Abstract- There must be an identified one paragraph abstract which summarizes your paper. This should be located after the cover page and on its own page. The abstract should not be written until the final paper is completed. Body of your paper – The content of your paper should be at least 4 – 6 pages not including a cover page, an abstract, and a reference page. Include terminology from the text to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts you have learned in the course. As in all college writing, grammar, spelling, and punctuation count. References – You must have at least three (3) properly cited references. References to web or book information in the paper must be according to the APA format. Paper is in a standard font, such as Calibri or Arial, 12-pt. Paper is double-spaced with 1” margins. Title page and abstract are included. APA format is used

Final Paper Guidelines

The topic for your Final Paper, a research paper, can be anything covered in this course. Choose something that really interests you, something you would like to explore more fully, or something about which you want to learn more. Your paper should demonstrate your understanding of the subject you selected and expand significantly on what you learned from your chapter readings.

Your Final Project will be submitted in two parts – Part 1, your rough draft, is due in Module 5, and Part 2, your final paper, is due in Module 7.

Instructions for your Research Paper – Part 1

Part 1 of your Final Paper will help you get started and is due in Module 5; the Final Paper – Part 2 is due in Module 7.  By Module 5, we have covered about half the material in the course; you can use one of the topics you have already covered that you want to learn more about, or you can look ahead at the topics we will be covering and choose one of those topics. You are expected to name your topic, begin the research on your topic, and write about the areas you expect to cover. Part 1 should be 1 – 2 pages and can be in outline form, paragraph form, or even in bullet point format.  Just make sure you have some apparent direction when you turn in Part 1.  You are also required to include at least one resource (besides the text) that you will be using.  Make sure you are using academic sources; blogs are not appropriate sources for a research paper so be careful not to include any blogs or “opinion-based” sources.

Include any questions you may have so that your instructor can provide guidance.

See the rubric for a guide to follow.

Instructions for your Research Paper – Part 2

Your Final Paper – Part 2 should be 4-6 pages long (excluding title page, abstract, attachments, etc.), double-spaced, using 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

If your paper integrates information from published sources and/or you build on the work of others, you must be careful not to plagiarize. Please also see the rubric posted under the “Resources” tab in the main menu of the course for additional guidelines on grading.

Include the following:

Cover Page – This should include your name, the course name and number, and the date

Abstract- There must be an identified one paragraph abstract which summarizes your paper. This should be located after the cover page and on its own page. The abstract should not be written until the final paper is completed.

Body of your paper – The content of your paper should be at least 4 – 6 pages not including a cover page, an abstract, and a reference page. Include terminology from the text to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts you have learned in the course.  As in all college writing, grammar, spelling, and punctuation count.

References – You must have at least three (3) properly cited references. (Note: a url, a link to a website, is not a proper citation.) References to web or book information in the paper, must be according to the APA format.

If you need help with APA references or how to do an abstract, go online and search for APA format. You can also use the Ivy Tech Virtual Library or OWL (Purdue Online Writing Lab). https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

A sample paper with notes for your information can be found at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/documents/20090212013008_560.pdf

Tutor.com is a free service which you may want to use prior to submitting your Final Project – Part 2. You can access it in the Navigation menu at the left side of the screen in the course. The turnaround time when you submit a paper for review is no more than twelve hours, usually less! You can also chat with a tutor if you have a question.

Please note:  Your assignment must be submitted as a .doc or .docx file.  If you fail to do this, your instructor may be unable to open or grade your assignment.

See the rubric for a guide to follow.