Research Paper

Your final project for this course is to complete a research paper. You will choose a topic to research that deals with abnormal behavior or psychopathology.

Papers are to be no less than 5 pages and no more than 8 pages.

Paper must follow the rules of APA style throughout. Paper is expected to be supported by at least 5 different published sources (at least 2 of these must be from professional journals).

Review the Research Paper Guidelines below to find more specific guidelines for completing your paper and some direction in getting started.

Research Paper Guidelines

Selecting and Narrowing a Research Topic

Significant, researchable issues can be found all around you. For purposes of this course, your research options include a topic of your choice within the field of psychopathology (psychology of abnormal behaviors). If you are not sure about which topics relate to this course, review the chapter titles of your textbook.

You will begin to realize that there are numerous topics to explore. You are encouraged to select a topic that truly interests you as a learning experience. If you have difficulty coming up with a topic, contact me and I will assist. If you have a topic but are not sure if it is acceptable, just let me know what your topic is and I will provide you with feedback.

It will be helpful to select a topic with which you are familiar but not so knowledgeable that the learning process is impeded. Truly objective research would encourage selection of a topic upon which you do not hold highly polarized opinions.

Writing a Research Question

A research paper can be thought of as a research-based response to a carefully crafted research question. A good research question also leads to research that are manageable in scope. Writing a research question not only serves to narrow a topic even further, but also focuses the development of the body of the research paper. There are a number of strategies for posing a research question, but for the learning purposes of our course we will eliminate "Yes/No" questions and direct ourselves to three options:
"What"
"How"
"Why"

Will you investigate the "whats" of an issue, the "hows" of an issue, or the "whys" of an issue? Students often think that they must address all three in a research paper, but this is not the case. Be clear about your topic and research question. A research question that is too vague will lead you off track and waste valuable time. By narrowing to one focus (what, how, or why), the more in-depth you will explore the issue you have selected.

The Components of a Research Paper

For the purpose this course, we will define a research paper as an integration of what the "experts" have written on a given subject.

Therefore, in writing a paper for our course, you are not so much adding to the available information on a subject as making use of information that is already known. This is referred to as a "literature review." However, you can be original in the selection and organization of the material, which you have researched, and in the conclusions which you arrive at as a result of the research.

The components that are required for your research paper are the Introduction, the Body, the Conclusion, and the References page. In simple terms, the introduction is a brief statement to readers describing the issue to be researched and what lies ahead in the paper.

The body of the paper, made up of your researched information (usually in three sections or more), integrates the information you have gathered to "answer" your research question. The conclusion is your brief summary, or restatement, and the conclusions that you have reached from your research. The reference list informs your readers where you obtained your information. All sources used in your research paper are documented in your References page.

Writing Style and Format

It is important to consider the perspective from which a formal research paper is presented. In informal writing, the use of first person perspective (I, my, or we) may be appropriate when communicating opinion or personal perspective. The use of second person perspective (you) is often incorporated in writing when focusing on the reader.

In a formal research paper, the emphasis and focus should be placed on the research topic. The style used in formal research papers should be "third person objective" (he, she, it, they, the research reveals, the report states, according to the FBI, Janet Reno asserts that, etc.).

When referring to yourself, in your conclusions for example, instead of using "I," you can use "this researcher." For example, instead of writing "based on my literature review, I found that..." you can state "based on a literature review, this researcher found that..."

In order to make your research paper legible and academically presentable, certain mechanics in format should be followed. The guidelines that should be adhered to in typing your research paper are:

Double-space your entire document. This includes blocked quotes and your reference page.

When using page numbers, insert the number in the upper right-hand corner of each page.

Every page of your research paper should have a minimum of a 1-inch margin on all sides. Word processor default margins are acceptable.

Indent the first word of each paragraph with an approximately one-inch indent.

Do not justify your right margin and do not break words at the end of a line.

Use a font that is easy to read. Do not italicize your entire paper or use fancy fonts. Two fonts that are recommended are Times New Roman or Arial with a font size of 12.

The paper should be no more than 8 full pages of text in length, including the introduction. A page is defined as a range of 200-250 words using a 12-point font.

Bold type may be used for titles, headings, and selective emphasis only.

Construct a coherent literature review of credible sources in which you summarize what other writers and researchers have thought about your topic. Avoid serial book reports or article reviews.

Cite your sources correctly using a parenthetical, APA format.

Interpret, critically analyze, and evaluate your references. Provide clarification and elaboration.

Summarize your findings and draw conclusions. Integrate your opinion while maintaining an objective, third-person, formal style.

Compile a reference list following APA format. All of the sources used in the paper should appear in this list. Sources consulted but not used in the paper should not be on this list.

You may wish to construct an appendix. This might include charts, tables, questions used in surveys, interview transcripts, an annotated bibliography, or peripheral material drawn from your references.