Evaluate an empirical study from research article that has been published in a peer reviewed psychology journal
Assignment Question
As you study psychology, it is important to practice critically reviewing information from a scientific perspective. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to get you used to reading and evaluating current research in the area of cognitive development. You will be able to explore a specific topic of interest to you within the subject and you will have a more in-depth opportunity to analyze some of the concepts covered in class. You can choose virtually any topic in Psychology you like, with one caveat: It must be related to the one of the main concepts that we cover in class. For this assignment, you will be required to evaluate an empirical study from research article that has been published in a peer reviewed psychology journal. This article should be recent (nothing before 2010) and must involve an experiment in the field of Psychology (not just a meta-analysis or literature review). Outline and Format of Paper The following is a general outline of what to discuss in your paper. Please follow this outline closely, as it was used to create the grading rubric. Introduction In one or two paragraphs, briefly provide an overview of the main topic. Begin by introducing the title of the article, the year, and the author’s last name. This should be followed by a proper DOI or hyperlink to the article’s online source. Do NOT give me a link to your google docs! Next, define the concepts and explain the researcher’s primary hypothesis. Be sure to do so completely in your own words- I want to see that you understand what they are doing, and I can’t determine that if you quote or closely paraphrase the authors. The end of this section should smoothly transition into the next portion of your paper.
Summary Section For this section of the paper, you will address the following:
1 Participants: who was in the study? Focus on the important details only- it is not only unnecessary to describe the exact demographics of the participants, it is distracting! Tell me the number of participants, as well as the age range. However, when explaining gender/sex, ethnicity, and other important factors, do so in a general summary- do not present all the numbers and percentages for every demographic! Instead, give me the “big picture” of who the participants were: For example, you might say, “the 6th graders were mostly Hispanic/Latinx, with around 20% Caucasian.” When deciding what demographics to discuss, consider whether they are an important part of the study or if they would influence the results in any meaningful way. Most cognitive research focuses on the normal population, and it will be assumed that this is the case for your chosen study*. *an exception to this is if the hypothesis pertains to a very specific portion of the population (for example, children in collectivist cultures with dyslexia).
2. The procedures, materials and methodology used in the experiment. In a nutshell, tell me what they did, and how they did it! Be sure to define and explain all measures, tests, and evaluations used in the study. Telling me they “conducted a visual attention task along with an auditory measure” doesn’t give me a clear picture of what actually HAPPENED in the study. This might take a little detective work on your part, but it necessary to provide specifics and examples of the tasks. So instead of the above vague description, you could have told me, “they were tasked with watching a series of squares appear on a computer screen, while also listening to a set of instructions on doing laundry”. When describing the materials, noting that they used a computer to measure response time is sufficient- please don’t list the make and model of all the equipment! An example of an acceptable summary can be seen at the bottom of this page.
3. The results and discussion What did they find? Was the hypothesis supported? Were there any limitations to the research (can it be generalized)? When discussing the results, summarize and explain in your own words- listing a bunch of statistical sentences is not acceptable. As with the hypothesis, I want to see that you understand what they found. I cannot do this if you quote or closely paraphrase what the authors wrote.
4. Your evaluation of the experiment and findings For this section, I want you to begin by relating the study to concepts from our course. How are their methods or results consistent or inconsistent with what you learned in class or in the textbook? Finally, conclude with a brief (one paragraph) thoughtful discussion of which part stood out most for you and its impact on you. In forming your discussion for this section, consider some of the following questions: What value does this new information have for you? How can this be applied to your future career? Does this new information change your perspective? Was the information you found congruent with what you expected to find? What was the most significant factor that stood out for you? Although discussion of real-life experience occurs in this section of your paper, keep in mind you have limited space in which to make your points. It is easy to get lost in giving detailed life events that may lead you off point. Remember to keep it concise and relevant to the point you are trying to make. How well you develop your discussion in answer to some of the questions outlined (or similar questions) will determine the points you receive for this section.
NOTE: DO NOT QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM THE ARTICLE. PARAPHRASE ONLY- ALL WORDS YOU USE MUST BE YOUR OWN! EACH QUOTE USED WILL RESULT IN A 2.5 % DEDUCTION.
