Whatever topic they choose, they MUST(!) get the instructor's approval to ensure that the topic is viable, or enough of a bibliography exists (in English) to make it worthwhile. Papers with unapproved topics will not be accepted.

Remember, for your own protection, pre-arrange the topic with the instructor before starting the paper. Click on the link below to access the list of available subject areas:

Late papers will be penalized 5 points for each day late (including Saturdays), up to three days, after which they will automatically will be graded no higher than 59% (F). Failure to complete the paper will result in an automatic failure in the course, regardless of grade standing. All papers must be submitted in person to the instructor; failing that, they may be submitted to the History Department (Maybank 315), where the departmental administrator will certify and date-stamp their arrival.

Topic: Choose a specific topic within the subject of Egyptian social history, economics, or some aspect of life of the common folk. To determine a specific topic, first should consult the extensive course bibliography among the course Web pages to identify possible topics, then confer with the instructor to ensure their feasibility. All topics must be approved in advance by the instructor before beginning to write the paper. Topics not approved in advance will not be accepted. Completion of the term paper is required to pass the course.

1. cover page with paper title, course info, etc. (do not repeat any cover-page info on page 1 of essay)
2. type-written page numbers (occur within the 1-inch margin at the half-inch mark)
3. citations (i.e., footnotes, endnotes, or in-line parenthetical references)
4. separate bibliography-page

   All papers should be submitted in paper medium. Papers submitted electronically via e-mail or on disk are unacceptable, since formatting changes occur when transferring files between computers. See link above, "Suggestions and Advice on Preparing and Formatting Term Papers and Essays," for detailed information, advice, and suggestions on form, format, and grading criteria for the term paper.

   Execution: In the preparation and execution of all papers, students are required to follow the format presented by Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996), especially in regard to the style of block quotations, citations (including footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical references), and bibliographies. Look over Chapters 8-10 on how to cite references. Choose the type of reference you want throughout your paper: footnotes or endnotes (+ "Bibliography") or in-line parenthetical references (+ reference list= "Works Cited"). Read Chapter 11 (pp. 185-213) to compare their forms and styles. Here Turabian uses the abbreviations N, B, PR, and RL to identify the different formats:

   foot/endnote style:	"N"	Bibliography style:	"B"
   parenthetical reference style:	"PR"	reference-list style:	"RL"

   Footnotes occur at the bottom of each page of text. Endnotes function as footnotes, except that they are all grouped together into a single list on a separate page after the essay, ahead of the bibliography. Parenthetical references are abbreviated citations written in a standardized style in parentheses within or at the end of the sentences in the body of the paper. VERY IMPORTANT: Be aware that while footnotes and endnotes take a standard "Bibliography," parenthetical references can only(!) take a "Works Cited"-list in a format that Turabian calls a "reference list." See Turabian for the differences between a "reference list" (RL) and a standard "Bibliography" (B).

   IMPORTANT: If you employ parenthetical references, then you must use a "reference list"-format instead of the traditional "Bibliography"-format.

   Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers is the official style-manual of the History Department of the College of Charleston. This style is recognized throughout the world for academic writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences. If you are not familiar with this format, open the manual and learn it! Do not try to "wing" it or fudge the format, especially if you opt to use parenthetical references. Any papers that do not conform to Turabian will be graded accordingly. Four copies of Turabian are located in the College of Charleston Library: two in the Reference Section, two on Permanent Reserve. Copies are also available for purchase in the College Bookstore. The Writing Lab can advise any student personally in Turabian's format.

   Whatever you do, do not employ the MLA style of parenthetical references in your history papers!!

   As a rule of thumb, do not quote class-lecture notes in the paper. If you want to quote material mentioned in class, you must go find it in published sources among the course readings and quote from there. If you cannot find the source among the readings, see the instructor for advice. Please feel free to consult the instructor at any time for advice on preparing the paper.

   Form and spelling will be factors in grading the final term paper, the theme paper less so. If you are uncertain of your spelling, use a dictionary first, then run a spell-check program. You must proofread your paper before submitting it, and make any final corrections cleanly in ink, if necessary!!

   Why the emphasis on form? A research paper is a means of communication. The purpose of any paper is to convey an argument as logically as possible according to standards of form that facilitate its communicative function. Form is not merely format and correct spelling; it also includes the logical arrangement of an argument and the rational ordering of historical and textual data to support a particular historical interpretation. Poor form can impede the communication of a valid point of view. When a paper cannot communicate due to a lapse of form, it has failed in its purpose.

   Conventions in Transcribing Egyptian Names. Between the instructor's lectures and the course readings, you will find different conventions in the English spellings of Egyptian names. Whichever convention you use, be consistent, e.g., do not write "Tuthmosis" one time and "Thutmose" later, or "Ammenemes" and "Amenemhat". Choose one convention and stick to it! Egyptologists have established a Multi-lingual Egyptological Thesaurus to foster a certain standardization in names and terminology. It is accessible on the Internet, and, if you desire, you may consult it at: https://www.ccer.ggl.ruu.nl/thes/thesaur.html.

   
   

   V. Term Paper Correction

   Before preparing their term papers, students should open and print out a blank copy of the professor's "Term Paper and Essay Correction Key, from this Web page and use it to help organize, format, and write their papers. It contains a list of the issues that the professor is looking for, or which he is considering when grading the paper--in addition to the historical analysis. These issues pertain to argument, writing and format. Hence, "forewarned is forearmed." If students know ahead of time the problems and pitfalls that can affect their paper's grade, they can strive to avoid them, as they research, organize, and compose the term paper.

   Term Paper and Essay Correction Key

   click to open

   
   

   VI. Submission of Early Drafts

   Students are strongly encouraged to submit a preliminary draft of their paper to the instructor for comment. The instructor will review it to ensure clarity, direction, and adherence to format. The draft will not be graded. Students should submit a draft not later than two (2) weeks before the paper's deadline.

   
   

   VII. Using the World Wide Web for Research

   Students should confine the bulk of their research to printed publications, although they may and should use the World Wide Web selectively to help research the paper topic and to identify valid issues. A great deal of useful information exists on the Web pertaining to ancient Egypt and the Near East. However, the Web also houses a whole lot of junk that does not conform to modern scientific and academic standards. In general, the World Wide Web contains four types of materials pertaining to Egypt and the Near East:

   1. primary sources, i.e. editions of original ancient inscriptions translated and presented by reputable scholars, often used as classroom resources on the Web;

   2. original archaeological reports and field data by archaeologists and bona fide researchers;

   3. synthetical studies and essays prepared by Egyptologists (often as Web versions of reputable printed publications);

   4. materials, idiosyncratic essays, and polemical tracts of uneven and inconsistent quality, prepared by non-professionals, dilettantes, radical Afro-centrists, and self-proclaimed prophets of the New Age revelation (yikes!).

   Sadly, this latter crypto-Egypto-pseudo-erudite trash [no. 4] constitutes the bulk of Egyptological materials on the Web.

   As of now, only few peer-reviewed professional--specifically Egyptological or Near Eastern--journals are published on the Web. Publicly available primary sources on the Web [no. 1] usually represent obsolete translations that are out of copyright and are superceded by modern translations currently in print. For the purposes of this course, students are permitted to quote from these, but only with the approval of the instructor AND ONLY(!) if the texts are not available in print. Because Egyptological secondary sources on the Web are rarely peer-reviewed, students may quote from [nos. 2 & 3] only after consulting with the course instructor on each source. Web pages for [nos. 1 - 3] are usually identifiable by the domain-markers ".edu" or ".ac.uk" in their Web addresses, and sometimes also by ".org."

   Students may freely consult these Web pages in their research to identify issues and research directions or to locate printed sources of data. However, under no circumstances may students quote from the unprofessional Egypto-crypto-bilge [no. 4] (usually identifiable by the domain-marker ".com" in their Web addresses). If in doubt about the appropriateness of any research source--either on the Web or in print--please feel free to consult the instructor. He will be happy to examine or discuss individual Web sites with you. While students can consult Web pages for [nos. 1 - 3] and quote with prior permission, under no circumstances may they ever quote from the unprofessional Egypto-crypto-mystico-junk [no. 4] (usually identifiable by the domain-marker ".com" in their Web addresses). Students should never quote from any world encyclopedias, whether from the Web or in paper medium. If in doubt about the appropriateness of any research source--either on the Web or in print--please feel free to consult the instructor. He will be happy to examine or discuss the strengths or weaknesses of individual Web sites with you.

   Any papers that contain Web-citations without prior arrangement with the instructor will be reduced in grade five (5) points for each unapproved citation appearing in the paper.

   
   

   VIII. Policy on Plagiarism

   As you prepare theme and term papers for this course, be careful not plagiarize any of your sources. Any plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, whether blatant or merely inappropriate paraphrasing, will not be tolerated in this course. If you have any questions as you prepare your assignments, feel free to ask the advice of the instructor. If in doubt about anything, quote it--even indirect quotations! The Honor Code of the College of Charleston strictly prohibits plagiarism, cheating, and attempted cheating. A student found guilty of these offenses will be reported to the Honor Board and will fail the course. Additional penalties may include suspension or expulsion from the college at the discretion of the Honor Board. See the College of Charleston Student Handbook, p. 11 (https://www.cofc.edu/student-life/handbook/handbook01-02.pdf), for definitions of these offenses. You are responsible for informing yourself of all definitions and regulations on this subject. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse before the College Honor Board. Protect yourself; when in doubt footnote it! For examples of proper and improper quoting and paraphrasing, see also "A Guide to Freshman English" (https://www.cofc.edu/~english/Guide.html).

   It's too easy to cut and paste off the Web, but don't do it! Protect yourselves. Do not copy any text from the Internet into your paper. To ensure conformity with this policy, the term papers will be spot-checked with software and Web sites designed to identify such activites, e.g., Google® and Plagiarism.org® Besides, the instructor is VERY(!) familiar with most Web essays and sites pertaining to ancient Egypt.

   
   

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