Milestone 3:
Write and submit the introduction and conclusion sections of your analysis paper. Consider the guidelines for Parts I and V of the final project, the topic and references you selected in previous milestones, and peer and instructor feedback.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
- Topic Background
- Describe your topic and illustrate its significance in relation to contemporary issues.
- Summarize notable theories and previous research on this topic, including at least three peer-reviewed studies.
- Discuss societal views of your topic and whether they have changed over time.
- Discuss the outside influences addressed in your topic and how they potentially affect development.
Conclusion:
- Discuss your opinion and draw conclusions on this topic, explaining why you hold this viewpoint.
- Discuss current research and give examples that support your opinion/conclusions.
- Discuss areas of future research that could positively impact your topic.
Guidelines for Submission:
Your paper should be one to two pages in length. It should be double spaced and should use 12-point Times New Roman font, oneinch margins, and references in APA format.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions. Critical Elements Proficient (100%)
Topic Background:
Significance Accurately describes the significance of the topic in relation to current issues
Notable Theories and Previous Research Accurately summarizes notable theories and current research on the topic Summarizes notable theories and current research.
Societal Views: Accurately presents current societal views of the topic and notes whether those views have changed over time.
Topic Background: Outside Influences Discusses relevant and appropriate outside influences and how they might affect the current topic.
Opinion: Presents an opinion and explains how the conclusion was drawn and why it is justified.
Future Research: Accurately identifies potential areas of future research related to the topic and discusses their value Identifies potential areas of future research.
Final Paper:
The final project for this course is the creation of an analysis paper. The paper should demonstrate your understanding of one of the nine developmental stages. Analyze your chosen topic within the framework of one of the nine developmental stages. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because it allows you to demonstrate understanding, application, and critical evaluation of the major concepts presented in this course. You should demonstrate knowledge of how your particular topic unfolds within the chosen developmental stage. The topic must differ from your short paper topics.
The final submission will be in Module Seven. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
- Articulate and illustrate the typical path of human development using key biological, cognitive, and social-emotional terms and concepts
- Assess the impact of various influences on the developmental process using contemporary theories and themes of development
- Apply the scientific methodologies of developmental psychologists to the analysis and interpretation of real-world research findings
- Examine conventions about growth and change over the life span through critical, collaborative inquiry that reflects a sense of responsibility for the wider implications of various viewpoints
- Draw and illustrate connections between the principles and themes of developmental psychology and their applications to current issues, contemporary problems, and one’s own life.
Develop your own individualized final paper topic, which you should be able to cover thoroughly in 1,000–1,500 words. Some topic examples include:
how exposure to certain hazards during the prenatal period can affect a person at a particular stage of life, gender and cultural development; the effects of peer relationships on development; and the psychosocial considerations of aging throughout the life span.
After choosing a paper topic, choose a stage of development (e.g., prenatal) that you will focus on when you write about your chosen topic. For example, if you were to choose “development and role of attachment” and “infancy,” your final paper would focus mainly on the development and role of attachment during infancy. More specifically, it might describe and discuss parent–infant attachment styles and how secure versus insecure attachment styles develop. You would also explore ways attachment may unfold or progress in later stages of development as well as the role or influence attachment can play (e.g., relationship development) in later stages of development, including one to two factors that can promote or hinder optimal attachment relationships. If you decide to write about a later stage of development (e.g., adolescence or adulthood), you would then discuss how attachment may have developed or looked like at earlier stages of development and at least one to two factors that could have promoted or hindered optimal attachment relationships in adulthood. The stages of development for you to consider include the following:
- Prenatal
- Postpartum
- Infancy
- Early childhood
- Middle childhood
- Adolescence
- Early adulthood
- Middle adulthood
- Late adulthood
Specifically, the critical elements listed below must be addressed. (Please structure your paper in the order shown.)
- Topic Background
- Describe your topic and illustrate its significance in relation to contemporary issues.
- Summarize notable theories and previous research on this topic, including at least three peer-reviewed studies.
- Discuss societal views of your topic and whether they have changed over time.
- Discuss the outside influences addressed in your topic and how they potentially affect development.
- Development Psychology Stage Rationale
- Explain your topic in relation to developmental psychology by identifying the biological, cognitive, and social-emotional components.
- Provide an analysis of your topic as it pertains to developmental psychology, including at least two peer-reviewed studies.
III. History of Topic Within Chosen Developmental Stage
- Assess the influence of previous developmental stages on your chosen stage.
- Articulate and provide examples of the typical path of human development for your chosen stage.
- Appraise your topic according to current developmental psychologists and real-world research findings.
- Examine conventions about growth and change from the past and present regarding your chosen topic.
- Progression of Topic With Chosen Developmental Stage
- Discuss the expected developmental progression at this stage.
- Cite factors that could hinder development and explain how they can do so and ways in which their effects can be offset.
- Conclusion
- Discuss your opinion and draw conclusions on this topic, explaining why you hold this viewpoint.
- Discuss current research and give examples that support your opinion/conclusions.
- Discuss areas of future research that could positively impact your topic.
Final Project Submission: Analysis Paper In Module Seven, you will submit your final analysis paper. It should be a complete, polished paper containing all of the critical elements of the assignment. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course, as well as the topics you studied in Modules One through Six and current research. This submission will be graded with the Final Product Rubric.
Your submission should follow these formatting guidelines:
double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA-style citations. Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions.
Value Topic Background:
Significance Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately describes the significance of the topic in relation to current issues.
Topic Background: Notable Theories and Previous Research Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately summarizes notable theories and current research on the topic.
Societal Views Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately presents current societal views of the topic and notes whether those views have changed over time.
Background: Outside Influences Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Discusses relevant and appropriate outside influences and how they might affect the current topic.
Rationale: Topic in Relation to Developmental Psychology Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately identifies the biological, cognitive, and social components of the chosen topic in relation to developmental psychology and provides specific detail.
Analysis Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples thoroughly analyzes the topic with illustrations from two peer-reviewed studies and provides specific details.
History: Influence Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Thoroughly examines the influence of previous developmental stages on the topic and provides specific details.
History: Typical Path Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides specific details Provides relevant examples of the typical development path for the topic’s chosen stage.
Appraisal Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately appraises the topic in terms of current research and real-world findings and provides specific detail .
Conventions Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Discusses conventions about past and present growth and change surrounding the chosen topic in depth.
Expected Developmental Progression Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Clearly articulates the expected progression from the current stage in depth.
Hindrances to Development Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately cites factors that could interfere with development and discusses ways to offset those factors.
Conclusion: Opinion Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Presents an opinion and explains how the conclusion was drawn and why it is justified .
Current Research Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides specific details Gives relevant examples of current research that supports the opinion.
Conclusion: Future Research Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides relevant examples Accurately identifies potential areas of future research related to the topic and discusses their value.
