The APA research paper is a format that applies to any extended research-oriented project, and it can include a wide variety of different types of papers such as the policy paper or the research methods study. Our paper will be a much more modest version of the research paper that will tackle a specific issue for which you would like to offer a solution. The problem and the solution can be of nearly any topic (your choice), but I have traditionally discouraged “hot button” topics since they provide the convenience of easily found popular (online) sources but can be more problematic for scholarly studies. Such topics can include abortion, gun control, death penalty, euthanasia, and legalizing marijuana, among others. Think about topics that are pertinent to your career interests, especially those in and around the topic of health care in the U.S.
Word Count: 3000 words min.
Sources: Ten sources; a mix of popular and scholarly sources, though your paper should have six scholarly sources for the literature review section.
APA: APA formatting will be expected throughout, and we will use section headings for the first time.
Outline:
The paper will follow the APA research format which includes six required sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Analysis, Discussion and Conclusion
Introduction: What is the problem you are trying to solve and why is it important?
Literature Review: Like our previous assignment, what do the experts (scholarly sources only) have to report based on their research
Proposal: What is your policy proposal, and what are the specific steps you want to outline for your reader?
Analysis: What are the advantages and disadvantages (costs and benefits) of your proposed solution?
Discussion: What counter arguments exist for your proposed solution, and how would you address them?
Conclusion: Why is it important to solve this problem now, and what specific call to action would you like your reader to take? (who is this audience?)