This coincides with the outline, so only the person doing the outline can do the final.

1. Once you have chosen your topic, examine the various theories of human development learned in the course and choose one or two that best assist you in understanding the issues involved in your topic. In your assignment address the following:
   • Identify some of the major domains of human development and how they are impacted.
   • Examine the physical, biological, emotional, cognitive, and/or social factors that are affected.
   • Identify the stages of development that are affected and describe the cultural and historical perspectives of partitioning the lifespan that influence the interpretations of the available data on the topic.
   • Describe the influences of family, culture, and environment and the roles they play.

   Be sure to examine the available research in human development before completing this assignment.

   Writing the Final Paper

   The Final Paper:

2. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
3. Must include a title page with the following:
   1. Title of paper
   2. Student’s name
   3. Course name and number
   4. Instructor’s name
   5. Date submitted
4. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
   1. You may use the introduction you developed during the Week Four assignment or a revised version if changes are deemed necessary.
5. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
6. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
   1. Conclude with an answer to the selected question. Did the evidence you surveyed answer the question satisfactorily?
   2. Include an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the available evidence.
   3. Illustrate how each source fits specific sections of your Final Paper. The goal is to demonstrate that supporting evidence exists for statements that are made in the paper.
   4. If possible, suggest the course that future research should take if answers to the selected question are deemed less than conclusive.
7. Must use at least five scholarly sources, all of which must come from the Ashford University Library or Google Scholar.
8. Must summarize each article including the purpose of the investigation, its methodology, and results.
   1. Rely on the brief summaries of the articles (including the purpose of each investigation, its methodology and results) that you developed during Week Four to construct an organized summary of the scientific evidence that answers the question you selected.
   2. If possible, select peer-reviewed articles that summarize the evidence available in a given field of study (e.g., meta-analysis combines the findings of different studies to uncover trends, commonalities and differences).
   3. Order the articles in the way you think you will discuss them in your paper. Then develop a summary of the scientific evidence that answers the question you selected.
   4. You may reference your textbook and other required materials from the course; however, these will not fulfill the resource requirement.
9. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
10. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
    1. You may use the reference section you developed in the Week Four assignment as the final page of the paper.

Assignment 1: Assault in the City: CST and Criminal Responsibility at the Time of Offense

Click here to study a vignette.

Tasks:

On the basis of the vignette you read, respond to the following:

• Define competency and indicate the standard used for juvenile and adult competency. Discuss how a CST evaluation is conducted, including any assessment instruments relevant in this particular vignette.
• On the basis of the information you have from the vignette, provide an opinion on the defendant’s competence.
• Discuss the assessment of criminal responsibility by addressing the following:
  • Present the standards used for criminal responsibility in your jurisdiction. This information can be obtained through an Internet search regarding the state law.
  • Discuss the assessment procedures for an examination of MSO and the possible outcomes of NGRI and GBMI.

Submission Details:

• By Saturday, September 20, 2014, post your responses to this Discussion Area.
• Through Wednesday, September 24, 2014, respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.