Myth or Fact? Divorced Families
There are many common beliefs and stereotypes about divorce and divorced families. You may have heard statements such as “Children from divorced families will always have relationship problems” or “Parents should stay together for the children.” But are these statements actually supported by research? For this discussion, you will investigate one common belief about divorce or divorced families and determine what reliable evidence tells us.
Part 1: Identify a Myth or Common Belief About Divorced Families (5 points)
Identify ONE statement, myth, or common belief about divorce or divorced families that you have encountered in everyday life or online. The statement could be something you have heard from family, friends, classmates, or other people, seen on social media or online platforms, or heard in movies, TV shows, or other media. For your statement, before researching it, indicate whether you predict it is a MYTH, FACT, or SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
Part 2: Investigate the Evidence
Research at least three reliable sources. You may use:
Peer-reviewed scholarly articles
Government sources
University or research center websites
Professional organizations
Reliable popular media articles that clearly report or reference research
Avoid using personal blogs, social media posts, discussion forums, or websites that make claims without providing evidence.
Citations (7 points): Include a citation or link for the sources you used. You may use the university library to locate scholarly articles.
Part 3. Give your verdict: Myth, Fact, or Somewhere in Between? Explain Why. (20 points)
Explain what the evidence actually shows. Avoid treating complicated findings as simply true or false when the research suggests that the answer depends on other factors. What did the sources find? What factors might make the answer more complicated? Most importantly, explain how the evidence supports your conclusion.
Part 4: Reflection (10 points)
After investigating your three claims, briefly reflect was there a finding that surprised you or changed the way you think about divorce or divorced families? Why?