The Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran. Image credit Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Here are the requirements for the research paper, as described in the syllabus:

A 10-12 page (students are welcome to write a longer paper) term paper covering a topic of your choice will be due
towards the end of the semester. It is expected that this paper will display students’ knowledge of critical apparatus
and scholarly notation. Research sources can consist of internet entries, books, periodicals, music, art, etc. – with full
notation. In the course of this assignment, students are expected to formulate an academic argument with
appropriate research documentation, using a multi-disciplinary and systematic approach to knowledge. Students
are encouraged to explore multiple disciplinary methodologies as they apply scholarly solutions to answer a
general historical question of their choosing. As writing a solid paper is a process, parts of the assignment will be
requested earlier in the semester. For additional guidance, consult my Canvas handout on research paper protocols, and
see the History Dept. resources page.

This is a guide to researching the Islamic world between the 12th and 18th centuries.

I recommend bookmarking this page.

In class today, please find at least five sources for your topic, either primary or secondary, that you have not seen before today. Then, show me at least five sources that you found.

• You're not committing to using these five sources in your bibliography or your final paper -- you're just finding possibilities today.
• I recommend that you start with an overview of your topic, or of the context surrounding your topic. Read through the overview, and write down words you could use as search terms. You might also want to write down the titles of sources cited in the overview.

When you find a good source, save it so you can get back to it later. Here are some ways to save sources:

• Download a PDF to your computer.
• Bookmark a URL.
• Write down a title.
• Check out a physical book.

Feel free to leave this room to browse the shelves or to check out books, but remember to come back to show me what you found.

After you've shown me at least five sources, you can leave class early, or you can stay and continue to find more sources for the entire period (your choice).