Assignment: scientific journal critique

Assignment: scientific journal critique

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Assignment: Write a critique of both the news article and the scientific journal article

Your assignment is to write a critique of both the news article and the scientific journal article on which it is based. To structure your paper, please respond to all of the questions as below. You should include the numbering in your write up. (You may delete the questions)

The paper must be no more than 1000 words in length. Please double space your work and use a 12 pt font.

Describe the study (8 points)

1. Carefully read the scientific journal article. Briefly explain the experimental design (conditions, manipulations, dependent measures) and results (what did they find?) This description should take approximately one page of text.

Critically evaluate the scientific study (5 points)

1. Discuss any shortcomings/limitations of the study. Try to think of your own (avoid simply rehashing those discussed by the study’s authors).
2. Do you think that the study’s authors drew valid conclusions from their results? If so, why?  If not, what would you conclude?

Critically evaluate the news article (8 points)

1. What (if anything) did the news article do well? Was it accurate? Explain your thinking.
2. What (if anything) did the news article do poorly? Was it sensationalized? Explain your thinking.
3. If you were the one writing the news article, what additional detail(s) about the study would have been most helpful to convey to the public? Justify your answer.

Comments on possible follow-up studies (4 points)

1. What kinds of follow-up studies you would like to see done to gain more insight into the issues at hand? (Note: this should be a more substantial proposal than a simple replication with more subjects.)

Over-length paper (> 1,000 words) -2 points for each 250 words over limit