Racism and mass
Racism and mass shootings
Details on your 7-page research paper
Details on your final 7-page research paper
Article Summaries—Academic journal article summaries will serve as the basis of the literature review for your final 5-page paper. A literature review is a compilation of what we already know about the topic you are researching. You will have 7 article summaries to complete and submit through Safe Assignment.
Most of you have conducted basic searches using Nexis Lexis, but Nexis Lexis draws from mostly newspapers and magazines and often omits much of the academic research literature published by professors. In this class, I’m teaching you how to write a basic research paper. To accomplish this, I’m introducing you to academic journal articles. For journal article summaries, I want you to find academic journal articles pertaining to your research question or hypothesis. Next read the article and summarize it in 600 words. Do not plagiarize. Tell me what the article says in your own words. Please pay close attention to the detailed instructions posted on Blackboard while completing your summary. Remember your summary must look exactly like the example posted on Blackboard (e.g. the source of the summary must be at the top of page 1). Do not include links for me to click in the summary. You may also use information from think tanks like the Pew Research Institute, the Rand Corporation and the CQ-Researcher.
Tips for article summaries
Use google chrome or google scholar. Enter “academic research on (enter your topic} and search.
This should yield many journal articles on your topic.
You can also use the LAGCC library (from home) to conduct searches for articles. If you use this technique, I recommend using JSTOR which will allow you access to the Columbia University library.
If you’re having trouble finding articles to summarize, email me and I’ll help you.
If you need my help, please include the section you are in and the topic you are researching.
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Below is the outline for your 7-page research paper.
I. Introduction
II. Methodology
III. Literature review
IV. Results
V. Conclusion
The introduction of your paper should include the topic definition in the first sentence with a citation at the end (source, date published). This is where you include background information and explain why it is important to study your topic. Make sure to take a look at the example posted on Blackboard on how to incorporate R1 & H1.
Methodology-The methodology section of your paper should explain how you conducted your research. I have posted “Methods” on Blackboard. Take a look at it and cut and paste it into your paper as the methodology section of your paper. Refer to the Introduction and Methodology example I have posted on Blackboard and do the same thing. It’s my work and you have my permission to use it in your paper. The combined Introduction and Methodology sections should be 3- pages in length.
Literature review-As explained in an earlier announcement, the literature review is a compilation of what we already know about your research topic. You may use material other than the 4 journal article summaries you are writing. This includes newspaper and magazine articles, web sites etc. Make sure all material used in your paper is listed in the bibliography. When putting your literature review together, do not simply insert all the summaries back to back, and consider it a literature review. You must identify the most significant parts of each summary and weave them into a concise coherent discussion of what we already know about your topic. Your literature review should be 1-2 pages in length.
Results-This is probably the most important part of your paper. As stated in an earlier announcement, your research paper is an exercise in hypothesis testing. In the results section you must clearly state one of the following results: 1) My hypothesis was accepted” (this means my initial dive into the literature, while preparing assignment 2, led me to the right conclusion on significant issues surrounding my topic. 2) “My hypothesis was partially accepted.” This means I inadvertently overlooked an important variable in conducting my research such as gender, social economic status or immigration status. This can vary depending on your topic. Finally, 3) “My hypothesis was rejected.” this means “I was flat out wrong with my hypothesis.” Any three of these result outcomes is perfectly acceptable and your final grade will not be affected. Even if your hypothesis is rejected, you learned something. Many students only read material that supports their hypothesis. This is not a good idea because I already know the answer to your hypothesis. If I don’t, I’ll conduct my own research. I’m impressed more by students who read both sides of issues. Students who do this demonstrate their ability to conduct research from a variety of sources and synthesize their finding using critical thinking skills.
Conclusion-In this section you should close out your paper and interject any personal opinions you have.