Final Paper

Ashford 6: - Week 5 - Final Paper

Final Paper
 

Your final assignment for this course is a Final Paper that will focus on evaluating research studies and reports to analyze a specific topic within a Health and Human Services research area.  You will select a topic area in Week Three of this course that will be used for the Final Paper.  Examples of possible topic areas include: 

• Program effectiveness of community-based mental health      treatment facilities. 
• Perceptions of ethical competence among human service      professionals working in long- term care. 
• Treatment intervention outcomes for veterans with      post-traumatic stress disorder. 
• Characteristics of successful job placement programs      for special needs adults. 
• Trends in health care legislation and impacts on health      and human service delivery. 

 For your Final Paper, you will elaborate on each section of your Final Paper Outline from Week Three.  You must utilize at least eight peer-reviewed sources that were published within the last 10 years; these will be the same sources that you identified in your Week Three assignment.  Your sources must present actual research studies that correspond to the problem or background of your selected topic area.  Your Final Paper must address the following: 

• Describe your selected topic area.  Your      description of the problem or background of your topic area should include      more detail than the overview you provided in Week Three.
   
• Summarize the components, attributes, and/or various      segments of the topic area you have selected.  For example:
  • What is the research problem or issue? 
  • Who or what is affected by this problem or issue? 
  • What are some specific examples of research studies,       evaluations, reports, literature reviews, etc. that address it? 
  • What are the findings of these sources, and what are       their implications on the health and human services field? 
• Evaluate the research reports and/or theories from the      studies presented in your minimum of eight peer-reviewed resources.       This analysis should add to the exploration of the problem or background      of your selected topic area.   

Writing the Final Paper
 

The Final Paper:

1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages (excluding the      title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as      outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 
2. Must include a title page with the following: 
   1. Title of paper 
   2. Student’s name 
   3. Course name and number 
   4. Instructor’s name 
   5. Date submitted 
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a      succinct thesis statement. 
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical      thought. 
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis. 
6. Must use at least eight peer-reviewed sources from the      Ashford University Library. 
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in      the Ashford Writing Center. 
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted      according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

 Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.