PSY 2301 – RESEARCH PAPER
Research Goal: Analyze and discuss in detail one psychological disorder (selected from the list
provided below) listed in the DSM-V.
Each student will be required to submit a 4-page research paper (no less-no more).
The “works cited or reference” page does NOT count in the 4-page requirement, but a works
cited/reference page is REQUIRED TO RECEIVE A GRADE.
See the “Research Requirements” below for directions and formatting guidelines.
You will be conducting research on one psychological disorder:
Select ONE topic from the following list of psychological disorders:
- Bipolar Disorder:
Including Bipolar I & II - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
Including Inattentive, Hyperactive, & Combined Type - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Whichever topic you choose, the portion for diagnostic criteria and symptoms MUST be located
and identified within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5
th
Edition (DSM-V).
This text is available at the Victoria College Library Online via the A-Z Databases List or directly at
https://login.ruby.uhv.edu/login?url=https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/ .
You do not need to list the coding information. Only the diagnostic criteria and symptoms.
Directions- your paper should include (in a cohesive flow of writing) the following:
Provide evidence and descriptive details in regards to DSM-V diagnosis (i.e. diagnostic
criteria, symptoms cited within the DSM-V).
Identify similar and different symptoms individuals within the diagnostic group (i.e.
culture) may experience and explain why there may be differences amongst different
individuals (hint: gender, age, and race and remember to use research, not personal
experiences).
Analyze, interpret, and discuss this disorder’s prevalence rate (hint: who, when, how
often and why these statistics vary). Utilize the DSM-V and other resources to provide an
in-depth analysis of the data and/or statistics in regards to the prevalence of this disorder.
List the possible treatments available for the group(s)/communities with this diagnosis,
include biomedical and psychotherapeutic approaches.
Identify and discuss all physiological health effects of the disorder and treatment,
Discuss the social stigmas associated with the treatment and physiological health
effects this diagnosed group/community experiences.
Note: A “culture” is a way of life of a group of people. It is the systems of
knowledge and/or behaviors shared by a relatively large group of people. A
“prevalence rate” is a statistical concept referring to the number of cases of a
disorder that are present in a particular population (gender, age, race,
socioeconomic status, etc.) at a given time.
Research Requirements:
You must use AT LEAST 4 official references. One reference MUST be the DSM-V.
All other references must be retrieved from a textbook and/or official online
journal/article through the library database (“EBSCOHOST”- see UHV/VC Library). No
unofficial online articles and/or websites allowed (Ex. Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo,
WebMD, Quizlet,…basically no “.com” usage) All references will be checked.
Pay attention to publication dates. You will want to present up-to-date research in your
essay. Outdated information will be subject to point deduction. Anything before 2013,
may be outdated. Do not use narrative writing (“Narrative” writing is any writing that tells a
story. This is a RESEARCH paper, not narration. ).
This is a research paper and should be strictly reporting facts. Also, avoid “I” statements
and “I am going to tell you” type statements. Simply state your research. There should be
no personal bias in a research paper or personal experiences.
o You may use MLA or APA when citing sources. Make sure to cite each reference
appropriately within the essay and on the works cited/reference page. In-text
citations (also known as parenthetical citations) are required in order to receive
a grade. You must also submit a reference/works cited page behind your
completed essay which should reflect the parenthetical citations used throughout
the essay. (Please access campus resources if you have any questions in regards
to in-text/parenthetical citations)
o Paper format should INCLUDE V# IN YOUR HEADER, have 1 inch margins,
be double-spaced, 12pt font, and Times New Roman.
o I also strongly encourage everyone to take your essay to the tutoring center for
assistance. Citation (in and out of text) and formatting are crucial to your grade.
You should utilize the tutoring center at least a week BEFORE the due date.
The tutoring center and library are great (and free) resource provided
by Victoria College.
Please SUBMIT a final copy in Canvas– When you submit it will go through an
automatic process. This means that it will be thoroughly checked for plagiarism.
Remember:
Academic honesty – Plagiarism and Cheating
(see page 31 Sections 7.1 and 7.2 of the Student Handbook).
**Failure to follow this policy can result in receiving a zero on the assignment and further
possible consequences implemented by Victoria College. **
Below is how you will be graded on your Canvas submission.
Mechanics
*Title & Correct Margins 1
*Appropriate Page Number’s 4
*Syntax (sentence structure) 6
*Grammar/Punctuation/Capitalization 6
*Correct Wording (i.e. definitions, meaning, etc.) 8
Proper Citation
*Proper citation usage and formatting within text 10
*Correct reference/works cited page (4 sources) 10
(- DSM-V Required as 1 source-)
** Failure to correctly cite information will result in the highest possible grade earned being a 50.**
Content
*Clarity/flow of writing 15
*Researched Facts (No narration) 10
*Complete discussion and evidence
of the required areas of research: 30
- Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-V
- Prevalence Rates
- Treatments
- Health effects Possible 100 Total points
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using information from a source without giving it credit. This includes words,
sentences, ideas, and how sentences and ideas are structured. While you may not intend to
plagiarize, it is a serious offense that can lead to failing grades, being dropped from a class, or even
being expelled from Victoria College. Be sure you understand plagiarism and how to properly cite
your sources.
What You Need to Cite:
According to Using Sources Effectively by Robert Harris,
you must cite someone else’s words you quote, words you summarize, words you paraphrase,
ideas (interpretation, opinion, conclusion) data, graph, photograph, drawing, table of information,
experiment, example, unique concept, apt phrase, expression of common knowledge, solution to
a problem, speech, video source (film, TV program), and the structure or sequencing of facts,
ideas, or arguments. (18)
Common Knowledge:
One of the items in the above list that we have to cite is an “expression of common
knowledge.” Common knowledge consists of:
• Commonly known dates and facts, such as the Alamo fell to Santa Anna on March 6,
1836
• The chemical composition of water, H2O
• Proverbs and clichés, such as “strike while the iron is hot”
• When you and your readers share perspective, such as if you are writing on a topic
in Victoria College or about the city of Victoria. Then, you would not need to cite
information on the town’s location, etc.
What you have to cite:
• Opinions related to facts, even if the facts are well-known
• When a source contains factual information that is still part of an opinion, cite the
source
• When in doubt, cite the source.
• REMEMBER- Utilizing and citing(in-text) the DSM-V is REQUIRED.
Avoiding Plagiarism:
Be very attentive to the details of your paper:
Take notes as you research and mark where you quote, paraphrase, or summarize the
material
Keep copies of each source so you can easily double-check what information comes
from each source
Credit the source of any ideas with proper in-text citations as well as a reference
listing in your Works Cited page
Signal the reader that you are using someone else’s words:
o Introduce your sources. For example: Austen says, “It is commonly known…”
o Instead of “says” you can also use: addresses, analyzes, contributes, critiques,
defines, discovers, disproves, establishes, evaluates, examines, formulates,
identifies, proposes, questions, recommends, reiterates, reports, suggests,
thinks, urges, etc.
o You can also use phrases such as “according to,” “based upon,” etc.
Review your paper and use of documentation carefully.