THE TERM PROJECT OPTION: Some students will be allowed to turn in one long project instead of the two short papers. This project should be 3000 words long or the equivalent in other media. You must sign the permission sheet. To receive said permission you must:

1. Offer a topic that can best be presented in the longer form;

2. Convince me that you have some background in producing projects of this length and depth;

3. Agree to turn the project in on the last day of instruction. Long projects turned in later will be graded as late.

In the age of the Internet, an increasing number of students have come to believe that "research" means sitting for half an hour in front of a computer screen. While there are now more excellent resources than ever online, you need to know how to find them or evaluate their usefulness. Besides, as students at UCSD, you are paying a lot for your education, some of which goes to support a superb library/research system on campus. Get your money's worth: take advantage of this university's facilities and its reputation for higher learning. As UCSD students, in fact, you may even access most of the university's library and online resources, such as databases and electronic journals, from the comfort of your own home.

Not all research materials, whether in print or in photons, are created equal. For example, SparkNotes and their equivalent are for high school students who haven't done the reading, not for college students supporting critical arguments. Likewise, widely available online sources like "Wikipedia" might provide some opportunities for inspiration and meditation, but they are not formally "refereed"; that means they may not reflect sufficient expertise to be cited in academic papers. Fortunately, UCSD offers access to many electronic research materials alongside the non-virtual books and periodicals in the library building itself.