Hockey, Violence & War

The Research Paper is where you can really demonstrate your own critical analysis on a subject of your choice. After having read all of the relevant literature/sources relating to your specific theme, you may have found that your initial thesis didn’t actually make sense. This is, of course, absolutely okay. Historians usually tweak and update their arguments several times before they draw any conclusions.

By this point, however, you will have tweaked and updated your thesis so that it is compelling and able to stand up when weighed against the evidence. You will also have, by now, collected the right sources for your paper. The primary sources will be from the time(s) that you are reviewing and the majority of the secondary ones will be peer-reviewed academic sources. Your sources will actually fit and directly address your thesis. You will be able to ask research questions of the sources you have chosen. The answers should provide you with the opportunity of proving or disproving a particular argument. It is these questions and answers that will lead you to a defendable and successful thesis.
Apart from developing the skills of a practicing historian, you will ultimately be able to locate the importance of a particular aspect of hockey within Canada’s larger cultural, political and social narrative, and you will be able to demonstrate – in your own words – how hockey and hockey culture in Canada has reflected a specific trend in the greater Canadian society.

Writing Specifications for Research Paper
The paper should include the following:

Length: 8 pages (2,000 words)
Structure: Students should develop a clear introduction with an easily identifiable thesis statement. The student should then present the argument, giving examples and explaining the importance of the chosen examples and how they affect/relate to the thesis. The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis.
Sources: The thesis should be defended with sound historical evidence throughout the paper (aim for an average of three citations/references per page). The evidence should include both primary sources and secondary sources (as specified in the Research Paper Proposal). The bulk of the secondary sources should be peer-reviewed/academic sources.
Format and layout: Typewritten using a 12-point Times New Roman font and 1” margins throughout. All pages should be double-spaced with a title page, pagination.
Style: Make use of the Chicago Style of Humanities citations. Visit the Chicago Style page by the University of Guelph Learning Commons to learn more about how to cite and reference your resources.