COUN 603 Research Paper Grading Criterion and Checklist Papers will include a critical review of your chosen literature, especially recent professional journal articles. The primary perspective will be from a premarital or marital position – not both. The paper should develop the student’s conclusions and interpretations based on the literature. Premarital Topics: • Incidence of conflict and/or violence in premarital relationships (what is it about, causes, responses of each member of the couple, therapeutic interventions) • Short-term premarital relationships (approximately 3 months or less before marriage; why do they succeed or fail, and what can we predict from the literature) Marital Topics: • Effects of unresolved conflict on marital satisfaction and longevity (what does this conflict look like and how might it be turned around) • Marital intimacy skills – can they be “trained” (what does the literature tell us about the possibilities of teaching clients skills that would enhance relational intimacy – could include the sexual area as well). 1. Papers are to be a minimum of fifteen (15) pages, but no more than seventeen (17), NOT including appendices, bibliography, or title page. 2. Students will follow APA Style instructions throughout. 3. Papers are to be typed, double-spaced, only using a #12 font size. 4. A minimum of six (6) professional references should be utilized, in addition to class texts and/or the Bible. 5. Emphasize QUALITY before quantity. Remove verbiage that is really only “fluff!” 6. Students are to create their own title for the paper and use their own presentation style. 7. Papers will be graded on the basis of clarity, flow, use of resources, interpretations and conclusions. 8. Students are expected to use citations liberally. 9. Make no statement (such as: “Most batterers are male.”) without appropriate citations. 10. The research paper comprises 25% of the total grade. Late papers will not be accepted.