The EDCO 790 traumatology assignment series
One topic, one population, deepened across the 8-week term
- Traumatology Study FoundationsChoose a trauma topic and narrow it to a population.
- Traumatology OutlineFive main sections, each backed by a peer-reviewed article.
- Traumatology Annotated OutlineAnnotations summarising sources, biblical integration, no direct quotes.
- Peer-Review Discussion: PresentationShare your presentation and give substantive peer feedback.
- Traumatology Paper12–15 pages, at least 15 recent journal articles plus course texts.
EDCO 790 Crisis & Trauma Counseling is a doctoral-level course at Liberty University that introduces the foundations of traumatology. It is also one of the more writing-intensive courses in the program. At its heart is a five-part series of connected assignments that takes one trauma topic from a first idea to a full scholarly paper.
This EDCO 790 Traumatology Assignments Overview reviews the course, explains each assignment in the series and shares practical strategies to help you succeed.
Please note: Liberty's published course guides are samples, and instructors set the specific requirements each term. Always follow your own syllabus, assignment instructions and rubrics in Canvas.
Course Description
EDCO 790 gives students an overview of stress and trauma, including the seminal texts and concepts that shaped the field. It builds a foundational understanding of trauma counseling theories and interventions, and looks at the definitions, causes, incidence rates and distinctive features of a range of traumatic events.
A central theme is how scientific evidence informs effective counseling practice. The course aims to integrate care that is ethical, effective and biblically grounded, in line with Liberty University's Christian worldview.
The course is designed to introduce and complement the Traumatology Cognate, while also giving students in other cognates a single-course overview of traumatology. It appears in Liberty's Community Care & Counseling programs, including the Ed.D. with a Traumatology cognate.
Who Takes EDCO 790?
- Doctoral and post-master's students in community care and counseling programs.
- Students pursuing the Traumatology cognate, who will build on this course in later trauma courses.
- Students in other cognates who need a foundation in trauma-informed care.
Course Structure at a Glance
The course runs over an 8-week term. Alongside the traumatology series, the published course guide lists:
- Discussions: collaborative threads and peer replies.
- Analysis in the Study of Trauma (Parts One and Two): a short analysis paper, followed by a revised and expanded version based on instructor and peer feedback. This is described as the only assignment where a revision is granted.
- Quizzes: four open-book, open-notes quizzes of 25 multiple-choice questions, each with a one-hour time limit, covering assigned readings and presentations.
EDCO 790 Traumatology Assignments Overview
The traumatology series is designed to mirror the dissertation process: you choose one topic, narrow it over time and present your findings in more than one format. Here's how each assignment works.
1. Traumatology Study Foundations Assignment
The Traumatology Study Foundations Assignment starts the series. You identify a topic of interest in traumatology, such as a traumatic event, a trauma-related diagnosis or an evidence-based treatment, and narrow it to a specific population. Like every submission in the course, it must follow current APA format.
Tip: choose a topic you'll be happy to live with for eight weeks, and possibly longer if you plan to continue it in your dissertation. Make sure enough recent peer-reviewed research exists on your chosen population.
2. Traumatology Outline Assignment
The Traumatology Outline Assignment builds on feedback from the first assignment. You develop an outline with five main sections, each supported by at least one peer-reviewed scholarly article, with a brief summary of how each section is organised and a reference page.
Tip: treat the five sections as the skeleton of your final paper. A logical structure now saves major rewrites later.
3. Traumatology Annotated Outline Assignment
The Traumatology Annotated Outline Assignment deepens the outline. Each of the five sections needs the required number of peer-reviewed articles plus the course texts, with annotations that summarise the key facts or issues from each source. The course guide also calls for a scholarly approach to biblical integration and no direct quotes.
Tip: because direct quotes aren't allowed, strong paraphrasing skills are essential. Our guide to paraphrasing academic sources correctly can help.
4. Peer-Review Discussion: Traumatology Presentation
In the Peer-Review Discussion: Traumatology Presentation, you share a scholarly presentation on your topic and population with your classmates, then give substantive feedback on a peer's presentation. Presentation requirements, such as length and number of sources, are set in your course instructions.
Tip: design your presentation for an audience of emerging trauma counselors, and give the kind of specific, research-informed feedback you'd like to receive.
5. Traumatology Paper Assignment
The Traumatology Paper Assignment is the culmination of the series. You write a focused paper on one specific, narrowed aspect of traumatology, showing a deepening view of the scholarship you've used throughout the course. According to the published course guide, the paper should be 12–15 pages (excluding the title page, abstract and references) and reference at least 15 scholarly journal articles published in the last three years, in addition to the course texts.
Tip: the three-year window is stricter than many courses. Start collecting recent articles from week one so you're not scrambling at the end.
Key Requirements Summary
| Assignment | Main focus | Key requirements (per course guide) |
|---|---|---|
| Study Foundations | Topic and population | Clear, narrowed topic; APA format |
| Outline | Structure | 5 main sections; at least 1 peer-reviewed article per section; references |
| Annotated Outline | Source synthesis | Annotations per source; biblical integration; no direct quotes |
| Peer-Review Discussion | Presentation and feedback | Scholarly presentation; substantive peer reply |
| Traumatology Paper | In-depth analysis | 12–15 pages; at least 15 journal articles from the last 3 years plus course texts |
How to Succeed in EDCO 790
1. Choose and narrow your topic early
The whole series depends on your first choice. A focused topic, such as a specific treatment for a specific population, is far easier to research and write about in depth than a broad one like "PTSD". Our guide to developing a strong research question shows how to narrow a topic effectively.
2. Build a research library from day one
Search databases such as PsycINFO, PubMed and the Liberty University library for peer-reviewed articles on your topic. Filter by publication date to meet the recency requirements, and save everything in a reference manager such as Zotero. See how to find reliable academic sources.
3. Use every round of feedback
Each assignment is meant to incorporate your instructor's feedback on the previous one. Keep a running list of comments, especially on APA format and writing style, and check each new submission against it.
4. Master APA style
APA formatting applies to every submission. Pay attention to headings, in-text citations, reference list formatting, the title page and the abstract. Errors that repeat across five assignments add up. Our referencing and formatting support page covers the essentials.
5. Synthesise, don't summarise
Doctoral writing is about analysis and synthesis: comparing sources, identifying patterns and gaps, and drawing your own conclusions. Show what new insight you gained and how it applies to practice. See how to write a critical analysis.
6. Integrate faith thoughtfully
Biblical integration should be scholarly and meaningful, not an afterthought. Connect scriptural principles and Christian worldview perspectives to your topic in a way that informs ethical, compassionate practice.
7. Plan your time across all eight weeks
Balance the traumatology series with discussions, quizzes and the Analysis in the Study of Trauma assignments. Set personal deadlines ahead of the official ones, especially for the final paper.
8. Look after yourself
Studying trauma can be emotionally demanding. Build in breaks, stay connected with your support network and use the support services your university provides.
9. Use the support available
Liberty's Online Writing Center, your instructor and library staff are valuable resources. Don't wait until the final week to ask for help.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing a topic that's too broad to cover in depth.
- Using older sources that fall outside the required publication window.
- Ignoring instructor feedback from earlier assignments.
- Including direct quotes where the instructions prohibit them.
- Summarising sources one by one instead of synthesising them.
- Leaving the 12–15 page final paper until the last week.
How Collepals Can Support Your EDCO 790 Journey
Doctoral-level counseling courses demand strong research, clear academic writing and precise APA formatting. Collepals offers human support to help you meet those standards with your own work:
- Academic writing guidance: help narrowing your topic, structuring your outline and developing a clear argument.
- Research guidance: support finding and evaluating recent, peer-reviewed trauma research.
- Editing and proofreading: human editors improve the clarity, flow and accuracy of your drafts while keeping your voice.
- APA formatting and referencing: make sure your citations, references and layout meet current APA standards.
- Tutoring and learning support: one-to-one help with doctoral writing skills and synthesis.
- 24/7 human support: real people, whenever you need them.
Always follow Liberty University's academic integrity policy and your instructor's guidelines. Explore Collepals services to find the right support for you.