Controversies in Psychology Position Paper

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply information literacy and library research skills to obtain scholarly information in the field of psychology.
  • Articulate scholarly evidence appropriate to the argument it supports.
• Competency 2: Apply psychological principles to topics in psychology.
  • Describe the position taken in an author’s thesis statement.
  • Follow APA guidelines for in-text citations and reference lists.
• Competency 3: Analyze scholarly information and research findings through critical thinking to solve problems in the field of psychology.
  • Articulate evidence-supported arguments that directly support the thesis.
  • Articulate evidence-supported counterarguments that directly question the thesis.
  • Articulate evidence-supported arguments to rebut the counterarguments.
• Competency 4: Apply ethical principles and standards to topics in psychology.
  • Draw implications, including ethical implications, from the conclusions.
• Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
  • Articulate a well-developed conclusion that logically flows from the arguments presented.
  • Write in a manner that is scholarly in tone, easy to follow, and free from grammatical and spelling errors.

For your final paper, you will select a controversial topic in psychology on which to take a position. Choose from the following topics:

• Does cosmetic surgery promote or hinder self-esteem?
• Does use of electronic technology promote or detract from well-being?
• Does online learning or traditional face-to-face learning lead to higher academic performance?
• Which is more effective in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—medication or behavioral interventions?
• Are virtual teams or traditional teams more effective?

After exploring scholarly research on both sides of the issue, write a 5–7 page, double-spaced paper (not including title page, abstract, and references) that presents:

• An introduction to your topic.
• Your position and arguments.
• Evidence for your position.
• Counterarguments to your position.
• Evidence for the counterarguments.
• Rebuttals to those counterarguments.

Your paper should reference a minimum of five scholarly sources, cited and referenced in APA format.

Your assembled paper should consist of:

• A title page.
• An abstract.
• A clear introduction to the topic.
• A thesis statement, your position, and arguments.
• A summary and conclusion that discusses the implications (including the ethical implications) of your position and conclusions.
• A page of APA-cited references.

View the Joel Taylor Sample Final Paper linked in Resources to see how your paper should be organized. You are also encouraged to use the APA Paper Template, also linked the Resources.

Refer to the Controversies in Psychology Position Paper Scoring Guide to understand how this assignment will be graded and ensure you meet the grading criteria.

Note: Your instructor may also use the Writing Feedback Tool to provide feedback on your writing. In the tool, click the linked resources for helpful writing information.

Requirements for the Assignment

To achieve a successful experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements:

• Written Communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message, follows standard English grammar usage, and uses language appropriate for professionals in the field of psychology.
• APA Formatting: Paper, references, and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting.
• Length: 5-7 pages (not including title page, abstract, and references), double-spaced.
• Font and Font Size: 12-point, Times New Roman.
• Submission: Submit your paper to the draft link for SafeAssign. Review your results and make any needed changes in paraphrasing and citing based on your results. Once you are satisfied with the work, submit it to your instructor for grading by attaching the document in Unit 9 to the link titled [u09a1] Unit 9, Assignment 1.

Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save this learning activity to your ePortfolio. You will learn more about your ePortfolio in Unit 10.

Resources

• Controversies in Psychology Position Paper Scoring Guide.
• APA Paper Template.
• APA Style and Format.
• Joel Taylor Sample Final Paper.
• Writing Feedback Tool.
• SafeAssign.
• ePortfolio.