Outline - Social Issue as the Behaviorist Sees It Synthesis is the process of creating a new idea by analyzing multiple disparate concepts or notions to discern the common thematic or connecting prin

College of Doctoral Studies

PSY-803 Template: Outline for Social Issues Paper

Origins of Behaviorism

1. Introduction

   1. Engage the reader here with an interesting hook.

   2. Provide context for the paper by generally discussing behaviorism and the three crucial researchers.

   3. Include APA style in-text citations here when appropriate.

   4. Provide a clear thesis statement here in a full sentence. In your thesis statement, make sure to integrate your choice of three researchers and how they relate to behaviorism.

2. Statement of the Problem

   1. State the problem.

      1. Use the form “It is not known how <insert social issue> affects daily life.”

   2. Provide a brief background of the problem.

3. Behavioral Analysis of the Problem

   1. Discuss how a behaviorist would analyze this problem.

   2. Analyze the problem based on first theory.

   3. Analyze the problem based on second theory.

   4. Analyze the problem based on third theory.

4. Behavioral Solutions

   1. Discuss solutions behaviorism can offer.

      1. Identify solutions from the lens of behavioral theories.

      2. Focus on behaviors.

5. Limitations of the Behavioral Solution

   1. Discuss limitations present in a behavioral interpretation and solution of this problem.

   2. Propose means to resolve those limitations.

6. Conclusion

1. 1. Summarize key take-aways from each of the three researchers

      1. Use APA style in-text citations.

   2. Restate the thesis statement in a novel way to bring the paper full circle and tie it back to the introduction.

   3. Draw conclusions considering the current literature as a single unit.

      1. What is the overall message of the research/literature at hand?