6 page paper on recreational drugs and its effect on human body

Descriptive Title With Variables in Title Case (i.e., Don’t be Fluffy!)

Student Name

Student Email Address

October 22, 2018

National University

ILR260: Information Literacy

Instructed by James Lhotak

Abstract

Simply complete the following sentences using proper sentence structures:

This paper examined the effect of “x” on “y” and found that… (your magic sentence). This paper has three important contributions. First, … (Discussion, Theme 1 most important idea). Second, … (Discussion, Theme 2 most important idea). Third, … (Discussion, Theme 3 most important idea). This paper is important because… (prove it with a statistic).

Done!

The abstract is not indented like a normal paragraph and is on its own separate page. The magic sentence appeals to logic and rationality and contains what exactly you studied and what exactly you found (most important finding of your paper). The magic sentence is the most important sentence in your paper and common practice requires it to be exactly the same in both the abstract and introduction sections. Note that a contribution is not a table of contents or list of topics; a contribution is a major conclusion, assertion, or finding that you had based on your discussion section (i.e., your analysis) that is actually useful to your readers. Typically refer to one finding from each subsection of your literature review and discussion sections as above. Finally, use the same statistic that you used to prove your importance in the history section of the paper with full in-text citation information because no in-text citations are allowed in an abstract unless you are building upon a specific research study.

A Causal Analysis of the Relationship Between X and Y

Simply complete the following sentences using proper sentence structures:

This paper examined the effect of “x” on “y” and found that … (your magic sentence). The problem this paper was intended to address was… (must be a problem). The hypothesis of this paper was… (must be a hypothesis and not a plan of your paper or topic). The research questions that guided this paper included… The most important finding(s) of this paper was (were) (typically phrase in terms of research questions) … The solution to the problem, which will be discussed in the conclusion section in detail, included … (general idea of your specific 3-point plan solution; do not give everything away free here; make the reader read your conclusion). Note that the introduction is separate from and distinct from your abstract.

History of the Problem

Start your brief history of the problem paragraph here. This section is not a time machine and only includes the minimum essential information (i.e., need-to-know information) required for the reader to understand your paper. Keep the history of the problem section limited to only the information that is directly relevant to your research problem and research questions. Describe the context of your research problem (last 5-years only), the most important recent analytical findings, the definition of key terms, and the scale of the problem (i.e., use statistics, etc.). Do not simply narrate and give your opinion—use in-text citation evidence!

Literature Review

Start with introductory transition leading to main ideas (determined by the type of analysis you conduct). Keep this transition under three sentences. The literature review is heavily cited so just about every sentence will contain an in-text citation (i.e., evidence). This section is not about your opinion at all. Your objective is to report only. Remember, all paragraphs require a heading. Organize this section thematically based upon the type of analysis you conducted. In general, transitional paragraphs include breadth information, whereas depth information is located within the thematic subheadings. Guide the reader as your Padawan learner though this topic as a Jedi! Do not simply provide information and force the reader to figure out what you mean. This is the reason why you must choose your themes carefully. Some practical advice for writing scientific papers is appropriate at this point. Many students become overwhelmed by the large amount of and diversity in the literature. This is common. In most of your previous classes, you were encouraged to regurgitate everything you know on a topic to get a good grade. This does not work well when writing a scientific paper. The key to managing this problem is threefold. First, you must start thinking in terms of major themes. For example, suppose you have a list of ten major ideas that you want to include in one paragraph of your paper. Each is typically distinctive and appear disconnected, correct? Your job is to look at all ten ideas, and figure out three overall themes to explain and unify as many of these as possible—preferably the most important ideas. You must choose, Jedi! Second, you must choose what NOT to include. This is very difficult in practice because you have not been trained to do this. However, if you do not choose what NOT to include, your paragraph will turn into an incoherent and illegible mass of random points. So, if a few of the items do not fit your theme, it is appropriate to avoid that point in that particular section of your paper (sometimes it is appropriate in a different paragraph). Finally, you must discuss each theme in the paragraph in-turn and make sure you explain and guide the reader as you use the appropriate evidence. Again, do not simply state a point and expect the reader to guess what you mean. One final note, avoid duplication. Make your point once and do not repeat the same idea (especially in different sections of the paper). The only exception is if you discuss the idea again based on new information or if you choose to include the idea in the abstract or conclusion.

Report what the literature stated about cause “x”…

Theme “Y” (APA L2, use a key-word theme from your annotated bibliography)

Report what the literature stated about cause “y”…

Theme “Z” (APA L2, use a key-word theme from your annotated bibliography)

Report what the literature stated about cause “z”…

Discussion

Start your analysis of the literature here and do not simply keep writing more literature review information. This is the most important section of your paper; do not write it as an afterthought. Typically, you include the same exact major subheadings you used in your literature review. This is because if you do not discuss this information, why did you bother to incorporate it into the literature review section? Use this section specifically to flush out the solutions to the problem (i.e., develop your specific 3-point solution here). Solutions sometimes preserve the status quo through minor tweaking (incremental changes). On the other hand, solutions can also destroy the status quo through the creation of something new. Be bold and travel to “where no man (i.e., person) has gone before!” Use in-text citations as needed to support your analysis and answer deep questions that demonstrate that you have seriously considered the literature and the problem. Ask new questions as required and try to answer your novel questions to the best of your ability. Academic papers do not discuss common folk-knowledge. Consequently, vague statements of opinion mean exactly nothing. Be specific. Think SWOTo IC or PEST. Higher-order thinking is required because now you are the expert! Experts do not whine and complain; experts resolve problems! This section is not a summary or restatement of the literature; it is a critical analysis! If you experience difficulty writing this section, fill out the SWOT-IC handout and use it to help you develop your analysis. The key to a quality analysis is to think before you write (i.e., while you conduct your research) this section. Do not think on your reader’s time. I suggest that you complete the SWOT-IC / PEST worksheet to make sure you do not miss this important step. Prove to your instructor that you have considered the problem and the literature and that can do a proper academic analysis. This section includes your professional opinion on your topic as a subject matter expert—again, here you are a Jedi! Limit your discussion to the findings of your literature review and keep on point. Do not produce new squirrels for the reader to chase here unless it is critical to do so. If you stray from topic, justify your decision and clearly demonstrate how it is relevant to the problem at hand. Here, you are the judge.

Theme “X” (APA L2, use a key-word theme from your annotated bibliography)

Respond to what the literature stated about cause “x”…

Theme “Y” (APA L2, use a key-word theme from your annotated bibliography)

Respond to what the literature stated about cause “y”…

Theme “Z” (APA L2, use a key-word theme from your annotated bibliography)

Respond to what the literature stated about cause “z”…

Conclusion

Start your conclusion here. Start with a general summary of the major idea of your paper (typically connected with the finding of your magic sentence) and answer the research questions you presented in the introduction. Then, clearly state and solve the problem that you posed in your introduction. This is a specific and detailed 3-point plan solution. Do not, for example, simply state that “people should know more.” What exact points should the know? Who exactly should teach them? Who exactly will pay? This section shows that you were serious about resolving the problem. Limit your conclusions to the topic under investigation and do not stray too far off point (i.e., squirrel!) unless it is critical for you to do so (e.g., you found an important oversight in the literature). Discuss the logical implications and consequences of your solution. What does this all mean exactly? The last sentence of your paper is called a strong statement for a reason; it is the only section where you can be creative and use emotion and common expressions, etc. While your magic sentence appeals to logic and rationality, your strong statement should create a strong emotional reaction that will linger in the readers mind.

References

Place your minimum of 4 peer-reviewed journal article references and 1 Gale Virtual Encyclopedic-Type source here in APA format alphabetically. I have formatted the hanging indent for you for ease of use. See APA Publication Manual, chapter 7. DO NOT USE DATABASE TOOLS HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS WRONG! YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE COMPLETE INFORMATION HERE OR YOU CANNOT USE THE SOURCE.

Apprentice, R. N. (2000). Title in sentence case. Journal Name, 33(1), 22-23. doi:000.000.000

Bantha, R. B. (2015). Title in sentence case. Journal Name, 33(1), 22-23. doi:000.000.000

Jedi, R. P. (2014). Title in sentence case. Journal Name, 33(1), 22-23. doi:000.000.000

Sun-Killer, N. G. (2015). Title in sentence case. Journal Name, 33(1), 22-23. doi:000.000.000

Note: Do not forget to paste in a final picture or graphic somewhere in your paper.