Task
You will be writing a five-page research paper on a mental disorder of your choice. The disorder must be present in the DSM-5. Be sure to include the following:
- Description of disorder
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis criteria
- Treatment Options
The paper must be completed in APA (7th edition) and needs to include a title page and reference page (no abstract required). Please use 12 font size in Times New Roman. Must also be double-spaced. You MUST cite the DSM-5 and 4 other accredited sources in your paper.
Process
To start the task, begin by finding the disorder you plan to write about in the DSM-5. The library on campus has a copy of the manual for reference. Remember, however, that you cannot wait until the last minute for the assignment as the copy will likely be in use right before the assignment is due.
Take note of the criteria and symptoms of the disorder in the DSM-5. From there, you can use this information to find journal articles about potential treatments of the disorder. You may ask the librarian to find resources in the library collection or find reputable sources online (be sure to find a source that has free full access to articles as many sites require you to purchase an article in order to view).
Recommended Online Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ (Free to access journal articles that include psychology in its database)
Academic Search Complete or PsycINFO (both located under "A-Z Databases" on the library's website: https://library.cumberland.edu/home)
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html (For help formating in APA)
Learning Advice:
It is highly advised that you keep your data organized as you complete your research. A great way to do this is to create a working outline for your paper. This can help keep your structure linear and organize your sources as you go. An example of the format includes the following:
Introduction:
- Introduce disorder
- Discuss the points you plan to discuss
- A brief overview of the paper
Body:
- Topic 1
- Source #1
- Source #2
- Topic 2
- Source #3
- Source #4
- Topic 3
- Source #5
- Source #6
Conclusion
Evaluation
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Correct APA (7th Edition) is used with no mistakes | APA is used but a few mistakes are made | APA is used but several mistakes are made | APA is barely identifiable and is filled with notable errors | APA is not used |
| Sources | 5 sources (including the DSM-5) are used | 4 sources are used | 3 sources are used | 2 sources are used | 1 or no sources are used or the DSM-5 is not used for the assignment |
| Information | All required points are present | Most required points are present | Some required points are present | Few required points are present | The paper does not include any of the requirements as outlined in the task |
| Due Date | On time | 1 day late | 2 days late | 3 days late | <3 days late (No credit will be given) |
Conclusion
By the end of this assignment, you should be familiar with how mental disorders are defined. You will also become familiar with the usage of the DSM-5 and how it is used professionally to diagnose and categorize disorders. This should help you gain essential research skills to use throughout your college career, especially upper-high courses.
Credits
Created by Jeannie Lewis for ED 340
Cumberland University
2/27/22