Nutrition – Academic Term Paper (Choice of Related Topics)

Expectations for this Project

You should be able to:

1. Identify a nutritional topic of interest that can be applied to a current nutritional issue.
2. Identify information that addresses the nutritional issue.
3. Analyze information for application to a defined population.
4. Examine areas in which additional information may be needed to help a defined population address a nutritional issue.
5. Recommend approaches to distribute the nutritional information to a defined population.

Topics

You can choose from a variety of topics as the focus of your academic research paper. General topics include the following:

1. Identify macro- and micronutrients, their functions, and their effects on health and well-being.
2. Examine the differences in nutritional needs throughout the life cycle.
3. Explain the various factors that affect the safety of food products and the new technologies that affect food supplies.

If you’re interested in a specific topic, you’ll need to include the signs and symptoms and the relationship of these manifestations to the nutritional disorder. You’ll need to also focus on the treatment, the expected outcome of the treatment, measures to determine if the outcome has been reached, and any actions that can be taken to prevent the health problem.

Examples of specific topics include the following:

• Application of nutrigenomics.
• Use of MyPlate with a vegetarian eating plan.
• Fluid balance through the lifespan.
• The impact of nutrition on the development of:
  • Hypertension
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • Heart disease
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Protein-calorie malnutrition
• Analysis of eating plans (fad diets) that restrict:
  • Protein
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fats

Sections of the Paper

The paper should include the following sections:

• Title page
• Table of contents
• Abstract
• Introduction
• General information
• Application
• Approaches or treatments
• Expected outcomes/recommendations
• Conclusion/summary
• Reference list

Title Page

The title page identifies the title of the paper. The title of the paper should reflect the content.

Table of Contents

A table of contents identifies the sections within the research paper. This part of the paper is typically created last since it lists the topics and the associated page numbers within the paper.

Abstract

The abstract is a summary of the entire paper. This part of the paper is also written after the entire paper is complete. The length of the abstract should be about 100 to 200 words and should include information that appears elsewhere in the paper. This is not the location to introduce new ideas, concepts, or information.

Introduction

The introduction is where the topic of interest is introduced to the reader. This part of the paper may be up to five or six paragraphs in length. Information that appears here may include generalities about the purpose of the paper, who will benefit from reading the information in this paper, why the topic is important, and the overall goal of writing the paper.

Information about the background of the topic appears here as additional evidence of the importance of the topic.

General Information

The general information section provides a global view of the topic you’ve chosen. This section may be approximately five or six paragraphs in length and serves to provide the reader with an overview of the concept or topic. Many resources on writing academic research papers consider this section to be the preferred location for placing the thesis statement. A thesis statement is the problem statement or an explanation of the issue.

Here you can include statistics about the nutritional issue or health problem caused by it, such as the number of people it affects, the locations where it most likely occurs, the time of year, and any other criteria that makes this an important issue to discuss.

You might want to create or insert a diagram or table demonstrating the impact of the issue.In this section, you would also place any pictures or illustrations that would help the reader understand the issue and its importance to nutrition.

Application

The application section of the paper provides much more substantial information about the topic. Here, you should focus on:

• Who would find this topic of interest
• When this topic needs to be addressed
• Where this topic has specific applicability
• Why this topic is important

Approaches/Treatments

Use of the approaches/treatments section will depend on the topic. If the topic is a specific nutrient, strategies to ensure that the nutrient is being ingested in recommended amounts may appear here. You may also include a table or image here that identifies the recommended amount of the nutrient.

If the topic is a specific health problem, such as obesity or anemia, then this section may identify actions to take to help eliminate or reduce the effects of the health problem.

The length of this section will depend on the topic selected and the amount of creativity used when designing strategies.

Expected Outcomes/Recommendations

The expected outcomes/recommendations section identifies the results expected when a strategy to address the topic or health problem is implemented. Each outcome should identify the approach to be used to measure the effectiveness. Measurements should be objective or use concrete data such as laboratory values, changes in body weight, amount of time engaging in an activity, and so on.

From the expected outcomes, recommendations can be made. Here you are to identify steps or actions for a person to take to adjust or change nutritional habits to achieve a specific outcome.

The overall length of this section will depend on the number and type of expected outcomes and the associated recommendations.

Conclusion/Summary

The final section of the paper is the conclusion or summary. Here all of the major points discussed in the paper are reviewed along with the conclusions formed by analyzing the topic.

Reference List

All academic papers must contain a list of references (print and/or online resources) used when researching and writing the paper.

Writing the Paper

The following instructions should be implemented when preparing your paper:

1. Set all page margins to be 1 inch.
2. Begin each section on a new page.
3. Use the font Times New Roman at 12 point.
4. Support your opinion by citing specific information from any references, using correct APA guidelines.
5. Write the table of contents after the entire paper has been written.
6. Write the abstract after the entire paper has been written.
7. Proofread your completed paper several times to check for typographical errors. Read through the entire paper to make sure you have included all essential elements and that the correct page numbers are listed on the Table of Contents.

Grading Criteria

Introduction:

• The well-developed introduction engages the reader and creates interest (4 points)
• There is a thesis statement included at the end of the introduction. (4 points)

Thesis Statement:

• Is extremely clear and reflects in-depth understanding of the topic. (4 points)
• Written as a complex, focused, and correct sentence. (4 points)
• Gives the paper a strong, organized direction (4 points)

Body—Major Points:

• Major points are definitely and precisely articulated. (10 points)
• Every major point clearly and effectively explains a part of the thesis. (10 points)
• Major points clearly and effectively sync with all ideas. (10 points)

Body—Supporting Details:

• Each main point is explained clearly and has detailed/examples to support it. (10 points)
• Supporting details are clear, sophisticated, insightfully chosen, and show an in-depth understanding of the topic. (10 points)
• The body is organized well with transitions from one idea to the next. (10 points)

Conclusion:

• The conclusion effectively brings the essay to an end. (5 points)
• It summarizes the main points and paraphrases the thesis statement. (5 points)

Spelling/grammar/mechanics/formatting:

• Little to no spelling, grammar, and mechanical errors. (5 points)
• The paper is formatting according to the assignment instructions. (5 points)

Total Score (out of 100 points)

Scoring Scale:

100% – 90% = A          Skill realized

89% – 80% = B                        Skill Developing

79% – 70% = C                        Skill Emerging

69% – 0% = F               Skill Not Evident