Clearly identify your country, its resource(s), and the topical area(s) you are focusing on (e.g., conflict, regime) in your introduction.
Identify the expectations of the resource curse as per the literature we’ve covered this semester as it pertains to your topical area. Cite our material. Then elaborate on whether your country suffers from the expectations of the resource curse or is an exception to this literature.
Guarantee you support your analysis with literature we’ve covered and other academic material from your research, cited with APA citation.

This is not an opinion piece or a persuasive essay. This is an analytical essay, and as such, should be presented in an objective style. That means avoiding the use of first-person narration, avoiding references to what you “think” or “feel”, avoiding unsubstantiated claims, and effectively using cited support to make your case. double-spaced, with 1″ margins in a typical 12 pt. font (e.g., Times New Roman, Cambria, Arial).

You should have a one-line header with your name only. Note: This should be a header (embedded in the margin) and not part of your paper. If you use Word, use view>Header and Footer, and insert there. Don’t rely on quotes, especially large bloc quotes, and work to paraphrase most material in your own words.

You should only use a quote where the information cannot be presented effectively without it, and while all material requires a cite, direct quotes also require the page number(s) in the citation.

Over-reliance on quotes will hurt your grade, so again, work to paraphrase. You must cite all material you rely on: if it’s not common knowledge, cite your source.
Your research effort should rely on a majority of academic, peer-reviewed sources (i.e., journals, academic presses and datasets) and a thorough research effort. As a general rule of thumb, shoot for 2-3 sources per page. I expect you to have researched your country thoroughly and include these sources in addition to our class material on the resource curse.
All material, whether directly cited or paraphrased, needs to be cited. You should use APA in-line citation with a bibliography