Research Paper

Course – SA 501

Worth: 150 points

Current Topic in Student Affairs Administration Paper Assignment (Turnitin Paper Assignment)

Introduction____________________________________________________________

Part of the graduate school experience is to become a solid researcher as you prepare for future participation in research, student affairs practice, college teaching and/or higher education administration. An in-depth examination of chosen topic will allow you to become the “expert” on a current topic in college student development.

List of Major Current Topics in Student Affairs Administration: Please select from ONE of the broad current topics in the list below. Students must receive prior approval from the instructor to write their paper on a topic that is NOT on the list. Given the scope and length of this assignment, students will need to select a more narrow focus on a current administrative issue/concern. Students may focus on a common, re-emerging theme that presents itself throughout the literature on this topic. Please send the instructor you chosen topic along with a more narrow area of focus by the mid-term, at the latest.

“Zero Tolerance” Policy for Greek Life Students concerning hazing, high-risk behaviors, sexual assault, alcohol/drug abuse
College Student Civility Issues
Campus Safety and Violence Prevention
Student Affairs/Services for Non-Traditional Adult Learners and Students with Children
Career Readiness and Employability of Today’s Student
The Role of Technology and Social Networking in the Student Affairs Profession (e.g., focus on how technology and social networking are being used by student affairs professionals to provide student services)

Note: National Professional Associations provide important resources (e.g., articles, issue briefs, reports, etc.) as the feature current issues and topics in student affairs. Please review the following websites: NASPA—Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education, ACPA-College Student Educators—International, American Council on Education (ACE), and Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). For instance, NASPA’s link http://www.naspa.org/focus-areas to their “focus topics” would be a good resource for several of the topics above

The Task______________________________________________________________

Review the current literature surrounding your topic. Appropriate sources may include scholarly, peer-reviewed journals in the fields of college student development, student affairs, or higher education (e.g., Journal of Higher Education, Review of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, etc.) as well current topical sources like articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education or Inside Higher Ed.

Please be sure to review a minimum of 6 different sources on your topic and make sure that your sources are from differing periodicals (i.e., do not select all of your articles from only one journal). Sources should be current and published between 2010-2014. Note: On Blackboard, under the “start here” menu tab, the link titled, “SA 501 Course Resources” contains a list of library resources on student affairs/higher education topics.

The components of your paper should include a brief introduction with appropriate definitions (written in narrative terms, not bullets) so that the reader can quickly comprehend the topic. The body of your paper should encompass the major issues affecting the administration of student affairs, in particular, and the overall management of higher education, in general, as related to your topic.

Be sure to include both positive and negative aspects concerning the topic. Finally, provide a summative conclusion wherein you express your thoughts as a current/future student affairs professional/administrator. (As you are writing this paper, please keep in mind that in your future career, you may be called upon to respond to this very issue!) It is also appropriate to end your conclusion with ideas for future research by posing questions yet to be answered.

Your paper should be 5-8 pages (not including the title page or references page), 12 point font, 1 inch margins. You must have a minimum of 6 scholarly sources, excluding the Student Services text.

APA, 6th edition formatting should be followed to include an appropriate title page with running head and header with pagination, appropriate use of headings and subheadings within body of paper, and appropriate reference page. Refer to your APA manual as I will be a stickler about this aspect of your paper! Also, please make sure that your paper is grammatically correct and that overall readability is appropriate to graduate-level writing.

REMEMBER… This is to be a piece of scholarly writing reflective of a master’s level student. Thus, please proofread! Engage the use of the UWA writing center on campus, if necessary.

Submission Guidelines___________________________________________________

Submit your topic paper as a Microsoft WORD document through Blackboard’s assignment link inside of the Learning Module for Week 7. Please note that this paper must be submitted to Turnitin.com upon completion. Thus, be certain to summarize and paraphrase, because the A match score of over 40% is considered unacceptable and will result in a zero for the project. If needed, students may submit multiple times to Turnitin until they revise their paper to achieve an acceptable percentage match. However, please note that there is a 24 hour waiting period after the first time you submit your paper to Turnitin. Therefore, you will need to submit your paper in advance of the deadline. Failure to submit to Turnitin.com will also result in a grade of zero.

Late Policy: Late assignments will be penalized by 15% per date that the paper is late.

Grading Criteria/Rubric_________________________________________________

This paper is worth 150 points – a significant portion of your total point allocation.

Criteria	A Work	B Work	C Work
Total Assignment Points= 150 points Evidence of a Literature Review that provides an in-depth examination of the topic. Paper to include: I. Introduction Appropriate Definitions II. Body - Addresses major issues both pro and con III. Summative Conclusion - Provide your thoughts as a future higher education leader - Any further research questions	Appropriate and relevant literature covered as evidenced within paper. Paper inclusive of each of the three major components which fully addresses the assignment. Careful and thoughtful response evidenced in conclusion to include perspectives as future administrators, legislators, academicians, etc. Evident that personal reflection is incorporated. Ideas for further research identified.	Adequate literature covered as evidenced within paper. Paper inclusive of each of the three major components, however each was not fully addressed. Adequate response evidenced in conclusion but not wholly inclusive of all suggested perspectives: future administrators, legislators, academicians, etc. Limited personal reflection. Ideas for further research identified.	Inadequate literature covered as evidenced within paper. Paper not inclusive of each of the three major components and/or the component was not fully addressed. Inadequate response evidenced in conclusion but not wholly inclusive of all suggested perspectives: future administrators, legislators, academicians, etc. No personal reflection evident. Ideas for further research limited or nonexistent.
Overall Writing - Grammar, Spelling, Readability	Good, clean, easy to read. Well developed ideas. Few errors. Proper grammar and spelling.	Good writing overall but with a few problem areas.	Problematic writing – too many errors or not easy to read; parts of narrative are confusing or unconnected.
Follows APA –	- running head - title page - pagination - headings and sub- headings as needed. - proper citations within text - proper references	Follows APA but with several errors.	Does not clearly follow APA.
Meets paper guidelines – 12 pt. font 1 inch margins Double spaced 5-8 pages 6 sources exclusive of course readings	Follows page length (not inclusive of title page and reference page); formatted properly; appropriate and adequate sources	Page length questionable; problematic formatting; inclusive of 4 of 5 sources.	Page length does not meet minimum standard; improperly formatted; inclusive of 3 of 5 sources.