Use Research and writing skills to use multi-
and inter-disciplinary theories and concepts. The topic is “Does the medicinal uses of cannabis
justify removing it from schedule 1 controlled substance act?”- Position is yes it does., but must represent at least three diverse disciplines (e.g., biology
and economics chemistry). Your objective is to develop a paper, writing across
disciplines by applying Repko and Szostak’s (2016) 10-step interdisciplinary
research method to a discussion or argument.
10-Step Interdisciplinary (ID) Research Process: Your term paper should make it
clear that the answer(s) to your research question resulted from you having
implemented this 10-step Interdisciplinary research process.
1. Define the problem or state the focus question
2. Justify using an interdisciplinary approach
3. Identify relevant disciplines
4. Conduct a literature search
5. Develop adequacy in each relevant discipline
6. Analyze the problem and evaluate each insight into it
7. Identify conflicts between insights and their sources
8. Create or discover common ground
9. Integrate insights through comprehensive understanding
10. Communicate and test it
Guidelines: This paper must be at least 8
double-spaced typed pages of report proper (i.e., page count does not include
cover page, tables, figures, references section, etc.), and must utilize at
least 5 reputable, empirical research sources from across the scholarly
disciplines.
Here are some specific guidelines related to sources:
● Sources should not largely represent a singular discipline and should,
instead be
divided equitably/appropriately to reflect the relative importance of each
discipline’s insights.
● Nearly all of your sources should come from peer-reviewed, empirical research
publications. Reputable disciplinary insights can be found in other
sorts of publications, but non-peer reviewed sources should be evaluated
skeptically.
● Try to find discipline-specific sources: who are the major contributors to
this field
of knowledge?
Disciplinary insights should be integrated into paragraphs within your
interdisciplinary paper. As much as possible, you should have the various disciplines
represented in each paragraph, not whole paragraphs dedicated to just one discipline.
Your goal is to weave disciplinary insights together to be truly
interdisciplinary. Use APA formatting style.
Rubric:
Content/Organization: 35%
● Paper identifies an interdisciplinary concern and develops a position
● Organized in thesis-centric manner; remains appropriately on-topic
● Paragraphs are organized logically rather than according to discipline
● The various disciplines are compared and synthesized, not discussed
independently
●Demonstrates an understanding of multi- and
interdisciplinary concepts
● Thoroughly explains how interdisciplinarity is
involved within this issue
● Takes a stand based on the writer’s own
interdisciplinary ideas
● Draws reasonable conclusions from information and research
ID Research Process: 35%
● Appropriate sources are referenced
● Extensive evidence exists that each step within the 10-step research process
was
appropriately applied
Composition: 30%
● Quoted material and paraphrased content are easily distinguished from opinion
(uses attributive tags such as “According to,” or “Baxter
asserts”)
● Quotes are not overused, and long quotes are used sparingly
● Paper is written with stylistic maturity, avoids repetitive or unclear
information/language, demonstrates precise vocabulary
● Paper is mostly free of mechanical errors
● APA formatting is used accurately throughout the paper