Instructions for Phase III of the Research Paper
Please note:
The suggested word limit of this assignment is 2000 words (8-10 pages double spaced, 12 point standard font), excluding the title and reference pages .
You must consult with a librarian during your literature search and provide me the evidence of that consultation.
You must have a writing consultant from the Writing Center (https://www.csusb.edu/writing-centerLinks to an external site.) to read your paper and give some feedback. Provide me documentation that you had a writing center coach review your paper. Writing Center will email me if you ask them to contact your instructor. You might want to schedule your appointment early.
Please set up a zoom or in-person meeting with me to update me on the progress of your paper. We will focus on the application of theories in your research. If you cannot meet with me before you submit the paper, please set up the appointment after I review and grade your paper.
Add a page after the reference page to reelect on your experience and learning during your meeting with the librarian and the writing coach.
Your research paper is due on April 5 on Canvas. Your paper will go through Turnitin, so please make sure not to lift materials without citing. The penalty for plagiarism ranges from receiving a zero in this assignment to being reported to university authority.
Your paper should have an (1) Introduction in which you will introduce your topic, state its significance, provide rationale (why this should be studied) and finally provide a detailed Problem Statement. You may just add the revised version of the document you prepared for your Introduction with Problem Statement assignment.
(2) The Literature Review should summarize the key research on your chosen area. You need to conduct a thorough library search before you write this section. While you can include some non-scholarly publications, such as newspaper reports or trade publications, your lit review should be based on scholarly publications (journal articles, conference papers and books). You must include at least TWO Communication theories that inform your research. Review the journal articles the groups present in class to learn how theories are incorporated in research projects.
The key objective of your lit review should be to summarize the key research so that you can put your hypotheses or research questions in context. Tell your readers what has already been researched and what needs to be done. That means you will have to find the gaps in the literature. Remember, you are writing for a group of people who are experts in the field. So, you will have to provide them with a solid rationale for conducting your study. Also, look for the scales and measures that you might use in your study.
Finally, formulate a set of hypotheses or research questions at the end of your literature review. Sometimes you might need to forward multiple hypotheses because hypothesis should be simple, straight forward and testable. DO NOT PUT MULTIPLE QUESTIONS IN ONE HYPOTHESIS. Use 1 A, B, C if you would like to break down one hypothesis) that is based on reason and existing knowledge. Propose research questions instead of hypothesis if the literature does not show any conclusive direction. You must read the Lit review book chapter Download Lit review book chapterand my PowerPoint Download PowerPointpresentation that I have posted in the resource section. Also review the Writing Literature Review Example Download Writing Literature Review Exampledocument I created to show you how to summarize and synthesize literature. Review the examples of poorly written citation and how to improve those in the proper citation document I prepared.
3. References–attach a reference/bibliography page in which you add all of your references formatted in APA style. Please note that you must follow APA style when you cite in the body of your paper. The citation and the references should match. There should not be any reference listed if you have not cited them in your paper. Similarly, all of your citations must be referenced in the Reference/Bibliography page.
4. Personal Reflection: You will have to have individual meetings with a librarian, a writing coach and me. Add a page to reflect on your leaning and experience during your meeting with the librarian, the writing coach and me.
You may review a sample Introduction with Lit Review paper Download sample Introduction with Lit Review paperthat I have attached with this assignment. Please not that this is just a sample paper–it may not be the best paper and there might be errors in this paper. Do not forget to review the rubric Download rubricthat would be used to grade your paper.
