Students will be required to choose an area of interest relevant to the syllabus of the courses and select, summarize, and critique 5 empirically based journal articles within that area. This assignment involves using published research to provide an overview of and argument about a topic, identify the gaps in the literature, and make future recommendations. Simply summarizing the information you read is not enough. Instead, carefully synthesize the information to support your argument. Only discuss the parts of the studies that are relevant to your argument or topic.  Headings and subheadings can help guide readers through a long research paper. 
Choose a topic that is appropriate to the length of the assignment and for which you can find adequate sources. For example, “self-esteem” might be too broad for a 8-10 page paper, but it may be difficult to find enough articles on “the effects of private school education on female African American children’s self-esteem.” A paper in which you focus on the more general topic of “the effects of school transitions on adolescents’ self-esteem,” however, might work well for the assignment.
Students will be required to critique each article on its research design merits, discuss each articles relevance and contribution to the subject matter, highlight the relative inequities or inadequacies in the literature, and suggest areas of future inquiry within the chosen topic. An APA style reference list must also be included as part of the 8-10 pages.
My topic: what affects or ignites a person to have different responses in terms of grief and how can that response alter their mental health? Do environment, upbringing, or genetics bring on these levels of grief, or is it simply based on a person’s personality?