journal article
Paper details:
Research articles contains several standard parts ad it is necessary to understand the distinctive elements in order to accurately valuate the research being presented.
1) Title and Author information: the title provides the main idea of the article and authors are listed, along with their affiliation.
2) Abstract a paragraph: that summarizes the article.
3) Introduction ( may not always be labeled): provides background, states the purpose of the research leading up to the study. and may state a hypothesis or question.
4) Method or methodology: describes how the research was conducted, with details about the study sample, assessment measures and procedure.
5) Results or findings: a summary of the findings presented in text or table format, may have individual sections with specific information.
6) Discussion, comments or conclusion: explains how the results answered the research question and may suggest future areas for research.
7) References: a listing of works cited by the author(s).

You are to read and review/critique a scholarly journal article on a topic in child psychology/child development published since 2000 that is relevant to this course (Do not include adolescent development, as that is covered in another course). The article must be primary research (i.e., not a literature review, review article itself, magazine/newspaper, blog, etc.) The appropriateness of the article, written expression and reflective critique will be assessed.
You are to submit the original article (as a PDF, not link), as well as a 3-4 page (double spaced) review using the assignment page on Brightspace.
Suggested questions to consider:
Was there a large enough sample?
What research model did they use? What would you have used?
Can this research be validated in real life situations, outside the lab?
What did the authors conclude? Do you agree with their conclusions?
Is this research useful to clinicians?
What did you think of this journal article?
What new learning can you take from this article that applies to your own life?
The best papers I have read started out with a summary of the article, including the purpose, methods, and main findings (done in 1 page only, so that the bulk of your paper is on your critique). Then the questions I asked were integrated into the paper in a well-written way with analytical critiques (positive AND negative) of the research. As per the instructions, 3-4 pages double spaced (but I don’t care about APA format, just giving you specifics for length) was sufficient to do all of this.
Feel free to run your choice for an article by me if you are unsure. I hope this is clear!
Grading: Total worth 10%. Choice of article /2, Critique /5, Clarity of Writing /3