Final Research Paper:
The Final Research Paper is intended to allow you to select a topic of your choice in the general
field of adolescent psychology, where you can write a reasonably in-depth paper on the topic.
Please clear your topic with me prior to writing. Failure to clear a topic with me beforehand will
result in a loss of points of your mark for the research paper. Some sample topics to select from
are:
· The influence of social media on adolescence
· The effects of spirituality on the development of adolescence
· Career and adolescence
· Adolescent Peer pressure
· Suicidality and adolescence
· Substance abuse and adolescence
· Alcoholism & adolescence
· Teen drinking & driving
· Depression and adolescence
· Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and adolescence
· Adolescence and mental illness
· Adolescence and mental health
· Adolescence and bullying
· Social Networking and the adolescence
· Adolescent Sexuality
· Adolescence and relationships
· Adolescence and Sexual abuse
· Adolescent and parent communication
· Teen Pregnancy
· Adolescence and Religion/Spirituality
· Teen Date Rape
· Adolescent Eating Disorders
· “Cutting” or Self- Mutilation
· Adolescent and Self- esteem
· Adolescence and alternative lifestyles
· Adolescence and body image
· Adolescence and human trafficking
· Teens & violence/homicide
· Teens & Parental Relationships
· Gang violence
· Teen Mom/Teen Dads
· Other Topics pertaining to Teens/Adolescents
NOTE:
You are welcome to select from one of these topics or choose one of your own. Please select a topic that you feel passionate about and want to learn more about through research. Remember topics need to be cleared by me before you begin writing.
The research paper should be about 1200 words (4-5 double spaced, typed pages) PLUS an abstract of 50-75 words. Your research paper must be written in APA format. An abstract is essentially a 50-75 word summary of your entire paper. The references page should be the last page of the paper. Thus, the research paper should contain, in order, Title page, the Abstract, Introduction, Body, Conclusion and the References page. You are required to have at least 5-10 peer reviewed sources for your references. Among other factors, marking will take into account: clarity of thought and writing, quality of insight and understanding, grammar and spelling, correct citation for references and compliance with the following APA format.You are encouraged to visit the following site to help with writing your research paper. Please view the URL: “Basics of APA Style Tutorial”
http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm (Links to an external site.)
You are also encouraged to visit & utilize the ‘Purdue Online Writing Lab’ below for
additional writing support.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ (Links to an external site.)
You are expected to do independent research for this paper, and to write it alone with no help from a partner and to cite the necessary references. The research paper must have at least FIVE to TEN reasonably up-to-date (after 1998) citations beside your text (if you cite the text). It is important to note that the most current and accurate information in psychology, including abnormal psychology, is NOT found on the Internet or in books; the most current and accurate information is found in professional journals. THEREFORE, OF THE FIVE to TEN REFERENCES YOU ARE EXPECTED TO INCLUDE, AT LEAST THREE MUST BE FROM CURRENT PROFESSIONAL PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS. Please note that newspapers, and magazines such as “Psychology Today,” “Parents,” “Time,” ”Newsweek,” and so on, are NOT professional literature and DO NOT COUNT as citations. You are encouraged to use Infotrac or ERIC (PDC) or Medline (or PsychLit) to search for articles addressing your topic. IF you cite a book, ensure you provide a full reference for the book. If you use the internet to obtain information, be aware that your internet sources MUST BE PROPERLY CITED APA STYLE. That is, material from the internet which is not accurately and properly described and cited is not acceptable as a reference. An additional note - if you are writing a paper about psychological disorders, the gold standard for information about such disorders is the DSM IV - The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th edition. The most recent versions of this manual are in the reference section of the Southern Wesleyan University library.