7 pages paper

PSYC 1010

Assignment

Article Published in a Psychology Journal

The most important aspect of this assignment is for you to show ability to INDEPENDENTLY follow the outlined steps and to pace yourself to submit the assignment by the specified deadline.

This project will give you an opportunity to apply psychological research to understand real world problems. You are asked to locate and read two articles:

1. an article from the popular press describing a current issue or event that is related to the material covered in the course.

2. a research study report on that same topic from a peer-reviewed psychology journal.

Finally you are asked to consider how the results of the research study relate to the current issue/event from the everyday press.

Please note that the # of pages is an estimate.

Please follow the steps:

1. Find a recent article (published within last three months) describing a real world issue/current event in popular press that you can relate to psychological concept, topic, or a theory covered in the course (do not use a report of a study or a summary of studies in psychology). The examples of good choices of sources are (use archives or feel free to locate the hard copies in the library):

The Globe & Mail Toronto Star

Now Macleans Online

Examples of current issues/events (do not use those for your paper):

People dating above their looks: the last relationship taboo?

Shark-fin ban resurfaces as Toronto council backers seek new, narrower rule

Toronto police officer convicted of sexual assault in massage parlour

What is likely to lead to your death?

2. Read the article and identify 3-5 relevant psychological concept(s)/theories that relate to the issue/event.

Examples of psychological concepts: obedience, operant conditioning, biological drives, nature-nurture, attachment, stress and coping, etc.

Locate a recent (2009-14) empirical research article from a peer-reviewed psychology journal that relates to the same psychological concept and to the issue/current event identified in part one. It is important to select a ‘research article’ describing a study done by the authors (hint: look for the ‘method’ and ‘results’ sections) NOT a review article or a meta-analytical article.

3. Read the research study and think about how the results may relate to the current issue/event

4. Write a 5-7 double-spaced page paper that addresses the following points:

· In one paragraph summarize the real world issue/current event selected in part one. Submit a copy of the first page of the article describing the current issue. (2 points)

· Clearly describe the psychological concept(s) or theory that is related to the selected issue/current event. Incorporate plenty of terms from your textbook to demonstrate your understanding. 2-3 pages (6 points)

· Locate the research article relevant to the concept/theory and to your selected current issue/event. Your paper needs to relate to at least one of the concepts identified in point 2 (however, it could relate to more than one of those concepts). In a brief paragraph describe your search strategy (which search engine? keywords? how did you retrieve the article?). Maximum ½ page.

See Psychology Research Guide on information about searching for the peer-reviewed articles.

To search for the article use one of the online academic search engines like PsychInfo, Web of Science or PubMed.

Information on how to use those engines is available at York’s library website at

PsycInfo: http://researchguides.library.yorku.ca/psycinfo

or other search engines

http://researchguides.library.yorku.ca/content.php?pid=239475&sid=1975887

Getting Help with library search:

http://www.library.yorku.ca/ccm/Home/ResearchAndInstruction/Jargon.htm#help

Please submit a photo of yourself in front of the reference desk in Scott Library (bonus points)

· Summarize the recent research article related to the current event/issue. Describe what the study was investigating (what was the research question? hypotheses?), what kind of research design was used (e.g. correlational, experimental)? Identify the variables (dependent, independent?) and describe the findings (what were the results and how do they relate to the hypotheses?). 1-2 pages (6 points)

· Describe how the results of the research article may relate to the real world issue/current event. E.g. can the results of the study be used to explain the current issue/event? Or do the results suggest how to deal with the issue, or how to prevent it in the future? 1-2 pages (4 points)

· Check grammar, spelling, and organization of the paper. Use short paragraph format.

This is not a formal APA submission. However when using other sources you need to cite them in APA style.

Include the full reference of the research article (author, year, title, journal name, volume, pages) using APA style. (4 points)

For more information about APA style check the OWL Purdue website:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/07/

· Submit to TURNITIN: your 5-7 pages of the word document only

http://www.turnitin.com

Please ensure to submit to your section of the course and to your TA – otherwise your assignment will not be graded.

Class Name:

Introduction to Psychology Summer 2014 A, Class ID: 8135887

Enrollment Password: 1010S2014

Please use your family name to submit your assignment to your TA

(posted on the course website)

In addition, submit to your TA by e-mail (submit ONCE only, don’t press the send key multiple times) three files:

1. your word document 5-6 pages

2. the article (pdf format)

3. popular media article

DO NOT e-mail it to AK (no carbon copy).

All of the files must to be identified with your name. Assuming your name is John Student, you would name the documents JohnStudentAssignment, JohnStudentPeerPaper, JohnStudentMedia

Please note that there will be lateness penalty: 5% per day. (4 points)