Introduction
State your research question and explain why it is important.
Evaluation of Sources
Use your notes from the preparation study in Unit 5 to write up a critical evaluation of at least three peer-reviewed scholarly articles based on:
Relevance.
Credibility and authority.
Timeliness.
Sources.
Audience.
Bias and point of view.
Synthesis of Literature Into a Cohesive Review
In the preparation study in Unit 6, you should have identified at least three key themes, or focuses of inquiry, that are relevant to your research question and present in each article. These themes may be based on:
Related aspects of research questions.
Related or differing conclusions.
Other factors or ideas the studies have in common.
Other points of contrast between the studies.
Use concise formulations of these themes as headings for the next sections of the paper. In these sections, compare and contrast your resources’ positions relative to each theme, and then synthesize your own position relative to the theme. Support your conclusions by citing your references. However, if you find that more research would be needed to decide a question, briefly outline ideas of how that could be undertaken.
Granello’s 2001 article, “Promoting Cognitive Complexity in Graduate Written Work,” provides a framework and strategies to help you work through this part of your assignment.
Application and Research Vision
Once you identify your themes and analyze the literature, you are ready to apply the techniques, strategies, best practices, and other findings to your professional practice.
Discuss how you would apply these findings to your future professional practice in psychology.
Analyze how these findings could help you accomplish the functions, responsibilities, and ethics required of a psychology professional. You are encouraged to cite information from your interview with a psychology professional here; however, remember to critically evaluate the information you use.
What techniques, strategies, and best practices are indicated by your research?
What enhanced outcomes can be expected when they are applied?
The final step in this assignment is to describe how your research fits into your future vision and goals for your career.
Craft additional professional goals related to this research.
Revise the vision statement you completed in Unit 3 to integrate research and scholarship in your specialized field of psychology.
Example assignment: You may use the assignment example, linked in the Resources, to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like.
Additional Requirements
Your assignment should also meet the following requirements:
Template: Use the Your Research in Psychology Template to format your assignment.
Length: 5-7 typed and double-spaced content pages in Times New Roman 12-point font. The title page, abstract, and reference list are not included in this length.
References: Include a minimum of three references. Your references may include both scholarly literature and practitioner sources. All references need to be cited in-text, according to current APA standards. Remember that citations are to support your thoughts, not take the place of them!
Written communication:Must be clear, with correct spelling, grammar, and syntax and with good organization.
Writing style: APA expectations for scholarly writing include the use of third-person narrative, unless it is awkward to do so. However, because you are talking about yourself in this paper, you may write in the first person.
APA formatting: Must be formatted according to APA style and formatting and include a title page, abstract, and reference list. Note that these three elements are not counted toward the length of your assignment.
