Write an essay about child depression.

EXPLANATION OF FINAL EXAM: Child Development Research Paper Guidelines. The Process of Writing Your Child Development Research Paper

Even for the most experienced professional, writing can be a difficult process. However, if you take the time to plan and organize the information you would like to communicate, writing a research paper should not be too hard to do. When you begin writing, remember that in this class each part of your writing assignments is explained separately. If you look at each part of an assignment, step by step, it should be easier to put together your final product. The Research Paper Template should assist you in this writing process.

Choosing an Appropriate Topic
1. Visit the National Institutes of Health Child & Teen Health Website (http://health.nih.gov/search.asp/24) and the National Institute of Mental Health Child and Adolescent Mental Health Website (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/childmenu.cfm). Select a topic of significant interest to you. The idea is that if you choose something about which you are curious so it will be fun to read and write about it. Read the background information provided on the site. This will become part of your introduction.
2. Introduction. Why is this topic of interest to you and what do you hope to learn from writing this paper? Often the topics that students choose are very broad and need to be pared down to one or two specific research questions.
Researching Your Topic: References Page. You are required to use a total of three (3) sources for your paper. You may use either of the Websites above as one (1) source, but then must include at least two (2) additional sources, citing in APA style. There are two ways to find high-quality sources for your paper.
1. Locate books and/or articles about your topic using the Hostos Digital Library databases. Some of the databases that students have used for their papers are Academic Search Premier and ERIC. These databases will help you locate materials on your topic. Often you can print out the full text of the articles for your paper at home.
2. Send your sources via email using the following subject in the email: Resources. Create your References Page, using APA Citation Style Format and submit for feedback. If you have found interesting sources, share them with your colleagues.
3. A few notes on finding appropriate sources… Students often get frustrated when they can’t find information on their topics or when they find too much information on their topics. Do not change your topic for these reasons. Instead, consult with your professor or librarian about how to find information. If you find that there are too many books or articles on you topic, you may need to narrow down you topic. For example, autism (too broad) becomes autism and girls or autism and diagnosis. If you can’t find anything, you may need to change your search terms. For example, depression and five-year-old can become depression and preschoolers, for a better yield. Again, you can always contact your professor for advice.
Read and Summarize. Spend a few weeks during the semester reading your materials. If you have found several books on your topic, you may want to limit your reading to a few chapters that relate specifically to your topic. As you read, you may want to take notes, outline, or summarize your sources. Write a summary of each source and submit them for feedback.
Plan and Write Your Discussion Section. Now that you’ve read up on your topic, you can begin planning the discussion section of your paper. Think about the important points that you would like to make and refer to the research paper template as a guide. Write a draft of your discussion and submit this for feedback.
Write Your Conclusion: By now it should be a breeze!
Edit: Before submitting your work, proofread it carefully and ask a friend or tutor to take a look at your paper as well. Ask yourself if what you have written is clear and make sure that if you have used the words or ideas of others they are in quotations and/or appropriately cited in APA Format.
Revise When you get your draft back, read the comments carefully. Revising is not just inputting changes that your professor makes on your paper. It involves making thoughtful changes to your written work. Your revised work must be an improvement.

In-Depth Review of Research Paper Template

I. Introduction

A. Your topic and definitions of key terms

B. Why you chose this topic

C. What you hope to learn and/or specific questions that you hope to answer

II. Summaries of Sources

Everyone is required to use three (3) sources in writing the research paper. Appropriate sources are books (chapters of books), articles (journals, magazines, reputable newspapers), or Websites that are affiliated with universities, hospitals, or other reputable professional organizations. When you locate your sources, you should check with the professor to make sure they are appropriate to avoid using inappropriate sources—especially for Websites. When you find your sources, you should read them and summarize them. Each summary should be a minimum of one (1) paragraph, but probably longer, depending on the source’s importance to your paper. Summaries should NOT present your opinion, only what the authors stated.

III. Discussion

1. Your discussion may consist of the following:

-Compare/contrast the views of your sources

-Discuss controversial points/problems with the information

-Present your informed opinion on the material

-Discuss how the information has answered your questions

1. Remember that the discussion section will be based on your individual topic and sources. There is no one right way to write this section, but this is where you can interject your own opinion.

IV. Conclusion

Your conclusion should restate the major points of your paper. You may choose to make concluding comments here and you should talk about what you learned through the process of writing the paper. A good way to end is by asking new questions—as if you would take your research to another level.

V. References Page

On a SEPARATE PAGE you should print the title “References” and list your three (3) (or more) sources in APA Citation Style Format. In general, five points of information for each of your sources are required.

Author’s name… with last name first, followed by first and middle initials. There may be more than one author, or the author may be an organization.
Date of publication… year, and in special cases, month and day as well.
Title… Titles of books are to be italicized or underlined. Names of journals are to be italicized or underlined.
Place of publication… location or city/state.
Publisher… when using a book as a reference.

If you plan on using a Website, video, television broadcast, or interview as a source, please consult the APA guidelines at www.apastyle.org. Also, see the supplementary readings page at the end of this outline for examples of listing individual references using APA format.

Technical Requirements: Papers must be typed on one side of standard-sized 8”x11”- paper.

1. The title page must include these elements: college; course title; course section; instructor; assignment title; author (your name); and date submitted.

2. Font: The typeface should be a standard size 12 Times New Roman or Arial.

3. Spacing: Double-spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides except direct quotations of more than four lines in length. Direct quotations of more than four lines in length are to be indented, single-spaced, with 2-inch left and right margins.

4. Pagination: All pages, except the figures, are to be numbered consecutively, beginning with the Title Page.

5. References: A minimum of three (3) references are required, in addition to any use of your required textbook as a source. Only one (1) of these references may be a Website. Other references should be taken from scholarly education journals or books. All research material that you use must be documented using APA format within and at the end of the paper. If you have any questions about this format, refer to www.apastyle.org.

6. SAVE: Remember to keep a copy of your paper.

WHY DO I NEED TO CITE SOURCES?

First, sources add authority to your position. Information presented in your paper becomes more convincing to your audience of readers when it is supported by the work of others who are knowledgeable in the given area of research. Citing contributes to the professional nature of your writing. Second, your readers may be interested in the subject matter and want to explore it further.

Third, you must give credit for the hard work that other people have done because they deserve it and it is illegal to take credit for work that you did not do, i.e. plagiarism.

word limit:1500