CSOn4006 MIGRATION, TRANSNATIONALISM AND THE CITY
Autumn 2024
Final group research paper guidelines
Sixty (60%) of your grade will be based on a research essay (45%), including the draft (10%),
and the peer review (5%). Please follow the guidelines below, and don’t hesitate to contact one
of us if you have any questions. We will answer most e-mails within 24 hours. You may come
and see one of us for help during our office hours or e-mail to make arrangements for another
time that is convenient for you. In other words, there is no excuse for problems with this
assignment! We really enjoy meeting with students – please take advantage of this fact☺!
We have also posted some optional readings under the Study Materials page, linked to the
Interactive Syllabus, under “WRITING RESOURCES,” which may help you to think about
how to pick a topic and develop a research question, find, and engage sources of literature, and
plan for and actually write your paper. There is also a citation guide from the American
Sociological Association that you should follow for structuring your in-text citations and your
reference list. And perhaps most importantly, there is a guide to acknowledging, paraphrasing,
and quoting sources, to help avoid any unintentional plagiarism.
STRUCTURE:
The purpose of this essay is to think sociologically about migration. The assignment is very
broad – you may choose any topic related to migration, transnationalism and the city. You may
write a conventional research essay or a research proposal for a study. We will approve the topic
and make sure that your research question is narrow enough to answer successfully in an essay of
this length.
The final essay should be approximately 12-14 pages (2.5 cm margins, double-spaced, 12 pt.
Font), for a minimum of 3,500 words, and a maximum of 4,000 words.
While we allow, and even encourage, the use of AI tools such as Chat GPT, we want you to
critically reflect upon their usage. In addition to your essay, you will submit a reflection on your
use of AI tools: How did AI assist or hinder your work? How did you critically assess the AIgenerated
content? What did you learn from the experience? If you chose not to use AI, please
explain why. This reflection should be about 400-500 words.
TIMELINE:
October 31, 2024 – 23:59 One-paragraph statement explaining your choice of topic is due via
e-mail. We will approve your topic within 48 hours so you can
begin work. You may send this at ANY time; you do not have to
wait until the due date.
December 15, 2024 – 11:00 Draft of the paper to be uploaded to the HOMEWORK VAULT.
December 18, 2024 – 23:59 PEER REVIEW of the Paper Draft to be uploaded to the
HOMEWORK VAULT.
January 19, 2025 – 23:59 FINAL ESSAY is due in the HOMEWORK VAULT.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS will be marked down by 2 points per day.