Final paper guidelines
The paper
Nuts and bolts
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A critical reading the scientific literature.
2,000 word critical literature review
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summarizing and synthesizing five or more articles
and/or reviews on a topic of your choosing in social and
emotional development.
It is a good idea to use readings from the class syllabus
for your final project, but these do not count for your
five readings.)
The basis of this project will be writing
summary/critiques of these individual
articles/reviews that you will turn in throughout the
semester.
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Title & Abstract
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Title: Your critical question.
 What
factors predict attachment security?
 How does prenatal drug exposure impact later
development?
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Abstract
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In 5 sentences, use what you have read to tell us
the answer to your question.
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Introduction
Introduce and clearly state the Question
 Then tell us how you will answer it.
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Give us the order in which you will review your
studies
Example: Many think that A is related to B. I
will address whether A is related to B by first
surveying the literature on A (ref) , then B (ref),
then how A is related to B (ref).
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Structure of final project
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Study by study
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This is the most straight-forward and I focus on it here
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Though not the most glamorous
Cover the studies in the sequence that works best to
address your question
Theme by theme
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Alternative (with my permission only)
E.g. Studies with significant results and studies without
More on this in class or come see me.
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Study by study
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Summarize each study to address your
Question
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2-3 paragraphs per study
Indicate how what your are presenting answers
your Question
Use your empirical observations insofar as they
help you make your point.
 Put
them in if they help
 Leave ‘em out if they don’t help
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Guidelines on detail
Focus on the results of each study as they
pertain to your question
 Give us enough detail so that you and the
reader can both evaluate each study:
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dependent measures, significant differences,
how many subjects, design
But focus on how the results of a study
answer your critical question
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More guidelines
Carefully review the results (not just the
author's conclusions) of each study you are
including.
 Bring your summarizing skills to bear on
these articles.
 Use them to answer the question you have
selected.
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Conclusion/Summary
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Repeat the answer to your question
Summarize what you have learned from about
your question, having reference to all the studies
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Is there something you should read next to finish up
your project and make it all fit together?
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References
In psychology reference papers, every fact
is referenced either at the end of the
sentence or by starting a paragraph with a
reference indicating you will be referring to
that person’s work through-out.
 Your paper must contain a list of APAformatted references after the text.
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