Interdisciplinary Research Paper Assignment

ssignment Overview

The Interdisciplinary Research Paper Assignment demonstrates your  ability to analyze a problem from multiple disciplinary perspectives.  You will use the interdisciplinary research process to define the  problem, justify using an interdisciplinary approach, identify relevant  disciplines, and evaluate insights from multiple disciplines.

Your paper must include at least six references from two or three  different disciplines related to your research problem. At least four of  the sources should be peer-reviewed articles published in the past 10  years. Remaining sources may be appropriate government, trade, web, or  other publications published in the past 10 years. You may use the  sources from your literature search, and you may add new sources.

Your assignment should conform to the following requirements:

• Formal, academic tone with proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation
• APA-formatted running head, page numbers, and reference page
• The draft should be based on your research rather than your own  ideas and opinions about the problem, and all outside information must  be appropriately paraphrased, summarized, or quoted with APA in-text  citations
• Microsoft Word or compatible format
• One-inch margins
• One of the following 12-point fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri
• Double-spaced text
• No more than 12 double-spaced pages (exclusive of title page and reference page)

Final Research Paper Instructions

The Final Research Paper should be divided into the following sections:

1. Title Page

Include an APA-formatted title page opens in new window opens in new window with running head, page numbers, your name, assignment name, and institution.

2. Abstract

Provide a 150 to 250-word summary of your research problem, primary  findings, and paper purpose. The abstract should appear on page 2.

3. Paper Body

The body of your paper should be divided into the following  components with each step title as the heading for each section. The  paper body should begin on page 3.

A. Introduction (approximately 200 words)

Briefly describe the content of the paper, including the general  topic and overview of what the reader can expect to learn from your  assignment.

B. Step 1: Define the Problem (approximately 50 to 100 words)

State, define the scope, and explain the significance of the problem.  Include properly cited information from your references to support your  decision. Refer to pages 259-268 of Chapter 10 in the Introduction to  Interdisciplinary Studies text for examples of research problem  statements.

C. Step 2: Justification for Using an Interdisciplinary Approach (approximately 100 words)

Explain why the problem is complex, related to more than one  discipline, cannot be solved by only one discipline, and is an  unresolved and important issue. Include properly cited information from  the textbook to support your explanation. Refer to pages 268-275 the  Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies text.

D. Step 3: Identify Relevant Disciplines (approximately 200 – 300 words)

Select at least two, and no more than three, disciplines closely  related to the research problem. Describe and explain why the  disciplines selected are most relevant. Include properly cited  information from the textbook and your references to support your  choices. Refer to Chapter 11 (pages 281-293) in the Introduction to  Interdisciplinary Studies text.

E. Step 5: Critically Analyze the Disciplines’ Insights Into the Problem (3 pages per discipline)

1. Present Disciplinary Insights

   Explain each relevant  discipline’s overall approach to the problem (3 pages per discipline)  based on your research (discuss one discipline at a time). You must  support your writing with evidence from all of your sources related to  that specific discipline. Your analysis should be based on the insights  produced in each of the sources from your literature search.

2. Identify Conflict and Agreement Between Disciplinary Insights
   After presenting each discipline’s perspective on, and important  insights into, the problem, summarize conflict and/or agreement between  insights (approximately 200 – 300 words). Sources must be incorporated  and appropriately paraphrased and cited. Refer to Chapter 12 pages  309-322 in the Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies text for descriptions and examples of this step.

   Remember  to revise this section of the final paper based on the feedback you  received from your instructor on your Step 5 Draft assignment.

F. Conclusion: (approximately 200 – 300 words)

Restate the problem and the significance of the problem. Restate the  relevant disciplines that have insight into the problem. Summarize the  most relevant findings from your research.

4. Reference Page

Include an APA-formatted reference page of all sources used in your  paper. Remember that four sources must be peer-reviewed sources and the  remaining two (or more) sources should be trade, government, book, or  other appropriate sources. All sources should be current and published  within the past 10 years.

Interdisciplinary Research Paper Assignment

The Interdisciplinary Research Paper Assignment demonstrates your  ability to analyze a problem from multiple disciplinary perspectives.  You will use the interdisciplinary research process to define the  problem, justify using an interdisciplinary approach, identify relevant  disciplines, and evaluate insights from multiple disciplines.

Your paper must include at least six references from two or three  different disciplines related to your research problem. At least four of  the sources should be peer-reviewed articles published in the past 10  years. Remaining sources may be appropriate government, trade, web, or  other publications published in the past 10 years. You may use the  sources from your literature search, and you may add new sources.

Your assignment should conform to the following requirements:

• Formal, academic tone with proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation
• APA-formatted running head, page numbers, and reference page
• The draft should be based on your research rather than your own  ideas and opinions about the problem, and all outside information must  be appropriately paraphrased, summarized, or quoted with APA in-text  citations
• Microsoft Word or compatible format
• One-inch margins
• One of the following 12-point fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri
• Double-spaced text
• No more than 12 double-spaced pages (exclusive of title page and reference page)

Final Research Paper Instructions

The Final Research Paper should be divided into the following sections:

1. Title Page

Include an APA-formatted title page opens in new window opens in new window with running head, page numbers, your name, assignment name, and institution.

2. Abstract

Provide a 150 to 250-word summary of your research problem, primary  findings, and paper purpose. The abstract should appear on page 2.

3. Paper Body

The body of your paper should be divided into the following  components with each step title as the heading for each section. The  paper body should begin on page 3.

A. Introduction (approximately 200 words)

Briefly describe the content of the paper, including the general  topic and overview of what the reader can expect to learn from your  assignment.

B. Step 1: Define the Problem (approximately 50 to 100 words)

State, define the scope, and explain the significance of the problem.  Include properly cited information from your references to support your  decision. Refer to pages 259-268 of Chapter 10 in the Introduction to  Interdisciplinary Studies text for examples of research problem  statements.

C. Step 2: Justification for Using an Interdisciplinary Approach (approximately 100 words)

Explain why the problem is complex, related to more than one  discipline, cannot be solved by only one discipline, and is an  unresolved and important issue. Include properly cited information from  the textbook to support your explanation. Refer to pages 268-275 the  Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies text.

D. Step 3: Identify Relevant Disciplines (approximately 200 – 300 words)

Select at least two, and no more than three, disciplines closely  related to the research problem. Describe and explain why the  disciplines selected are most relevant. Include properly cited  information from the textbook and your references to support your  choices. Refer to Chapter 11 (pages 281-293) in the Introduction to  Interdisciplinary Studies text.

E. Step 5: Critically Analyze the Disciplines’ Insights Into the Problem (3 pages per discipline)

1. Present Disciplinary Insights

   Explain each relevant  discipline’s overall approach to the problem (3 pages per discipline)  based on your research (discuss one discipline at a time). You must  support your writing with evidence from all of your sources related to  that specific discipline. Your analysis should be based on the insights  produced in each of the sources from your literature search.

2. Identify Conflict and Agreement Between Disciplinary Insights
   After presenting each discipline’s perspective on, and important  insights into, the problem, summarize conflict and/or agreement between  insights (approximately 200 – 300 words). Sources must be incorporated  and appropriately paraphrased and cited. Refer to Chapter 12 pages  309-322 in the Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies text for descriptions and examples of this step.

   Remember  to revise this section of the final paper based on the feedback you  received from your instructor on your Step 5 Draft assignment.