Question - In your paper, describe the population to the best of your ability, including their status in higher education in the United States today. This should be a comprehensive literature review of the empirical research on your population; this does not mean that you will just piece together a summary of various research studies on you population, but rather you will synthesize and provide analysis of what the research on your population means for this particular group of students in higher education.
The ultimate goal of this paper is to extend your knowledge of a given population and to make it have real meaning for your upcoming work.
Recommended length: This assignment should be between 8-10 pages in length.
Your paper can be organized in many different ways depending on your topic and your own style of writing, however, each paper should include:
- An introduction of your population (Consider: What is the definition of your population? What is their status in higher education? Why is this an important population to consider?)
- A "roadmap" explaining what your paper is about and what you will be discussing in your paper
- A comprehensive review of the literature on your population. If there is insufficient literature on your specific population, you should look to related bodies of literature or similar student populations that may inform your understanding of your population. Remember, the focus of this assignment is on understanding a particular population of students, so focus your literature review on that.
- Identification of gaps in the literature
- An analysis of implications for student affairs practice (and, if applicable, future research) based in your review of the literature
- A conclusion
- References