White Paper

 
White Paper
For this assignment, you are completing a white paper (a professional paper that compiles and summarizes present knowledge about an issue and proposes future action) on the topic you proposed in the Unit 4 assignment, Proposal. Your goal is to advocate that the fictional organization for which you are contracting use best practices to address an issue in adolescent psychology, based on recent, peer­-reviewed research in your chosen field (education, community service, government, and so forth). Your target audience is your work colleagues—educated laypeople who will understand your field but not necessarily have expertise in the area of adolescent psychology. Building on your initial proposal, describe in detail the current challenges that adolescents experience in relation to your chosen issue, how that issue impacts adolescent development, what current research has revealed about underlying causes and evidence­-based best practices when addressing the issue, and what subsequent solutions or best practices would be viable options for your organization to adopt in response to the issue. Your assignment must address the following:

Evaluate current research related to your chosen topic in adolescent development.
Evaluate the relationship between the literature and real-world practice in relation to your chosen topic in adolescent development.
Recommend best practices for positive adolescent development.
Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions. 

Optional Resource: White Papers PowerPoint Presentation. Use this resource from Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) if you need assistance in understanding what a white paper is or how to structure one.
Assignment Requirements
To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following additional requirements.

Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA style and formatting: Resources and citations should be formatted per current APA style and formatting standards.
    
Use APA subheadings.
Include a title page, abstract, table of contents, and reference list, per APA guidelines.


Length of paper: 5–7 double-spaced pages, not including title page, table of contents, abstract, or references list.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.
References: A minimum of 12 peer-reviewed resources are required.

Resources

White Paper Scoring Guide.
APA Style and Format.
White Papers PowerPoint Presentation.
APA Guide.