Journal Article Summary

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Choose one article from the options posted on .... Read and summarize the article, its main findings, and implications for the field of development. Be sure to identify the type of design used in the study as discussed in the first chapter, and comment on the validity of the measures used. Entire assignment should be 2-3 pages long.

I wanted to provide additional guidance on the Journal Summary assignment. I have enabled Turnitin and expect the majority of the paper to be in your own words rather than text copied from the original article. Please limit your use of direct quotes.

The paper should be 2-3 pages long (double spaced) and summarize the purpose of the study, the methods (including study design and measures), and results. I strongly encourage you to use headings to organize your paper. I have posted the rubric under Syllabus but I want to be sure you see if and use it as a guide as you prepare your summary. In particular, I'd like to call your attention to the items relating to identification of study design (correlational vs. experimental) AND developmental design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal vs. sequential), and discussion of measures. The introductory chapter(s) of the textbook provide more information about these aspects of developmental research. In particular, I would like to see your discussion of measures include some information from the article related to the reliability and/or validity of the measures.

Finally, an item on the rubric pertains to the discussion of the study and how it relates to one of the purposes for studying development. These purposes fall into three categories: Understanding human nature, Raising children, and Informing public policy. In your discussion of the significance of the study, please consider and discuss its relevance to one or more of these purposes.

I have posted this under discussions to allow for questions about this assignment. Please post any questions or requests for clarification here.

Criteria	Level 6 6 points	Level 5 5 points	Level 4 4 points	Level 3 3 points	Level 2 2 points	Level 1 1 point
Summary of study is clear and includes adequate descriptions of the purpose, methods, and results. Use of subheadings is appropriate.	Complete, well-written, clear summary that is organized with headings.	Complete, well-written summary that is mostly clear but does not use headings.	Organization of summary may need improvement but all of the important elements of the study are covered.	Summary is poorly organized or missing at least one important element of the study.	Summary is missing more than one important element of the study.	No summary provided.
Description of the methods includes an identification of the research design (e.g., correlational, experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, sequential).	Type of study (correlational or experimental) AND developmental design (cross-sectional, longitudinal, sequential) are accurately identified.	Type of study is accurately identified, developmental design is attempted but identified incorrectly.	Developmental design is accurately identified, type of study is attempted but identified incorrectly.	Type of study is identified correctly but developmental design is not mentioned, or vice versa.	Type of study and developmental design are attempted but identified incorrectly.	Neither type of study or developmental design are attempted, or only one is attempted and identified incorrectly.
Includes a commentary on the measures used (identified type of measure, evidence presented for reliability and validity, relevance to hypotheses).	Measures are accurately described, discussion includes evidence provided for reliability and validity and a critical evaluation of their relation to the study's hypotheses.	Measures are accurately described and some mention is made of validity and/or reliability evidence although it may be missing some minor information. An attempt is made to critically evaluate the measures.	Measures are described with few to no errors or omissions. Some mention is made of reliability and/or validity evidence. Either evaluation is present without a link to evidence or no evaluation is attempted.	Measures are described but some minor information may be missing. Little to no attention to reliability or validty evidence.	Some mention of the measures are made, or a cursory description is provided but lacks attention to reliability or validity evidence and critical evaluation.	No attention to the measures is provided.
Thoughtful discussion of the implications of the findings. Tied to one or more purposes of studying development (e.g., raising children, choosing social policies, understanding human nature).	Implications are discussed thoroughly and tied to a purpose of studying development.	Thoughtful discussion of findings where some connections are made to the purposes of studying development, but information may be missing.	Thoughtful discussion of findings OR discussion of some findings which is tied to a larger purpose of studying development.	Thoughtful discussion of the implications of some findings, not tied to a larger purpose of studying development.	Implications are discussed briefly or mentioned but not tied to a larger purpose of studying development.	Implications of the findings is not discussed.
Paper is well-written and free of grammatical and mechanical errors.	Writing is polished and professional. Few to no errors are present in grammar or mechanics. Style is appropriately formal and consistent with APA guidelines.	Largely well-written paper, few grammar or mechanical errors, may contain a few awkward or informal expressions.	Errors are present in most or all paragraphs, may contain several awkward, wordy, or informal expressions.	Errors are present in more than half of the sentences in the paper, contains frequent awkward, wordy, or informal expressions.	Most sentences have at least one problem with grammar, mechanics or awkward, wordy, or informal expressions.	Paper is difficult to understand due to the number of grammar and mechanical errors and/or awkward, wordy, or informal expressions.
Overall Score	Level 6 29 or more	Level 5 24 or more	Level 4 19 or more	Level 3 14 or more	Level 2 9 or more	Level 1 0 or more