Critical Thinking in Cosmetology: How Reasoning, Evaluating,…

Rationale This assignment helps students reflect on how critical thinking methods are used in professional contexts. The assignment is to be completed individually without the assistance of other students. Students may use the assistance of the Writing Center or a tutor. Peer reviews are also allowed on this assignment. It is open book, allowing students to use textbooks, notes, readings, and any other course materials to support the assignment. The use of generative AI is strictly prohibited on this assignment. Academic Dishonesty Policies will be enforced. Prompt Each student will submit a 6-page research paper. The paper is focused on the following prompt. Examine how critical thinking methodssuch as reasoning, evaluation, inference, and reflection–contribute to success in a particular profession. Provide concrete examples from your selected field, such as healthcare, business, education, technology, and law, to illustrate how professionals leverage critical thinking to navigate complex challenges and enhance their job performance. While students may cite the readings and materials provided in this course, all papers must cite a minimum of 4 scholarly sources that are not assigned as part of this course. The paper can be broken into 5 sections: Title Page (1 page) Purpose: Provide key information about the paper using either APA or MLA formatting Content Requirements: Students name, assignment title, date, and other information required by either MLA or APA guidelines Introduction (1 page) Purpose: Introduce the topic, identify your selected profession, and clarify which critical thinking method(s) you will explore. Highlight their importance in professional contexts. Content Requirements: Start with a hook, which is an interesting fact, quote, or personal story about critical thinking in the profession or field 1 Provide context by briefly mentioning the role of critical thinking is important in the profession and which critical thinking method or methods you will explore. End with a clear thesis statement summarizing your thesis and what the paper will cover Body (2.5 pages) Purpose: Use scholarly research to support your thesis. Conduct research about how critical thinking promotes success in that field or profession. Content Requirements: Provide a clear description of the chosen field or profession Explain the role of critical thinking in the field or profession Analyze how critical thinking contributes to success in the selected field or profession Explain how your research supports your thesis Include at least 4 scholarly sources to support your analysis. Conclusion (12 page) Purpose: Provide a summary of your key points and how they support your thesis Content Requirements: Summarize your main findings Restate how critical thinking contributes to success in your chosen field or profession Works Cited/References (1 page) Purpose: Provide other scholars with information about the credibility of your sources Content Requirements: Full citations for each source cited in your paper as required by either MLA or APA guidelines Materials & Resources Students should refer to the following resources to prepare for the assignment. Sample Full Research Paper Lecture videos & slides Course Handouts Readings, videos, & podcasts Discussion session materials and activities Additionally, students are encouraged to consider the following tips. Answer all questions. Respond to all of the questions in the prompt. Cite your sources. Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any capacity. When in doubt, cite your sources. Use academic writing styles. This is a formal academic assignment. Be sure that you use academic communication techniques. Gonzaga University and Walden University offer resources to help with the essay. Organize your response. Poor organization often prevents students from fully answering the question or prompt. Avoid extremes. Statements that include terms such as meaningless, anarchy, every, all, and powerless represent extremes. As a result, they are typically inaccurate. This reduces the credibility of your response. Stick to one theme and do it well. Incorporating multiple themes often prevents students from thoroughly responding to the prompt. Pick a topic and focus on it. 2 Reflect before submitting. Before turning in your project, ask yourself, What have I omitted? Have I supported my ideas effectively? This will help you fill in the gaps. The assignment must adhere to the following standards: Cite a minimum of 4 external scholarly sources (readings not assigned in the course) Use either APA or MLA citation format, including both in-text citations and full references at the end of the paper Be 6-pages in length (including the title page and reference pages), double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins Submission Instructions The assignment will be submitted in Campuswire as a document file (Microsoft Word) or as a link to a digital document (such as a Google Doc). Students submitting a link must ensure that the permissions allow the professor and TAs to access the document. Links without the correct permissions will need to be corrected and will be considered late assignments, incurring the applicable late assignment penalty. Late assignments will be accepted with a 10% penalty. Students who submit their original work by the 3/6 may resubmit the assignment once for a better grade. Resubmissions can be sent directly to the TA via email or direct message. There is no time limit in Campuswire to complete this assignment, but students must submit their work by the deadlines listed above. Timelines Date Time (Eastern Time Zone) Assignment 2/24 2:00 pm Full Research Paper Opens 3/6 4:00 pm Full Research Paper Deadline 3/9 4:00 pm Full Research Paper Late Assignment Deadline 3/20 4:00 pm Full Research Paper Resubmission Deadline (only if the original assignment is submitted by the 3/6 deadline) Grading Rubric The essay will be graded based on the rubric below. Total Points: 100% Category & Target Behavior Excellent 80-100% Good 70-79% Poor 69-1% Missing 0% 3 Introduction 20% Presents a clear and engaging opening or hook. Provides a strong overview of how critical thinking functions within the chosen field. Includes an engaging thesis (4080 words) that clearly explains the critical thinking methods explored and how they contribute to the field or profession. Includes an adequate opening or hook. Provides a basic description of the importance of critical thinking in the chosen field. Thesis (4080 words) identifies the main topic and the selected field or profession. Lacks a clear opening or hook. Does not clearly explain how critical thinking plays a role in the field. Thesis is unclear, offtopic, missing required elements, or not 4080 words. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Body 20% Provides a clear, engaging description of the chosen field or profession. Thoroughly explains the role of critical thinking with strong connections to supporting research. Demonstrates advanced analysis of how critical thinking contributes to success in the field. Uses valid scholarly sources. Provides a basic description of the field or profession. Offers surfacelevel explanation of critical thinking with some research connections. Shows basic understanding of how critical thinking supports success. Uses valid scholarly sources. Does not clearly describe the field or profession. Provides limited or unclear explanation of critical thinkings role. Lacks meaningful research connections. Sources are not scholarly or appropriate. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Conclusion 20% Provides a clear and engaging summary of findings. Expertly restates the thesis and shows how critical thinking contributes to success in your chosen field or profession. Provides a basic summary of findings. Offers surface-level description of how critical thinking contributes to success in your chosen field or profession. Does not provide a clear summary of findings or a description of how critical thinking contributes to success in your chosen field or profession. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Understanding of Prompt 10% Fully addresses all parts of the prompt with deep reflection. Addresses the prompt with minimal reflection. Does not address the prompt or misunderstands it. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Depth of Reflection 10% Provides comprehensive analysis and deep insight. Provides basic analysis with some understanding. Lacks reflection or analysis. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Clarity and Coherence 10% Clear, coherent, and well-organized. Understandable but with some clarity issues. Disorganized and unclear. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials. Grammar and Mechanics 10% Excellent grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Some errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Numerous or frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Student did not submit or teaching team could not access materials.