References may be found in the APUS library or search engines such as Google Scholar. The paper must include at least five, peer-reviewed sources that cover your chosen topic from the list below. Keep in mind that 5 is the minimum. A good quality research paper usually contains in excess of 10. Sources should be less than 10 years old and if using statistical data, it should be less than 5 years old. Do not forget to use in text citations to credit your sources.
Note that references used for your research need to be peer-reviewed/scholarly journals. These journals typically have the following characteristics:
1. articles are reviewed by a panel of experts before they are accepted for publication;
2. articles are written by a scholar or specialist in the field;
3. articles report on original research or experimentation;
4. are often published by professional associations;
5. utilize terminology associated with the discipline.
Use of newspapers, news magazines, and similar periodicals must be kept to a minimum, and will be acceptable only as sources for supplementary information.
Remember that statistics, studies and case examples add depth to your writing.
