ADVANCED GENERAL

PSYCHOLOGYPSY492

Assignment: Review Paper

Instructor: Vickie Wingard, S.S.P. NCSPvwingard@argosy.edu

OVERVIEW OF ASSIGNMENT

You will select a topic of professional interest to you and write an APA-style Review Paper on the past and current findings in the field and develop your own hypotheses about the future direction of the selected topic;

WEEK 1: TOPIC PROPOSAL Topic Proposal

Write one to two paragraphs (a) summarizing the problem area (be specific in defining the problem), (b) describing what you already know about the topic, and c) why you have chosen this topic for your literature review. The topic should apply psychological research to an individual, organizational, or social problem. Include a working title and the objective of the paper.

Reference PageSearch for literature on your selected topic and create a Reference Page containing at least 10 scholarly references. A good way to begin searching for relevant literature is to search for key words related to your topic in a research database. Narrow your search to articles in peer-reviewed journals. Another good idea is to check the list of References at the end of an article to find other relevant work. If you have any questions about this part, please feel free to email your instructor or ask the librarian. You will create a reference page for your literature review paper in an appropriate APA style. Your resources must come from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals or books. No Internet resources may be used here.

Submit this proposal to the M1: Assignment 2 Dropbox by Monday, January 17, 2011.

Name your file: AU_PSY492_M1_A2_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

WEEK 2: FINDINGS Evaluate the evidence. Create an outline of the

findings of the articles and how they contribute to our knowledge of this problem. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each piece. If the articles talk to each other (that is, if they support or contrast with one another), explain how and why. What does the evidence tell us? Is there another possible explanation you can think of? Refine your question or topic even further after you have described the findings.

Submit this proposal to the M2: Assignment 2 Dropbox by Friday, January 21, 2011.

Name your file: AU_PSY492_M2_A2_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

WEEK 3: CONCLUSION Discuss the findings and implications. Given

the results of your literature review, what is/are the prevailing argument(s)? What research question could you ask in order to further develop this area of study? Make an argument as to why your research question is important and relevant to the current work being done on your topic.

Submit this proposal to the M3: Assignment 2 Dropbox by Friday, January 28, 2011.

Name your file: AU_PSY492_M3_A2Concl_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

WEEK 4: PEER REVIEW Pair up with another student to review their paper and they review yours. Then,

submit the work to the Doc Sharing area. Name your file: AU_PSY492_M4_A1_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

You are required to review and lightly edit errors in grammar, punctuation, and APA style, so that the text reads more clearly and all sources are properly credited and documented, using the Track Changes and Insert Comments features in MS Word.

“Lightly edit” means to correct grammatical errors and punctuation so that the text reads more clearly. It does not mean changing the author's ”voice” or rephrasing entire sentences, or restructuring whole paragraphs. If you think these latter changes would benefit the paper, you should suggest them to the author and explain why they would make the text clearer or more convincing. Use the Peer Review Form located in Doc Sharing. Be sure to complete this as you will need to submit the form to earn credit for the peer review you completed.

In Microsoft Word, the Track Changes feature allows you to edit a document, insert comments, and view it in its original form as well as in its final form with each reviewer's changes highlighted in a different color.

If you are not familiar with these features, go to www.microsoft.com, look under Training, and complete a tutorial. Return your peer's document to him or her with your comments and tracked changes by Thursday, February 3, 2011.

When you receive your draft from your peer editor, review the comments but do not “Accept Changes” yet! Submit your “marked-up” draft to the M4: Assignment 2 Dropbox by Friday, February 4, 2011.

Name your file: AU_PSY492_M4_A2MrkdRevw_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

WEEKS 5 AND 6: FINAL EDITS Submit Final Review Paper. Turn in your final

Review Paper for grading. Please include your Peer Reviewed paper along with it. Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12 point, Times New Roman font with normal one-inch margins, written in APA style, and free of typographical and grammatical errors. It should include a title page with a running head, an abstract and a reference page. The body of the paper should be no longer than 5-6 pages in length.

By Friday, February 18, 2011 turn in the completed final version of your Review Paper to the M6: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

Name your file: AU_PSY492_M6_A2_LastName_FirstInitial.doc

WEEK 7: POWER POINT By Friday, February 25, 2011 using the

SlideShare application in your LinkedIn profile, upload your PowerPoint presentation you prepared for your Review Paper. Be sure to include with your presentation either an audio file, or a detailed explanation on the Notes pages of each slide. The presentation should be about ten minutes in length. 

Your PowerPoint presentation with audio must be uploaded to SlideShare by Friday, February 25, 2011, and you must assure that it can be accessed by the class.

WEEK 8: CLASS PRESENTATION

Present the Power Point on your literary review to the class. Save to a jump drive or email it to yourself such that you can access it in class for the presentation.