For this assignment, you will be tasked with choosing one of the journal articles pre-selected by your instructor. It is a good idea to choose an article that most closely aligns with your interests, as you will be required to connect the article to course material. Once you have chosen an article, you will write a short summary and commentary on the article. Assignment Requirements

• Your summary must be:
  • between 500 and 800 words (all words count)
  • typed in 12pt Times New Roman font
  • double spaced
  • use APA formatting please

What is a Journal VS an Article?

• A JOURNAL is a collection of different documents (e.g. articles, letters to the editors, reviews, etc.)on a particular subject area.
• An ARTICLE is one document found in journals.

Writing Your Summary Objective: Write a 500 - 800-word college-level paper in APA format, in which you analyze one scientific, peer-reviewed research article in the discipline of psychology. Things to include:

• HYPOTHESIS or PURPOSE:
  • • What were the researchers trying to discover (i.e. what was the hypothesis or purpose)?
    • This is usually found at the beginning of the article. Usually the hypothesis or statement of a problem appears at the end of the review of the literature, most often in the last or next to last paragraph. The words that indicate that it is a hypothesis are, "We will examine. . ." or "Our hypothesis is . . ." In a statement of a problem, the researcher may say, "We plan to see if a relationship...," "We proposed to observe...," or" The problem we proposed to study..." (You must use your own wordsdo NOT use quotes).
• METHODOLOGY:
  • • How was the research conducted (research design or type of study)?
    • Is the research descriptive (case study, naturalistic observation, laboratory observations, surveys, tests), correlation, experimental, or developmental? For more information on research methods, refer to chapter 1 of your text.
    • When and where was the research was conducted?
    • Who were the participants? (number [N], age, sex, criteria to be a part of study)?
• RESULTS/DISCUSSION:
  • • What did the researchers actually find in relation to their hypothesis/purpose?
    • ARTICLE MAY STATE: The researchers found that . . .
    • What limitations did the researchers reveal? Did they suggest any future directions?
• SUMMARY/CONCLUSION (PURPOSE: to show critical thinking in regard to the research!!)
  • • How does the information in the article integrate with information from class discussion, the text, and/or other information in the discipline?

**remember to include an APA style reference page with your summary (don't worry, this won't count against your word limit)

Rubric

Research Summary Rubric

Criteria

Ratings

Pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescribes the research

5 pts Full Marks The authors' purpose, including what the authors were trying to find and how their research is filling a research gap, is clearly identified.

3 pts Part Marks An attempt was made to explain the authors' purpose, but the explanation was not complete.

0 pts No Marks No attempt was made to explain the authors' purpose

5 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescribes the methods of the study

4 pts Full Marks The methodology, including the means of data collection and the variables of interest, are explained. An educated reader could understand how the protocol was conducted.

2 pts Part Marks An attempt was made to explain the methodology, but the protocol is not entirely clear.

0 pts No Marks No attempt to explain the methodology or variables of interest

4 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescribes the results of the study

4 pts Full Marks The main results of the study (think back to the main purpose/hypothesis) are clearly described and placed within the broader context of the literature.

2 pts Part Marks An attempt is made to describe the results, but it is not clear whether the student fully understands the findings or what these findings mean for future research.

0 pts No Marks No attempt to explain the results

4 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSummary and conclusion

5 pts Full Marks The student makes a strong argument to connect the research article to class material. Their understanding of the article and class content is made clear by their ability to make connections.

3 pts Part Marks An attempt is made to link the research article to class material, but links are not always clearly made or fully explained.

0 pts No Marks No attempt to link the research article to class material

5 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIncludes correct APA citations

2 pts Full Marks No major APA errors

1 pts Part Marks Very minor APA errors

0 pts No Marks APA citations and formatting very poorly done

2 pts

Total Points: 20