HLTH 3501 AIDS: The Epidemic Spring 2021
Instructions and Grading Rubric: Scholarly Paper / Literature Review
Revised 1/15/2021PG
The submission of the scholarly paper is worth 25% of your grade.
Literature Review: The assignment includes a scholarly literature review (paper) of a
particular AIDS-related topic formatted using the most current edition of American
Psychological Association (APA) formatting guidelines. The paper is to be 6 pages of
content, not including the title and reference pages. The topic is HIV Vertical
Transmission. This is the transmission of HIV from an HIV-infected mother to her
child during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or breastfeeding (through breast milk).
Students are encouraged to utilize the writing center should written communication be
problematic. All reports are to be typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font, doublespaced, with one inch margins throughout the paper. Do not justify the right line. An
appropriate header should be created as per the APA guidelines. All APA guidelines
should be followed for the paper.
This assignment is an individual assignment. Plagiarism detection software
(Turnitin) will be utilized. Proper credit must be given to the appropriate sources.
Evidence of plagiarism will result in a grade of zero (0) being assigned for this
assignment and possible disciplinary action. This is not a copy/paste of what is included
in the articles but it is a descriiption of your understanding of the content of the articles.
Include the following in the completed paper:
1. An introduction to the topic of focus of the paper, including background
information and statistical findings relevant to the topic.
2. A review of at least six (4) scholarly articles that relate to the research topic.
3. A conclusion summarizing the paper’s findings about the literature relative to
the research topic.
4. A reference list in APA format. Papers must use at least six (6) different
references, with dates of 5 years or less for the literature review.
The scholarly paper/literature review will be graded on thoroughness, appropriateness of
content, quality of writing, and adherence to APA formatting.
Some hints on writing an appropriate literature review:
A ‘reference’ for a scholarly paper comes from professional literature, not web sites,
wikipedia, lay magazines, newspapers, or television shows.
Instructions and Grading Rubric: Scholarly Paper / Literature Review
Revised 1/15/2021PG
The articles should be inter-related and have relevance to the topic.
An appropriate introduction is required. Why is this topic important? The
introduction should be both complete and accurate. An appropriate scholarly paper
will begin with a formal introduction that states (for example):
“The purpose of this paper is to describe the complex phenomena associated with
counseling pregnant women with HIV. Recent medical advances have made the vertical
transmission of HIV to the unborn fetus a limited risk, although risks certainly can and do
occur. This paper will discuss some of the most recent psychology literature related to
presenting options and counseling pregnant females regarding pregnancy choices,
delivery methods, and treatment options.”
At this point, the student begins to review articles, by stating, for example:
“Smith, et al (2003) states that …..”
A review of literature is designed to ask the student to critically think about the scientific
information presented, evaluate its trustworthiness, and then draw an informed
conclusion. What does the article demonstrate/prove about the topic of the research?
How well are the conclusions supported?
In a review, a brief synopsis of the article is provided, strengths of the study are noted
(study size, type of study) and limitations are addressed. This type of format, or one very
similar, should be utilized with the scholarly paper.
An appropriate conclusion is required. The student should draw a conclusion based upon
the scholarly information provided in the articles. A critique of the articles is
recommended. What are the gaps in the literature? What was learned from the review?
