intro to psychology---writing project

Introduction to Psychology Writing Project

How to Think Through a Scholarly Article

Due in Session 14 – Submit through Blackboard in Session 14

This is a process that is designed to help you understand how to evaluate and write about scholarly articles.  Each step in this process is designed to help you understand that structure and purpose of a research article from a professional source. 

1)    Choose an article from the list provided at the end of this rubric.

2)    Use Psyc Article to obtain the full text of the article.  Each article in the assignment has been obtained originially from the PsycArticles search engine in the Ivy Tech Library through Blackboard. 

3)    Follow each step in the following guidelines in order to receive full points.

4)    Proofread and correct for punctuation and grammar before submission.

5)    Do not try to do this on your phone!!!

6)    This must be submitted as a file that Microsoft Word can open which is a .doc or .docx file format. (Word saves in these automatically).

Formatting:

·      APA (American Psychological Association) formatting required

·      Times New Roman, 12-point font

·      Do NOT use quotes. You may paraphrase, but must correctly cite.

Items A, B, & C below (along with corresponding numbered sections) should be typed using 12-point font and double spacing with at least 2 but not more than 4 pages that comprise your response to this assignment. Please be sure that your document follows the format provided and that you clearly label and number each section and that it is stapled and submitted by the required due date.

A.  One typed paragraph describing why you selected this particular article. (15 points).  Be sure that your thoughts are clearly organized and written in complete sentences with attention to use of correct grammar and punctuation.  Also, be sure that you clearly explain why you selected the particular article and psychological disorder examined in the study.

B.   Journal Article Review – There should be four sections each labeled using the headings below:  1. Background, 2. Hypothesis, 3. Methods and 4. Results. This paper should reflect YOUR understanding of the journal article.  Do NOT plagiarize the article or simply restate the information. Instead, you should be written in your own words. The object of this assignment is for you to comprehend and explore current research.

1.    Background – (10 points)

This is generally the information which led to the current research.  Typically this describes similar research and explains why the current research was necessary. Please include the outcome of at least one previous study cited in your article that relates to or supports the research article you are reviewing.  

2.    Hypothesis – (10 points)

This will be clearly stated in any scholarly article – it may be found in the abstract, background or methods sections.  This section answers the question, “What are they expecting to happen?”

3.    Methods – (35 points)

In complete sentences using subheadings below, please provide a clear written response for each item.

a.     Number of subjects

b.     Method of selection of subjects

c.     Procedures used & Description of “what they did”

d.     What was measured?  What were the variables?

e.     How did they measure this

4.    Results (may also be labeled Findings) – (10 points)

What did they find?  Specifically note whether the hypothesis was supported or not.  Be certain to analyze all variables.

5.    Conclusion (may also be labeled Discussion) – (10 points)

This will be clearly outlined in any scholarly article.  If you are studying applied research, include any applications which answer the question, “How could this information be used by the general population?”  If your article is a basic research article, what potential uses could this information have?  In this section also include what the authors indicate are the limitations of this study and the directions in which future research in this area could go. 

C.   Constructive Article Critique – (10 points)

6.    Provide a short paragraph in which you critique the article.  Be sure to comment on the following:

a.     Provide your thoughts on how well (or poorly) the article was written, organized and understandable to you as a lay person (non-expert) and why you are taking that position.

b.      Provide one suggestion for improving the quality of the article.  In other words, if you were writing the article or conducting the research, what would you do differently and why?  Be specific.

References –

You must create a reference page for this submission. If you base your work on an article, there must always be a reference page. Always. Every time. Without exception. This is the first step to avoid plagiarism. If you review additional sources/articles to aid in your responses to the assignment, then you must include an APA formatted reference in  the reference page of the paper. 

The reference for the reference page is included in the list of articles. All you have to do is create the reference page and copy the reference onto that page.

If this were a regular paper, there would need to be “in-text” citations to avoid plagiarism.  But we will save this next step in learning how to write using research for the next course that you take.

Articles for this project: Please pick one (1)

Ortner, T. M., & Caspers, J. (2011). Consequences of test anxiety on adaptive versus fixed item

testing. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 27(3), 157-163.

doi:10.1027/1015-5759/a000062

Helen Z. Reinherz, R. M. (1999). Major depression in the transition to adulthood: Risks and impairments. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 500-510.

Penney, A. M., Mazmanian, D., & Rudanycz, C. (2013). Comparing positive and negative beliefs about worry in predicting generalized anxiety disorder symptoms. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 45(1), 34-41. doi:10.1037/a0027623