Research Paper Guidelines and

Example of an Outline and Topic

The purpose of this outline is to assist you with writing a final research paper on

a health topic where you will report information on specific concepts that will be

covered this quarter. Please note: The assignment has three parts, including the

Research Paper DRAFT Outline, the Research Paper Final Outline and the

Research Paper. Although you will select the health topic you are interested in

(with instructor approval), this paper is specific to the concepts learned in the

class. Be sure to carefully read and follow these instructions, including the

required page number (minimum and maximum), following APA, 6 th edition, and

using the instructor critique that you receive in the drafts. If you need help writing

the outline or paper, please contact the Walden Writing Center early in the

quarter so you can be sure and receive the help you need.

1. Research Paper DRAFT Outline

The draft outline of your proposed topic is due by Day 7 of Week 4. Your draft

research paper outline must be supported by a minimum of 5 peer-reviewed or

primary research articles. Secondary sources such as newspapers, television or

radio shows, or product advertisements are not acceptable. Include a brief

summary or annotation of how the article supports the corresponding topic in

your outline. Be sure to give specific examples of how the citation supports the

appropriate sections of the outline. Completing this will serve as a schematic for

the final paper and should be as specific as possible. Each section of your outline

should be supported by the data that you have interpreted from the articles you

have chosen. Each outline must be accompanied with an annotated bibliography.

If you are unsure of what an annotated bibliography is, be sure to use the Writing

Center resources and contact your instructor early if instructions are not clear.

Refer to the instructions for the outline listed in the Research Paper

Guidelines and on the Week 3 Application and the syllabus for further

information. Remember that your outline must receive instructor feedback before

you can proceed. You cannot submit your Research paper without approval of

the drafts.

When complete, save the assignment as APP4+last name+first initial. For

example, Sally Ride’s assignment would read “APP4RideS”. Submit this

assignment via the Dropbox. Use the “Submit an Assignment” link, choose the

Week 4: Application basket, then add your Application as an attachment.

Reminder: Continue to locate research articles that support the topic of your

research paper. Keep in mind that you must include a minimum of 10 peer

reviewed or scholarly articles for your final paper. No newspapers, television or

radio shows, or newspapers, or URL’s that are used for advertisement of

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products. Be sure to review the Research Paper Guidelines prior to

completing this assignment.

2. Research Paper FINAL Outline

The Final Outline is due by Day 7 of Week 7. The outline of your proposed

topic of your research that you turned in Week 4 should include any suggested

and required revisions from the instructor and demonstrate further expansion of

your topic. Refer to the instructions for the outline listed in the Research Paper

Guidelines.

Make any revisions that your instructor has given on your Week 4 outline and

include further research that you have done. Expound on each section of your

outline and support your work with the required number of references. Include a

brief summary, or annotation, of how the added articles support the

corresponding topic in your outline. Be sure to give specific examples of how the

citation supports the appropriate sections of the outline. Completing this will

serve as a schematic to help you write your research paper which is due Week

11 Day 7.

When complete, save the assignment as APP7+last name+first initial. For

example, Sally Ride’s assignment would read “APP7RideS”. Submit this

assignment via the Dropbox. Use the “Submit an Assignment” link, choose the

Week 7: Application basket, then add your Application as an attachment.

Example of an Outline and Topic:

The first step in writing a research paper is to create an outline. The following is

an example of an outline for your paper and it includes the specific required

components. The topic will be different according to what you select. You must

include at least 10 references to support your sections. These same references

will be used in your final paper. All sources must be credible and scholarly and

should be as recent as possible. Again, that means no magazines, newspapers,

or product ads. Carefully review APA manual and Writing Center information for

scholarly writing.

The following is an example of the structure and content of the outline, which will

build to your research paper. All the general information should be included in

your outline as well as data and information that are relevant to the topic you

have chosen. In your outline, provide examples for each of the sections below

that relate to your paper and research (e.g., I –VII, etc. and a, b, c, d, etc.). Use

proper paraphrasing and review the information on paraphrasing and plagiarism

at the Walden Writing Center. Do not copy the language in the example-you

need to replace the guidance with the actual content. Read the articles you have

selected and provide additional information that expounds on each section of this

outline.

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I. Examples of Topics: Adolescent Obesity, Violence in Families, Date Rape,

College Drinking, Environmental Pollution, HIV/AIDS, Spanking as Corporal

Punishment, Asthma in Children, Unintentional Injuries, Suicide, CVD, Risk

Factors of CVD, Breast or Prostate Cancer, Male Violence Against Women,

Health Impact of 9/11.

II. Provide Evidence that the Problem Exists : Your outline must include

reference/s and citations to support each part of the outline statement by using

author, year format. For example, when you identify a reference, provide the

author and year (e.g., Smith, 2010) of the article you are using to support your

work. Multiple authors demonstrate better scholarship than just one author.

Follow APA format for order of authors.

a. Define the Population You Are Researching (Anderson, year; Beam,

year; Conner, year; Dane & Hall, year).

b. Incidence (Author, year; Author, year)

c. Prevalence (Author, year)

d. Significance (Author, year )

III.

Behavioral Dimensions (Author, year)

a. Etiology (Author, year)

b. Expression (Author, year)

IV.

Psychosocial Dimensions

a. Etiology (Author, year)

b. Expression (Author, year)

V.

Environmental Dimensions (Author, year)

a. Etiology (Author, year)

b. Expression (Author, year)

VI.

Prevention: Examples of Intervention Programs That Have Been

Implemented in the Past. What has been successful?

a. Primary (Author, year)

b. Secondary (Author, year)

c. Tertiary (Author, year)

VII.

Public Health Policy Implications (Author, year)

a. What are the implications of the research you have done in regards to

the policies that might be implemented? (Author, year)

Include the annotated bibliography page listing full text references at the end of

your outline, following APA formatting. Remember, all in-text citations must

match a complete reference in the bibliography, and vice versa.

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Note: The concept “expression” includes the behavioral, psychosocial, and/or

environmental manifestations of the problem/concern. Behavioral manifestations

of adolescent obesity might include wearing baggy clothes, sedentary hours

before the TV, as well as signs and symptoms of a true body image disorder.

Psychosocial manifestations may be sadness, anger, loss of control of eating, or

not wanting to socialize with friends or others. Environmental manifestations

might be involved with ones surroundings, habitat or occupation. Etiology is the

cause of a disease.

3. Research Paper Guidelines

The Final Research Paper is due by Day 7 of Week 11. Your Final Project for

this course is to develop a research paper that is supported by a minimum of 10

references. You must support every statement made in a scholarly research

paper with a reference. Be very cautious when stating your opinion or using

terms suggesting absolute facts or values, as these MUST be supported by

references.

Develop a paper of substance in which you:

• Examine behavioral science, social science, and public health in the 21 st

century

• Apply behavioral and social science approaches to a public health

problem

• Consider conceptual and/or methodological factors in the integration of

behavioral and social sciences with public health

The length of the paper should be a maximum of 11 pages and minimum of 10

pages, NOT including title and reference pages. Your paper should be doublespaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman (or similar) font, with 1” margins all around.

Include in-text citations and a reference list: minimum of 10 references total: 6

from peer-reviewed journals and 4 from credible sources (e.g., no magazines,

newspaper articles or URL’s that are used for advertising). Be sure that your

references are considered scholarly. You may use more than the 10 references

but are not required to do so.

Note that textbooks, including the course texts, are composed of information

cited in other sources (see the reference sections in the assigned textbooks).

Failure to follow page guidelines may result in point reduction-it is important to be

able to write a paper that is both concise and conveys all of the necessary

information. It is also important to use scholarly writing and demonstrate clear,

evidence based thinking and research. Failure to follow APA style and scholarly

writing and source expectations will result in point reduction.