Research Paper Stage 2
Week 2 research paper assignment submission link:

Required elements of assignment: Please submit your updated research paper including (1) hypothesis (revised, if necessary); (2) revised abstract; (3) a revised summary of the research to date; (4) conclusions drawn from the research; and (5) the annotated bibliography to date (revised, if necessary).

Formatting requirements:  The paper must be prepared and uploaded as a WORD document.  If it is submitted in any other format, including without limitation a PDF, you will not receive credit until it is submitted in the proper format

APA formatting and citation requirements apply:  You must follow APA formatting and citation requirements.  Papers omitting in-text citations or annotated bibliographies will receive zero credit until the omitted citations are supplied.

No specific word count or page number requirement for Week 2 assignment: This assignment does not have a specific word count or page number requirement.  You are encouraged to use your own best judgement, keeping in mind the pace of the course and that the final paper must be at least 10 pages long and include a minimum of 10 sources of information; at least 5 of which should be peer reviewed sources.

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Research Paper Assignment Guidance – Wk 2
The research paper is submitted in stages.  The final research paper is at least 10 pages in length and requires a minimum of 10 sources of information; at least 5 of which should be peer reviewed sources.

This is the second stage.

1.    Continue research related to your thesis.

a.      Peer reviewed & non-peer reviewed sources can be used: Your research is not limited to peer reviewed sources; although peer reviewed sources should be the majority of your research sources.

b.    Interviews can be used:  You may interview other people with similar specializations.

                                                    i.    If you choose to interview someone please document the interview by listing the interview questions and responses.

2.    Refine your thesis:  Use your research to refine your thesis.  This may mean a slight alteration or your research may prompt you to change your thesis entirely or in significant ways. Remember, your thesis is the specific question you will be researching.

a.    If you change your thesis in any way, please post the change in the Wk 1 DQ 2 discussion  This helps your classmates and me follow your posts throughout the course and serves as an example for how theses can change over the course of research

Prepare summaries of additional germane articles you find:  Summarize the germane articles or other research—your summaries are used in the annotated bibliography.
Update annotated bibliography:
Your annotated bibliography does not have to include all of the research sources you reviewed.
Your annotated bibliography must include sources you might use.
Your annotated bibliography may include sources in addition to those you think you might use.  This can be a good practice because your abstract and hypothesis could change as you conduct additional research.  It is easier to pull in additional sources that reflect a change in focus if you include more of the initial sources you review in your annotated bibliography
Expand your research paper:  In Week 1 you summarized the research you conducted.  In Week 2, you should add or expand on any analysis based on your research to date. For example: What conclusions can you draw from your research?  Do they tend to support your thesis?  Why or why not?
Update the abstract for your paper:  Necessarily, your abstract will change as you continue research and expand and refine your paper  You will be revising and refining this content throughout the course to reflect the progression of your research and the development of your paper