Using the references you identified in the module 1, write a first draft of your paper in 2,500-3,000 words.

Include Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, and References sections and headings.

Refer to one of the journal references you are using and copy its writing style/format rather than APA (You can also typically go to the journal’s home page and find links to their exact rules). Identify which journal format you are using on the title page.

This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.

This week’s assignment is the fourth assignment for your evidence-based research paper/project. This week is the development of the first draft of your evidence-based research paper. You have been working on your topic for the past couple of weeks, and this is the culmination of all of that work into a complete document. The following criteria must be met:

• Your paper needs to be 2500-3000 words in length, and an effective evidence-based research paper needs to be this length.
• This is not a typical, informational research paper, but rather an evidence-based research paper. The basis of this paper is to have a research problem statement and that you address this problem with a testable hypothesis. That you use evidence from your peer-reviewed sources to test this hypothesis. 
  • Remember: The hypothesis is the basis for this entire project; therefore it is essential that you have a nicely defined and described hypothesis.
• Your paper needs to include the following required sections: 
  • Abstract: Actually, this is not required, but including it is helpful and informative. This is where you describe the major aspects of each section of your paper (typically only a sentence or 2 are devoted to each section), and use it as a short summary of your entire paper.
  • Introduction: Background information about your topic and its importance in the field of healthcare administration. Then definitively state your research problem statement and your hypothesis
  • Methods: How did you collect/gather the evidence that you are using to test your hypothesis? This is not where you need to describe the methods used in your peer-reviewed sources, but rather then methods you used to gather than evidence
  • Results: This is where you state/describe the data/information from your 7+ credible, peer-reviewed sources to test your hypothesis. You can only use peer-reviewed data/information as evidence for this paper 
    • In the past students have attempted to perform their own surveys/questionnaires and use this as evidence to test their hypothesis. That is commendable, but not acceptable for this paper. Unless the survey/questionnaire data comes from a peer-reviewed source, it cannot be used as evidence.
  • Discussion: Analyze the importance of the data described in the Results section, and discuss how that evidence is related to your problems statement/hypothesis
  • Conclusion: Summarize the major points of your paper and determine if your hypothesis was supported or rejected.
  • Reference Section: Include the sources cited in your paper using the APA Style (10+ credible sources are needed, with 7+ being peer-reviewed sources that are used as evidence to test your hypothesis).
• Make sure you accurately cite the information of all of your information throughout your paper, directly after you used that information. 
  • Direct quotes are rarely, if ever, used in scientific research papers. You need to paraphrase the information into your own words and then properly cite the source of that information.
  • Properly cite the source(s) of your information for your paper directly after you use that information in your timeline, and list those sources in a properly formatted reference section. 
    • Consult the GCU APA Style Guide (Resources -> Student Success Center -> The Writing Center) for detailed information related to citations and reference section formatting
  • Be sure to review the grading rubric prior to creating your paper to ensure that you know what is expected for each section and how each section is weighted in terms of points.
  • You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite, so you need to abide by the GCU policies related to the maximum allowable LW report score for a passing grade (20%). Failure to submit your assignment to the LW dropbox prior to submission will result in an incomplete submission, and late penalties will accrue until you completely submit your assignment to both the LW and LoudCloud dropboxes.