Research Methods

APA Paper: First Draft of Introduction Due Sunday, April 25th

For this project, you will write the first draft of your research paper. However, I encourage you to treat this as if you are turning in a final draft – the more formal and polished this first draft is, the better feedback I can give you. This paper will be an extension of the APA Paper Outline you received feedback. As a reminder, the goal of this literature review is to read a variety of different psychological research articles on your topic, and to synthesize this information into one cohesive summary. As mentioned before, you are just responsible for writing the introduction section (you will not have to write a methods, results section or discussion section for this assignment). Use the feedback I provided on your outline to help guide you in writing this paper. Make sure that each section of the paper is clear and answers the questions that are listed below. Try to write broadly about what other researchers have found (do not get too specific about each study unless a detail is really needed). Also, check that the paper flows, that the sections transition well, and that the citations and other elements are in APA-style. Paper Details: This draft should be double-spaced, 1 inch margins, and 4-5 pages total (INCLUDING a title page and a references page). This gives you plenty of space, but be sure that your sentences are succinct and to the point. The paper is graded out of 50 points. Make sure you have addressed all feedback from the outline. If you have any questions, email me!

Rubric/Guidelines (see example APA paper for help with formatting!)

1) Title page: 5 points ? Did you follow APA-style? ? Did you include a title that mentions the important constructs/variables and gives readers

an idea of your research question? ? Did you include your name, affiliation, course number, professor’s name, due date &

page #?

2) Introduction Section: 25 points Remember! This section should start broad reviewing the basic research question and then review the literature to get more and more specific, all leading up to your very specific hypothesis. 5 points – Introduction paragraph (approx. ½ pg.)

? Is the paragraph interesting and does it draw in the reader? ? Does it state the basic research question? ? Does it mention the different constructs/variables which are the focus of the study?

Research Methods

15 points – Paragraphs reviewing previous findings and theories (approx. 1½-2 pg.) ? Is each paragraph one idea unit?

? Remember: review one concept per paragraph NOT one research article per paragraph

? Explain what has been found, where are contradictions or what questions remain? ? Are the findings summarized in your own words (remember – no quotations)? ? Did you cite at least 4 relevant articles? ? Did you keep your article summaries brief (1 or 2 sentences about each article at a

time)? ? REMEMBER: You SHOULD NOT summarize and review everything in those

articles – only what is important to your research question. Probably just the results, maybe some specific details of research design if they are relevant to your study. It is okay to cite an article in different paragraphs!

5 points – Final hypothesis paragraph (approx. ½ pg.)

? Does this paragraph tie together the information from the previous paragraphs? ? Are the hypotheses clear? ? Do the hypotheses make sense, and stem from the previous findings you just reviewed?

3) References: 10 points

? Have you made all changes suggested in the Outline Assignment? ? Are the references arranged in alphabetical order according to author’s last name? ? Did you remember to include a reference for every citation in the paper? ? Double check all of the punctuation on each reference for APA style ? Double check that all necessary information is included for each reference, in the correct

order, for APA style

4) Writing style & general APA style: 10 points ? Have you addressed all the changes suggested in the Outline Assignment? ? Are the in-text citations in APA style? ? Is the overall paper in APA style (e.g., headers/titles of sections)? ? Is the writing clear and without typos and stylistic problems? ? Do you treat each paragraph as one idea unit? ? Did you avoid quotations? ? Do you connect paragraphs/ideas through transition sentences?

Quick APA-Style Checklist:

1. All sources are cited with APA style including authors and year 2. All places which require a citation have one 3. Proper punctuation in APA style 4. Proper headings in APA style 5. Title Page and References are on their own pages 6. References are in alphabetical order 7. References paragraphs have a hanging indent. 8. Entire paper is double-spaced with no additional spaces 9. All pages have page number in the upper right hand corner