Any topic (writer’s choice)
Write a Research Question and Conduct Preliminary Research
Please develop a research question. You will use this research question throughout this course. Your paper should include a paragraph or two to provide some background about the topic and explain how your research would fit into existing literature on the topic. Also, explain your search method (APUS library, other university or scholarly databases, academic journals, or Google Scholar) to access the most relevant information about your topic.
If you are wondering what a search method is, it is a process or technique. It is “how” you go about researching a topic. Typically, you will have criteria (a way of measuring what you find to determine if it is relevant) and you will have search terms (which are specific references to dates, places, events, people, concepts, or authors, that can be used in a search engine). A search method might include examining a wide variety of databases; it might include using the references in books and articles to find more sources. It might include restricting yourself to peer reviewed journal articles and government publications. No matter what paper or what topic, you will always be using some method for searching for the information you need.
Then go to the APUS online library and conduct a search for articles in peer-reviewed, academic journals or books about your topic. You can access the Library from the Classroom by selecting Library on the left vertical toolbar. Navigate the online databases and conduct a search based on keywords relating to your topic. Remember when you use the APUS library site, you must sign-in with your student account information.
Choose two (2) scholarly articles pertinent to your topic and provide a citation for these articles using APA format. Refer to the APA Quick guide in this week’s Lessons or access this link to Purdue OWL.
On every paper that you write for this school, you will include a cover page with the following information: title, your name, course name and number, instructor name, university name, and date. All assignments will be written within APA format and essay writing styles. Missing elements will limit your grade.
TECHNICAL GUIDANCE:
Your answers should be at a minimum of 1 1 pages (the Title Page and Reference page will be additional pages).
Type in Times New Roman, 12 point and double space.
Students will follow the APA Style as the sole citation and reference style used in written work submitted as part of coursework.
Use scholarly or other relevant sources.
Points will be deducted for the use of Wikipedia or encyclopedic type sources. It is highly advised to utilize: books, peer reviewed journals, articles, archived documents, etc.
Your responses are to be in your own words with minimal quotes.
All submissions will be graded using the attached rubric.
