Final Paper

Your final assignment for this course is a Final Paper that will focus on evaluating research studies and reports to analyze a specific topic within a Health and Human Services research area.  You will select a topic area in Week Three of this course that will be used for the Final Paper.  Examples of possible topic areas include:

• Program effectiveness of community-based mental health treatment facilities.
• Perceptions of ethical competence among human service professionals working in long- term care.
• Treatment intervention outcomes for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Characteristics of successful job placement programs for special needs adults.
• Trends in health care legislation and impacts on health and human service delivery.

For your Final Paper, you will elaborate on each section of your Final Paper Outline from Week Three.  You must utilize at least eight peer-reviewed sources that were published within the last 10 years; these will be the same sources that you identified in your Week Three assignment.  Your sources must present actual research studies that correspond to the problem or background of your selected topic area.  Your Final Paper must address the following:

• Describe your selected topic area.  Your description of the problem or background of your topic area should include more detail than the overview you provided in Week Three.
    
• Summarize the components, attributes, and/or various segments of the topic area you have selected.  For example:
  • What is the research problem or issue?
  • Who or what is affected by this problem or issue?
  • What are some specific examples of research studies, evaluations, reports, literature reviews, etc. that address it?
  • What are the findings of these sources, and what are their implications on the health and human services field?
• Evaluate the research reports and/or theories from the studies presented in your minimum of eight peer-reviewed resources.  This analysis should add to the exploration of the problem or background of your selected topic area.  

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   1. Title of paper
   2. Student’s name
   3. Course name and number
   4. Instructor’s name
   5. Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least eight peer-reviewed sources from the Ashford University Library.
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.