writing for aging 5 pages, double spaced

Gerontology Paper: Diversity of the Aging Experience

This assignment is an opportunity for you to research a topic of interest to you in gerontology that represents a unique aging experience. 1. First, you need to decide what unique aging experience you would like to explore. For example, you could pick a region on which to focus (e.g., aging in Latin America), a culture/ethnicity (e.g., aging in Hmong culture), underrepresented/minority group (e.g., aging in the LGBTQ+ community), or unique experience (e.g., aging in prison). Please let me know if you are having difficulty choosing a unique aging experience! 2. Next, you will need to formulate a specific question(s) about that particular aging experience. In order to do this, please pick among the aging issues listed below:

• Chronic illness/health concerns (broadly)

• Specific health issues such as:

o Dementia/ Alzheimer’s Disease

o Type II Diabetes

o Heart disease

o HIV/AIDS

• Long-term care/caregiving

• Loneliness/social isolation

• Family structures or social support

• Retirement or activities in old age

• Economic challenges (e.g., poverty)

• Issues around death, dying, and bereavement

If you have a different issue that you want to explore for your population, please check with me! I am here to help guide you in this process. 3. Go the Gerontology Research Guide: http://research.wou.edu/gerontology Our amazing librarian Tracy Scharn ([email protected]) created this for us and can help you any time! Go ahead and start searching for articles here. If you have not yet used the databases, fear not! The PsychInfo Basics will help you get started. You can use what you learn in the video to navigate all the top gerontology databases. I recommend beginning with the Psychology & Sociology Databases at the top!

Example: What are the primary health concerns

among older adults in Italy?

Example: Do Latino older adults have strong

social support? How does this impact their

aging?

Example: How is Alzheimer’s Disease

impacting Russia? How is it being managed?

Example: Does incarceration

relate to poverty in old age in the

U.S.?

4. Find at least 4 peer-reviewed journal articles. You may use more sources for your research, but at least 4 of them need to be peer-reviewed articles. Reports from government agencies, such as the US Department of Health and Human Services, are often helpful as supplemental sources. 5. Go to your NoodleTools to begin creating your citations. From there, you can start creating annotations and notecards, and you can begin your project and writing in the linked Google Doc. (NOTE: We will be working with NoodleTools in Week 4 of this class. For a reminder on how to use it, please visit the Citation Help on the Gerontology Research Guide) 5. Writing your paper1: Please organize your paper in the following format, including headings for each section:

Introduction: In approximately 1-2 paragraphs, introduce your topic, provide

context, and state your research question. Be sure to address the following: What is the

unique aging experience you are exploring? What would the reader need to know to

understand your interest in this? What is your specific Research Question?

Findings: Write a summary/review of research/information from each journal

article that helps to answer your research question. This is essentially a literature

1 Do not use first person narrative, personal experiences or anecdotes. This is an objective academic research paper.

Tips as you find articles: • Try to choose a topic that is not too narrow or too broad • Try to choose a topic that has enough current research (i.e., in the last five

years)! For example, you may find that there is not much current research on the transgender older adult community or the impacts of COVID-19 on older adults (too new). You also may find that there is no current research on the effects of the Civil War on older Americans.

• Your research question will probably change as you find articles. That’s okay! • Remember that you will need to try several different search terms as you

research your topic. For example, try out “aging,” “seniors,” and “elders/ly”; LQBT, LGBTQ, gay and lesbian; Latino, Latinx, and Hispanic

review. You might review one article at a time or you might divide this section by topic

and cite multiple articles for each topic. Cite the references you use appropriately using

APA format.

If you use QUOTES, please use no more than two, and make sure to include the

page number! (e.g., Cannon, 2020, p. 2). Your cited works should be included both in-

text and in a separate reference page.

Discussion: Write an analysis of the findings. You should use your critical

thinking skills to make connections and generate ideas about the information in your

findings. Do not use first person narrative, personal experiences or anecdotes. This is

an objective academic research paper.

Conclusion: Write 1-2 paragraphs summarizing/concluding your paper.

Formatting/Length:

• The completed paper should be about 4-6 pages (4 minimum, reference page not included) double-spaced.

• Use Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri, size 12-point font, and 1” margins. • Include headings (see below). • Indent at the start of each new paragraph; no line spacing in between paragraphs

or block formatting. • You do not need a cover page or running head.

NOTE: The Writing Center is available for online meetings! Send me evidence of an online meeting for 5 points of extra credit (due at same time as your paper!).

Assessment: Research Paper Rubric Exceeding (A)

4

Meeting (B)

3

Approaching (C)

2

Not Meeting (D)

1 Grammar, spelling, mechanics, sentence structure

(Written communication*)

10%

Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency, and is virtually error-free.

Uses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The language has few errors.

Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity, although writing may include some errors.

Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage.

Overall organization and flow (including length)

(Information literacy*)

20%

Communicates, organizes and synthesizes information from sources to fully achieve a specific purpose, with clarity and depth.

Communicates, organizes and synthesizes information from sources. Intended purpose is achieved.

Communicates and organizes information from sources. The information is not yet synthesized, so the intended purpose is not fully achieved.

Communicates information from sources. The information is fragmented and/or used inappropriately (misquoted, taken out of context, or incorrectly paraphrased, etc.), so the intended purpose is not achieved.

Identification/ integration of concepts

(Integrative learning)

30%

Connects and extends issues, concepts, and theories; clear identification and integration of concepts and information; integrates knowledge/ experiences outside

Makes some connections among issues, concepts, and theories; some integration of knowledge/experien ces outside of discipline/classroom .

Presents and describes issues, concepts, and theories; articulates knowledge/ experiences outside of discipline/classro om, but does not integrate.

Concepts, issues, and theories may be presented but do not seem connected in any way; knowledge/ experiences outside of discipline/ classroom not articulated.

of discipline/ classroom.

Critical thinking/analysis

(Inquiry & analysis)

30%

Demonstrates evidence of critical thinking and creativity to assess all possibilities; integrates and develops ideas fully and articulates reasoning; acknowledges limits of position.

Organizes evidence to reveal important patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus; provides reasoning and explanation of position.

States a position with some reasoning and explanation, but not objections to, assumptions or implications; ideas are limited and/or fragmented; surface understanding of the complexity of elements.

Does not state a position, or states a position but does not provide any reasoning or explanation.

Use of appropriate sources

10%

Meets/exceeds minimum number and types of sources required, and reasons for selecting the sources are clear; cites and lists sources correctly in APA format.

Meets minimum number and types of sources; cites and lists sources in APA format with minimal errors.

Uses over half of the types of sources required; citations and reference list are incorrectly formatted, have several errors, or some are missing.

Uses less than half of the types of sources required; citations and reference list are incorrectly formatted, have several errors, or are missing.

*Language from AACU Values rubric (see below)

INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS VALUE RUBRIC for more information, please contact [email protected]

Definition Inquiry is a systematic process of exploring issues/objects/works through the collection and analysis of evidence that result in informed conclusions/judgments. Analysis is the process of breaking

complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.

Evaluators are encouraged to assign a zero to any work sample or collection of work that does not meet benchmark (cell one) level performance.

Capstone 4

Milestones 3 2

Benchmark 1

Topic selection Identifies a creative, focused, and manageable topic that addresses potentially significant yet previously less- explored aspects of the topic.

Identifies a focused and manageable/doable topic that appropriately addresses relevant aspects of the topic.

Identifies a topic that while manageable/doable, is too narrowly focused and leaves out relevant aspects of the topic.

Identifies a topic that is far too general and wide-ranging as to be manageable and doable.

Existing knowledge, research, and/or views

Synthesizes in depth information from relevant sources representing various points of view/approaches.

Presents in depth information from relevant sources representing various points of view/approaches.

Presents information from relevant sources representing limited points of view/approaches.

Presents information from irrelevant sources representing limited points of view/approaches.

Design process All elements of the methodology or theoretical framework are skillfully developed. Appropriate methodology or theoretical frameworks may be synthesized from across disciplines or from relevant sub-disciplines.

Critical elements of the methodology or theoretical framework are appropriately developed however more subtle elements are ignored or unaccounted for.

Critical elements of the methodology or theoretical framework are missing, incorrectly developed or unfocused.

Inquiry design demonstrates a misunderstanding of the methodology or theoretical framework.

Analysis Organizes and synthesizes evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus.

Organizes evidence to reveal important patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus.

Organizes evidence but the organization is not effective in revealing important patterns, differences or similarities.

Lists evidence but it is not organized and/or is unrelated to focus.

Conclusions States a conclusion that is a logical extrapolation from the inquiry findings.

States a conclusion focused solely on the inquiry findings. The conclusion arises specifically from and responds specifically to the inquiry findings.

States a general conclusion that, because it is so general, also applies beyond the scope of the inquiry findings.

States an ambiguous, illogical or unsupportable conclusion from inquiry findings.

Limitations and implications Insightfully discusses in detail relevant and supported limitations and implications

Discusses relevant and supported limitations and implications

Presents relevant and supported limitations and implications

Presents limitations and implications, but they are possibly irrelevant and unsupported