>I've taught Research Methods so many times that I forget that different
>teachers can have quite different advice to their students on how to write
>a literature review for an APA research paper. Here's what I tell
>students. Please let me know what you think of it or what you do instead.
<big snip>
Mike & other TIPsters-
I'm quite a bit more structured in my approach. At the beginning of the
semester students start reading journal articles (2 per week, worth 20
points each) and writing summaries on a "Journal Report Form." I
structured the journal report form so students learn what they should be
paying attention to as they read *and* the kinds of appropriate information
for the Introduction/Lit Review of their written experimental reports. The
questions and point values are:
1. Provide the reference information in APA format. (2 points)
2. Briefly state the problem which the experimenters were studying. (2
points)
3. Why did the authors conduct their study? (2 points)
4. What was (were) the independent variables? There may be more than
one.
(2 points)
5. What was (were) the dependent variables? There may be more than one.
(2 points)
6. Describe the participants including the number who participated. (2
points)
7. Briefly describe what the participants had to do. (2 points)
8. What were the results of the experiment? (2 points)
9. Do you have any criticisms of the research? *or* If not, what can you
personally take from this research? (4 points)
[The above was based on a handout by Donna Schoenfeld, a colleague who is
currently at Rutgers.]
The students also receive a "guidelines" handout in which I describe what
should be included for each question.
I have had a *lot* of success using this form. The students really
increase their skills at reading journal articles. I've had so much
success that I now give my Intro classes 5 journal summarization
assignments during a semester.
Caution: advertisement follows. . .
I have had the most success assigning articles from the *Psi Chi Journal of
Undergraduate Research* for both my Research Methods and Intro classes.
Kirsten
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Kirsten Rewey, Ph.D. |
Department of Psychology |
300 Fraser Purchase Road | "Those who make peaceful revolution
St. Vincent College | impossible will make violent
Latrobe, PA 15650 | revolution inevitable."
|
[EMAIL PROTECTED] |
| --John F. Kennedy
(724) 532-6600 ext. 2375 |
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