Applied Psychology: From Theory to Practice Final Paper

For your Final Paper assignment, you will demonstrate your knowledge of applied behavioral science by utilizing summarizing information you have learned throughout this course.

Prepare: To begin, review the case study you selected in Week Three of the course. Remember, you must use this case study. Pay special attention to the topic you selected and the area from which you will draw your research on the topic as noted in the title of the case study. For example, if you selected Case Study #1, you would explore the topic of Major Depressive Disorder from the clinical psychology perspective. If you selected Case Study #5, you would explore motivation from the industrial organizational psychology perspective.

Reflect: Next, research the chosen topic using scholarly resources, and craft a thesis statement regarding your selected topic. For assistance with creating a thesis statement, utilize the Thesis Generator (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. tool on the Ashford University Writing Center website. Your final paper must contain at least six peer-reviewed journal articles, published within the past 10 years, which are cited according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Examples of peer reviewed journals include, but are not limited to, the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Interventions, The Behavior Analyst Today, Journal of Speech-Language Pathology & Applied Behavior Analysis,and Journal of Behavioral Education. Additional scholarly sources (e.g., information from government websites and professional association websites) may be included over and above the required six peer-reviewed journal articles. Popular sources (Wikipedia, Newsweek, New York Times, Psychology Today, About.com, PsychCentral.com, etc.) are not considered peer-reviewed sources. For further assistance in determining whether or not a source is a peer-reviewed journal article, be sure to access the Scholarly and Popular Resources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. tutorial on the Ashford University Library website.

Write:

In a well-developed eight- to ten-page paper address the following criteria for the case study you selected in Week Three. See the ABS200 Case Study List located in your online classroom to review the case studies.

• The paper must begin with a well-written introduction that includes a succinct thesis statement. For assistance with creating a thesis statement, utilize the Thesis Generator (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. tool on the Ashford University Writing Center website.
• Your introductory paragraph must include a description of the basic characteristics of science and a definition of applied behavioral science and the area of psychology from which the case study is explored.
• Identify and describe the potential source(s) and/or cause(s) of the issue that is/are relevant to the selected case study (e.g., genetic, environmental, social, cultural, organizational).
• Examine the case study by applying one psychological theory of your choice pertinent to applied behavioral science.
• Describe scientific research that is relevant to your selected case study. Include past and current findings and note any key changes.
• Identify and describe any relevant trends in working with your intended population.
• Detail a suggested plan of action, including advantages and disadvantages, for moving forward.
• Specify what you would do to build rapport with the clients in the selected case study.
• State ethical considerations that are relevant to this case.
• You must end your paper with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis and include an examination of the pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of utilizing at least one applied behavioral science intervention method to address the concerns in the scenario you selected.

The Applied Psychology: From Theory to Practice Final Paper

• Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
• 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 begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
• Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. View the Critical Thinking Community (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. website for further assistance.
• Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis and summarizes supporting evidence.
• Must use at least six peer-reviewed journal articles as sources, including a minimum of four from the Ashford University Library.
  • The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate references 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.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment