Aging Studies Paper: The final paper is worth 14 points and 20% of the final grade. The paper should be between 12-15 pages in length and use at least 12 scholarly references, only two of which may be scholarly websites. For this assignment, students are to select an aging-related topic of interest to them to conduct library research on and on which to prepare a research paper (eg. caregiver for a dementia patient, culture change in nursing homes and the Eden Alternative, intergenerational relationships, marriage in later life, sibling relationships in later life, adjustment to widowhood, grandparenting and well being of older adults, parenting grandchildren, coping with chronic disease, exercise and nutrition in later life, cardiovascular wellness in aging, recovering from stroke or heart attack in later life, diabetes in later life, intellectual functioning in later life, creativity and aging, etc.).

The assignment is broken down into steps (references, outline of paper, draft of paper, final paper), and the final paper is worth 14 points and 20% of the final grade.

A. References for the paper: This assignment is worth 10 points and 5% of the final grade. Students are required to find and use at least 12 scholarly references for this assignment and NO MORE THAN TWO of these may be scholarly websites such as government websites (eg. National Institute of Aging, National Institutes of Health,university websites, professional association websites such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, National Council on Aging, National Center and Caucus on the Black Aged, etc.). Students are to use scholarly book chapters and scholarly peer reviewed journals from the library.

THE TOPIC IS WIDOWHOOD

I. Introduction: Brief description of the topic and why it is important to aging studies and aging services/policy.

II. Body: List the most important ideas for the paper:
a. Main idea one and supporting detail or information
b. Main idea two and supporting detail or information
c. Main idea three and supporting detail or information, etc.

III. Conclusion: Briefly summarize the most important points in the paper and directions for future research and implications for aging services and/or policy.