The purpose of this project is to provide you with an opportunity to become more familiar with a particular disability/disorder. It also encourages you to access resources that you will need in the future whenever you have a child with a particular disability/disorder that you will need to research. It would be very difficult for you to learn about every possible disorder, so whenever you have a child move into your classroom with a particular one, you will want to conduct research to help you be a more effective teacher.
I am asking you to go beyond what has been learned in class and via our textbook to expand your knowledge w/up-to-date information on a selected disability. Your purpose is to explain, therefore, you will be writing an informative or expository paper and will be concerned with presenting facts accurately, and completely. You will use the American Psychological Association (APA) style (latest edition) to write your paper.
Steps of the Research Assignment:
I. Choose a topic. What disability strongly interests you? What do you know already about the topic? What would you like to know?
II. Focus your topic. Use a strategy such as clustering, listing, free writing, or brainstorming with a colleague to help you think about your topic’s many possibilities. Will you be able to find any sources on your topic? Is there a variety of resources, not just one kind? Is the topic manageable? Does the topic suit the assignment in length, time, and subject?
III. List some questions you will need to answer your focus idea. Journalists’ questions such as who, what, when, where, why, and how will help you get started. Example: Thesis question – What are the characteristics and educational implications of Cystic Fibrosis in school age children?
See rubric on following page
Rubric
Use this rubric to guide your work in this assignment.
Tasks
ê Exemplary Acceptable Unacceptable
Introduction The introduction is engaging, states the main topic, and previews the structure of the paper.
(Maximum of 5 points)
The introduction states the main topic but does not adequately preview the structure of the paper.
(Maximum of 3 points)
There is no clear introduction or main topic and the structure of the paper is missing. (Maximum of 1 point)
Thesis Statement/
Content Thesis clearly and concisely states the paper’s purpose in a single sentence, which is engaging, and thought provoking. Each paragraph has thoughtful supporting detail sentences that develop the main ideal.
(Maximum of 25 points) Thesis clearly states the paper’s purpose in a single sentence. Each paragraph has sufficient supporting detail sentences that develop the main idea.
(Maximum of 20 points) Thesis is Incomplete and/or unfocused. Each paragraph fails to develop the main idea and/or lacks supporting detail sentences. (Maximum of 15 points)
Organization The ideas are arranged logically to support the topic. They flow smoothly from one to another and are clearly linked to each other. The reader can follow the line of reasoning.
(Maximum of 10 points) The ideas are arranged logically to support the topic. They are usually clearly linked to each other. For the most part, the reader can follow the line of reasoning. (Maximum of 8 points) The writing is not always logically organized. Frequently, ideas fail to make sense together. The reader cannot identify, or has difficulty identifying a line of reasoning and loses interest.
(Maximum of 5 points)
Conclusion Strong review of key ccomponents. Strong integration with thesis statement. Insightful discussion of impact of the researched disability in regards to education. (Maximum of 10 points) Review of key components. Some integration with thesis statement. Discusses impact of disability in regards to education. (Maximum of 8 points) Does summarize evidence with respect to thesis statement. Does not discuss the impact of researched disability to education. (Maximum of 5 points)
Sentence Structure/ and Tone Sentences are well-phrased and varied in length and structure. They flow smoothly from one to another. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for an academic research paper.
Word choice is consistently precise and accurate.
The writing is free of grammatical errors, spelling and punctuation.
(Maximum of 50 points) Sentences are well-phrased and there is some variety in length and structure. The flow from sentence to sentence is generally smooth. The tone is generally professional. For the most part it is appropriate for an academic research paper.
Word choice is generally good. The writer often goes beyond the generic word to find one more precise and effective. There are occasional errors (3 or 4), but they don’t represent a major distraction or obscure meaning.
(Maximum of 38 points) Some sentences are awkwardly constructed or contain errors frequently enough to be a major distraction to the reader Word choice is merely adequate and the range of words is limited. Some words are used inappropriately, and may be confusing to the reader. The writing has many errors, and the reader is distracted by them..
(Maximun of 25 points)
Length Paper is the number of pages, or only 2-3 more, specified in the assignment.
(Maximum of 10 points) Paper has fewer pages than specified in the assignment or has gone 5 or more pages over.
(Maximum of 5 points)
Citation Compelling evidence from professionally legitimate sources is given to support claims. All cited works are done in the correct format with no errors.
(Maximum of 15 points) Professional legitimate sources that support claims are generally present and attribution is, for the most part, clear and fairly represented.
Some cited works are done in the correct format, but inconsistencies are evident.
(Maximum of 10 points) Although attributions are occasionally given, many statements seem unsubstantiated. The reader is confused about the source of information and ideas.
Few cited works are done in the correct format.
(Maximum of 5 points)
Quality of References References are all peer-reviewed professional journals or other approved sources (e.g., government documents, agency manuals). The reader is confident that the information and ideas can be trusted.
(Maximum of 15 points) Although most of the references are peer-reviewed journals; professionally legitimate, a few are questionable (e.g., trade books, internet sources, popular magazines). The reader is uncertain of the reliability of some of the sources.
(Maximim of 10 points) Most of the references are from sources that are not peer-reviewed and have uncertain reliability. The reader doubts the accuracy of much of the material presented.
(Maximum of 5 points)
APA Style APA format is used accurately and consistently in the paper and on the “references” page.
(Maximum of 10 points) APA format is used with minor (2-5) errors.
(Maximum of 8 points) There are frequent errors in APA format.
(Maximum of 5 points)
Directions
Your Topic
You may choose any topic that you would like to know more about. However, if you choose a topic from the textbook, make sure that you provide a lot of different information from that included by the author. If you happen to choose the same topic as one of your colleagues, the information/format should be significantly different.
Possible topics (though you are not limited to these) include:
• Cri-du-Chat (also known as 5p Minus)
• Angleman Syndrome
• Spina Bifida or other neural tube defects
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Turner’s Syndrome
• Prader Willi Syndrome
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect
• Failure to Thrive (FTT)
• Mendelian traits
Look in the appendix of your text and you will see many more.
Resources
You will want to use the ASU library in order to access peer-reviewed journals. I have a help sheet online that shows you how to do this. You may also use information on Web pages (on a limited basis); because many times the particular syndrome/disability will have its own organization and/or Web site. You MUST, however, have some peer-reviewed journals included. If you find that there are not any or you are unable to access them, then you need to choose another topic.
Requirements:
- Your paper should be written in APA 6th (or latest edition) Style. This means your paper must be double spaced, use Times New Roman 12 point font and have 1-inch margins. The following Web site will help you if you are unfamiliar with the format:
http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/citing_apa.html
You will lose points for not following stated requirements.
- You must have a minimum of five citations from referred journals (or books written on the subject).
a. If you use the ASU online journal as outlined for you, these will be referred journals.
b. Journals should include at least three references from the year 2007 or after. - You may use Web sites, but make sure that you cite correctly according to APA style.
- Paper should be a minimum of seven pages not including bibliography/reference page(s).
- Include an introduction and conclusion paragraph for your paper. For maxium points, adhere to rubric.
- You must have a reference page. Per APA style, make sure any reference that is listed on the reference page is cited within the paper and vice-versa.
- Whatever statements are within your research paper should have a citation from where you got your information. See APA on how to do this. Do NOT pull all of your information from one major source. Have several different sources that are equally represented.
- Assignment will be submitted via Safe Assign. Remember, you should not have more than a sentence, or some say more than five consecutive words, that are pulled from someone else’s work without putting in quotes (See APA guidelines). The best way to avoid this is to read the information, then put it down and write what you want to say from it.
Sample Solution
