paper Format & amp;#149; 1,500 & amp;#150; 1,700 words, not including the reference (Works Cited) page. Verify this with word-count in Microsoft Word and include the actual word count typed at the bottom of the last page of text, before the reference page. & amp;#149; The paper should be typed, double-spaced, on white paper, with page numbers centered at the bottom of the page. & amp;#149; The title page should contain the following in this order: general topic: specific topic, student''s name, course name, date. & amp;#149; Paper should be submitted in the dedicated DropBox in the course shell in Week 7. Research Sources Use at least four different acceptable research sources excluding the course textbook. The quality and quantity of these references will determine the amount of points earned for research. Acceptable Sources: In general, citations from Internet websites will NOT count as an acceptable source unless the citation is from a U.S. government website. The Internet can be used to find on-line versions of publications, but such citations should be made only for articles that are published in paper form (i.e., can be found in a library). For instance, you could use a New York Times article that is downloaded from the Internet. Encyclopedias and abstracts are not valid sources. Cutting and pasting information from the Internet is plagiarism. Recommended Sources: & amp;#149; The Wall Street Journal & amp;#149; New York Times online (e-mail notices of this are available for free) & amp;#149; CNN Financial News online & amp;#149; The Economist (magazine) & amp;#149; The National Review & amp;#149; The National Bureau of Economic Research & amp;#149; any academic and nonacademic journals & amp;#149; library books & amp;#149; government publications (e.g., those of Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Economic Research, Commerce Department, U.S. Census, etc.) Format for Citations: & amp;#149; Chicago Manual of Style & amp;#149; OR MLA Handbook & amp;#149; OR APA style (e.g., Diana Hacker''s reference book) Topic Paper Grading Criteria The purpose of the topic paper is to gain a deeper understanding of a theoretical economic concept through its application to real-world situations. Papers will be assessed according to the appropriate application of economic theory to the specific topic chosen by the student. Application of Economic Theory: & amp;#149; Are concepts based in economic theory and supported by the real-world data? & amp;#149; Are economic terms defined? & amp;#149; Are economic concepts explained accurately? & amp;#149; Are facts presented and cited accurately? & amp;#149; Is a thorough understanding of concepts demonstrated?