Your research paper should consist of three parts. In part one, you will be asked to state the question that you are attempting to answer. The question should be stated in the form that interrogates a topic, e.g., “Is answering the ‘ultimate question’ in court unethical?” or “Can we accurately predict violence in the mentally ill?” In part one you should also state why the question is interesting to you and why it is important for our understanding about the topic in general.
Your research paper should consist of three parts. In part one, you will be asked to state the question that you are attempting to answer. The question should be stated in the form that interrogates a topic, e.g., “Is answering the ‘ultimate question’ in court unethical?” or “Can we accurately predict violence in the mentally ill?” In part one you should also state why the question is interesting to you and why it is important for our understanding about the topic in general.
In part two, your job is to present information from the psychological literature that presents information relevant to the issues you are exploring. You should summarize the major contributions of the authors you have read and indicate how their thinking relates to your question.
In part three, you will give your own thoughts and conclusions about the answer to your question. Your conclusions should reflect your critical evaluation of the evidence you have presented in part two (attempt to explain conflicting findings). The most important part of the paper is your demonstration that you have mastered the concepts, ideas, and theories of the course and that you can apply that information towards constructing and understanding of your research question and topic.
In part two, your job is to present information from the psychological literature that presents information relevant to the issues you are exploring. You should summarize the major contributions of the authors you have read and indicate how their thinking relates to your question.
In part three, you will give your own thoughts and conclusions about the answer to your question. Your conclusions should reflect your critical evaluation of the evidence you have presented in part two (attempt to explain conflicting findings). The most important part of the paper is your demonstration that you have mastered the concepts, ideas, and theories of the course and that you can apply that information towards constructing and understanding of your research question and topic.