Final Paper: A Literature Review

Conduct a literature review (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (see Bem, 2016).  You will review and summarize relevant theory and research in order to defend a particular position (your thesis).  The topic of your literature review might come from the following list, or you may identify a different area of interest.  However, if you choose something other than the options below, you must obtain permission from your instructor prior to writing/submitting the paper.  It is up to the instructor’s discretion to allow/disallow alternative topics.  Here are some ideas you might choose to explore: Accuracy of Proverbs Example:  “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “Beauty is a good letter of introduction”?  In other words, what can one conclude based on appearance alone? Example:  “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “Out of sight, out of mind”?  In other words, do long distances or extended amounts of time strengthen relationship ties, or weaken them? Example:  “Birds of a feather flock together” or “Opposites attract”?  In other words, are people attracted to similar or dissimilar others? Impact of Titles/Labels Example:  How do team mascots (such as the Redskins or Braves) impact Native Americans (self-esteem, stereotype threat, etc.)? Example:  How do labels (such as smart/stupid, crazy or criminal, etc.) impact people’s mental processes and behaviors? Altruism Example:  Does true altruism exist?  What motivates people to help? Explanatory Style Example:  Do optimists experience better life outcomes than pessimists?  Persuasive Appeals Example:  How do political campaigns utilize various techniques? Self-esteem  Example:  Is there a dark side? Can one be too confident? School Size Example:  Do students fare better in big schools or small schools?  Why? Reactance Example:  What is the theory behind “reverse psychology”? Gender Differences Example:  in aggression, sex, etc. A Form of Prejudice Example:  fat prejudice, racial prejudice, etc. Psychology and the Law Example:  jury behavior, etc. Other:  Must be approved by your instructor in advance!

The Final Paper Must be at least 5 to 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must include a separate title page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. with the following: A header Title of paper Student’s name Course name and number Instructor’s name Date submitted Must begin with an introductory paragraph (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. that has a succinct thesis statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must utilize academic voice (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must address the topic with critical thought. Must end with a conclusion (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. that reaffirms the thesis. Must use at least five peer-reviewed scholarly sources.  Additional scholarly sources are encouraged. Be sure to integrate your research (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. smoothly rather than simply inserting it. In general, paraphrase (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. material rather than using direct quotes. The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types.  If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor.  Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment. Must document all sources in APA style as outlined here (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and here (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Must include a separate reference page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. that is formatted according to APA style. Must be submitted to Grammarly (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for review and correction prior to submitting.

Submitting to Grammarly:
Grammarly is your personal editor that can act as that second set of eyes and catch those errors before you submit your assignment.  It takes approximately 5 minutes to set up an account and after that, you simply download your written submission and wait for the magic.  This service is open 24/7, for you night owls hoping for a final proofread before submitting your work.  Grammarly will then provide you with a detailed roadmap for improvement.

Grammarly Resource: 
Before you submit your written assignment, review the The Grammarly Guide: How to Set Up & Use Grammarly (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. tutorial, set up a Grammarly account (if you have not already done so), and use Grammarly to review a rough draft of your assignment. Then carefully review all issues identified by Grammarly and revise your work as needed.