week 2 ass. 2

Order Description

Ashford 3: – Week 2 – Assignment 2

Critiquing Internet Sources

Today, the Internet provides an unprecedented amount of information by way of blogs, videos, and podcasts. Conduct a critique of one blog, one video, and one podcast, which provide information that addresses the topic of your Final Research Paper. Assess the authors’ use of bias, validity, and applicability of information. Examine the influence of web-based information on global citizenship and multicultural understanding. Then, compile a list of three factors you believe should be considered when evaluating Internet sources for use in researching information.

The paper must be three to four pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. In addition to the three multimedia sources you are analyzing, support your points with at least two scholarly sources. One of the scholarly sources must be from the Ashford Online Library. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Educational Research

Research topics:
• Ethical practices in managing environmental pollution and degradation
• Rehabilitation of drug users: the role of counselling and guidance in eradicating drug and substance abuse
• Managing peer pressure in adolescents: the role of teachers in instituting behaviour change
Methods of narrowing the research topic
Ask the question “who.” Essentially, this seeks to identify the subject in the research paper. It identified the main target of the research questions. The question equally seeks to help the researcher recognize the sampling frame of the researcher. Secondly, the researcher should propose the questions “when” and “where.” “When” explores the duration of the research project while “where” outlines the research location. Self-interrogation of these questions in relation to any research topic is essential in narrowing down a research topic (Wheeldon, 2009).
Secondly, brainstorming is equally important in narrowing down to a specific topic in any research (Boudah, 2011). In this method, the researcher lists down some of the random nouns after listing the general topic and assess whether there is capability of asking questions related to the topic in relation to those nouns. This is then followed by the formulation of a thesis statement to help in limiting the scope of the research topic to a specific one.
Scholarly sources relevant for the study
i. Journals: The journals will be relevant in understanding the researches that have been made regarding the topics chosen for the study. To be specific, peer reviewed journals will be used
ii. Books: The use of books will be essential in exploring the thoughts and ideas of other people relating to the topic. The books will equally be essential for literature review

References
Boudah, D. (2011). Conducting educational research: Guide to completing a major project. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.
Wheeldon, J. (2009). Mapping Mixed Methods Research: Methods, Measures, And Meaning. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 87-102.

Final Research Paper

Research the responsibility of a critical thinker in a contemporary society. You may choose any topic that deals with a contemporary social concern. Examine the principles of critical thought in relation to the chosen societal concern, and consider the importance of ethics, moral reasoning, a research-based process to search for truth, and the advantages of information technology in gathering data.

Potential social concerns include, but are not limited to health (e.g., obesity, smoking, or underage drinking), poverty (e.g., homelessness, basic needs, or transportation issues), family relations and dynamics (e.g., teen violence, physical abuse, depression, or suicide), social media (e.g., privacy), immigration (e.g., illegal), and education (e.g., plagiarism and/or cheating).

Your Final Research Paper should:
1.Include a literature review of three scholarly sources based on the selected contemporary issue. Analyze the validity of the author’s arguments and/or biases.
2.Explain how academic knowledge impacts the social elements and institutions of both local and global communities.
3.Assess how the principles of active citizenship could impact the contemporary issue during the next five to ten years.
4.Include at least one reference to a multimedia component (i.e., podcast, interactive website, blog, or video) and evaluate the relevance of this piece in relationship to academic knowledge and the selected issue.