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Please help me with the assignement. There are errors in paper  (see Feedback on First and Second Rough Drafts), as well as APPENDIX 6. Increase pages to 30-40, need page numbers, remove extra spaces in paper, Paper still relates to qualitative research, this is a major problem. Go through paper and make correction, as this is evidence-based research. Make all MAJOR corrections in TABLE of CONTENT, and make them conform to entire paper. Make sure paper have appropriate citations throughout. Put all references into APA style and format with DOI, and reduce references to the 24 approved. Check All feedback on Rough Drafts, and make  correction. Again, all corrections must be made in relationship to qualitative research. Make all corrections throughout paper, before submitting final paper. 39 Growth and Development in Children A Master’s Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of American Public University System by Cynthya Wilson In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Psychology September 2021 Capstone Professor: Dr. Gregory The author hereby grants the American Public University System the right to display these Contents for educational purposes. The author assumes total responsibility for meeting the requirements set by United States Copyright law for the inclusion of any materials that are not the author’s creation or in the Public domain. © Copyright 2020 by All rights reserved. ABSTRACT Growth and Development in Children by Cynthya Wilson Master of Arts in Psychology American Public University System Dr. Gregory, Capstone Professor The study aims to identify the social, economic, biological, technological, and historical factors that affect the development of children, thus impacting parenting methods. Additionally, the study aims to identify the impacts of parenting techniques on child development with inference from single parents families. The study incorporated Quantitative evidence based on several experimental studies to achieve results. A combination of case studies, longitudinal analyses, and review of research articles on related topics made it possible to achieve the studys objectives. Also, the project embodied insights from educational journals after performing inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodology was impactful in generating the study findings that included the assertion; child development has four phases: cognitive, physical, social, and emotional. With excellent connectivity with thesis statement, the study unveils the impact of parenting style as an external factor towards emotional cognizance, confidence and behavior patterns among children during their development. Thus concluding, child development is an outcome of positive and negative emotional and physical factors across social, biological and historical settings. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 4 LITERATURE REVIEW 8 Critical Literature Analyses 8 METHODOLOGY 14 RESULTS 17 DISCUSSIONS 23 Synthesis of Critical Analysis of the Literature 23 Impact to Human Understanding of Growth in Development of children 28 CONCLUSION 30 RECOMMENDATIONS 32 LIST OF REFERENCES 33 INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem Development in a child entails the biological and physical improvements of an individuals internal and external aspects. The growth journey from being a dependent cohort and finally emerging as an independent adult account for natural habitats growth and development. It is therefore essential to embody the analogy that the growth process does not occur in a vacuum. The external and internal contributors towards attaining the results are segmented in social, cultural, religious, political, biological and historical prejudices (Gauderman, 2015). Therefore, parenting style and societal norms play a huge role in defining the future child. Hence, it is vital to study the topic since it will unravel the importance of investing in good parenting styles that will facilitate in shaping a desirable generation. Arguably relating with the child development phase and contributions of parenting approaches may facilitate the external observers and stakeholders to define their role in shaping a better future for the children. Accordingly, with knowledge in childhood development, one can relate with the rationale behind the existing difficulties among some children during their emotional phases, adulthood or even challenges in dealing with self-esteem. Ideally, the psychological aspect in childrens growth can be identified after elating core inputs into one emotional and mental connection. For example, after identifying parental attitudes as impactors on children growth, the reason for the decline in educational performance is identifiable and thus making it feasible to establish secondary measures to curtail similar occurrences. Ideally, relating to parental inputs tend to cement the need of appreciating growth and development in life. The study will affirm the need to understand oneself and relate to lifes biological and social development in a more precise analogy. Therefore, readers will be positioned to develop a meaningful relationship in life and even cultivate individual identity. Context of the Problem Early life in children shapes their identity in life, their health and general life view. Arguably the opportunities, shortcomings and privileges emanate from the childhood introduction to the general topology of life. Each child requires stable shelter, nutritious and safe food, reliable medical care, secured a relationship with ordeal caregivers, a quality learning environment, and eventually complementing responsible parenting. According to research, millions of children encounter instability in life, and the shift in topology affects their success later in life. For example, in developing nations, the medical care conditions are in demanding states, thus leads to the development of a poor mindset compounded by traditional perspective towards life. Organizations are chasing lasting solutions towards quality parenting skills to shape a responsible generation that will change the modern world (Gauderman, 2015). Therefore, relating with a core of development stages and required inputs in each setting with revive the existing parenting styles and even revolutionize the future parental care. The majority of the children thrive in a familiar environment where they are enlightened on what to expect from guardians, parents or siblings. Thus, individuals can relate to the instability contributors that trigger poor parenting among adults with the development aspect. The context of the study focuses on the critical aspects behind each contributing factor with its possible solution. Arguably, change in life is permanent. Some instant variations may impose stress on children, thus interfering with their development stages. Similar to external political and economic issues, parents may change their parenting approach based on their lives physical challenges (Alderman et al., 2017). Thus, relating with such factors will facilitate in shaping a discourse in future inspired by psychological thoughts. With high cognitive ability among children, parents should understand that their children emulate their physical behaviors and transform similar approaches in life, thus creating a cycle of solutions depending on the impact accorded by parents or guardians. Relevance to Field Through detailed analyses of the literature, a connection between psychological fields and the insights from various scholars is identified. With the topic of study being inspired by the need to understand why children and individuals behave and act as they do from childhood to adulthood, the literature review focuses on similar assertions and connects the three schools of thought. According to the article authored by Barbuscia and Mills, a connection between the impacts of preconception factors and cognitive ability among children is highlighted. In psychology, Piagets captures the stages of development and tends to analyze some of the characteristics in the cognitive phase. Therefore, through literature review, any external observe can relate with the new concepts of preconception as a genetic component and thus capitalize on the insights shared by Piaget’s (França, 2018). Arguably, similar assertions can be utilized in other schools of thought attached to social sciences and healthcare or even special care facilities dealing with individuals who have cognitive psychological disorders like autism. Psychological theories about development create a framework to relate with human learning and development across their lifespan. Dually, the literature review captures some of the conflicting external aspects that may deter the smooth flow of the detailed theoretical analyses. In particular, the article authored by Dell Agnolo and his team captures the impact of cesarean delivery in child development. Medical operations are configured to be perfect, but the scholars cite that a child projected development procedure might be influenced through literature review. Similar to psychology, Freuds theory on psychosexual development cements the impact of conflict in psychosocial behaviors and desires in life. With knowledge in the field, an individual may understand the assertion that fixation in life is not solely attached to erogenous zones. Additionally, Eric Erickson theory of psychosocial development captures the development stages among individuals from birth to adulthood. However, through literature review, external observations can complement the psychological fields knowledge with insights from Gurello and Fuller, who affirms that cognitive ability varies across racial boundaries. Relevance to Students Interest A literature review adds weight to students study and perfects their professional future research studies as part of any project. Arguably, literature review in the current topic has offered ideal insights that can be impactful in modern and future experiences in life. Therefore, each student should embody literature reviews since it demonstrates that one is an informed scholar with knowledge and skills in relevant professional journeys. Students can identify gaps in the literature and capitalize on them as part of their research topic in future studies. Once in a professional setting, a research project can attract reasonable grants if the topic appears to solve an ideal world problem that may enhance innovation or growth in a particular field. Further, the literature review provides an opportunity for any student to relate with trends in their previous and current related research topics. Thus, it complements the accuracy and reliability of the findings among the published projects. Vision and the bigger picture in each project can be easily lost if a student fails to utilize inputs from the literature reviews. Therefore, besides its demanding states, students need to commit to reviewing and presenting useful research articles accorded recent development cohorts. Arguably, the iterative process of literature review allows the students to identify complementary themes in child development and parenting skills that can then be impactful in current study projects in future professional journeys. An open question left for future research can be identified through literature review, as a student mastering the art will do one better than any other research process. LITERATURE REVIEW Critical Literature Analyses The first article utilized in this project authored by Mills and Barbuscia captured the theme of the differences between children born after alternative risk transfer in correlation with those born through natural conception. An inference for an experimental methodology to infer the Quantitative relationship proved impactful. After accurately utilizing a two-tailed t-test, the authors discovered that cognitive development was higher in children born with alternative risk exchange than in a natural way (Barbuscia & Mills 2017). Thus, the study connects with the research question in the current project since it aligns impacts of preconception factor as an external alignment in impacting child development. Therefore, with such an understanding of the topic, external researchers are invited to analyze other possible facets that may impact development in a child. According to an article authored by Goisis, thematic research question centered on assessing the social-demographic among children conceived through assisted reproductive technology. The scholars present their analyses with input from several Methodologies, including inverted regression approaches that embodied good and bad child care findings and a case study data from Norway. A correlation analysis between the two article reviews paved the way for an ideal research presentation (Goisis et.al, 2020). The findings of the article cement the analogy that efforts to improve congenital science and offer caregivers necessary support to enhance easy access to nutritional and health facilities for the child (Britto et al. 2017). The analyses reveal that parents whose prefer ART account more than 40 \% of the working and old age population. Ideally, the article facilitates responding to the research question aiming to identify the rationale behind the impact of social factors on child development. Therefore, with correlation studies from different countries sites the need to impose a similar approach in future studies. Christensen, achieve with, and other scholars analyze the theme of demographic levels and their impact on developing process among the children. Ideally, the study employs a quantitative research approach that cemented the need to incorporate low and high social- economic settings and assessed their differential ability scales. Arguably the findings of the article confirmed that low differential ability is influenced by low social-economic status. Therefore, the author suggested that medical practitioners impose interventions to facilitate easy maneuver among children in disadvantaged populations (Christensen et al., 2014). With an accurate alignment with the research topic, the article captures the impact of social-economic status on child development. Therefore, it is vital for any scholar to embody a flexible research approach that will capitalize on the findings compared to the studys cost and methodology. Dell Agnolo is a professor in psychology and utilized his knowledge in publishing an article that captures the theme of perinatal growth and its implications on children development. The alignment of the topic suits the main objective of the research since it embodies a backward approach that assesses the impacts of bariatric operation by considering the pre-existing risks (Shrestha, 2020). Analyses focused on the impact of bariatric operation after issuance of perinatal and obstetric upshots. A reliance on cross-sectional methodology made it easy to maneuver through the research. Structured interviews with women as the primary respondents made the data collection an easy process (Dell’Agnolo et al., 2015). The articles findings projected that children born after bariatric surgery had low speech recognition aspects and thus experienced low development in speech. Also, the affected children had low obesity that appeared to be a positive input for the surgery. Therefore, with an assertion of the contents in the article, research questions dealing with the studies main hypothesis are well responded to. Therefore, a scholar needs to think backwards sometimes since retrospective techniques can offer fundamental techniques that will be capitalized on to limit future implications from similar surgical operations. Improved air quality and its impacts on developing the lungs among young children is an interactive theme captured by Guardsman and his colleagues. The articles main aim relates to the research question in the project since it aims to relate biological aspects and natural facets in growth among children (Mostafavi, 2012). The methodology employed in the study included experimental approaches that aimed at pinpointing the correlation between air quality and lung development among children. After the statistical analyses of the data, the authors discovered that children from poor air surroundings experienced similar lung development quality. Similarly, good and clean air quality implored parallel development in the lungs (Rocha et al., 2021). With an ideal approach to cement the biological correlation with the natural environment, the authors insights contribute to the studys main objective of identifying a correlation between parenting, child development, and the environment. Guerrero and Fuller capture an interactive theme related to the growth and development patterns between Latinos and American children. The purpose of the study relates with the current project that affirms the need of identifying the speed of improvement in social skills among Latinos and Whites in early infancy but later lag after interacting with the social context in an ideal world. Arguably the theme captures the social impact of development among children (Nahar, 2012). Similar impositions are employed towards the parents who experience culture shock at some level in life after changing localities or residences from one region to another (Barbuscia & Mills 2017). The methodology employed in the study was experimental based and recorded data from the sample that was later qualitatively analyzed. The findings showed that the Mexicans unconventional settings affect the oral interaction that the whites have as they progress towards 48 months after birth (Guerrero, 2013). The outcomes connect with the research questions in the study, aiming to identify the impact of cultural and racial backgrounds on child development. Thus, as scholars, it is vital to employ a case study analysis with an implication of a psychology topic. Consecutively, the theme of obesity and its possible interventions is captured by Hall and his fellow researchers. The article embodies the use of the mathematical model to evaluate how children can outgrow obesity without losing weight first. The complicated nature of the study is made simple with the use of experimental and qualitative analyses in assessing the probabilities. After performing several models on the samples, the scholars discovered that adults could not avoid losing weight before concurring obesity, but the analogy was possible in children. Therefore, the article connects the findings to the current project that child development can occur without medical procedures. Ideally, the natural cause of development has high potential among children (Surkan, 2012). Thus, medical procedures are required among adults since the social, economic and biological confines have contaminated the ideal course. In a nutshell, it is vital to embody the psychological concepts shared in the article (Hall,2013). Biological processes are more rigid as compared to artificial medical procedures. Thus, to secure moderate growth among children as parents, one should embody natural breastfeeding to improve immunity among children and facilitate robust growth. Gross motor development is another theme captured by Kit and fellow scholars in assessing the Gross motor development among children between the ages of three to five years. The purpose of the study was to cement the importance of gross motor development and its input in fostering an ideal interplay with the surroundings. A descriptive methodology made sure the study is a success by implementing data from the national youth survey (Kit et al., 2017). Complex sampling procedures made demographics, variables and weight status to the study. After analyzing the data acquired, the scholars discovered that the appearance of motor skills in the expected time contributes to establishing an intricate relationship with the environment. An association of motor development with the environment contributes to a response in the research topic and research question aiming to identify the input of environment in child development. Arguably, the implications will add weight to the study and enhance cohesive response towards the topic by imploring similar impacts of the environment on parenting skills. Thus, as scholars, the wide array of topical questions captures and orients one experience to embody a diversified and dynamic approach in responding to a research problem. Family and contextual based procedures is another theme captured by level D and other scholars. Early growth and studies based on development allude to family assertions in connection to genetic influences. The study was made effective through the implementation of the qualitative study. Combined assertion with a qualitative approach revolutionized how individuals were assessed from diverse environmental settings (Willerslev‐Olsen, 2018). A connection between environmental impacts, family settings, parenting techniques, and child development is cited based on the outcomes. Therefore, the article will be impactful in the study since it complements the research topic and offers answers to some of the research questions in the study (Luo et al., 2021). Arguably, the articles content facilitates meeting the specific objectives in the study and relates psychological components with child development and environmental settings. Lonnerdals article focuses on irons intake as a contributing factor towards growth and development among infants. The theme of iron deficiency is a critical issue among young children, and the scholar directs the analogy to implore the impact of efficient iron in development. The methodology applied in the article utilized experimental approach methodology and cemented the case study on individuals who indicated possibilities of having iron deficiency (Zeng et al., 2019). Food and nutrition are an ideal aspect of growth across all population and children happens to have zero understanding on the standard requirements relating to food intake. Therefore, parents must implore scientific or advice from learned individuals to combine or eliminate fortified foods among young children (Batra, 2013). The dietary concerns may limit the growth and development of a child if not taken care of. Therefore, the study implores an effective input in the research topic by affirming the impact of food as part of the external factors contributing to growth. Notably, good parenting skills will contribute to feeding their children the required amount of iron, thus making it possible to reject the null hypothesis in the study. Further, an article authored by Pem expounded on the factors affecting development among children at an early age. The general approach captured the theme of the study parallel to the topic of the study. In particular, the author captured the subject of factors and challenges faced by young children during their early development (DiVall, 2013). The ideas correlated with other articles cemented the need to relate positively with externalities that may deter or accelerate the growth rate among children. Ideally, identifying the factors lies in the parents ability to relate with the specifics (Surkan et al., 2012). Therefore, the author found it reasonable to widen the topic using a qualitative research approach of experimental methods. The topical concerns in the article are responded to and offer answers to some of the research questions. The set objectives in the study are met with additional information to complement the previous insights, thus making the conclusion more concrete. Generally, the authors embody diverse research methodologies populated with longitudinal sampling approaches and qualitative data analyses. The wider mental impact on child development is discussed, making it simple for the project to generate reasonable factors that will impact future research. With the analyses of the previous literature, it is possible to incorporate ideologies on the existing gaps and capitalize on the inputs to develop a concrete topical presentation of the research design. The current research approach suits all the articles and embodies the insights from other scholars. Recognizing their inputs will function as a secondary reference in enhancing the primary research on child development. The articles ideal analyses create an effective background for future scholars since it implores practical and ideal case analyses. An analysis of the article creates an ideal approach to employ in the project. It capitalizes on the preciseness of identifying how parenting impacts confidence, behavioral growth, mental stability, motor development and improvement in interactive social skills. The thematic concerns in each article complement the study either indirectly or directly, and it will implore positive future growth in research abilities. METHODOLOGY Economic instability is among the main factors that trigger deficiencies in child development. The parents, economic well-being becomes relevant to children during their cognitive stages, and if not reverted, it poses prolonged impacts within the developmental stages. A finding indicated that brain development in low-income families tends to be slow using simple random sampling in the articles. Arguably relating the assertion from other sampling procedures, the outcomes were similar, confirming the hypothesis of the study that cognitive development is correlated with economic well-being among parents (Li et al., 2021). Arguably the outcomes were based on the probability sampling in which the selected parties among the population had equal chances of being utilized as a control population. The complimenting statements indicated that intelligence deficiency, limited creativity, and low brain development were rampant across the low-income families random samples. A longitudinal study alluded to the assertion that children born through invitro- fertilization (IVF) had higher cognitive ability than those born under the natural conception. In the collection of the IVF children, convenient sampling was employed by the scholars and defined the sample size. A similar sampling technique is employed when Anna and Mills present their study in the data collection stage. The article reveals that children born through alternative risk transfer indicated higher credit scores in cognitive ability than those born through natural conception. The scholars utilize longitudinal data within the first five waves between 2000-2012. The UK millennium segment contained a two-stage sample size of infants born between 2000- 2001 and registered as residents in the UK for more than nine months (Leve ,2013). The social security department dealing with child benefits was the source of the population that set aside the sample. The scholars note that they used a final sample of 15,218 children chosen from 14,816 families (Rocha et al., 2021). To cement the longitudinal approach, the scholars conducted follow up surveys in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012. According to the article authored by Christensen, his team utilized study approaches to acquire data for their study. In particular, the author utilized Fetal Growth and Development Studies (FGDS). A secondary sampling approaches utilized follow–up on development and growth and experiences. Arguably the delivered singleton infants between 1993 and 1994 were utilized as ideal samples in the study. The author made sure to analyze the growth pattern of the samples from their birth, noting the development phases based on the practical observations. Eventually, the scholars utilized 835 singleton infants that were further reduced to 326 for accuracy. The response in public hospitals was higher by 10 \% as compared to private hospitals. Accordingly, the article authored by Tovo-Rodrigues, captured simple sampling approaches in expounding on the correlation between intrauterine exposure to acetaminophen and its connection with emotional and hyperactivity among children during young age. Observational studies compounded with pertinent review of the previous research work in neuroscience, cognitive, and psychological development fields improved the quality of the findings in the study. Thus, the primary sampling approach embodies the review technique in combining the facts presented in the article (Tovo-Rodrigues, et.al, 2018). The general approach embodied a longitudinal population-oriented study assessed the outcomes through a study and difficulties questionnaire. The article authored by Wilton and other scholars explains the impact of the congenital Zika virus on growth and development among children. Using the quantitative approach with the compliments of observational, analytical and cross-sectional techniques defined the ideal connection between the hypothesis and findings (Lönnerdal,2017). Ideally, the selected sample was achieved through stratified sampling with strata segregated based on identifying the virus. The approaches followed the required ethical practices in research and were approved to utilize the private information from the medical records in conducting the research (Luo et al., 2021). Thus, the scholars captured their data from the medical information in the maternity section. An evaluation of the family members was conducted in two phases, with groups A and B being the ideal sample sets. RESULTS This study has established a critical idea that the children will embrace the characters that they observe from their environment rather than what they learn from the adults such as parents or teachers. The majority of the parents struggle to find the best teachers for their children whenever they establish that their work engagements do not provide them with enough time to engage positively with those children. It is common to find the parent hiring private teachers for the children to engage them whenever those parents and guardians are away from home. What the guardians fail to understand is that those teachings play a little impact on the growth of the children as opposed to whatever they observe from the people that surround them. Parents could spend an essential part of their time trying to engage the kids in proper manners that they should display as they grow up. … End of Program Assessment Manual for Master’s Programs Graduate Studies and Research American Public University System Charles Town, West Virginia, January 2021 Edition i TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ i Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 EOP Assessment Alternatives ................................................................................................................ 1 Grades ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Important Notes ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter I: Scholarly Research, Copyright, and Ethical Conduct .......................................................... 3 1. University Research Policies ......................................................................................................... 3 2. Institutional Review Board ............................................................................................................. 4 3. Copyright ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Copyrighting Your Research ............................................................................................................... 5 Fair Use Exemptions and Citation Responsibility ............................................................................. 5 Copyright Permission .......................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter II: The Responsible Conduct of Research ............................................................................... 7 Academic Dishonesty ............................................................................................................................. 7 For Comprehensive Exam Assessments ........................................................................................... 7 For Capstone and Portfolio Assessments ......................................................................................... 7 Institutional Review Board ..................................................................................................................... 8 Failure to Secure IRB approval .......................................................................................................... 8 Chapter III: Master’s Comprehensive Examination .............................................................................. 9 Beginning the Comprehensive Exam .................................................................................................... 9 Comprehensive Exam Course ................................................................................................................ 9 Taking the Exam ............................................................................................................................... 10 ii Notes: ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Proctoring .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Chapter IV: Masters Capstone: Thesis Option .................................................................................... 14 Beginning the Thesis Project ............................................................................................................... 14 Thesis Proposal ................................................................................................................................. 15 Preparing the Thesis ............................................................................................................................ 16 Notes: ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Approval of Thesis ............................................................................................................................. 17 Submission of Final Thesis .............................................................................................................. 17 Unsuccessful Capstone Attempts ....................................................................................................... 18 Second Readers ................................................................................................................................ 18 Chapter V: Masters Capstone: Creative/Applied Project ................................................................... 19 Beginning the Creative/Applied Project .............................................................................................. 19 Creative/Applied Project Proposal ................................................................................................... 19 Completing the Creative/Applied Project ............................................................................................ 20 Notes: ................................................................................................................................................ 20 Approval of Creative/Applied Project ............................................................................................... 21 Submission of Creative/Applied Project Report ............................................................................. 22 Unsuccessful Capstone Attempts ....................................................................................................... 22 Second Readers ................................................................................................................................... 23 Chapter VI: Masters Capstone: Practicum and Critical Reflection Paper Note: Please check your academic plan to see if this option is available in your program. ..................................................... 24 Beginning the Practicum and Critical Reflection Paper ..................................................................... 24 Practicum Proposal ........................................................................................................................... 24 Completing the Practicum ................................................................................................................... 25 Notes: ................................................................................................................................................ 26 iii Approval of the Practicum and Critical Reflection Paper ............................................................... 27 Submission of Critical Reflection Paper .......................................................................................... 27 Unsuccessful Capstone Attempts ....................................................................................................... 27 Second Readers ................................................................................................................................ 28 Chapter VII: Masters Capstone: Portfolio and Critical Reflection Paper Option ............................... 29 Beginning the Portfolio Option ............................................................................................................. 29 Portfolio and Critical Reflection Paper ............................................................................................ 29 Completing the Capstone .................................................................................................................... 30 Notes: ................................................................................................................................................ 30 Approval of the Portfolio and Critical Reflection Paper .................................................................. 31 Submission of Critical Reflection Paper .......................................................................................... 31 Unsuccessful Capstone Attempts ....................................................................................................... 32 Second Readers ................................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter VIII: Program Director Role in the End of Program Assessment .......................................... 34 Comprehensive Exam .......................................................................................................................... 34 Capstones (this includes all varieties: thesis, practicum, creative/applied project and portfolio) . 34 Chapter IX: Faculty Role in the End of Program Assessment ............................................................. 36 Comprehensive Exam .......................................................................................................................... 36 Capstones (this includes all varieties: thesis, practicum, creative/applied project and portfolio) . 36 Chapter X: University Declarations and Archiving ............................................................................... 38 1. Declarations ..................................................................................................................................... 38 2. Textual Components ........................................................................................................................ 39 Academic Style Manual Conformity ................................................................................................. 39 3. Images and Tables ........................................................................................................................... 40 Image Insert/Formats ....................................................................................................................... 40 4. Video or Audio .................................................................................................................................. 41 iv 5. URLs/Web Addresses ...................................................................................................................... 41 6. Submission to the Archive ............................................................................................................... 41 7. Passed with Distinction (a.k.a. PWD) .............................................................................................. 42 Appendix 2: Sample of Copyright Page ................................................................................................... i Appendix 3: Sample of Dedication Page (Optional) .............................................................................. ii Appendix 4: Sample of Acknowledgments Page (Optional) ................................................................. iii Appendix 5: Sample of the Abstract ...................................................................................................... iv Appendix 6: Sample of a Table of Contents .......................................................................................... v Appendix 7: Sample of List of Tables ................................................................................................... vii Appendix 8: Sample of List of Figures ................................................................................................. viii Appendix 9: Sample of Permission to Quote or Reproduce Copyrighted Material Letter .................. ix Appendix 10: Sample of IRB Approval Letter ........................................................................................ x Introduction This manual establishes the guidelines for completion of all master’s-level end of program (EOP) graduation requirements. The intended audience for this manual is all members of the American Public University System (APUS) academic community, including students and faculty. While it is intended to be a comprehensive overview of the general EOP requirements for APUS, students and faculty must follow any additional specific guidelines within their schools and programs. Information regarding program-specific guidelines should be available from your supervisory professor or your program’s director. APUS, including American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU), offers several options for assessing master’s program learning outcomes. These end of program assessments are designed to ensure APUS students have successfully met their program objectives, and each is designed to serve a different purpose. EOP Assessment Alternatives EOP assessment alternatives vary by degree program and include the following: • Comprehensive Exam • Capstone, which includes the following variations (availability varies by degree program): o Research thesis o Creative/applied project o Practicum with critical reflection/integration paper o Portfolio option with critical reflection paper Some programs offer the comprehensive exam to provide a formal assessment of the program content; this type of assessment is best suited for students who finish their formal academic training with the completion of the Master of Arts/Master of Science program. In programs offering the capstone thesis option, this type of research best suits students who anticipate seeking further academic training, such as a doctorate. Many programs in the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields offer the creative/applied project as a way to integrate theory with professional practice and demonstrate mastery in the field. Some professional disciplines may consider the practicum as the best option to integrate experiential learning into the curriculum. Finally, various 2 programs find the portfolio option appropriate as a way of showcasing learning for future employers and synthesizing skills learned in the degree program. Students are advised to work with their academic advisors to ensure that they take the correct courses during their degree and to enroll in the correct program version for their assessment preference, if available. Please be advised that some programs have only one EOP assessment option. Grades Students must receive a B- (80\%) or better on their comprehensive exam or their capstone paper/project in order to graduate. Any capstone project/paper awarded a Passed with distinction must be reviewed and approved by the Program Director, Dean, and the Office of Graduate Studies before being included in the APUS ePress Repository. Important Notes • The EOP assessment is meant to be a culminating experience, and as such, students should expect to demonstrate not only that they possess a thorough knowledge of their discipline’s literature and concepts, but also that they have achieved all of the program’s learning outcomes. The EOP is a unique exercise that requires a high level of commitment, both in time and effort. Success depends on the student entering the experience fully prepared and dedicated to completing the EOP in the allotted timeframe. • All students are expected to adhere to the conventions of standard English grammar and formal academic writing. Students who are struggling with their ability to communicate clearly in writing are strongly encouraged to complete the Graduate Writing modules early in their graduate studies. See also the graduate resources in the APUS Library at [email protected] • After being checked with a plagiarism detection tool and graded by the faculty supervising the project and upon being approved by the program directors and school dean, all capstone projects must be submitted for archiving by the program director. The capstone and critical reflection papers submitted must be a “clean” version of the paper. All spelling, grammar, citations, etc. must be correct and appropriate. Instructor feedback comments should not appear in the final version submitted to the archive. • Capstones that receive a grade of Passed with distinction may be eligible for inclusion in the APUS ePress Repository. For more on the APUS ePress Repository, see https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress. • Critical reflection papers, while eligible for the grade of Passed with distinction, may not be eligible to be placed in the APUS ePress Repository due to the personalized information that may be contained within the papers. https://www.apus.edu/apus-library/resources-services/Writing/writing-center.html https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress/theses 3 Chapter I: Scholarly Research, Copyright, and Ethical Conduct For quality assurance and approval, a condition of publication is that the capstone advisor agrees to have their name displayed next to the master’s capstone student-author. There will be no exceptions. All capstone projects awarded an A+ will be considered for inclusion in the APUS ePress Repository as an example of a capstone project that meets the highest level of distinction. Note: Critical reflection papers, while eligible for the grade of Passed with distinction, may not be eligible to be placed in the APUS ePress Repository due to the personalized information that may be contained within the papers. The final decision for placement in the APUS ePress Repository will be made by the Dean of Graduate Studies. 1. University Research Policies Misconduct in research implies the intent to deceive or defraud; it extends to the mistreatment of animals and human subjects. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication of or employment of spurious data, purposeful omission of any conflicting data, deceptively selective reporting, misappropriation of intellectual property, and cases of frivolous accusations. It does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretation or judgments of data. Student research misconduct resulting from regular course assignments that are not published for public scrutiny remains under the purview of the instructor and is not subject to these protocols. Other common forms of misconduct covered by these protocols are defined as follows. • Failure to receive IRB approval is conducting human subjects research without the appropriate review and approval by the Institutional Review Board. • Falsification of data is deliberately changing any form of evidence in such a way that it substantially affects its usefulness. • Plagiarism is deliberately appropriating the writing or recorded work of another without their consent or improperly documenting for ones own benefit. • Conflict of interest occurs when an individual serves or represents two distinct entities and neglects or breaches a duty to one entity to benefit the other or when a person uses their position with one entity to advance a personal gain or the gain of another entity. • Fraud and misrepresentation are deliberate attempts to deceive others to secure unlawful or unfair advantage. This category of misconduct includes providing false or misleading information to or intentionally deceiving coauthors, granting agencies, https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress/theses https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress/theses https://apus.libguides.com/APUS_ePress/theses 4 editors, or other interested parties regarding the results or the status of a research project. • Noncompliance is failing to comply with the published regulations of federal agencies, state agencies, the university, or granting agencies that support an individuals research. • Misappropriation of research funds is any deliberate act or omission in the handling of research funds that violates university policy, or the policies of granting agencies either state or federal. These policies apply to individuals (other than students involved in regular classroom assignments) engaged in any form of research and scholarship, funded or otherwise, in every discipline throughout the university. Note: APUS takes academic dishonesty very seriously. Any evidence of plagiarism will result in the student’s work being rejected. The student will fail the EOP course, and penalties may also include academic suspension or expulsion. Engaging in academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism will directly threaten the ability of the student to graduate from APUS. 2. Institutional Review Board Students engaged in research that involves human subjects and whose research is systematic and generalizable are required to complete an Institutional Review Board (IRB application, which includes Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program courses. Failure to receive IRB approval for human subjects research will result in failing the Capstone project and a Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) violation. Students who plan to engage in human subject research should discuss it with the course instructor at the very beginning of the course. The IRB process can take at least one month. Sanctions may vary depending upon the severity of the infraction, but may include formal written warning, failure of the course, academic suspension, expulsion, termination of research, and the destruction of research data. Actions taken by the IRB and the University also will be subject to Federal reporting guidelines. For a brief overview of the IRB, visit http://apus.adobeconnect.com/p1jpa3w9nwj/. For detailed information on the APUS Institutional Review Board, visit, http://www.apus.edu/community-scholars/institutional-review-board/. 3. Copyright Copyright concerns focus primarily on copyright law both for registering intellectual property and keeping to scholarly standards, especially the avoidance of plagiarism. In legal terms, the United States is a signatory of the international Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/index.html). More http://apus.adobeconnect.com/p1jpa3w9nwj/ http://www.apus.edu/community-scholars/institutional-review-board/ http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/index.html 5 importantly, internal enforcement is codified under Title 17 of the 1976 Copyright Act as amended. The Librarian of Congress is the officially designated interpreter of the act, which also is subject to decisions in the federal court system (See U.S. Copyright Office, http://www.copyright.gov). Note: Foreign copyrights are valid in the U.S. Material published outside the U.S. and may not have clear-cut rules. Some authorities advise that it is not safe to assume a foreign work copyrighted in the last two hundred years is in the public domain. Copyrighting Your Research Under the Berne Convention, original intellectual contributions are automatically copyrighted when captured in a fixed medium, such as in print or a video. Under U.S. copyright law, copyright for works created after January 1, 1978 normally extend for the life of the author plus 70 years. The creator also may choose to formally register copyright status. Registration is a legal formality that makes a public record of the exact details of a copyright claim. It is necessary in order to bring suit against an infringer for damages. Registration can be done online through the Electronic Copyright Office (http://www.copyright.gov/registration/), as well as by mail and in person. It requires three elements: • completed registration form • nonrefundable fee • nonreturnable deposit copy Fair Use Exemptions and Citation Responsibility Copyright law balances between guaranteeing the creator appropriate recompense and the public good. Materials are either in the public domain or under copyright. Anything published by the government or before 1923 is normally in the public domain and may be freely used. At this time, assume that anything else is covered by copyright—especially if it displays the international copyright sign: ©. Normally, students have no problem directly quoting reasonable amounts of material within their narratives. The 1976 Copyright Act has even included exemptions for educational purposes under the doctrine of fair use. The main test is one of substantiality. The amount of material that may be freely quoted depends on the size and nature of its context. Feel free to use a full page or even excerpts that total a chapter from a substantial book. Yet, an entire poem or substantial excerpts from a short story may be too big and require permission. Consult with librarians at [email protected] in the APUS Library for specific guidance. http://www.copyright.gov/ mailto:[email protected] 6 Similarly, media (images, video, audio, and datasets) should be utilized with the copyright holder’s permission or, if not possible, judiciously and with evidence of obtaining the media creator’s permission. Papers submitted without proper permissions will not be featured in the APUS ePress Repository. Questions regarding copyright guidance can be sent to [email protected] More importantly, university policy mandates that students must be aware of the crucial importance of attribution for direct quotations, paraphrases, or the source of ideas that are used in their manuscripts. Graduate-level papers are intended to share within a discipline and build on the work of its scholars. The general rule is, when in doubt, cite. Check the appropriate style manual of your program for details. Copyright Permission Although rarely needed, students may be responsible for securing copyright releases for substantial use of a copyrighted item. Permission also may be required as a courtesy for the use of materials from certain private collections and museums without respect to copyright. Any letter(s) of permission become part of the appendices in the submission (see Appendix 12 for a sample permission letter). Information about obtaining permission can be found http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html#permission. 7 Chapter II: The Responsible Conduct of Research Academic Dishonesty Evidence of academic dishonesty found in a comprehensive exam or capstone paper, project, practicum, or portfolio will result in a grade of an F for the exam or course. If evidence of academic dishonesty is present, options for the student include: For Comprehensive Exam Assessments • Accepting the grade and not receiving the degree. A letter of academic completion may be provided, but a degree will not be conferred. • Upon approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, retaking the exam at an APUS site (Charles Town, West Virginia, Manassas, Virginia, or location where an education coordinator is assigned; the student will be supervised by an advisor, program manager or Marketing site representative) on an APUS laptop computer disconnected from the Internet. The exam questions will be different from those on the previous exam and this exam will be graded by a different professor from the first exam attempt. The student must pass this second exam to have their degree conferred. The student will not be eligible for a Passed with distinction grade on any second attempt, and will not be eligible for Honors at graduation, regardless of GPA. The student must pay to retake the exam. For Capstone and Portfolio Assessments • Accepting the grade and not receiving the degree. A letter of academic completion may be provided, but a degree will not be conferred. • The student may be given the option (program dependent) to take the comprehensive exam instead; however, the retake is subject to the same rules as noted above. • Upon appeal approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student may be allowed, at their own expense, to retake the entire capstone course. However, the plagiarism incident will still be recorded by the Registrar and the student will not be eligible for honors at graduation regardless of GPA. Any additional incidents of academic dishonesty on the EOP requirement will result in the student being expelled. For appeals to retake a comprehensive exam or capstone after a reported incident of academic dishonesty, contact the Dean of Graduate Studies at [email protected] 8 Note: Any evidence of academic dishonesty found in work produced in a student’s end of program comprehensive exam or capstone may prompt a review of all of the student’s work at APUS. Evidence of repeated violations of academic integrity may result in disciplinary actions. Institutional Review Board APUS requires all research using human subjects undergo an IRB review, including capstone projects or papers. More information on the IRB process can be found here: http://www.apus.edu/community-scholars/institutional-review-board/. Failure to … 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 1/10 PSYC699 Week 13 Assignment Revised Draft Literature Review Activity: Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft Course: PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 Name: Cynthya Wilson Introduction Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Statement of Problem 6.8 / 8 Context of Problem 5.2 / 8 Relevance to Field 5.2 / 8 8 points Detailed statement of the problem and why it is important to study. 6 points Statement of problem and why it is important to study. Needs clarification and elaboration. 5.2 points Statement of problem and why it is important to study are included but incoherent. 0 points No attempt to include statement of problem. 8 points Detailed examination of existing literature to establish background for study. Key terms and theories defined. 6.8 points Examination of existing literature to establish background for study. Key terms and theories defined. Some details are vague. 6 points Examination of existing literature to establish background for study. Key terms and theories defined. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include context of problem. 8 points Detailed description of how literature review contributes to field of psychology. 6.8 points Description of how literature review contributes to field of psychology. Some details are vague. 6 points Description of how literature review contributes to field of psychology. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include relevance to field. 6.8 points Statement of the problem and why it is important to study. Some details are vague. 5.2 points Some examination of existing literature done in the field. Literature is not relevant to thesis. Key terms and theories are incoherent or irrelevant to thesis. 5.2 points Some description of how literature review contributes to field of psychology. Description is not relevant to thesis. 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 2/10 Introduction Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Relevance to Students Interests 5.2 / 88 points Detailed description of how literature review contributes to student’s professional interests. 6.8 points Description of how literature review contributes to student’s professional interests. Some details are vague. 6 points Description of how literature review contributes to student’s professional interests. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include relevance to student’s professional interests. Literature Review Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Literature Sampling Approach 5.2 / 8 Critical Analysis of Literature 7.8 / 12 8 points Literature sampling approach and techniques are clearly articulated and can be reproduced. 6.8 points Literature sampling approach and techniques are clearly articulated and can be reproduced. 6 points Literature sampling approach and techniques are vague. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to explain literature sampling approach. 12 points Thorough summary of the general state of the literature (cumulative knowledge base) on the specific research question by synthesizing themes, methods, results, and/or theoretical frameworks used in current literature. 10.2 points Summary of the general state of the literature (cumulative knowledge base) on the specific research question by synthesizing themes, methods, results, and/or theoretical frameworks used in current literature. 9 points Summary of the general state of the literature (cumulative knowledge base) on the specific research question with some synthesis of themes, methods, results, and/or theoretical frameworks used in current literature. At times, analysis is incoherent and/or is not relevant to thesis. 0 points No attempt to analyze literature. 5.2 points Some description of how literature review contributes to student’s professional interests. Description is not relevant to thesis. 5.2 points Some description of literature sampling approach and techniques. Description is insufficient to reproduce. 7.8 points Some description of the general state of the literature (cumulative knowledge base) on the specific research question. Themes, methods, results, and/or theoretical frameworks used in current literature are not addressed. Analysis is incoherent and/or is not relevant to thesis. 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 3/10 Literature Review Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Summary 5.2 / 88 points Succinct summary of each section before transitioning to the next section included. 6.8 points Summary of each section before transitioning to the next section included. Some details are missing. 6 points Summary of each section before transitioning to the next section included. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include a summary of each section before transitioning to the next section. Discussion Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Main Themes & Findings 5.2 / 8 Contribution to Field 5.2 / 8 8 points Clear identification of main themes. Detailed synthesis of conclusions from literature review to alter conceptualizat ions of existing paradigms or establish new paradigms. 6.8 points Identification of main themes. Synthesis of conclusions from literature review to alter conceptualizat ions of existing paradigms or establish new paradigms. Some details are missing. 6 points Some main themes identified. Synthesis of conclusions from literature review to alter conceptualizat ions of existing paradigms or establish new paradigms. Needs clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to identify main themes. No synthesis of conclusion from literature review. 8 points Detailed explanation of new knowledge gained through literature findings and how the findings contribute to field’s. 6.8 points Explanation of new knowledge gained through literature findings and how the findings contribute to field’s understanding of the overall topic. Some details are missing. 6 points Some explanation of new knowledge gained through literature findings and how the findings contribute to field’s understanding of the overall topic. Need for clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to explain new knowledge gained through literature findings and how the findings contribute to field’s understanding of the overall topic. 5.2 points Summary of some sections before transitioning to the next section included. Summary is incoherent or not relevant to thesis. 5.2 points Few to no main themes identified. Incomplete or incoherent synthesis of conclusions from literature review to alter conceptualizat ions of existing paradigms or establish new paradigms. 5.2 points Minimal explanation of new knowledge gained through integration of literature findings and how the findings contribute to field’s understanding of the overall topic. 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 4/10 Total 66.6 / 100 Discussion Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Implications for Future Research 5.2 / 8 Conclusion 5.2 / 8 8 points Detailed, insightful recommendati ons for future research, with supporting rationale. 6.8 points Detailed recommendati ons for future research, with supporting rationale. 6 points Recommendati ons for future research, with some supporting rationale. Need for clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include recommendati ons for future research. 8 points Clear, succinct summary of entire paper and findings. 6.8 points Clear summary of entire paper and findings. 6 points Some summary of entire paper and findings. Need for clarification and elaboration. 0 points No attempt to include summary of paper findings. Writing/For matting Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Did not attempt Criterion Score Writing/For matting 5.2 / 88 points Work is presented in a logical and coherent way and maintains an academic tone. Writing is clear, articulate, and error free. Citations are composed in proper format with few or no errors. Scholarly resources are used. APA formatting of Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, and References. 6.8 points Work is grammatically sound with a few minor errors and maintains an academic tone. Citations are composed in proper format with some errors. Scholarly resources are used. APA formatting of Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, and References. 6 points Work contains frequent grammatical errors. At times, work does not maintain an academic tone. Citations are inaccurate or improperly formatted. Some scholarly resources are used. Minor errors in APA formatting of Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, and References. 0 points No attempt to cite information or format in APA style. Scholarly resources not used. 5.2 points Some recommendati ons for future research. Recommendat ions are vague and lack supporting rationale. 5.2 points Brief, vague summary of entire paper and findings. 5.2 points Work does not demonstrate appropriate graduate level writing. Work does not maintain an academic tone. Citations are inaccurate or improperly formatted. Scholarly resources are not used. Errors in APA formatting of Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, and References. 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 5/10 Overall Score Exemplary 90 points minimum Accomplished 80 points minimum Developing 70 points minimum Beginning 60 points minimum Did not attempt 0 points minimum 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 6/10 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 7/10 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 8/10 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 9/10 10/7/21, 10:44 PM Feedback for Week 13 Assignment -Revised Draft - PSYC699 A002 Summer 2021 - APEI https://myclassroom.apus.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=113891&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=37342 10/10