RPA-Assig #2 - see attached

Research Paper #1

Students will be responsible for creating a full research report on a topic of their choosing. The paper will be 12 pages

Research Question: What will you research and why? In this section, highlight the main research questions you will address. Provide additional context related to the significance of this research. Why should we care? What is the need? What are your expected outcomes?

Introduction Literature Review: You should produce a comprehensive literature review that includes at least 10 appropriate citations (peer-reviewed journals; respected think tank reports). The purpose of the literature review is to provide an overview of what we know about the topic. What have other researchers found? How have they studied the problem? Based on this review, you will identify a gap in the literature (which your study addresses) or explain how your research strengthens the existing literature.

Research Methodology: This is the blueprint for how you will analyze the research question. In this section, you will identify your data sources, the tools you will use to answer your research question and acknowledge any weaknesses or shortcomings of your approach. You need to be specific about the where you will get the data needed to answer the research question. For example, will you conduct a survey? Analyze secondary data? Use Census data? Use proprietary data from a government organization? In this section, you will also address potential ethical issues and how your research design mitigates those.

Data Analysis: In this section, you will implement the research design, present data in tables, charts, maps, grids, etc. and elaborate on the contents. The analysis should be grounded in the data you collect and focus solely on that information. You can elaborate on potential implications on public policy in the conclusion of the report. All data tables, figures, charts, maps, etc. are expected to be properly formatted, sourced and explained.

Conclusion & Research Implications: In this section, you revisit your research questions and purpose of your research. What did you find? Did you research confirm your hypothesis? Do your results conflict with conventional wisdom? In this section, you can also make suggestions for future research.

Research Paper: The research paper combines all of these subsections into a final report. Students are expected to polish their individual sections to develop a basic social science research product. Students are expected to include a cover page and a works cited page, as well. The research paper should be 12 pages.

·Cover page
·Reference page
·Appendices

Note: A minimum of 15 references will be required.

Written Instructions

The capacity to communicate effectively is a critical skill for all professionals, but especially so for public and non-profit administrators. In all assignments, writing should be clear, focused, and understandable. The research paper must be carefully proofread prior to submission; this includes a detailed review of spelling, syntax, and grammar, as well as ensuring a logical structure and coherent flow to the writing and adherence to the basic formatting requirements listed below.

-Formatting Requirements

Double-spaced
Standard 12-point font (such as Times New Roman or Calibri)
1-inch margins on all sides
Numbered pages
Headings: name, date, title of assignment, and course title

- Citations

All non-original work MUST be cited, in text and at the end of the document, in APA format, including both published and unpublished sources.
To avoid plagiarism, other people’s words MUST be quoted and cited, and other people’s ideas must be cited.

- For an overview avoiding plagiarism, visit the Purdue University Online Writing Lab: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/.

-Sources of Information

Well-regarded and reliable sources of information and data can be found in peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, government studies, and reports from non-partisan research centers, institutes, and laboratories.

- Do not cite or depend upon Wikipedia, blogs, online encyclopedia or dictionaries, or other unreliable sources.

- Certain magazines or news outlets (such as Time Magazine, The Economist, The Guardian, Scientific American, The New York Times, etc.) may also offer useful material, but these sources should be used rarely and only in conjunction with or as supported by scholarly, empirical, or primary sources.

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE WRITER:

I chose to write about GUN VIOLENCE IN USA SCHOOLS. This is a timely topic given the rise in gun law discussions and the latest mass shooting incident that occurred at a Texas elementary school.

See attached material(s).

Sources cited should be from reading documents as well.

Thank you,

Customer