Topic Selection and Rationale

Assignment Introduction  In Unit 1, we discussed sample populations and the concept of family as a social construct. For your course project, it is important that you understand both of these concepts to select an appropriate topic to study (such as discipline strategies in Latino families or family dynamics in single-parent families).  Note: Remember to review the requirements for your final project before you begin each assignment. As you begin each assignment, consider how the research and thinking you do might contribute to your work in the final project.  Assignment Instructions  In this assignment, you will identify your topic for the course project and the rationale for your selection.  Refer to the Capella library guides Improve Your Topic and Human Resources PhD Research Guide and the Capella media piece Inverted Pyramid Exercise (linked in Resources) to help you narrow your research goals.  First, define a specific family sample (such as adolescents, fathers, mothers, same-sex couples, or African American families). Then identify a social issue that affects families (such as change in marital dynamics after having a child, discipline strategies, parenting adolescents, caring for extended relatives, divorce, death of a family member, or grandparents parenting grandchildren). Explain how this issue is important to family dynamics research (for example, perhaps there are cultural variations or it shows how developmental changes influence family dynamics). Please be specific when you define your selected family sample, including age, gender, and cultural group. Support your response with references to the readings.  Topic Examples: •Parenting roles for same-sex couples. •Discipline strategies in Asian-American families. •Grandparents rearing their grandchildren. •Family dynamics in single-parent families. •Change in marital relationships after having children.  Assignment Objectives  Your assignment should fulfill the following objectives: •Define a specific family sample. •Identify a social issue that impacts families. •Explain how this issue is important to family dynamics research. •Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.  Additional Requirements  In addition to meeting the assignment objectives, your assignment must include the following: •Written communications are free of errors that detract from the overall message. •Sources: 3 scholarly references to course readings or peer-reviewed articles. •Length: Minimum 2 pages. •Formatting: Adhere to current edition APA style and format. •Font: Times New Roman, 12 points.  Resources .