Research Paper Instructions

Here is your opportunity to research and write on a topic of your choice in regards to life coaching. Do not write a general paper on life coaching or how coaching differs from counseling. Review publications in the field before you narrow down your topic. These are the uniform grading guidelines utilized in the Counseling department:

(1) Unless otherwise stated, write all papers in current APA style. This includes cover page format, abstract on the second page, running head, etc. Do not include the cover page, abstract, and references in the page limits. For example, a 10-12-page limit means a cover page, abstract page, reference page(s), and up to 12 pages of text. The research paper must be 10-12 pages, up to 12 pages of text.

(2) Use the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

(3) Your research must be current (within the last 8 years). You must use at least 10 references for the paper, with at least 3 of these sources being journal articles or scholarly books. Sources will include both general and specialized sources. All web sites utilized must be authoritative.

(4) Your paper must not include unsupported opinions or assertions unless these are generally accepted in the profession. Assertions that are controversial must be supported by documentation (e.g., references from Scripture, the professional literature, empirical research, or logical extensions of documented assertions from any of those three sources).

(5) Document an assertion from Scripture similarly to the way you would cite secular documentation. For example: "God's Word teaches that recognizing the existence of a sin nature is important when attempting to understand human personality and functioning" (e.g., Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:20-22, Galatians 5:17-21, New International Version).

After the first usage of a version in your paper, you do not need to include the version in your citation unless you change versions. Current APA style allows, but does not require, that you include the Bible in your reference list. We would encourage you to include it along with your other references. If you use more than one version, identify each in the text, and list each version used in your References section.

(6) You may use the external librarian to help you obtain journal articles and books for your papers. If you are planning to use this system, you should identify your research topic within the first module/week or so of your class, then call and ask the external reference librarian to do a computer search for you.

The librarian will send you a listing of articles identified in the search and you can circle the ones you want the library staff to photocopy for you. Send this back to the library and they will photocopy and send those articles for you. If we do not have the journal they will request a copy through interlibrary loan.