RESEARCH PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS

The Instructor must approve your research topic. Please submit your proposal in the Week 3 “Research Project Proposal”.

The research paper comprises a public policy issue in local, state, or federal government. The paper must be 6–10 pages (not including title page, bibliography, and appendix) written analysis and must provide a background of the facts, analysis of the problem, decision-making strategy, and resolution. This written assignment should reflect the student’s knowledge of the subject, as well as the use of higher thinking skills (analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and resolution). Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are required. All written assignments must be adhere to APA protocols, which include full citations, double-spacing using 12 font, Times New Roman. Faculty assessment of papers consist of examining the student’s ability to organize and analyze the policy issues discussed in class and applied to the paper.

The paper will conform to APA citation guidelines. Students should have at least five (5) academically qualified references. However, emphasis is on the writer’s originality. The paper should reflect college-level work in content, appearance, organization, grammar, and effort. Do not use Wikipedia or rely solely on Internet articles. Further, the paper should not comprise a string of quotes directly taken from source material, even if organized sequentially. Although supporting professional citations are required, the paper should reflect your own thinking and work. Additionally, the paper should not be an “editorial” espousing of personal views unsupported by citations from the professional literature. Please remember to proofread and spell check the final draft of the paper before submission. Accordingly, the paper must include the following:

Preparation Guidelines for the Research Paper Literature Review

Each of the items in BOLD must be listed as a heading in your paper. If a question/issue does not apply, please explain why. The final product must include the following:
Cover Page (consult an APA style guide)
Introduction (1-2 pages in length)
Brief summary and background of the main issues. What does the reader need to know to be able to understand the main issues?
What are the goals, desired outcomes, conflicts?
Why are the goals, outcomes, conflicts important?

Literature Review (2-5 pages in length)
In depth overview of the issues.
Literature review comprises the following: Compare/contrast, discuss opposing views, alternatives.
What are the viewpoints of researchers, policy makers, think tanks, and industry associations etc. that are interested in your issue? What were their conclusions?

Conclusion (2-3 pages in length)
Analyze what you have learned and inform the reader.
What policy or programmatic recommendations might emerge from your evaluation?

References (must be in APA style, not all citation generation programs will produce a correct APA reference page, you must double check)