Research paper

Instructions for Research Paper 1: Address the following sections and make sure your paper meets the requirements specified. Write approximately 5-7 pages. You need to address each of the sections below, but you do not need to follow the order in which these sections are listed. Subheading Requirement Points Possible Study purpose Introduce your topic. Provide a background about

your topic based on literature. Remember to address the following: What are you studying? Why is this topic important - address the “so what”. What is known about this topic? (You don’t need to provide your literature review here, but a short summary of what research has been done on this topic and what was found. If there is little research that exists, state that. You will expand on this part in the literature review section.) Provide citations wherever relevant. All of your statements of facts should be backed by references.

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Conceptual context

Introduce all relevant concepts you will use in your study here. Define these concepts operationally (the definition relevant to your study). Have previous studies explored the relationship between these concepts? If so, mention briefly what this relationship is. Again, you will explore this in your literature review section.

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Literature review & gaps in existing research knowledge

Provide a summary of the existing literature relevant to your topic. Include findings from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Remember, summarize and synthesize instead of simply listing each study and finding. Synthesize in your own words and avoid using any direct quotes from the literature. Critique the existing literature by highlighting existing gaps in the research (e.g., not enough literature exists; or if an issue has not been studied in a particular population; or there aren’t qualitative studies that explore the research study).

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Research question

Discuss briefly how your study will address this existing gap in literature. State your research question clearly.

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Appendix: Your personal and professional experience

Provide a short summary as an appendix of your personal and professional experience. This section should only focus on why you were interested in this topic and how your personal or professional

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experience qualifies you or urged you to pursue this research question. Note: This is not like the subjectivity essay, you do not need to discuss your social location, personal biases and assumptions, etc. You may choose to write this section as a straightforward bio if that is easier.

Use of APA format

Use APA style guide for cover page, headers and footers, page number, grammar, citations, and references.

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Total Points Possible: 20