Course Position Paper Instructions
Evaluation Components
Course Paper
Value: 20% of final grade
Purpose: To improve skills in understanding and critiquing published research.
Description: In this paper, you will be asked to take a position on a topic in cognitive psychology and defend it. Your position paper can be on any topic related to perception, attention, language, memory, problem solving or reasoning. You must select a minimum of two empirical journal articles for your paper (i.e., review articles are not acceptable). Note that the articles you use must be original sources; secondary citations and citations from textbooks are inadequate for this purpose. The position paper can take on two different forms: (a) discuss different sides of an issue, and then argue which position you take and why or (b) present a critical analysis of a theory or experimental set of data, detailing the shortcomings and presenting your position on how to improve the theory or experiment. The paper must be in APA (7th edition) format; an instruction sheet with APA style guidelines and grading values will be provided. The maximumlength of the paper is 10 double spaced pages, which includes the title page and the reference section. Simple literature reviews are not acceptable for this position paper. A good paper will reflect thought and analysis on behalf of the student. The evaluation of the papers will be based on how convincingly you are able to argue for the position you take. This brief description is not enough information to complete the assignment successfully. Additional details will be provided in class.
Your position paper will be on the topic related to: memory. The position paper can take one of two forms: (A) discuss different sides of an issue, and then argue which position you take and why using the theories and/or research methods used by each side to explain your decision, or (B) present a critical analysis of a theories or experimental methods used to examine a specific topic of cognitive psychology detailing shortcomings and presenting your position on how to improve the theories or experimental designs.
A good paper will reflect thought and analysis. Your paper must integrate and synthesize the journal articles. Additionally, a review of the literature ONLY is not acceptable for this position paper. The evaluation of the papers will be equally based on how convincingly you are able to argue for the position you take in your Discussion section (details below).
Purpose of the paper
To review, evaluate, critique, and integrate a minimum of 2 empirical journal articles pertaining to an issue in cognitive psychology (ex. journal articles about cognitive studies with methodological details regarding participants, procedures, data analysis and results). To prepare you for writing research papers in your upper-level psychology classes.
Additional Important Criteria Information
o Meta-analyses, review articles, and articles not from peer-reviewed empirical journals are not acceptable for this assignment. Additionally, the empirical journal articles must be original sources; secondary citations and citations from textbooks are not acceptable.
o Additional resources may be used above and beyond the minimum 2 journal articles.
o The maximum length of the paper is 10 double spaced pages, which includes the title page, abstract page, and the reference section.
Step 1: Selecting research articles to review.
o Identify the cognitive psychology topic you are interested in.
o Do a literature search to find research articles pertaining to this topic
Step 2: Review the research articles you have selected.
o What were the main findings/results of the two research articles you found?
o Do the two articles together give you enough information for a coherent paper?
o Option A: each side of the debate is represented
o Option B: there are common threads that bind the two research articles together
o What are the strengths and weaknesses of the published research? Do you think the papers make a clear argument for their ideas?
o Option A: for each side of the debate
o Option B: for this topic of cognitive psychology in general
o Decide your position.
o Option A: decide which side you agree with and be prepared to explain why
o Option B: decide which theories and/or methods have shortcomings and be prepared to explain how you would address them.
Step 3: What to write.
o Your paper must integrate and synthesize the journal summaries. Do not simply paste one journal summary after another.
o Avoid plagiarism! It carries serious consequences even when not intentional. Be sure to cite using APA formatting any ideas that you paraphrase using your own words OR directly quote. (Further advice on this serious issue can be found in the Course Position Paper Presentation WITH AUDIO file on our course CANVAS).
o Your Paper Must Contain:
o Abstract (4 pts): Begin your paper with an abstract. The abstract provides the reader with a summary of what is in your paper. This must include the topic of cognitive psychology your paper is about, if you are do a comparison of two sides (Option A) or a critical analysis (Option B) about this topic, and your conclusions. In the abstract, you are telling the reader what the important points are within your paper.
o An introduction (4 pts): Introduce the topic you are researching. How do you define the central terms important to your position? What are you going to discuss in your paper (different sides of an issues or a critique of a theory or experimental set of data)?
o A literature review (16 pts): The literature review serves to place your position within the context of what research has already been conducted in this area; and through this research, what has already been learned about this area of cognitive psychology. Your literature review should describe each study with enough detail that the reader is not wondering what the research study found nor how it was conducted (the methods used). Your literature review needs to also form a coherent and integrated account of the research area (i.e., do not summarize each article separately with no integration)
For Option A: You can describe each side of the debate separately (their findings, their methods, etc.) but then you must also compare and contrast them to have a fully integrated literature review
For Option B: Describe the common findings from both articles and the common methods used in both & discuss any unique differences between your two articles (in terms of findings and/or methods)
o The Discussion Section (16 pts):
For Option A: argue which side of the issue you take, and explain why you took this position citing the strengths of weakness of the theories and/or research methods used by each side to explain your decision
For Option B: present a critical analysis of the theories and/or methods used in this area of cognitive psychology detailing the shortcomings and weakness and presenting your position on how to improve them
o Reference Section (4 pts): Following the guidelines set out in the 7th Edition of the APA publication manual, cite all of your references in APA format.
All Papers will also be graded on:
o Cohesiveness (10 pts): 10 marks will be assigned for whether the paper flowed together, moved from general to specific and then back to the general level, and if it was well organized.
o APA Style (4 pts): 4 marks are allotted to proper APA citations, formatting and overall style. Use 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch (2.5cm) margins.
APA Resources
Psychology Topics (good for general definitions needed for your paper):
https://www.apa.org/topics/
American Psychological Association (APA Style Tips and FAQs):
https://apastyle.apa.org/learn/faqs/index
The OWL at Purdue Website (APA formatting, writing scientific reports, appropriate referencing):
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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