Week 5 – Final Paper

Final Paper

For your final paper, you will use the knowledge you gained during the last five weeks to critically analyze a health research article. Your Week 3 assignment had you begin to review the article you will be using as the basis of your final paper and describe its basic components. Your Week 3 assignment should serve as the foundation (i.e. “rough draft”) for your Week 5 final paper. You should utilize the feedback from your instructor on your Week 3 assignment and include the edited content in your final paper. In your Week 5 final paper, you will then analyze each of the components that you described in the Week 3 assignment and add the other sections as listed below. Be sure to use the instructor guidance, course readings, and feedback on your Week 3 paper to help guide you to critically analyze the research article you selected.

Select one of the following journal articles to be used as the basis of your paper. You should use the same article you selected for your Week 3 assignment.

Crespo, N. C., Elder, J. P., Ayala, G. X., Slymen, D. J., Campbell, N. R., Sallis, J. F., . . .Arredondo, E. M. (2012). Results of a multi-level intervention to prevent and control childhood obesity among Latino children: The aventuras para niños study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 43(1), 84-100. Retrieved from the ProQuest database.

Duffy, S., Kilbourne, A., Austin, K., Dalack, G., Woltmann, E., Waxmonshy, J., & Noonan, D. (2012). Risk of smoking and receipt of cessation services among veterans with mental disorders. Psychiatric Services, 63(4), 325-332. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201100097. Retrieved from the PubMed Central database.

Your Final Paper should contain the following sections and address each of the points as outlined below:
Introduction

• Develop an introduction to your paper that provides a brief overview of the article and the main points of your analysis.

Study Purpose and Hypothesis

• Describe the hypothesis and/or research question posed by your selected study. (Week 3)
• Analyze the relevance of this hypothesis/research question based on the literature review.

Methodology

• Summarize the methodology used to address the hypothesis/research question. (Week 3)
• Describe the sampling methods used to obtain the study sample. (Week 3)
• Analyze whether the sampling methodology used in the study was appropriate for addressing the hypothesis/question.
• Describe the measurement methods used to assess the research question. (Week 3)
• Analyze whether the measurement methodology used in the study was appropriate for addressing the hypothesis/question.
• Explain the ethical considerations discussed by the author(s). (Week 3)
• Evaluate whether the authors effectively addressed all of the ethical issues surrounding their research.

Analysis

• Explain what type of data was collected for this study: nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio.
• Describe the analysis method that was used (e.g., standard deviation, t-test, chi-square, correlation, linear regression, logistic regression, ANOVA, ANCOVA, MANOVA), including what statistical methods were applied and why these particular methods were selected.
• Analyze whether the analysis methods used in the study was appropriate for addressing the hypothesis/question.

Discussion

• Identify the authors’ conclusion(s). (Week 3)
• Assess whether the authors fully addressed the hypothesis/question.
• Describe the limitations of the study. (Week 3)
• Explain how this article adds to the body of knowledge surrounding this topic.

Conclusion

• Develop a conclusion that summarizes the main points of your paper and provides closure to the paper.

The Final Paper

• Must be eight to 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least two scholarly sources.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment