A Sample Research Paper


The following paper is provided to give you a format to follow. Note that the actual topic of the paper, as well as all references, have been altered.
The format is that for the AMA, so the topic has to do with the health fields. NOTE THAT YOUR DOCUMENTATION FORMAT WILL BE DIFFERENT! The title page provides all the necessary information for purposes of identification. The paper itself is numbered, either at the bottom or top.
Please use the following format for your title page. IF YOUR DOCUMENTATION FORMAT REQUIRES A DIFFERENT STYLE OF TITLE PAGE, FIRST USE MINE, THEN FOLLOW IT WITH THE CORRECT FORMAT FOR YOUR FIELD.














Exploring (Your Career)

by

Student’s Full Name




English 123, Section 005
MWF 8:00-8:55 AM

H.E. Count Lloyd Worley, Ph.D.
Prof. of English
Paper #1
FORMAT: AMA, p. 285
February 17, 1992

Table of Contents


INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1

PREPARATION
Education ............................................................................................................ 1
Fellowships ........................................................................................................ 1
Certification ....................................................................................................... 2

JOB DUTIES .................................................................................................................. 2
People and Conditions.................................................................................... 2
Places ................................................................................................................... 2

VALUE
Salary .................................................................................................................... 3 Benefits ............................................................................................................... 3
Demand ............................................................................................................... 4

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 5

INTRODUCTION
I had a teacher in high school who had a (special study) problem as a child. Through extensive therapy, he was “cured” of his problem, and was able to lead a life free of communication problems. He was a small part of the ten percent of the speaking population in the United States with some kind of (special study) (1, p. 4). Without (career specialists), these people would never be able to overcome their (career study). It was my high school teacher’s story that made me want to learn more about (Your Career), in hopes that it would one day be my career. In exploring the field of (Your Career), three topics must be discussed: the preparation required to become a (career specialist), the work involved as a (career specialist), and the value of becoming a (career specialist).

PREPARATION
Education
Becoming certified as a (career specialist) can be a lengthy process. Initially, a person must obtain a Master’s degree in (Your Career). In 1987, 235 colleges and universities offered programs in (Your Career). Of these, 174 were accredited by the (Career Study Group) (CSG). Courses such as (special study) mechanisms are required. In addition, subjects such as (special study) are studied intensely (2, p.267).

Fellowships
After a Master’s degree is attained, a nine month fellowship must be completed. The fellowship is a paid internship in which the intern has a supervisor who is available for advice and consultation. The fellowship gives the



intern the opportunity at “hands-on” experience with various (career studies).


Certification
Upon completing the nine month fellowship, you must pass a national written exam and apply for licensure from (Career Study Group). When all of the requirements are completed, you are ready to go out into the world of (Your Career).

JOB DUTIES
What will all this work allow you to do? A (career specialist) focuses on diagnosing, evaluating and treating people with (career study). In addition, they may council the patients and their families, do research, or teach. All aspects of (Your Career) are diverse in the cliental and the problems with which a person works, and the possible settings available to work in.

People and Conditions
The people a (career specialist) works with can include any age: an infant born with a (disorder), a toddler who is developing late in (disorder), a school-aged child with a (disorder), a middle-aged adult with a (disorder), or an elderly person who has just suffered from a stroke. These, however, are not the only problems a (career specialist) may face. Others may include brain damaged or mentally retarded patients, or victims of cerebral palsy (3, p. 133).

Places
A (career specialist) can be employed in a wide variety of places, including



hospitals, clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, private practices, and nursing homes. In some instances, a (career specialist) may be “contracted out” on a part-time basis to people needing in-home care, or to various nursing homes and clinics (4, p. 166). Of the 53,000 (career specialists) and (career specialist) employed in the United States in 1988, almost one-half were in employed in elementary and secondary schools, and in colleges and universities. The remainder are employed in hospitals, speech and hearing centers, government agencies, industry, and private practices (5, p. 7).

VALUE
Salary
The hard work that accompanies the preparation of becoming a (career specialist), and the work once employed is rewarded through salary and benefits. Although figures vary from region to region, a 1989 survey conducted by ASHA found that “the median salary for a (career study) with one to three years’ experience was $23,000 annually...Experienced (career study), with 16 years or more experience, earned a median of $35,000 annually” (4, p. 166). Among the (career specialists) certified by CSG, it was found that the lowest mean annual salary in 1989 was in the southwest central region, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The annual mean salary in this region was $25,936. The highest mean annual salary, at $32,531, was found in the New England area, including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut (2, p. 268).




Benefits
Salary is not the only benefit to becoming a (career specialist). According to (Interviewee A), “benefits usually include paid holidays and vacations, health insurance, and pension plans” (3, p.135) Opportunity for advancement also exists depending on education and experience. (career specialists) are able to become supervisors in their field, can set up private practices, write books, do research, or act as a consultant (3, p. 134)
An interview with (career specialist) (Interviewee B) (6) revealed more than just financial benefits in the field. (Interviewee B) mentioned three additional benefits of being a (career specialist): diversity, education, and contact with people. She feels that (Your Career) is so diverse because of the wide variety of people a pathologist works with. She also noted that the Code of Ethics a (career specialist) follows requires a constantly updated education. A (career specialist) is always informed of new research and new procedures. Finally, (Interviewee B) discussed the benefit a (career specialist) gets from working with so many different people. “Work never gets dull or boring” (6).

Demand
(Your Career) sounds like such an interesting field, but is there a demand? The answer is yes. Demand in the health care industry is expected to increase for a number of reasons. According to (Interviewee C) (7, p.47), some of these factors include demographic shifts, cost containment and technological advances. (Interviewee C) states that “These factors are influencing the populations that speech-language pathologists serve as well as the contexts in which their services



will be provided”(7, p.47). In addition to these reasons, Larkin notes that since hearing loss can often be associated with older age, the increase in the population of people over 75 will cause the number of hearing-impaired people to grow quickly. Also, the possibility of neurological (career study) in middle-aged people which may cause speech, hearing, and language (career study) is increasing (4, p. 166). Other factors that are increasing the demand for (career specialists) are the growing public awareness associated with communication (career study), and the rapid expansion of available funds for further medical research.

CONCLUSION
There must be a great challenge in the field of (Your Career). With such a diverse number of people and (career study) to work with, it’s no wonder the field is growing. Although there is much preparation involved, and little financial reward, the personal satisfaction of helping people with communication (career study) communicate is reward enough.



References


1. Byrne, Daniel R. (Career) and Its Disorders. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, Inc., 1987.
2. Harmony, M. Many Careers: A Guide to the Fastest Growing Opportunities. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1990.
3. Career Information Center: (Your Career). Mission Hills, California, MacMillan, 1990.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Washington, D. C., U. S. Department of Labor, 1990.
5. Your Career Focus. New York, National Learning Corporation, 1988.
6. Interviewee A. Speech Pathologist. Interview. February 4, 1992.
7. Isariah, B. Opportunities in (Your Specialty) Careers. Illinois, VGM Career Horizons, 1988.