David Lauderback Professor of History

The Country Report Outline

The purpose of the Outline is to give students an opportunity to organize their research in a useful manner and to provide the blueprint for the Final Draft.  The Outline must conform to the Format and Documentation Requirements specified below.  Students must submit an Outline by the deadline listed in the Course Schedule.

• ONLY students who submit an "Acceptable" Outline by the deadline listed in the Course Schedule will be permitted to submit a Final Draft.

Submitting an Outline

Students are expected to accomplish five (5) tasks in the Final Draft:

• draw on the Country Page to state your thesis
• use the Annotated Bibliography set the historical context;
• analyze the primary evidence in several paragraphs;
• offer a National Security Action Plan to counter the current or potential terrorist threat;
• provide a thoughtful summary and conclusion

I. Introduction

Here students will rely on the Country Page to frame the research paper.  The introduction will explain where the country is located and the relative significance of the country to regional and world politics.  Students will revise the Country Page as necessary and conclude with a dynamic thesis statement that states why the country represents a potential or actual threat to the national security of the United States.

A. Historical Context

Purpose:  Here students will use the secondary sources from the Annotated Bibliography to place their research in social political, economic, security, and historical context.  The purpose of this paragraph is to give the reader a sense of what is happening in the country in question by summarizing current assessments.

Directions:  Focus on your Country Page and explain how the sources from Annotated Bibliography treat the same themes.  You should be able to combine your discussion of the secondary sources in the Annotated Bibliography to write the historical context.

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Sentence with quote from secondary source with end note.
3. Sentence with quote from secondary source with end note.
4. Sentence with quote from secondary source with end note.
5. Sentence with quote from secondary source with end note.
6. Sentence with quote from secondary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different secondary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

B. Analysis

In the next several paragraphs, students will examine the themes discussed in the introduction by offering evidence drawn from the primary sources.  These paragraphs give the student a chance to show the reader the evidence they have collected and how that evidence supports their contention in the thesis statement.

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

C. Analysis

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

D. Analysis

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

E. Analysis

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

F. Analysis

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

G. Analysis

Directions:  Collect selected quotes from the primary sources that illustrate the first of the three (3) points made in the introduction and which support the thesis statement.  Organize your evidence as follows:

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

H. Threat Assessment

This is most important paragraph in the first part of your Final Draft.  Here, you will evaluate your evidence and compare that to the analysis provided by the secondary sources.  Does your research support, contradict, and/or modify the existing literature?  Your research might do some of all three.  Show how and why with specific examples from the secondary and primary sources.

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Restate topic sentence to II. A.
3. Restate topic sentence to II. B.
4. Restate topic sentence to II. C.
5. Restate topic sentence to II. D.
6. Restate topic sentence to II. E.
7. Restate topic sentence to II. F.
8. Restate topic sentence to II. G.
7. Concluding thought

III. National Security Action Plan
 

A. Action Plan Rationale

In this paragraph explain how the United States needs to take action.  You need to identify the areas that require critical attention and state why the point deserves focus.

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Target concern
3. Rationale
4. Target concern
5. Rationale
6. Target concern
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

 
B. Economic Action Plan

In this paragraph, identify the primary economic considerations for your action plan and how the steps you itemize will assist in promoting security

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.
 

C. Political Action Plan

In this paragraph, identify the primary political considerations for your action plan and how the steps you itemize will assist in promoting security

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

D. Security Action Plan

In this paragraph, identify the primary security considerations for your action plan and how the steps you itemize will assist in promoting security

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence
2. Quote from primary source with end note.
3. Quote from primary source with end note.
4. Quote from primary source with end note.
5. Quote from primary source with end note.
6. Quote from primary source with end note.
7. Concluding thought

Use at least five (5) quotes from at least four (4) different primary sources in points 2-6 above.  You may include more quotes and add the number of points you intend to make in your Final Draft.  See the Documentation requirements below for the proper format for citing your sources.

In this paragraph, you need to re-state your thesis, summarize your main findings, and conclude with the artionale for your action plan.

Format Requirements

ALL ASSIGNMENTS -- COUNTRY PAGE, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, OUTLINE, AND FINAL DRAFT -- MUST CONFORM TO THE FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS BELOW.  ANY COUNTRY PAGE, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, OUTLINE, OR FINAL DRAFT THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS BELOW WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The format requirements for the completed Country Page, Annotated Bibliography, Outline, and Final Draft are:

• Staple -- upper left corner;
• Page numbers -- top right;
• Title -- Top, center, page 1;
• Name -- Center; below title with appropriate spacing (see below);
• Text -- Begins right below the name on page 1, with appropriate spacing (see below):
• Spacing -- TRIPLE spaced, typed or from a printer;
• Margins -- one (1) inch from the edge of the page on the:  top, left, right, and bottom;
• Pitch -- 12;
• Font --  Times Roman preferred;
• Length -- 15 pp;  [There is no length requirement for the COUNTRY PAGE, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, or Outline; the FINAL DRAFT must be 15 pp.]
• End notes -- place at the end of your document;  [Not counted in the length.  See Documentation below.]
• Bibliography -- on a separate page.  [Not counted in the length.  See Documentation below.]

Please:

DO NOT BOLDFACE; or
DO NOT ITALICIZE; or
DO    NOT         JUSTIFY

your text.

The above particulars are designed to ensure that all students complete works of similar length.

Please:

Do NOT use folders or other such binders; and
You do NOT need a cover sheet.

Documentation

ALL ASSIGNMENTS -- COUNTRY PAGE, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, OUTLINE, AND FINAL DRAFT -- MUST CONFORM TO THE DOCUMENTATION SPECIFICATIONS BELOW.  ANY COUNTRY PAGE, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, OUTLINE, OR FINAL DRAFT THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE DOCUMENTATION SPECIFICATIONS BELOW WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The documentation requirements for the completed Country Page, Annotated Bibliography, Outline, and Final Draft are:

• endnotes; and
• bibliography

To ensure that you give credit where credit is due, please refer to the source from which you extracted information.  Please use end notes to document your sources using the appropriate formatting (see above).  For the correct style, see John Grossman, ed., The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005). You can also use an abbreviated version by Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). The ACC Library has a link to Turabian.  The ACC link is useful but at times limited. Both guides can be found at the ACC Library.  Include a Bibliography on a separate page (with no page number), at the end of your Topic Page, Outline, and Final Draft.  Here you provide a complete citation for each work cited.  Please use the appropriate formatting (see above).  And, please, do NOT ask if you can use MLA.  Use the Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.

Grading Policy

The Outline will be graded "ACCEPTED" or "NOT ACCEPTED."  Recognize that an Outline rife with misspellings and grammatical errors will NOT be considered acceptable.  Any Outline that does NOT conform to the Format and Documentation specifications above will NOT be accepted.  If you submit your Outline before the deadline date in the Course Schedule and it is graded "NOT ACCEPTED" you may revise it and resubmit it prior to the deadline date.  Any Outline that is NOT submitted by the deadline listed in the Course Schedule will NOT be accepted.

• If the Outline receives a final grade of "NOT ACCEPTED" then the student will NOT be permitted to submit a Final Draft.

STUDENTS WHO DO NOT SUBMIT AN OUTLINE BY THE DEADLINE LISTED IN THE COURSE SCHEDULE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO SUBMIT A FINAL DRAFT;

The Country Report has several components.   Please see the Course Schedule for the dates by which you must:  submit your Country Page, complete your Annotated Bibliography, complete your Outline, and turn in your Final Draft.

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© David Marcus Lauderback, 2010