This assessment is designed to help you describe scientific research methods as presented in scholarly literature in the field of psychology

Overview

In psychological work settings, we often have to summarize research and articles to ensure that the services we provide are aligned with current science and practice. The format in which this information is provided and the way it is utilized varies according to the end-user.

This assessment is designed to help you describe scientific research methods as presented in scholarly literature in the field of psychology. It will also help you differentiate between scholarly and non-scholarly sources.

In much of the scholarly literature that describes scientific research methods, you will notice a mention about the thesis statement and hypothesis. A thesis statement in an article is the sentence that describes what the paper or presentation intends to prove. It is the overarching main point of the author’s work. This differs from a hypothesis, which is used to predict outcomes in experiments.

Example

Thesis example: Heads-up displays should not be used in cars because they distract drivers from the road.

• Note: The thesis tells a reader what a paper or article will be about. It lets the reader know right away what the conclusion will be.

Hypothesis example: We predict heads-up displays in cars will distract drivers from the road and cause more accidents.

• Note: The hypothesis provides a prediction (what happens in the future) that can be tested in an experiment.

Directions

To complete this assessment, do the following:

1. Read the following two articles:
   • Macdonald, K., Germine, L., Anderson, A., Christodoulou, J., & McGrath, L. M. (2017). Dispelling the myth: Training in education or neuroscience decreases but does not eliminate beliefs in neuromyths. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. Retrieved from https://doaj.org/article/a8afd18a5aec491bbe71aa8546c50a1f
   • Bergland, C. (2017, August 10). Debunking neuromyths: Eight common brain myths set straight. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201708/debunking-neuromyths-eight-common-brain-myths-set-straight
2. Complete the Source Analysisinteractive media guide, following the prompts and directions. This media piece will guide your completion of the assessment.
   • In Section 1 of the form, record information from the scholarly article.
   • Then, answer the questions in Section 2 of the form, based on the non-scholarly article.
   • When you have completed the media guide, it will generate a document. Submit this document as your assessment.
   • Use proper APA citations throughout.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Writing should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • The discussion on how the information in the article relates to a thesis should be a well-developed paragraph with proper citations.
• APA formatting: References and citations should be formatted according to the current APA style and formatting. You may refer to Additional Guidelines for Formatting Papers [PDF] for help with formatting this assessment.
  • Your quotations should include quotation marks and citations.
  • Your paraphrases should include citations.