.

Gibaldi, J. 2003. MLA handbook for writers of research papers. 6^th edition. Modern Language Association of America. ISBN 978-0873529860.

Turabian, K.L., W.C. Booth, G.C. Colomb, and J.H. Williams. 2007. A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations. 7^th edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. ISBN 978-0226823379.