But remember, if you end up concluding that it is too soon to make a judgment about who has the more attractive position, this too must be defended by arguments. Spare me autobiography. So don't spend the first paragraph telling me how this course has changed your mind about language or linguistics, or about how hard it has been for you to come up with a good topic for your paper, or how it was that a chance conversation with your sweetheart led to the discovery of an interesting line of inquiry. Investigating aspects of a language other than English sometimes makes a great paper topic. To do so, you'll very likely need to consult with a native speaker of the language you wish to study.
People are often willing to help out with the data.
I will be happy to read drafts of the paper. If possible, I will read them immediately and in your presence, so you can get immediate feedback. But at any rate, most of the time I can have comments to you within 24 hours. Most papers will have a bibliography. The purpose of this is to give credit where credit is due, but also to help readers find the items that you refer to.