Autobiography and Research Synthesis Paper Instructions

Rationale: The Autobiography and Research Synthesis Paper is the course benchmark assignment. It is to reflect (1) influences on your life that led you to become a teacher, (2) key thoughts about the teaching field, and (3) research related to your key thoughts. You will focus on your development as a learner and your decisions to choose teaching as a career. Ensure that context is relevant to the topic and does not digress from these topics.  As an academic paper, it is to be supported and illustrated by the body of knowledge in the field, which is to include references to the literature on educational topics.  

Alignment with Measurable Learning Outcomes: This assignment aligns with the following outcomes: 

· MLO: A – Demonstrate skills in writing in that incorporate biblical worldview principles.

· MLO: C – Apply information from the knowledge base on teaching and learning to your own teaching and learning experiences.

· MLO: E – As you convey your personal experiences, analyze them in light of principles related to individual differences.

Specific Guidelines

Current APA: The paper is to be formatted in current APA. 

Number of Sources: Cite at least 3 sources throughout the paper and list them on the reference page. One of your sources must be the Sousa and Tomlinson (2018) textbook. The other 2 sources are to be research articles from academic journals. At least one of these two articles must be an article you have not used in a previous assignment for this or any other course. The other article(s) may be ones you have used in other assignments, such as the previous Research Article Review assignment that you have already submitted. All articles must have been published within the past five years. 

Length: This paper must be 4–5 pages from the introductory paragraph to the conclusion, which does not count the title page or reference page. Per current APA, font is at 12 points, and the manuscript is to be double spaced without any additional space/lines between headings and paragraphs. 

Structure: The structure and headings of your paper should align with the rubric and also with the description below. 

1. Title Page

• Pagination: In current APA,      all pages are numbered. The title      page should be page 1.
• Running      Head:      The running head on the title page is different than the others. It should be left-justified,      capitalized, and worded as shown here: 

Running head: ABBREVIATED ALL-CAPS TITLE 

Note that the words “Running head” are inserted before the all-caps abbreviated title and that it is followed by a colon. Also, the “h” in the word “head” is not capitalized.

• Title: The title      should not be the name of the      assignment (i.e., Autobiography-Research Synthesis). Instead, it should be a phrase drawn      from the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. It should provide the reader a hint of      the topic and the main idea supported throughout the paper and may be      phrased in a clever, unique fashion. The first letter of all words should be capitalized except for      articles (e.g. a, an, the), conjunctions (e.g., and,      but), and short prepositions      (e.g., of, about), unless they appear as the first word, which is always      capitalized. Center your title and      position it near the middle of the page or slightly above the middle. Do not use bold font anywhere on the      title page.
• Other      Information on Title Page: Position the items below in the      bottom third of the page.

o Student Name

o Course Number

o Liberty University

o Year

2. Introduction: Do not use the word “Introduction” as a heading for this section. Per current APA, it is optional to insert the title again as the heading above the introduction; however, no heading above the introduction is required. If you choose to insert the manuscript title here, it should be in non-bolded, centered font and should be capitalized that same way as it is on the title page. 

· The running head on the abstract and subsequent pages is different from the running head on the title page. The only difference is that it omits the words “Running head,” so that it looks like this:

ABBREVIATED ALL-CAPS TITLE

· The purpose of this paragraph is to introduce the thesis statement that will be developed throughout the paper. The thesis statement is the main idea you are presenting. All other ideas will serve to support the thesis statement. 

It is best to place the thesis statement at the end of the introduction. It is typically one or two sentences that serve as a transition into the rest of the paper. Some writers choose to place it as the first sentence of the introduction. Either option is acceptable as long as the introduction is well written and has a logical progression of thought. 

3. Life Influences: This required heading should be centered and in bold. You have a great degree of latitude to explain the life experiences that led you to consider teaching as a career. However, you may use the questions below to help you think about how to proceed. Do not simply answer the questions; instead, use them to spark your thought.  

· How would you describe your personality/character traits and to what would you attribute them?

· What life experiences helped develop you as an individual who has come to consider teaching as a profession?

· What abilities and skills have you developed that may help you serve as a teacher?

· Has there been a role model that has influenced you?

4. Learner and Future Teacher: This required heading should be centered and in bold. As with the ones above, use the questions below as suggestions. This section would be a good place to cite some ideas from your sources, especially as they address your own learning processes and thoughts about becoming a teacher.

· What learning and teaching experiences have influenced you? 

· How have work experiences impacted you as a learner and future teacher?

· Have you set goals for yourself as a learner and/or a future teacher? What influenced you to decide on those goals? 

· How has your university coursework so far influenced you as a learner and future teacher? 

· How would you reflect on your own learning preferences? What implications does your learning profile have for your own teaching? 

5. Research Considerations: This required heading should be centered and in bold. In this section synthesize your life experiences and thoughts about education with related concepts in research. Consider topics from Sousa and Tomlinson (2018) and also include at least two research articles from academic journals that address your topic of interest. The questions below might help: 

· How does research address life experiences you have had in your own educational experience?

· Is there research that addresses your own educational and/or professional goals?

· What research have you read that has influenced your thoughts as a learner and a future teacher?

· What research is there on your own learning preferences and the implications your own learning profile has for your future teaching?

6. Conclusion: This final required heading should be centered and in bold. Although your conclusion should include concepts from the thesis statement in the introduction and should have some alignment with the title of the paper, you should not simply restate the thesis statement. Wrap up the paper by emphasizing your main idea and draw a clear conclusion. Typically, a good conclusion does not introduce new information. The conclusion is where you are to discuss implications for the future about what you have already shared. Draw together the strands from your life experience, thoughts about teaching, and relevant research that addresses your thoughts about teaching.

References: You are to have at least three academic sources. One of them must be the required textbook for this course. The other sources are to be research articles from academic journals. Although this is an autobiography, you are to support principles mentioned in the paper with legitimate sources. Below is a list of considerations regarding references: 

· Textbooks from your other courses may serve as additional references.

· The Bible may be cited in the body of the paper, but it is not to be listed on the reference page. To cite it in the body of the paper, simply use the Scripture reference. If you quote a Scripture directly, you must parenthetically enter the translation for the first quotation. Examples: 

• John 3:16       states, “For God so loved . . .” (NIV).
• Our class       recited in unison, “For God so loved . . . “ (John 3:16, NIV).

· Books you have read that have influenced your development as a learner and/or your decision to become a teacher.

· Do not use Wikipedia as a source in an academic paper. Because it is an open platform, the information is constantly being changed by registered users and is not always reliable.

· A variety of resources should be represented: books, journals, online, Christian, secular, etc.

Point of View: Because this is an autobiography, you may use first person pronouns such as “I” and “me,” but do not overuse them. Do not refer to yourself in third person.

Pronoun Usage: Two problems students frequently have in their writing tend to be (1) pronoun-antecedent agreement and (2) the gender issue of “he or she.” 

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. It is incorrect to write, “Each teacher [singular] should manage their [plural] own classroom.”

Gender Issue: It is considered sexist if you repeatedly use singular antecedents and follow them up with masculine pronouns. For example, “Each teacher should manage his own classroom.” It is also problematic if you redundantly use “he or she” and “his or her.” (Please don’t use “he/she” or “his/her.”) There is a solution! 

To assist in avoiding both of the problems above, it is recommended that you write in plurals as consistently as possible. For instance, use students, principals, teachers, parents, schools, etc., instead of their singular counterparts. Follow these antecedents up with “they” or “their.” This avoids the gender issue altogether. When you find that you must use a singular, you may periodically use “he or she” or simply restructure the sentence to avoid the “he or she” if possible. Rare use of it is fine. 

Academic Integrity: Every paper will be evaluated for originality by SafeAssign, which reports to the professor the degree to which your paper is suspected of plagiarism. The following tips will help you avoid plagiarism:

Direct Quotes: No more than 10% of your paper should be made up of direct quotes. Therefore, do more summarizing and paraphrasing than quoting. Short quotes should be in quotation marks and longer quotes should be indented (see current APA). If you do not set off direct quotes in this manner and/or do not cite them, it is plagiarism. 

Ideas and Facts: If the idea or fact is not your own, you must cite its source. When not directly quoting, summarize or analyze the idea in your own words. 

Submit the Autobiography & Research Paper by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on