Assignments Assignment 3: Research Paper
Due Date: After you have completed Unit 10 (the last unit)
Credit Weight: 20% of your final grade
Expectation: 800-1000 words (plus title page and References), using APA Style. Instructions
Assignment 3 is designed to introduce you to the skill of writing a research paper, in this
case, a literature review. This assignment uses an abridged, or shortened, format of a formal
research paper, which is quite different from a journal article critique. For a research paper,
you compile information that addresses a research topic or question. You are required to cite
four research articles from journal databases in your research paper. For the assignments in
this course, all citations should include page numbers or paragraph numbers.
The paper must be an original work: that is, not copied from someone else, and not used in
this course in a previous registration or in any other course taken at Athabasca University or
elsewhere. Otherwise, this constitutes plagiarism and academic misconduct. Please review
the Plagiarism & Academic Integrity section of the Assignments prior to starting your
research paper. Format
Your research paper should be 800-1000 words (3-4 double-spaced pages), and must be
written in APA Style (6th ed.), using Times New Roman 12-point font size, and one-inch
margins all around. You are required to include the author, date, and page or paragraph
reference for all citations. In your References list, you must include the Digital Object
Identifier (DOI) or URL (if a DOI is not available). For information on how to locate a DOI, how
to cite sources, and how to develop a References list (as well as other critical APA Style
information), review the APA Tutorial. Where available, you should always use the PDF
version of the referenced/cited article.
The format and structure for your research paper is different than for the critiques. For the
paper, the main information is gleaned from each of the 4 article’s introduction, discussion,
and conclusions. You then compile the information that addresses your research
topic/question. Your personal thoughts must be backed up your reference sources –
otherwise, use the 4 articles to direct your line of thought. Review the sample research
papers on the course website – these will guide you in formatting your paper.
Your research paper must be submitted online via the course website, using the appropriate
assignment dropbox. Please submit your assignment as <docx>, <doc>, or <rtf> files. Do
not submit your papers as <ODT, ODF>, <WPS>, or <PDF> documents, as your tutor will
not be able to open and/or grade them efficiently or completely. Topics/Research Questions For this assignment, a list of potential topics/research questions that correspond to the
textbook chapters are provided. To get the most out of this assignment, choose a topic that
you want to learn more about. You may develop your own research question (not from the
list), provided that you get your tutor's approval before you begin writing your paper. Given
that there are no rewrite opportunities, this is an important step. Even if you choose one of
the research questions provided, you are strongly encouraged to communicate with your
tutor to ensure you understand the process and requirements. Reference Sources
Because this may be one of your first research papers, four suitable articles have been
provided for each research question. You may use all of these articles, OR four other suitable articles chosen from peer-reviewed journals (which can be
accessed via the AU Library journal databases), OR a combination of the articles provided and other suitable articles (at least four
total). You must use peer-reviewed journal articles for this assignment. Do NOT choose information
from consumer or public education websites (e.g., fact sheets, Wikipedia, etc.), as these are
known as tertiary sources (see APA tutorial). The articles from these sites may not be
research-based or peer-reviewed, and are not considered reliable academic sources. Using
such materials will seriously affect your grade. Follow your tutor’s guidelines on selecting
appropriate, valid, and reliable materials.
Your course textbook may be used as a fifth resource, but only as a supplemental source of
information. Your primary reference material should come from the journal articles.
It is your responsibility to access the AU Library (or other library) to find and access your
articles. Please consult the AU Library Journal Search Tutorial for assistance in learning to use
the Library online to find your resources. If you require further assistance, you can contact
Library staff through the information found in the Student Manual: Library Services. While
the Internet can be a valuable information source, vetting the credibility of the source is very
important. Information from public education websites (e.g., community education sites,
blogs, Wikipedia) are not usually appropriate research-based academic sources. If in doubt,
contact your tutor to help assess the suitability of your sources. Assignment Resources APA Style Resources Marking Guidelines: Assignment 3 Topics/Research Questions & Articles AU Library Journal List Tutorial AU Library Information AU Library Guide to the Research Process Sample Research Paper 1 Sample Research Paper 2 Four Stages to Writing Research Papers Resources for Writing Papers Paraphrasing Copy, editing and Proofreading Tips Assignments Marking Guidelines: Assignment 3
Introduction Body: Review
and Integration
of Literature Includes a concise statement of the purpose and structure
of the paper as well as the specific research question to be
answered. 10 A well-written, interesting rationale or background
statement, which includes either the purpose or the
structure but not both. Includes a wordy research question
to be answered. 79 A wordy statement of the purpose and structure, i.e.,
includes information that is either unnecessary or better
placed later in the paper. Includes the specific research
question to be answered. 56 An interesting rationale or background statement but
neither purpose nor structure is described. The research
question is unfocused. 24 Poorly written with neither purpose nor structure described.
No research question. 1 No introduction. 0 References four relevant and current primary sources. The
research question is addressed in a balanced perspective,
and is well discussed in some depth in an integrated
presentation. The articles selected are appropriate and
research-based. 31
35 /10 /35 Body: Critical
Thinking Conclusion Includes three relevant, current primary sources. The
research question presents one view, and it is well
discussed, article-by-article, in reasonable depth. The
articles selected are appropriate and research-based. 26
30 Includes two relevant, current primary sources. The
research question presents one view, and it is well
discussed article-by-article in reasonable depth. The articles
selected are appropriate and research-based. 21
25 Includes two relevant, current primary sources. The
research question presents one view, and is appropriate,
but it does not accurately present the conclusions. 16
20 Includes one relevant, current primary source. The research
question is appropriate, but the discussion is unfocused and
does not accurately present the conclusions. The article
selected is appropriate and research-based. 11
15 Includes one or more sources that are inappropriate or not
suitable. The research question misses one or more of the
required elements and does not accurately present the
conclusions. 110 No discussion. 0 Excellent, integrated discussion of the research question,
based on the sources reviewed and the student's own
analysis. 16
20 Well-integrated discussion of strengths and limitations of
the research, based on either the literature or the student's
own analysis, but not both. 11
15 Confused discussion of strengths and limitations based on
either literature or own analysis. 610 Superficial discussion of strengths and limitations based on
literature or the student's own analysis. 15 No evidence of critical thinking. 0 Complete, concise summary of the structure and/or points
made in the report. 10 Complete, but wordy summary. 69 Very brief summary with little connection to stated purpose
in the introduction. 35 Unclear or illogical summary or statement of conclusions. 12 /20 /10 APA Style Writing Skills No summary. 0 Consistent use of APA style (6th ed.) in title page (running
head/page header, page numbers, margins, appropriate
title for research-based paper, student name, AU ID, course,
and instructor); primary and secondary citations; and
reference list. Includes page/paragraph numbers in all
citations. 10 Consistent use of APA style in eight of the elements
identified above. 69 Consistent use of APA style in seven or fewer of the
elements identified above. 46 Inconsistent use of APA style and/or use of out-of-date APA
style and/or use of some other style. 13 No citations or reference list. No title page. 0 Excellent organization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Transitions from one section to the next are clear and
logical. A well-organized report (may use headings).
Paraphrasing is complete and accurate. 15 Well written and organized, but transitions are choppy.
Paraphrasing is complete and accurate. 11
14 Generally logical and clear with a few minor errors in
grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Paraphrasing is
incomplete and inaccurate. 610 Some confusion or lack of clarity in organization and
writing. Many errors in grammar, spelling, and/or
punctuation. 25 Generally confusing, illogical, and unclear. 1 Total /10 /15 /
10
0 Topics/Research Questions
The suggested article list does not provide links to the articles. Whether you use these or
other appropriate articles, you will need to access the AU online or other journal database.
The AU Library provides a Journal Title List Tutorial to help you navigate, access, and
download the articles you need from the AU online journal database. Each chapter is presented with a number of research questions, each of which has a number
of suggested research articles. The list of research questions can be found below. The same
list of questions plus the supporting articles can be found on the next pages (organized by
chapter). Alternatively, you may click on your question of choice to provide a link to the
page with the relevant article resources.
Chapter 9: Intelligence and Psychological Testing
1. What past and present controversies relate to intelligence tests? What factors may
affect test results? 2. What is the relationship between creativity and intelligence? What roles do
creativity and intelligence play in vocational success? 3. What are the problems and possibilities of psychological testing? 4. What does research suggest about the genetics of intelligence for humans? 5. What does research suggest about intelligence in other species? Chapter 10: Motivation and Emotion
1. 2. How does the sexual content found in current media affect people in different age
groups?
What factors influence sexual orientation in men and women? 3. How do psychological factors contribute to hunger? How do these factors affect
eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa? 4. What is positive psychology? What does research indicate about human
happiness? 5. What does research say about the development and expression of human
emotions? Chapter 11: Human Development across the Life Span
1. What are the effects of daycare on the attachment process? What are the patterns
of attachment and their effects on adult relationships? 2. Piaget is considered one of the leading pioneers in child cognitive development.
What is the current thinking about how children develop cognitively? 3. How has current research in Alzheimer’s disease advanced our understanding of
the aging process? 4. What are five (5) categories of activity for toddlers that are, according to Parten
(1932), increasingly social in nature? How do these patterns shift as children grow
older? 5. What does research say about moral development? Chapter 12: Personality: Theory, Research, and Assessment
1. How does Freud’s psychodynamic theory of personality compare with humanistic
theories of personality? 2. Are personality traits inherited? What are the strengths and limitations of the
research evidence? 3. How does Skinner’s behavioural (learning) theory of personality compare with
biological theories of personality? 4. Is the evidence of heritability of personality solid enough to withstand scientific
scrutiny? 5. What does research say about how parents affect the development of children’s
personalities? Chapter 13: Stress, Coping, and Health
1. How do children’s reactions to traumatic events differ from the reactions of adults? 2. What effects does stress have on psychological functioning (e.g., burnout and
PTSD)? 3. What are the effects of stress on physical health (e.g., coronary heart disease and
immunological disease)? 4. What does research say about effective psychological approaches to limiting
smoking, and the abuse of food and alcohol? Chapter 14: Psychological Disorders
1. What does research indicate about clinical depression? What are the implications
for treatment? 2. Weiten and McCann (2013) claim that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and
depression are the three serious psychological disturbances that are identifiable in all
cultures. What does research say about the prevalence of these conditions across
cultures? 3. What does research indicate about the similarities and differences of onset of
childhood and adult phobias? 4. What does research indicate about psychopaths? Chapter 15: Treatment of Psychological Disorders
1. How do behavioural therapies compare with client-centred therapies in the
treatment of psychological disorders? 2. What factors led from institution-based to community-based facilities in the
treatment of mental illness? What effects did this have on mentally ill patients? 3. Weiten and McCann (2013) believe that therapists must use both creativity and
scientific thinking. What does research say about effective therapists? What skill sets
would be required to ensure that a therapist is both a scientist and a practitioner? 4.
5. How have psychodynamic therapies changed since Freud's time?
What does research suggest about the effectiveness of psychotherapies for various
problems? Chapter 16: Social Behaviour
1. How has research on conformity, compliance, and obedience informed us about
these factors in real-world situations? 2. What is the relationship between attitudes and behaviours? Is attitude a good
predictor of behaviour? 3. Harari and Kaplan (1982) summarized research that shows that people who are
taller, are of healthy weight, make eye contact, have good posture, wear nice
clothes, have common first names, have non-ethnic last names, and have higherstatus occupations are generally rated more favourably than those who do not have
these traits or advantages. What does more recent research say about how we
perceive people? 4. Why are people willing to help in non-emergency situations but not in emergency
situations (known as “bystander apathy”)? What characteristics of each of these
situations contribute to action or inaction? 5. What does research suggest about how people attribute causes and reasons to
their own and to other people’s behaviour? Assignments Chapter 10 Articles
For your references, you will also need to include the DOI or URL (if a DOI is not available).
See the APA tutorial.
1. How does the sexual content found in current media affect people in
different age groups?
Keller, S. N., & Brown, J. D. (2002). Media interventions to promote responsible sexual
behavior. The Journal of Sex Research, 39(1), 67-73.
Los, M., & Chamard, S. E. (1997). Selling newspapers or educating the public? Sexual
violence in the media. Canadian Journal of Criminology, 39(3), 293-328.
Stern, S. E., & Handel, A. D. (2001). Sexuality and mass media: The historical context
of psychology’s reaction to sexuality on the Internet. The Journal of Sex Research,
38(4), 283-292.
Taylor, L. D. (2005). Effects of visual and verbal sexual television content and
perceived realism on attitudes and beliefs. The Journal of Sex Research, 42(2), 130137. 2. What factors influence sexual orientation in men and women?
Bailey, J. M., Bechtold, K. T., & Berenbaum, S. A. (2002). Who are tomboys and why
should we study them? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31(4), 333-341.
Bearman, P. S., & Bruckner, H. (2002). Opposite-sex twins and adolescent same-sex
attraction. The American Journal of Sociology, 107(5), 1179-1206.
Mustanski, B. S., Bailey, J. M., & Kaspar, S. (2002). Dermatoglyphics, handedness,
sex, and sexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31(1), 113-122.
Wilkinson, W. W., & Roys, A. C. (2005). The components of sexual orientation,
religiosity, and heterosexuals’ impressions of gay men and lesbians. The Journal of
Social Psychology, 145(1), 65-83. 3. How do psychological factors contribute to hunger? How do these factors
affect eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa?
Greenleaf, C., & McGreer, R. (2006). Disordered eating attitudes and selfobjectification among physically active and sedentary female college students. The
Journal of Psychology, 140(3), 187-199.
Hinton, P. S., & Kubas, K. L. (2005). Psychosocial correlates of disordered eating in
female collegiate athletes: Validation of the ATHLETE questionnaire. Journal of
American College Health, 54(3), 149-156. Leon, G. R., Fulkerson, J. A., Perry, C. L., Keel, P. K., & Klump, K. L. (1999). Three- to
four-year prospective evaluation of personality and behavioral risk factors for later
disordered eating in adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Youth and Adolescence,
28(2), 181-190.
Vaughan, K. K., & Fouts, G. T. (2003). Changes in television and magazine exposure
and eating disorder symptomatology. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 49(7/8), 313320.
4. What is positive psychology? What does research indicate about human
happiness?
Brendtro, L. K., Brokenleg, M., & Van Bockern, S. (2005). The Circle of Courage and
positive psychology. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 14(3), 130-136.
Hunter, J. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003). The positive psychology of interested
adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 32(1), 27-35.
Kelley, T. M. (2004). Positive psychology and adolescent mental health: False promise
or true breakthrough? Adolescence, 39(154), 257-278.
Pajares, F. (2001). Toward a positive psychology of academic motivation. The Journal
of Educational Research, 95(1), 27-36. 5. What does research say about the development and expression of human
emotions?
Balconi, M., & Lucchiari, C. (2005). Event-related potentials related to normal and
morphed emotional faces. The Journal of Psychology, 139(2), 176-192.
Plant, E. A., Kling, K. C., & Smith, G. L. (2004). The influence of gender and social
roles on the interpretation of facial expressions. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research,
51(3/4), 187-196.
Timmers, M., Fischer, A. H., & Manstead, A. S. R. (1998). Gender differences in
motives for regulating emotions. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 24(9), 974985.
White-Stephan, C., Saito, I., & Morrison-Barnett, S. (1998). Emotional expression in
Japan and the United States: The nonmonolithic nature of individualism and
collectivism. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 29(6), 728-738. Chapter 11 Articles
For your references, you will also need to include the DOI or URL (if a DOI is not available).
See the APA tutorial.
1. What are the effects of daycare on the attachment process? What are the
patterns of attachment and their effects on adult relationships?
To answer the first part of the question "What are the effects of daycare on the
attachment process?," choose two of the following: Clarke-Stewart, K. A. (1988). “The ’Effects‚ of infant day care reconsidered”
reconsidered: Risks for parents, children, and researchers. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 3(3), 293-318.
Field, T., Masi, W., Goldstein, S., Perry, S., & Parl, S. (1988). Infant day care facilitates
preschool social behavior. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 3(4), 341-359.
Howes, C., Rodning, C., Galluzzo, D. C., & Myers, L. (1988). Attachment and child
care: Relationships with mother and caregiver. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,
3(4), 403-426.
Thompson, R. A. (1988). The effects of infant day care through the prism of
attachment theory: A critical appraisal. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 3(3),
273-282.
To answer the second part of the question "What are the patterns of attachment and
their effects on adult relationships?," choose two of the following:
Bartholomew, K. (1990). Avoidance of intimacy: An attachment perspective. Journal
of Social and Personal Relationships, 75(2), 147-178.
Mickelson, K. D., Kessler, R. C., & Shaver, P. R. (1997). Adult attachment in a
nationally representative sample. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(5),
1092-1106.
Neal, J., & Frick-Horbury, D. (2001). The effects of parenting styles and childhood
attachment patterns on intimate relationships. Journal of Instructional Psychology,
28(3), 178-183.
Roisman, G. I. (2006). The role of adult attachment security in non-romantic, nonattachment-related first interactions between same-sex strangers. Attachment &
Human Development, 8(4), 341-352.
2. Piaget is considered one of the leading pioneers in child cognitive
development. What is the current thinking about how children develop
cognitively?
Anderson, J. R. (1982). Acquisition of cognitive skill. Psychological Review, 89(4), 369406.
Flavell, J. H. (1999). Cognitive development: Children’s knowledge about the mind.
Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 21-45.
Gardner, H. (1998). A multiplicity of intelligences. Scientific American Presents:
Exploring Intelligence, 9(4), 18-23.
Hauser, M. D., Chomsky, N., & Fitch, W. T. (2002). The faculty of language: What is it,
who has it, and how did it evolve? Science, 298(5598), 1569-1579. 3. How has current research in Alzheimer’s disease advanced our
understanding of the aging process? Christensen, H., Korten, A., Jorm, A. F., Henderson, A. S., Scott, R., & Mackinnon, A. J.
(1996). Activity levels and cognitive functioning in an elderly community sample. Age
and Ageing, 25(1), 72-80.
Mann, D. M. (1997). Molecular biology’s impact on our understanding of aging. British
Medical Journal (BMJ), 315(7115), 1078-1081.
Maylor, E. A. (1994). Ageing and the retrieval of specialized and general knowledge:
Performance of mastermind. British Journal of Psychology, 85(1), 105-114.
Taylor, J. L., Miller, T. P., & Tinklenberg, J. R. (1992). Correlates of memory decline: A
four-year longitudinal study of older adults with memory complaints. Psychology and
Aging, 7(2), 185-193.
4. What are five (5) categories of activity for toddlers that are, according to
Parten (1932), increasingly social in nature? How do these patterns shift as
children grow older?
Bloch, M. N. (1987). The development of sex differences in young children’s activities
at home: The effect of the social context. Sex Roles, 16(5/6), 279-301.
Gmitrova, V., & Gmitrov, J. (2003). Impact of teacher-directed and child-directed
pretend play on cognitive competence in kindergarten children. Early Childhood
Education Journal, 30(4), 241-246.
Howes, C., Unger, O., & Seidner, L. B. (1989). Social pretend play in toddlers: Parallels
with social play and with solitary pretend. Child Development, 60(1), 77-84.
Parten, M. B. (1932). Social participation among preschool children. Journal of
Abnormal and Social Psychology, 27(3), 243-269. 5. What does research say about moral development?
Dwyer, S. (2003). Moral development and moral responsibility. The Monist, 86(2),
181-200.
Eisenberg, N. (2000). Emotion, regulation, and moral development. Annual Review of
Psychology, 51(1), 665-697.
Grier, L. K., & Firestone, I. J. (1998). The effects of an intervention to advance moral
reasoning and efficacy. Child Study Journal, 28(4), 267-286.
Spohn, W. C. (2000). Conscience and moral development. Theological Studies, 61(1),
122-138. Chapter 12 Articles
For your references, you will also need to include the DOI or URL (if a DOI is not available).
See the APA tutorial.
1. How does Freud’s psychodynamic theory of personality compare with
humanistic theories of personality? Decarvalho, R. J. (1990). A history of the “Third Force” in psychology. Journal of
Humanistic Psychology, 30(4), 22-44.
Freud, S. (1910). The origin and development of psychoanalysis. American Journal of
Psychology, 21(2), 181-218.
Goldberg, C. (2000). A humanistic psychology for the new millennium. The Journal of
Psy...

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