Research paper: Final- Telemedicine and Access to Mental Health Services
Background
For your final major essay in this class, each of you will be required to craft a thorough, researched argument on a topic/issue of relevance and interest to you. The topic should be something that can be researched chiefly in academic—or “peer-reviewed,” “refereed,” or “scholarly,” in definition, as all are interchangeable terms—journals. Your final paper is not simply a summary of facts from the sources you encounter; this is known as a literature review and alone does not meet our goals. While the facts, information, and ideas you have found will inform and appear in some capacity in your paper, you must present a clearly defined argument on the subject at hand. As we’ve come to understand through defining “academic argument,” you will present a perspective with claims/assertions supported by substantial, credible evidence. As we’ve discussed (and contrary to most advice you receive about arguments when you first come to college) your perspective is part of your argument, so this might involve forming your own opinions; remember, however, that your argument will never be based or primarily supported by your opinions.
In order to do this effectively, it is pertinent for you to embrace the variety of perspectives and approaches to argument that we’re studying throughout the course of this class, and synthesize these complementary elements into your paper in order to give scope and aim to your research. Your argument must present its claims following either the Rogerian or the Toulmin philosophy of argumentation, and it should do one or more of the following:
- Seek to define a key concept (or concepts) in relevant context to expand understanding of the topic
- Present an issue or problem within your topic scope in hopes of identifying or exploring potential solutions
- Examine any root cause(s) that you believe led or can lead to a specific effect or impact within the scope of your topic (or vice versa)
- Analyze common values that inform dissenting stances within the scope of a contentious or divisive topic
The idea is to construct a thorough, well-structured, academic argument through various stages of planning, analysis, and evaluation. The most important thing to remember about research writing is that it is a learning arena first, and a proving ground second. While you may have assumptions and a stance in mind as you enter into the research phase, it is important to begin with questions and curiosity, rather than assertions you want to validate. As you pick your topic, focus on why it is important to research, and what you seek to learn before you determine what claim(s) you can prove.
Technical Requirements
Your final paper must meet the following specifications:
- It should be constructed in a minimum of 2,800-3,300 words (approximately 8-9 pages).
- It should utilize a minimum of 8 research sources, at least 6 of which should be scholarly/academic journal articles.
- It should adhere to formatting and citation requirements in accordance with MLA style guidelines.
- It should be free from indications of plagiarism, and free of grammatical and/or mechanical errors.