COMPETENCIES

127.1.1 : 
Research

The graduate evaluates the quality, credibility, and relevance of evidence in order to integrate evidence into a final research paper.

127.1.2 : 
Writing Process

The graduate applies steps of the writing process appropriately to improve quality of writing.

INTRODUCTION

Task 1: Annotated Bibliography

The first stages of the research writing process involve topic selection, formulation of a research question, preliminary research, and the development of a working thesis statement. Now you will begin identifying and evaluating sources to determine how effectively they can support your argument. If needed, the “Topic Ideas” web link below can be used for selecting your research topic.
 
 For this task, you will create an annotated bibliography by finding 8-10 sources for your research paper, listing the sources in APA-formatted references, and providing an annotation for each source. Each annotation should offer a summary of the source, an evaluation of its author’s or publisher’s credibility, and an assessment of its relevance to your topic.

REQUIREMENTS

Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. An originality report is provided when you submit your task that can be used as a guide.

You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment. 

A.  Compose an appropriate, arguable thesis statement that previews 
two to 
four main points and that you plan to use in your research paper.
 

B.  Create an annotated bibliography of 
eight to 
ten appropriate, credible sources that you plan to use in your research paper.
 

Note: You may use the attached “Annotated Bibliography Template” to complete your annotated bibliography, but use of the attached template is not required.
 

1.  Provide a full, APA-formatted reference citation for the 8–10 sources.

2.  Provide an annotation (
suggested length of 150 words) for 
each of the 8–10 sources by doing the following:

a.  Summarize the information presented in the source.

b.  Analyze the credibility of the author of the source or of the publication (e.g. journal, publisher, or website), if no author is present.

c.  Analyze the relevance of the source to your chosen research topic.

3.  Write 
each  annotation in your own words, without the excessive use of direct quotation or extensive paraphrasing, for the 8–10 sources from part B.
 

C.  Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.

RUBRIC

Thesis Statement:
COMPETENT

The thesis statement logically presents an arguable position on an appropriate research topic and previews 2–4 main points.

Number of Sources:
COMPETENT

The annotated bibliography contains 8–10 credible sources that are appropriate for the chosen research topic.

Reference citations:
COMPETENT

The reference citations for the 8–10 sources from part B are complete and demonstrate a consistent application of APA style.

Summary of Source:
COMPETENT

The annotations for the 8–10 sources from part B logically and accurately summarize the information presented in that source.

Credibility of the Source:
COMPETENT

The annotations for the 8–10 sources from part B logically analyze the credibility of the source’s author or publication.

Relevance of the Source:
COMPETENT

The annotations for the 8–10 sources from part B logically analyze the relevance of the source to the candidate’s chosen research topic.

Originality Annotations:
COMPETENT

The annotations for the sources in part B are each written in the candidate’s own words and avoid excessive use of direct quotation or extensive paraphrasing.

Professional Communication:
COMPETENT

Content reflects attention to detail, is organized, and focuses on the main ideas as prescribed in the task or chosen by the candidate. Terminology is pertinent, is used correctly, and effectively conveys the intended meaning. Mechanics, usage, and grammar promote accurate interpretation and understanding.

TOPIC IDEAS:

NURSING AND HEALTH RELATED:

· Acupuncture and other alternative medicines

· Addictions among health professionals

· ADHD alternative treatments

· Alzheimer’s and other problems related to aging

· Animal-assisted therapy

· Bereavement assistance and training

· Burnout in the nursing profession

· Buying medicines over the internet

· Cultural awareness/sensitivity in providing healthcare

· Deaf culture and cochlear implants

· Discrimination against Medicaid/Medicare patients

· Drug costs and pharmaceutical profits

· Electronic/digital medical records

· Employee wellness programs

· Employers’ right to refuse to pay for contraceptives for religious reasons

· Epigenetics

· FDA approval process and restrictions

· Gene therapy

· Health care for non-English speaking patients

· HMOs/managed care

· Home diagnostic kits/self-diagnosis & treatment

· Home healthcare

· Hormone therapies

· Hospice care and training

· Hospital-acquired/nosocomial infections

· Human subjects’ experiments

· Humor/Laughter therapy

· Interpersonal relations/conflict in the nursing profession

· Living wills/DNRs

· Malpractice insurance costs

· Mind-Body connection

· Narrative medicine and therapeutic writing

· Nursing home regulations/abuse/staff training

· Nursing education requirements

· Organ and bone marrow donations/transplants, ethics and issues

· Pre-natal testing

· Prison health care

· Pro-ana (pro-anorexia advocacy) subculture and “thinspiration”

· Promoting preventive health screening (ex. Screening colonoscopies to prevent colon cancer)

· Providing healthcare in underserved areas

· PTSD

· Quarantine methods to control disease spread

· Refusal to treat, ethical/legal issues

· Unnecessary plastic surgery

· Unregulated homeopathic remedies

· Urgent care services versus Emergency Department

· Weight requirements for models

· Breast-feeding versus bottle feeding

· Legalization of medical marijuana

· Obamacare/Affordable Care Act

· Obesity

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RELATED:

· Artificial intelligence and robots (Many people feel that the robots may be spying for consumer information.)

· Big Data: Privacy versus Personalization, customers want more customization when frequently visiting their favorite online store but that comes at a price of privacy.

· Brains versus computers

· Effects on the English lexicon long term

· Genetic engineering

· Genetic testing and privacy

· Human cloning

· Identity chips

· IT and censorship

· IT and storage

· IT and white-collar crime

· IT professionals and ethical responsibility

· IT security and privacy of data, particularly with the NSA and the government (Edward Snowden Leaks)

· Long-term effects of living in a technological world

· Most important new technology

· Multitasking: Benefits or Dangers

· NSA, are privacy issues related to data collection

· Organic foods verses GMOs

· Outsourcing and/or H1B Visas

· Ramifications of media bombardment

· Self-driving cars

· Tech tools and productivity

· Technological developments between countries

· Technology and identity

· Technology and our bodies

· Technology and relationships

· Technology and reproduction

· Technology and the military

· Travel in the future

· Video cameras and cameras on smart phones (Can strangers be digital recording without a person’s consent and/or acknowledgement?)

· What technology means for the future

· Cloud computing

· Video gaming

BUSINESS RELATED:

· Banking bailouts

· Best form(s) of advertising

· Best management style

· Best strategies for 401K retirement plans

· Bitcoin currency use

· Corporate culture (ways to influence it; most effective cultures; how employees contribute to it; etc.)

· Corporate responsibility

· Customer privacy

· Downsizing

· Data mining

· Employees and social media usage

· Employing individuals with disabilities/making accommodations

· Employing undocumented workers

· Entrepreneurship

· Farm subsidies

· Franchising

· Glass ceiling

· Globalization

· Going green

· Identity fraud

· Intellectual property/capital

· Internet/data security

· Minimum wage

· Outsourcing

· Retail floor plans that most affect profits

· Safety requirements for the workplace/environment

· Small business/locally owned businesses

· Specific strategy or practice is better or worse than another

· Underage workers

· Various types of management styles

· Whistle-blowing

· Workplace violence