Instructions
Please read these three excerpts from the published work of VCU SSW scholars and their colleagues about outcomes for maltreated children. In your own words, synthesize their arguments. Make a claim and shape a narrative about these arguments. Please write between 400-450 words in the third person, and cite authors properly in the text using APA 7 guidelines.
What are we looking for?
In your own words: Do not use any direct quotes from the excerpts provided, or from any other sources. To share others’ ideas, paraphrase them and cite them with a standard parenthetical citation.
Synthesize: Do not just summarize each article’s findings. Instead, put the scholars in conversation with each other; allow them to agree and disagree. Focus on themes, patterns, and ideas.
Argument/claim/narrative: From all these prospective patterns that emerge during synthesis, choose the narrative you want to shape. Make a thesis statement that can be supported by the excerpts provided.
Between 400-450 words: Do not go over or under the suggested length requirement. Writing more than is required will not improve your score. Single-spaced: about 1/2 of one page. Double-spaced: one full page and 3/5 of another page.
Third person: Do not use “I,” “me,” “my,” or “mine” statements (first person). The third person is more formal, and therefore more removed from the personal of the first person.
Cite authors properly in the text: Use parenthetical citations with the author’s last name and the year the article was published in parentheses at the end of the sentence, like this: (Walls, 2022). When there are multiple authors, only specify the first author’s last name: (Walls et al., 2022). Use guidelines from the APA 7 Publication Manual for in-text citations in academic writing.
Only use the excerpts provided: Do not include additional research or sources from outside of the three excerpts provided below.
