Abstract and Critique Assignment Instructions
PSY 341
WI 2011
The purpose of this assignment is to write your own abstract and to critique a randomized clinical trial
(RCT) for a mental disorder that is posted on Moodle. This assignment is to be completed
independently. You should use the same documents you used in your group to do this assignment.
Blank documents for your use are posted on Moodle. You will not need to turn in these documents with
your paper. You will participate in a peer review of your abstract and critique. You must be at class on
the day of the peer review to receive the points for your participation.
Please keep in mind that if you do not follow this instructions that follow, you will lose points on this
assignment:
Content instructions:
 Although the APA Publication Manual says abstracts should be single-spaced and not indented, I
would like your abstract to be double spaced and indented so that it will be easier for me to
read and grade.
 Your abstract should be one paragraph with the following terms: Objective, Method, Results,
Conclusions. The terms should be embedded in your abstract and a colon should be included
after each one. In the "Objective" section, you should provide context and the purpose of the
study. For a treatment RCT such as one you are writing about, context provides the reader with
reasons for why this study is being conducted. Reasons can include a brief description of
problems with current treatment options, background on the treatment that the researchers
are testing in the study, and why it is so important to investigate another treatment for the
disorder of interest. For the "Method" section, you should provide number of participants,
average age or age range of participants, sex of participants, most important inclusion/exclusion
criteria, a brief description of the groups and random assignment, measures, and assessment
times. In the "Results" section, you should describe all of the findings for the primary outcomes
and these should be linked to the measures you described in the "Method" section. Finally, in
the "Conclusions" section you should write 1-2 sentences that describe the implications of the
findings. You should not add new findings not previously mentioned in the "Results" section or
just restate the findings. Your abstract should not exceed 300 words.
 Your critique should be written in paragraphs. It is very important that you not only describe a
strength and flaw, but that you also provide a rationale for why. When describing the study you
would conduct next, you should include the purpose of the study, a description of the
participants (age range, sex, total number), the number of groups and a description of each, the
measures you would use, when participants would be assessed, and at least one implication of
this study. You should include a sentence to introduce the topic of each paragraph. Don't
forget to use a transition sentence to link the components (e.g., strength, flaw) to one another.
Your critiques should be original and not come from the authors of the RCT.
Formatting instructions:
 APA style should be used throughout the assignment.
 Your assignment must be computer generated, double-spaced, using Times New Roman 12,
left-justified, and setting margins at 1 inch.
 You should include Abstract and Critique as your headings.
Running head: THE INTERESTING CONNECTION
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Papers should be written in the third person and in your own words. Assignments with large
amounts of quoting will be marked down.
Please include a title page formatted in APA style that is stapled to the front of your paper (use
example on Moodle). Remember, this title page should have the same font and font size as the
rest of the paper. You also should attach a reference page that includes a properly formatted
reference for the RCT you are writing about.
Please use spell check and check your grammar.
The Oakland University Writing Center is a great resource to help improve writing skills and obtain
more assistance with APA style. The Center is located at Kresge Library (room 212). There are also
satellite sites that have evening hours. See http://www2.oakland.edu/writingcenter/ or call 248-3703120 for more information.
Running head: THE INTERESTING CONNECTION
The Interesting Connection between Heart Failure and Type II Diabetes
Your name here
Your Grizzly ID number here
PSY course here
Semester & year
Dr. Kozak
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