Details

Depression among Elderly People

This paper is a 6 to 8 page  professional review of research on a topic that is related to adult development or aging. The student should gather information from research publications and put together a logical discussion that provides information on research findings related to that topic.

Do not use interviews or personal experiences in this paper. This is also not a personal reflections paper; just report the research findings you have gathered.

This paper MUST address some aspect of adult development. In fact, issues related to mid- or later life should be the focus of the paper. For example, do not write a paper on domestic violence that either does not address aging couples, or only has brief mention of that fact. The focus of the paper should be on aging and of domestic violence.

Include at least 6-8 references to back up the information presented in your paper.

The following are instructions for gathering appropriate references.

Research Journals:  Information should be gathered mostly from research journals.

Books: Do not use books or chapters in books.  Stick to research articles published in refereed research journals.

Internet: Some Internet sites may be appropriate sources of information. For example, The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, or The National Institute of Mental Health are examples of professional Websites.

Avoid personal Websites or Websites run by unknown or questionable organizations.

Avoid:
1. News papers or magazines or any other publication that is a secondary source of information.
2. Do not use the textbook, or any other textbook as a primary reference. Go to the original research article.
3. Never use notes from this class or any other class as a reference.
4. Avoid double citing (Smith as cited by Jones). Go to the original source.
5.  Do NOT use interviews, personal experiences, or notes from this or any other class.
6.  Do not use pictures, graphs, tables or figures in your paper.  Write the information out narratively.
7.  Never use Wikipedia as a reference. Do not use other encyclopedias or dictionaries either; the information can be accessed in research articles.

The paper should be 6 – 8 pages (not counting the cover page, abstract, and reference page).
Everything  should be double spaced.
Use 12 point Times New Roman font throughout the paper, including the cover page and running head.
Italics are used for sub-headings and for journal titles in the reference list
APA guidelines apply. The paper should have a running head and page numbers in the upper right corner, and headings and references should conform to APA format.

The paper should have the following components:

Cover page: The cover page includes (1) title of the paper, (2) name of the course and course number, (3) semester and year, (4) author’s (your) name and student ID number, (5) the running head notation per APA guidelines.

Abstract: The abstract appears on the second page by itself. It is 100 words or less and should give a brief description of the topic and the major findings gathered from your review. You can include three or four key words at the bottom of the abstract.

Introduction: The introduction starts on page 3. It is usually about 1/2 page long…no longer than one page. The intro provides a brief description of the topic about to be discussed. This is the “grabber” section of the paper. It should “grab” the reader’s interest in the topic. Provide some information on how serious, or how prevalent, or why the topic is important.

Review of Literature: The review is the body of the paper. For this assignment, it is a review of research on the topic of your choice. This is a professional report of the research and knowledge available on your topic…it is not an opinion paper. No personal opinions or experiences should be included. Every paragraph should have a least one reference to back up the statements. The main points of discussion should be separated and a heading should be used to identify and separate those main points. The discussion should have a smooth and logical flow of information.

Discussion: The discussion is the finishing touch that ties everything together. This section typically is 1/2 to one page long. What were the major findings? Did the authors of the research you reported generally agree, or were the findings mixed? What can you conclude from the literature you reviewed?

References: Start the references on a new page. All references that appear on the list should also appear in the literature review and vice versa. Referencing should follow APA guidelines.

Avoid “direct quotes” even if they are cited correctly.  For this assignment, “direct quotes” are not allowed.

3rd person format is better for this type of paper (avoid I, we, you, your, etc.).

Write in the active voice.

Use headings & subheadings (APA style)