Below is more information regarding the research paper, required for the scholarship application package.
Purpose:
This project is designed to give you a chance to express your interest in Polish culture and history in a scholarly fashion and to provide the scholarship committee of the Polish University Club with a way to measure your academic potential and writing skills.
The Topic:
Research a topic that is related to Polish history or culture. You may choose to explore current political events or social developments. We accept actual term papers you have written for one of your classes if they meet the requirements.
The paper should have a clearly stated thesis; this means that you should make a statement in your introductory paragraph and provide arguments to support it. If you choose to write about an eminent Polish figure, do not simply submit a biography of that person; your thesis should state why you chose to write about him or her. For example, you may write about Marie Skłodowska–Curie’s efforts to highlight the plea of Polish political independence, but do not simply summarize her biography. Further, as we expect a university-level paper, we do not accept casual descriptions of childhood memories or rhapsodies about Polish food or pop culture.
Format & Style:
The paper should be 7-10 pages long, written in English, and include at least 3 references from reputable sources such as textbooks, research journals, or scholarly articles. Inclusion of materials from the web or magazines can be included but do not count towards the three reputable sources. Please include your name, date, and personal email on the first page, along with the title of your paper.
The format of the paper should follow the standards for any university-level term-paper. You may choose any standard format of annotations and bibliography, such as the Chicago Manual of Style. Regardless of formatting style, you should provide a reference page.
Please e-mail your paper as an attachment to PUCLAinfo@gmail.com along with the rest of your digital application materials.
Plagiarism:
Papers taken off the Internet or copied from books or other print material will be rejected. We will be checking all papers on an online plagiarism checker upon submittal. Plagiarism is a punishable offence at universities and colleges; punishments include failing courses and other disciplinary measures, up to being expelled from the university. Do not try to receive funds to further your education by committing the very offence that would end your education prematurely.