Research Paper Instructions
Each student will individually write a 9 to 11 page research paper on a coaching topic, which does not include the title, abstract, or reference pages. The topic must be unique to the topics we cover in class and have a coaching focus. If you have questions about a topic, email the course instructor by the end of the first week of class.
The body of the paper should have two major sections. The first section should cover the research you have done on a particular topic that was addressed in the course. For example goal setting, motivation, transitions, etc…You should support your research by citing academic articles and books. The second section of your paper should be a reflection of this research. You will want to address how you think this will impact you and your coaching ministry/business. What are some of the implications of this research on how you would practice? Finally address how this can personally impact you.
Other specifics:
• The paper is to be an original work of the author and written solely for this course. Although past papers can be used as reference, papers previously submitted cannot be used to fulfill this assignment.
• The paper must be written using APA format (6th ed.) and include title, abstract, and reference pages.
• Must be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx).
• Any charts, pictures, etc. must be put in an appendix, and do not count toward the minimum number of pages
• References
• A minimum of 7 scholarly references must be used.
• All references must be from the past SEVEN years.
• As a research paper, students must utilize and properly cite references within the text of the paper; without such references the paper is merely an opinion.
• A complete reference section, properly formatted according to APA standards, must be included at the end of your paper.
Assessment of the Assignment
Please refer to the grading rubric for this assignment.
The paper must be submitted to the correct link by Sunday of Week 7 (11:59 pm ET); no late work is accepted or graded.
Regarding Plagiarism –(this applies to all work submitted in this course)
Failure to cite all sources used in your papers, or plagiarism of any kind will result in a grade of zero. Plagiarism occurs when a student either includes the words of others in a paper without properly attributing the source, or ‘cuts and pastes’ from a source directly into a paper without including quotation marks with source attribution.
Suggested SCHEDULE for RESEARCH PROJECT:
Module/Week 1
• Choose topic
• Check with the professor if you have questions about your topic
Module/Week 2
Research your topic through LU’s online Library database.
Module/Week 3
Complete outline of topic.
Module/Week 4
Complete first rough draft of paper.
Module/Week 5
• Consider utilizing the writing center: http://www.liberty.edu/academics/graduate/writing/index.cfm?PID=17176
• Work towards final draft of paper.
Module/Week 6
• Have someone read the paper to catch spelling and grammar errors.
• Read paper aloud to ensure that it flows as was intended.
Module/Week 7
• Write your final draft
• Submit final paper.
Upload your finished paper in Module/Week 7 as a Word document (.doc or .docx) by the deadline date. Your paper will be uploaded directly to SafeAssign, which will produce an originality report. SafeAssign is a plagiarism detection service utilized by LU. Any plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, detected by SafeAssign will result in a grade of 0.
Grading Rubric – Research Paper
Excellent Good Acceptable Unacceptable+
Proper adherence to length requirements* -20
Proper adherence to formatting of:
• Title page
• Abstract
• Header
• Margins
• Font style and size -10 -15 -20
Proper adherence to:
• Spelling, grammar, punctuation
• Proper word usage/semantics -5 -12 -20
Proper adherence to:
• Reference requirements+
• In-text citations
References properly formatted on reference page
Utilization of appropriate sources -5 -12 -20
Scholarly content with a coaching focus
• Organization
• Logical structure
• Provides sufficient evidence and explanation
• Sentences and paragraphs are structured and focused, not long and rambling.
• Use of transitional sentences that link one idea to another. -20 -70 -120
* A deduction of -25 will be taken for any paper that is under 8 1/2 full pages in length. Papers are corrected as to margins, extra spacing and incorrect font prior to determining the length of the paper.
If utilized, charts, pictures, etc. must be put in an Appendix and do not count toward the page count.
+Lack of proper referencing is a serious offense. A paper that contains ANY unreferenced direct quotes or paraphrasing of another author’s material will receive a score of -0- and may be subject to more severe penalty. In addition, students may not reuse material that they previously submitted for another assignment. All work must be written solely for this assignment and original for this course. Students who submit papers or sections of papers previously submitted will receive a score of -0-.
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