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Research Papers APA (American Psychological Association) Format
Step 1 – Explanation of Assignment
Step 2 – Presentation of Topics / Topic Selection (15
Points) – Students
will be given a list of topics (see end of packet) from which they are to select a topic for the completion of this project. Be sure to read through the entire list of topics before making a selection because
topics are not organized in any order. No more than two students total may have
the same topic. If more than two students wish to do the same topic, a lottery
will be held for the two spots; all other students will be required to select a separate topic. To receive credit for this component, you must submit in writing (following proper assignment guidelines)
the topic that you would like to select. This must be done by Monday, January
11, 2010.
Step 3 – Discussion of Plagiarism – (15 Points) – Students will view a video on
plagiarism and will hear a presentation on the importance of academic integrity. Then
students will be given a letter on plagiarism that must be signed and returned by student and parent. To receive credit for this component, letters must be signed and returned by Tuesday January 12, 2010.
Step 4 – Source Cards (100 Points – Source cards are note cards that contain on one side
the proper APA citation for the source, and on the other side, the notes that you have taken for the source. This assignment may be completed in pen or pencil. Due February
4
Minimum source cards to be turned in (minimum of 15)
5 source cards from books
5 source cards from magazines / newspapers (online or print)
5 source cards from quality websites
Step 5 – Thesis Statement (25 Points) – This is a one sentence assignment
that should not be completed until you have done enough research to come up with a good point that you would like to prove. This is the most important component, it is the foundation of the rest of your paper. This may be done in pen or pencil. Due
February 5
Step 6 – Sentence Outline (150 Points) – Your sentence outline will be
handwritten, and must be written in complete sentences. You will be graded on
your ability to create a proper outline, as well as your ability to write in complete sentences. This may be done in pen or pencil. Due February 11
Step 7 – Rough Draft (100 Points) – Rough drafts should be typed to make creating the
final draft easier. To receive full points for this component, you must also
proofread another student’s paper. Due February 25
Step 8 – Final Draft (500 Points) – Final draft must be typed and free from all forms
of errors. Final draft must be 7-10 pages (not including cover page or works
cited page) with one inch margins, double spaced, 12 point font, and Times New Roman style.
Paper must also have a cover page and a works cited page. Remember that
paper is to be completed following APA guidelines. Due March 3
Step 9 – Oral Presentation of Paper – (100 Points) - Once final drafts have been turned in, students will present their research findings in the form of a 4-6 minute
oral presentation. Students will present on a volunteer basis. Once all volunteers have presented students will be selected randomly.
Students who are not ready to present when their name is called, will lose 10 percent on the presentation grade. Due March 8-12
Participation – (10 points per day) You are required
to work on this assignment each day in class – no excuses! I do not want
to hear “I will do it at home.” This part of your grade is simple
– if you work on your paper you get 10 points, if I must tell you to get to work, I take away points, if you do nothing
all hour you will get a zero for the day. This is an easy way to boost your grade. Also, I will be meeting with each
of you at least once a week to see how you are progressing with your project. Failure
to demonstrate knowledge of what you are learning will affect your participation grade.
Research Paper Topics 2010
1. Abstinence programs – do they work?
2. Should certain types of ads be banned in the interest of morality, health, or
annoyance?
3. Is it a good idea to allow airline pilots to carry weapons?
4. Should it be illegal to use animals for sports and entertainment?
5. Should companies be able to give free items to high school athletes?
6. Do beauty contests serve any purpose in society?
7. How have cell phones impacted society from a social perspective?
8.
U.S. companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay employees
enough to live on. Is it unethical to pay cheap wages or are companies doing those workers a favor? Should U.S. companies be allowed to move jobs overseas?
9. Is breaking a law for a cause justifiable?
10. Should athletes on college scholarships be required to graduate
as one stipulation to their scholarship?
11. Why are so many Americans suffering from credit card debt?
12. Is fast food to blame for obesity, or are we hastily placing
the blame?
13. Should teens in the U.S. adopt the British custom of taking a “gap
year” between high school and college?
14. Are we safer since the creation of the Department of Homeland
Security?
15. Was race a factor in the response to “Hurricane Katrina”? What was to blame for the slow response?
16. In some states,
it is illegal to cheat on a spouse. Should we prosecute cheaters? Is a law that’s not enforced really a law?
17. Should criminals serving lengthy
sentences be given the opportunity for parole?
18. Charges for luggage, should airlines
change for baggage?
19. Are children smarter and more socialized because of the internet?
20. Is America winning or losing the war in Iraq?
21. Should journalists be required to reveal your sources?
22. Should juvenile offenders be tried as adults?
23. Are arranged marriages unethical?
24. Should there be a minimum weight limit for models?
25. How much noise is too much noise and what can be done to fix
the problem?
26. How have professional sporting events been negatively influenced by entertainment, including Jumbotrons,
music, and crowd-pleasing activities?
27. Should average weight people be required to pay the health care
expenses of those who are overweight and have no insurance?
28. What limits, if any, should be applied to the paparazzi?
29. Should parents be held responsible if their child(ren) break
the law?
30. What values are expressed by a certain television program?
31. Does censorship increase curiosity?
32. Should the government be allowed to wire tap without permission?
33. Does the public have a right to know about the private lives
of public figures?
34. Should college athletes be exempt from taking classes?
35. Should the government control what is served in the school cafeterias?
36. Are laws regarding where sex offenders can live and work unfair?
37. Should steroids be legalized?
38. Is attending a professional sporting event too expensive? What
can be done about it?
39. Has Title IX helped women’s sports? Did it hurt men’s
sports?
40. Does parental “tough love” really work?
41. There is a minimum wage.
Should there be a maximum wage?
42. Do Americans work
too hard? Does working more actually reduce productivity? Is a 40-hour work week too much? Should there be a mandatory cap
on the number of hours a person can work? Should there be changes in employment laws to give Americans more relaxation time?
43. Should
computer classes be a required part of a school curriculum?
44. Should mandatory military service be required of all American
men and women?
45. What is the more powerful country on Earth?
46. Which is better, home-school or a public education?
47. Do cable companies represent a monopoly?
48. Is the process of checks and balances an important part of the
American government?
49. What kinds of rights should criminals have?
50. Should communities bear all, part, or none of
the burden of financing new sports arenas for professional teams?
51. Should consumers be able to purchase viewing rights to TV channels in an a la carte fashion (for example,
paying $40 a month for 40 channels individually chosen by the consumer)?
52. How has ESPN and other media sources influenced (positively
or negatively) professional sports in the last twenty years?
53. Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in certain sports?
54. Because celebrities are so often in the public spotlight, do they have ethical responsibilities to set good
examples for young people?
55. Should women be allowed to compete on men’s professional
sports teams when there is no women’s equivalent?
56. Is the Internet a positive development for news reporting? Does it represent a more democratic medium of
information?
57. Should cable/satellite programming be offered in an a la carte option?
58. Should high school students be required to take a class on environmental issues?
59. Should recycling be required?
60. Do local power / utility companies operate as a monopoly?
61. Should product advertising be allowed in public schools?
62. In what ways does gender play a difference in student success
and teacher attention in the classroom?
63. Should human cloning be allowed?
64. Should animals be used in product testing?
65. Should the punishment fit the crime?
66. What is the main cause of global warming? How can it be
stopped?
67. What negative (or positive? affect does divorce have on
children?
68. Is our dependence on computers a good thing or a bad thing?
69. Should using cell phones while driving be prohibited?
70. Should rainforest destruction be prohibited?
71. Is advertising informative, or a form of manipulation?
72. The importance of getting a college education
73. Changes to Medicare / Medicaid
74. Should America drill for oil here, or continue to import from
other countries?
75. Ways to improve the health care system
76. Do athletes / celebrities make good role models?
77. Should capital punishment be allowed?
78. Death penalty – fine, or inhumane?
79. Is affirmative action still a problem in the U.S.
80. Are hate crimes a major problems in the U.S. and how can they be stopped?
81. Identity theft, how can it be stopped?
82. Swine Flu – a pandemic, or is it blown out of proportion? How
does it compare to other pandemics?
83. Plagiarism – is it a real problem, how can it be stopped?
84. Is torturing prisoners appropriate?
85. Eating disorders, what to do about it?
86. School choice – should children get to go to the K-12
school of their choice?
87. Welfare reform
88. Ways to reduce gang activity and juvenile crime?
89. Television rating – why do some networks get away with anything, while others cannot?
90. Stimulus money – is it helping?
Sources
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