Requirements:
- 3-5 articles from academic, peer-reviewed journals (see above). (Note: textbook does not count as one of these sources, but can be used.)
- A title page in APA format (see APA manual p. 30-35. Follow instructions for “student title page” — you do not need “author note” on p. 35).
- Title page is page 1.
- A running head on each page and page numbers (APA, p. 37).
- Appropriate in-text citations following APA format (APA, ch. 8).
- A reference page in APA format (APA, p. 39; ch. 9).
- Papers should be 5-7 pages of written text. Title and reference page do not count in the total page count.
- Papers should move beyond just a description of the topic. Instead, summarize and integrate current research (from peer-reviewed journal articles) about the area you have chosen.
- You will describe relevant studies in enough detail to convey their hypotheses, methodology, and general conclusions, and to integrate them with other studies/findings within the same domain.
- In other words, get specific!
- All papers must be in APA format – see handouts and guide, as well as manual.
- Your papers should have no direct quotes. Paraphrase only.
Your paper should include:
- An introduction section where you describe your topic, define your terms, and explain why it’s an important area of research. The introduction should end with a clear and explicit statement of where the rest of the paper is going (and then stick to the plan!).
- Body paragraphs that explore the research you’ve found, integrating various sources. Pay close attention to topic sentences – that’s how your paper will stay organized and on track.
- A discussion section that ties it all together and suggests future directions or gaps in the literature. You can give opinions here (avoid “I” though) and offer critiques of the research you explored – perhaps sample sizes were too small or non-representative, for instance.