Assignment: PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH SUMMARY PAPERS:
GUIDELINES AND GRADING CRITERIA FOR SUMMARY PAPERS
Summary papers should include four parts that roughly parallel the format of the original articles (see below). You must describe the research in your own words, and cannot quote directly from the text.
Background and Rationale:Briefly introduce the article in this section, providing answers to the following questions: What problem(s) or question(s) in psychology does this research address? Why was this an important question to address?
Methods:Outline the basic methods the researcher(s) used in conducting the research, answering the following questions: Who took part in the study as subjects? What was/were the independent variable(s)? What was (were) the dependent variables? Why did they use these particular variables?
Basic Findings: Briefly outline the findings. In doing this section, you need to avoid getting merely repeating the numerical information reported in the article. You should do your best to summarize the results into simple statements of relationships between the independent variables(s) and the dependent variable(s), and emphasize those findings that are central to the research questions.
Implications: Outline the main conclusions as they relate to the original problem(s) the researchers defined, and as you discussed in the "Background & Rationale" section.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.
White, A. M., Kraus, C. L., Swartzwelder, H. S. Many college freshmen drink at levels far beyond the binge threshold. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2006, Vol. 30, pp. 1006-1010.