Throughout this course, you have done a great deal of reading on a variety of current trends and issues in education. In the week 4 module, you conducted research and chose a current trend topic in Elementary Education (topic chosen from https://www.edutopia.org/). If you prefer another topic that directly interest you or relates to your classroom, please feel free to research on that topic. I want this assignment to be meaningful and useful to you and your classroom. You will utilize the annotated bibliography information that you did during Module 4 to complete this assignment. A position paper is where you basically are supporting or not supporting an issue. However, for this assignment you will be supporting your chosen trend in Elementary Education. Your classmates may also be reading your paper so make sure that you provided in-depth information on the topic and current research from reliable websites or articles. Your paper will be 4-5 pages in length (double spaced – APA format). I following steps maybe helpful to you:
- Look at the annotations that you made in your Week 4 assignment. In which order would it make sense to put those in your paper. Does it make sense to do them chronologically? Does it make sense to do them topically? Put them in the order that makes the best sense to you, and type them into your document.
- After you have finished typing the information from your annotated bibliography, go back and clean it up. Put in transition sentences, so your paragraphs flow together. Make sure you have included all in-text citations. Since your paper is a research paper, take out any sentences that discuss your own perspective and opinions.
- Write a compelling introduction and conclusion.
- Do a spelling and grammar check.
- For your reference page, go back to your annotated bibliography. Type them into your reference page in alphabetical order, in APA style.
- Your completed paper should look like this:
- Cover page: APA style (complete with running head)
- NO abstract (even though that is typical in APA style; because you didn’t actually conduct a research study yourself, you won’t have an abstract).
- 4-5 double-spaced pages of your position on your topic, with research support
- A reference page – all APA style.
Your work will be scored according to the rubric on the following page. Please keep the rubric beside you as you look over your paper at the end so that you are certain you have done and included everything.
Upload your completed paper to the link provided with Blackboard. Also, place your paper on the Discussion Board for your classmates to review the information you provided on a Current Trend in Elementary Education.
Total points: 40 (paper) 10 (DB posting and response to a classmate)
Email me if you have any questions.
Position Paper Scoring Rubric
| Indicator | Unacceptable | Acceptable | Target |
| Cover page | Cover page does not include all parts, according to APA style; extraneous information is included; more than 2 mistakes in APA style, spelling, or grammar
|
Cover page includes all parts, according to APA style; 1 mistake in APA style, spelling, or grammar
|
Cover page includes all parts, according to APA style; no extraneous information; no mistakes in APA style, spelling, or grammar
|
| Content of paper | Paper contains a good deal of opinion that is not supported by the literature
|
Paper consists mainly of a report of the literature articles on the chosen topic.
|
Paper consists of a report of the literature articles on the chosen topic.
|
| Quality of research articles | Fewer than half of the articles chosen for the paper are scholarly.
|
Half of the articles chosen for the paper are scholarly.
|
Most of the articles chosen for the paper are scholarly.
|
| Reference page | Reference page has more than 4 APA errors.
|
Reference page adequately follows APA style; 3-4 errors.
|
Reference page strictly follows APA style; 2 or fewer errors
|
| Scholarly writing | Text is written in an informal way; more than 4 errors in APA style; paper has more than 3 errors in mechanics, grammar, or spelling.
In-text citation are not evident.
|
Text is written in a formal way, with few instances of informal language; 3-4 errors in APA style; paper has 2-3 errors in mechanics, grammar, or spelling. A few in-text citations are given.
|
Text is written in a very formal way; APA style is followed closely, with 2 or fewer errors; paper has no more than 1 error in mechanics, grammar, or spelling.
In-text citations are evident and APA correct. points
|
