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Term Paper Assignment SW110.docx
Example Research Paper SW110.docx
APA Paper Style Essentials.pdf
SCHOLARLY RESEARCH TERM PAPER GUIDELINES
Social Work 110 requires all students to write a 10-11 page (including cover page, abstract, references, and annotated bibliography pages) scholarly research term paper on a field of service in the social work profession, in the American Psychological Association (APA) format. The Research Term Paper Assignment
Your Paper Will Consist of the Following:
- Cover Page
- Abstract
- Literature Review
- Field of Service
- References Page
- Annotated Bibliography
You will submit the paper in two parts:
Part I – Cover page, abstract, Literature Review
Part II – Field of Service, References page, Annotated Bibliography
What are the Objectives of the Assignment (Student Learning Outcomes)?
- To assure that each student by the end of the semester will be able to demonstrate the ability to research, interpret, and report information related to a specific field of social work practice, grammatically correct APA (American Psychological Association) format. These skills are essential in social work education.
- Acquire knowledge and gain insight into a specific field of social work service
- Gain an understanding of the values and ethics that impact social workers in this field
- Demonstrate a beginning knowledge of how to consult and utilize research evidence to inform ongoing policy and practice
- Demonstrate knowledge and application of APA format
Choose One Field of Social Work Service to Write About (pages 21-26 main text)
Child Welfare |
Family, Youth and Children |
Pregnancy & Parenting |
School Social Work |
Mental Health |
Older Adults |
Substance Abuse |
Military Social Work |
Medical Social Work |
Grant Writing |
International Social Work |
Refugees and/or Immigrants |
Disabilities |
Crisis and Trauma |
Administration |
Violence, Victims and Criminal Justice |
Community Organizing |
*** You can narrow your focus: For example: If your topic is Criminal Justice and Corrections, you could focus on the specific area of Juvenile Delinquency ***
What Are The Research Requirements?
Begin your research for appropriate and relevant reference materials. Use the topic headings to help you identify the areas of focus.
What are the Literature Requirements?
- You will need at least one book or e-book
- Choose a book that focuses mainly on the field of service that you have chosen (textbooks can be used as a supplemental source, but not the main source).
- The course textbook from Social Work 110 cannot be used as a reference.
- The book should be written by a professional in the field of social work or a closely related field.
- You will need three scholarly articles – What is a scholarly article?
- A scholarly article is written by a professional and is usually contained in a professional journal.
- Social work journals and articles written for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) are good examples of appropriate references.
- “Social Work Today” is an online/hard copy magazine that often has scholarly research articles available; it is available in the Cuyamaca Library.
- You can also use journal articles from other related professions such as psychology, psychiatry, nursing, pediatrics, and education.
- Articles, research, and statistics from the Federal Government are acceptable.
- You can also use e-scholarly articles.
- Popular culture magazines, newspaper articles, and websites are not appropriate for scholarly research (Examples: Wikipedia and about.com).
*Please be sure that all resources include author/s and dates. Undated books, articles, or websites will not be accepted.
Important Research Specifics
- All resources must be from the United States of America
- All resources must be no older than 2010. The date must be included!
Locating Your Research
The Cuyamaca Library (Library building, LRC/C)
- The librarians have a copy of the Scholarly Research Term Paper Guidelines. They are all very skilled in helping students find appropriate resources and materials for this research assignment. The Cuyamaca Library has also purchased a large number of new books that will help social work students with this research term paper.
- For assistance with research contact a librarian in person at the reference desk on the 2nd floor.
- There is also an extensive online library that includes e-books and e-articles specifically for the subject of social work.
- For online reference assistance: http://www.cuyamaca.edu/library (Links to an external site.)
For Social Work Resources (e-books and e-articles):
http://cuyamaca.libguides.com/socialwork (Links to an external site.)
Part I of the Research Term Paper
- Cover Page
- Abstract
- Literature Review
- Define Field of Service
- Target Population
- Practice Methods
- Social Worker Role
The Topic Headings – Content of the Scholarly Research Term Paper
- Below are the topic headings as provided by San Diego State University for the “Literature Review” and “Field of Service.”
- A literature review is a way of organizing, summarizing, and critiquing a topic to inform the reader about a problem or issue.
- It allows you to examine the research question, topic, problem, or issue in greater detail by considering what other people’s’ writings and studies have shown.
Topic Headings for the Literature Review
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Guidelines for the Research Term Paper Assignment (See “Example Research Paper” located on Canvas within “Files”).
General Information
- The research term paper should be 10-11 pages in length and divided into several parts.
- Cover page
- Abstract
- “Literature Review”
- “Field of Service”
- References Page
- Annotated Bibliographies
- Content must be accurate and conclusions must be adequately supported by scholarly research. This is not an opinion paper.
- Grammar and syntax: Sentences should convey meaning clearly and should be grammatically correct with appropriate punctuation in place. Spelling should be correct.
Use APA Formatting (American Psychological Association)
- Please consult the APA Style Essentials for general document guidelines such as the title page, abstract, body of the paper, text citations and quotations, and references (located in Canvas under “Files”)
- A sample APA Format paper is available in Canvas under “Files.”
The Bibliography or “References” Section
- There will be one “References” section for both parts of the paper, located at the end of the paper, in APA format. A sample APA format “References” page is available with a sample APA format paper located in Canvas under “Files.”
Goals of the Research Paper
- Provide various viewpoints by discussing what others have written or reported about the topic.
- Assess the strengths and limitations of the literature, identify and comment on the major themes found in the literature, and offer a critique of the work.
- You need to base your perspective on your research findings and critical analysis of the literature review.
Final Paper is the finished product that includes a college-level discussion of the topic with accompanying research and supporting evidence.
- All required topics in Parts I & II are covered accurately, with supporting research.
- There is an analysis of the literature that you reviewed.
- The paper is written in APA format, including citations and the “References” page.
- Grammar, organization, and writing are at the collegiate level.
- Please refer to the term paper guidelines in this document for all requirements.
A Helpful Resource for Writing the Scholarly Research Term Paper
- The Writing Center offers tutoring to assist you with organization, grammar, syntax, punctuation, proofreading, editing, and APA format. The staff will have a copy of the research term paper guidelines. They are very familiar with this assignment, and are skilled in helping students with research papers.
- Students who utilize the services of the Writing Center consistently tend to produce high-quality research papers.
- Be sure to make appointments with the Writing Center well in advance. This is especially true if you need multiple appointments. It is the job of the Writing Center to teach writing. As your instructor, I am available to help interpret the assignment.
Assuring Academic Honesty and Avoiding Plagiarism
Always cite your sources in APA format. Failing to cite sources is considered plagiarism, which is a form of academic dishonesty