INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT
As we discussed on the first day of class, one of the objectives of this integrated seminar is that you develop an article (or analytic essay) in which you provide a Meta-Analysis of a specific subject matter in the field of Psychology. This first assignment is the necessary initial step on starting said type of analysis: choose a subject matter and a particular "instance" of that subject matter you wish to review. As you will see later on, this "instance" has to do with reviewing a particular application of a theory, model, therapy, assessment or intervention, which will be the basis of your other assignments. For now we will call this choosing your "Problem" for Meta-Analysis. Later on, in another assignment, you will need to review literature regarding meta-analysis done on this "Problem" and what is, more or less, the consensus regarding empirically-based or evidenced-based research analysis. So, please choose as precisely as you can.
Write a brief paragraph where you present your "Problem" for Meta-Analysis. Try to be as specific as possible. Write at least one paragraph (a minimum of 3 to 4 sentences) in which you identify and describe the following four objects of your "Problem": 1) the subject matter, topic or object you wish to study (that which is the "problem" you wish to revise); 2) the model, therapy, theory (or school of thought), approach or assessment you are interested in revising in the field of Psychology (in can be multiple); 3) the population that you are most interested in studying; 4) what division or aspect of the practice and profession of Psychology are you most interested in revising (think of the usual divisions given in graduate studies and usual offering in the profession). Once again, try to be precise and if unsure you can pick more than one option for each of the four objects of your "Problem".
Said paragraph must be "handed in" (printed on paper) on March/05/2019. The text must be written using the following format: Times New Roman font (size 12) and 1.5 spacing between lines and paragraphs. You have to send a copy of the submitted work via e-mail too. This assignment is worth ten (10) points.
If you are still unsure on what your research topic is or how to describe it in a specific matter, here are a few tips that are usually good when trying to a topic research-wise:
1) Here's a good guideline of W's (and a "How") that might be helpful when beginning your search for choosing a research topic:
a. What: It tends to identity and describes a particular subject matter. It takes into consideration a more existential, ontological or phenomenological point of view.
b. Why: It tries to explain the conditions and processes for the emergence of a particular event, subject or object.
c. Where: It focuses on the physical, cognitive or social space associated with the subject matter.
d. Whom: It helps to delimitate my subject matter if I have a specific population in mind, either in terms of age, gender, sexuality, occupation, economical status, ethnicity, culture, nationality.
e. When: Sometimes you might need to study specific temporal and physical instances of an event, either in terms of development or in terms of a fixated time- line.
f. How: It usually focuses on the description of processes, actions and activities in a particular event or situation
2) Are you more interested in studying:
a. the relationship between two events, objects or processes (for example, the relationship between violence and media)?
b. the conditions for the emergence of a certain psychopathological condition (for example, what causes schizophrenia)?
c. how certain events, populations or groups are perceived and signified (for example, how and/or why are "poor people" are perceived as "lazy" and the implications of such problematic correlations)? You might also be interested in how certain groups signify their experiences (for example how blind people see colors or how methadone patients perceive progress and rehabilitation).
d. the uses of certain activities or kinds of specific knowledge and its effect on a population (for example, how psychiatric or psychological diagnosis can be misused and how they can become social stigmas for certain populations, for example ADHD in children or depression in Latino women)?
3) Am I more inclined to study my topic:
a. in a clinical or psycho-therapeutic context (which involves a specific theory regarding psychopathology or the classification of "mental diseases" or "disorders")?
b. in a cognitive-educational context (how people learn, appropriate or adapt certain activities)?
c. in a biopsychological context (to understand the biochemical and/or neurological processes involved in certain behaviors and cognitive processes)?
d. in a social-psychological setting (how certain events depend on social-economic conditions, community relations, etc.)?
4) Am I really interested in this subject matter? If you're going to do research on a topic, bear in mind that you will be reading a lot of material and if you are not interested the process will become tedious, boring and quite possibly frustrating. Choose something you are genuinely interested in, and try to put in the context of research in Psychology.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.