Discussion: Research in the News MANAGE DISCUSSION 29 This assignment will require you to practice scientific thinking and apply foundational concepts covered in this week’s Learn section to practical, real-world situations (reading news articles). You will develop scientific writing skills by summarizing and evaluating summaries from your peers, and by formatting a Reference entry using […]
Discussion: Research in the News
MANAGE DISCUSSION
29
This assignment will require you to practice scientific thinking and apply foundational concepts covered in this week’s Learn section to practical, real-world situations (reading news articles). You will develop scientific writing skills by summarizing and evaluating summaries from your peers, and by formatting a Reference entry using professional conventions. Please note that as stated in this week’s video lecture “Variables”, independent variables that do not have random assignment to IV levels are characterized as “subject variables”. This more clearly differentiates a “true” independent variable from one that does not meet all the criteria. Please make sure you use this distinction in this and all future assignments within the course.
D
ISCUSSION
:
R
ESEARCH IN THE
N
EWS
A
SSIGNMENT
I
NSTRUCTIONS
O
VERVIEW
This assignment will require you to practice scientific thinking and apply foundational concepts
covered in this week’s Learn section to practical, real-world situations (reading news articles).
You will develop scientific writing skills by summarizing and evaluating summaries from your
peers, and by formatting a Reference entry using professional conventions.
Please note that as stated in this week’s video lecture “Variables”, independent variables that do
not have random assignment to IV levels are characterized as “subject variables”. This more
clearly differentiates a “true” independent variable from one that does not meet all the criteria.
Please make sure you use this distinction in this and all future assignments within the course.
T
HREAD
A
SSIGNMENT
I
NSTRUCTIONS
Find a psychology-research related headline from a news source listed below that grabs your
interest. Use the article to complete your thread. The topic thread should address all required
components.
Discussion: Research in the News Resources
Psychologytoday.com (may need to update to your country if not USA)
Science Daily
Neuroscience News
Thread Content
Paragraph 1
Briefly summarize the news article using your own words. Please note this means the summary
should not include any quotes or paraphrases – the goal is to develop your ability to read and
write scientifically using your own words, give credit when credit is due, and summarize without
plagiarizing.
Approximately 5 – 7 sentences.
Paragraph 2
Identify the variable(s) in the title. For each, what is the
most likely type
of variable (dependent,
independent, subject, or control) and why do you say this? (Note: not enough information may
not have been provided in the original news article so your answer here is graded on the
consistency between your summary, variable type identification, and its rationale). Given these
variable type(s), what is the most likely research design (descriptive, correlational, quasi-
experimental, or experimental)? Why?
Approximately 3 – 4 sentences.
Paragraph 3
PSYC 510
Page 2 of 4
Apply your knowledge of psychology research-related ethical concepts to this news article.
Discuss at least one Federal or APA Principle as it’d apply to the article. How do your personal
religious beliefs coincide with this Principle?
Approximately 2 – 3 sentences.
R