Optional Research Paper - Students have the option of completing a research paper on a topic that the student chooses. The paper should be between 5-7 pages in length, word processed or typed, double spaced, in a standard 12 point font with 1" top, bottom, and side margins. A printed copy of the paper is due by the end of class on Thursday, May 12. No papers will be accepted after this deadline. The optional research paper should not be simply a rewording of a topic covered in class but rather focused on an idea or concept related to the class in which the student is specifically interested. Topics must be cleared with the instructor before students begin their research and an outline of the paper approved by the instructor before the student begins work on the paper. The paper will be graded with points assigned for organization, content, clarity, and referencing. All materials researched for the paper must be identified in a bibliography at the end of the paper. The optional research paper is worth up to 10 additional points to a student's final grade, with the potential to raise a student's final grade for the course one letter grade.