Why is it worth doing? What is the importance of this issue, and how does it fit into the framework of psychology and the built environment? What approach will you take to address your topic? Here you will need to explain your strategy, which might be to examine a particular theory or body of research, to compare several theories, or to consider the relevance of a particular theory or body of research to everyday reality.

Project 1: Research Paper

Learning Objectives
Should you choose to complete Project 1, you will achieve the following learning objectives.
1. Acquire knowledge about a specific topic or issue in environmental psychology that is of special interest to you.
2. Develop and use skills in literature review and in the comprehension, analysis, application, synthesis, and evaluation of scholarly research.
3. Develop skills in writing a scholarly psychology research paper.

Instructions
Project 1 is a research paper of at least 5000 to 6000 words (20 to 25 typed, double– spaced pages). This project enables you to study a particular area or topic from the
course in greater depth. Your paper must address the psychological ramifications of people’s interaction with some aspects of their physical environment. Topic: (Causes of homelessness and houselessness among the Indigenous peoples in Winnipeg and how these environmental issues can be resolved.) (include some psychological factors. Social, economic, cultural and other factors are obviously important as well).

Once you have identified your general area of interest, you might need to do further reading before deciding on the actual topic. As a general rule, survey texts (such as Gifford’s) do not provide sufficient detail to be acceptable sources for a research paper. They do provide good starting places, however. You will need to locate and use primary source materials and published, original studies for your research. If you cannot locate primary material, look for acceptable secondary sources—books or articles written by someone with appropriate academic credentials that criticize a piece of original research or compare several pieces of research on a single issue. You are expected to review and integrate the information presented in 10 or more primary research or review articles and discuss the limitations and strengths of the research.

Structure and Grading Criteria
A scholarly paper always comprises three major segments: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Begin your writing by making an outline, a sketch of the parts of
your paper. The outline demonstrates that your arguments are logical and that they lead from the introductory section, which defines the issue, to your conclusion. A good outline also indicates any future research needs or practical applications that you have identified.

Introduction
The introduction to your paper addresses the following questions in a scholarly manner:

• What do you intend to do? What issue (or issues) will you discuss, and from what point of view? Be specific, mentioning not only the theme of your paper, but also any unique aspects of that theme that you plan to address.

• Why is it worth doing? What is the importance of this issue, and how does it fit into the framework of psychology and the built environment?

• What approach will you take to address your topic? Here you will need to explain your strategy, which might be to examine a particular theory or body of research, to compare several theories, or to consider the relevance of a particular theory or body of research to everyday reality.

• This section should define what you will and will not cover. The length of your paper will most likely limit the extent of your work. Be sure to note any obvious relevant variables that you will have to omit.

Body
The body of your paper is where you do what you have told the reader you were setting out to do in the introduction. Pay attention to the clarity of interpretation and to the relevance of the theories, concepts, and research findings to psychology and the built environment. Any quoted material and any ideas attributable to someone else must be acknowledged with proper in–text citations and must be listed in correct reference format at the end of the paper in the APA format.

Conclusion
The conclusion reviews the relevance of the topic to psychology and the built environment. Your conclusion must summarize the argument you have developed and
should include suggestions for what should be done with your work or for further research that is needed.

Abstract
Include an abstract of 100–150 words at the beginning of your research paper. The abstract should be a concise summary of the key points covered in your paper.