First of all: think of a topic of interest to you that applies to the course you are studying with me. If you can’t think of a topic, go to the index in the textbook and choose a topic from there. If you are unsure about a topic, you can also email me, or you could go to the Ohlone’s Library and simply browse through the Psychology Journals to find an interesting topic. The Librarians are very helpful, if you have any questions. Or you can go online using the Ohlone’s Library link (Academic Premier Search).
Then, think about what aspect of your topic that you might want to focus on. For example: 1) Teenage Depression and Drug Use, 2) Watching Violent Video Games and Later Aggression in Children, or 3) Consequences of Sexual Violence, etc.etc.
Find one article that is a primary sources, i.e. documenting studies that use the experimental method or a descriptive method. The study you select must have participants. The article cannot be either a literature review or Meta Analysis. (If you do not know what these are, look up the definitions and if you’re still unsure, email me.) Feel free to discuss any part of this with me; and, if you wish, you can show me the 1st page of the study you’ve found, just to make sure you are ‘on track.’ Do not use newspaper or magazine articles as these are, often, ‘secondary sources.’
In writing your paper you may not use more than 5 consecutive words from the study without using quotation marks around the passage and citing the source. State the name of the person who wrote the words that you are quoting. The majority of the paper must be in your own words. It’s important that you get into this ‘habit’ to avoid plagiarism accusations.
Your paper must include the following:
- Type 3 pages describing the study. This could include:
- Describe the study: What was the purpose of the research? What were the researchers studying? Was a hypothesis stated? If so, what was it?
- Who were the subjects? How many? How were they obtained?
- Describe the type of study that was conducted: Was this an experimental method or descriptive methods study? Were the independent and dependent variables? What measurements were used?
- What were the results and conclusions of the study?
- Type a 1- 2 page critique of the study: What have you learned about this assignment? Include your likes and dislikes. If you had conducted the study what questions would you have asked? Or perhaps the sample was too small, the sample wasn’t diverse enough; the operational definitions did not really measure what the researcher was wanting to measure, etc.
- Type the complete citation for the article. For example Smith, James C., “The Impact of TV Violence on Teens,” in Jo. of Child Development, vol. 2, issue 4, 1999, pp.1-52. This can be typed at the end of your paper.
- Attach a photo of the 1st – 2 pages (PDF version) of the article.