You will need to critically examine the review paper to comment broadly on its strengths and weaknesses. Depending on the topic and population, you could comment on its usefulness, validity, limitations, thoroughness, methodology and/or conceptualization.
Your summary of the review should be no more than four pages. In addition to the summary, you will also need to critically examine the review to comment broadly on the strengths and weaknesses of the review. Depending on the topic and population, you could critically examine the review for its usefulness, validity, limitations, thoroughness, and/or conceptualization. The critical analysis should be no more than two pages.
The finished report should be double-spaced, using 12 point Times New Roman font. The report should also include a title page with a title, your name and affiliation (i.e., Athabasca University) and a reference page listing the article you reviewed. The total report should be no more than eight pages, including separate pages for the title page and the reference page and should be completed following the guidelines in the APA Style Guide.
- Title Page: Provide title, name, and affiliation (i.e. Athabasca University) using APA format.
- Report Body:
- Introduction – Briefly introduce the review article by describe the problem statement or research question that motivates the review. Let the reader know what is to follow in the report in terms of what you are doing, and why.
- Summary – Summarize the major sections of the review based on your discussion with your tutor. Focus on the conclusions drawn and/or the unresolved issues of each section. Remember that this section is only a maximum of 4 pages.
- Critical Analysis – Critically analyze one or more aspects of the review. The critical analysis does not have to be inherently negative. A critical analysis can also be positive in showing new applications or solutions or understanding.
- Reference List: List the review you summarized in the assignment in proper APA format.
Once completed, the report must be submitted to the assignment drop box.
Marking Key
Introduction – 2 points
- 0.5: Poor
- 1: Good
- 1.5: Very Good
- 2: Excellent
Report Summary – 4 points
- 1: Poor
- 2: Good
- 3: Very Good
- 4: Excellent
Critical Analysis – 4 points
- 1: Poor
- 2: Good
- 3: Very Good
- 4: Excellent
Form – 2 points (up to 2 points deducted for errors related to writing skills, organization, title page, reference page)
- 0.5: Poor
- 1: Good
- 1.5: Very Good
- 2: Excellent
APA STYLE
APA style is widely used in psychology and other disciplines by researchers who want to publish their work in peer-reviewed scholarly journals. The use of a standard format in scholarly work facilitates the task of reading and reviewing journal articles by academics and students. For more information on APA style, check out the Psychology Department’s APA Style Tutorial. If you are planning to major in psychology, you may wish to purchase the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) (6th ed.) from your local bookstore as a useful reference tool. You may also borrow the Manual from the Athabasca University Library.
REFERENCES AND CITATIONS
The reference section of the report and in-text citations should adhere to the guidelines given in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) (6th ed.). Basic examples of in-text citations and a reference page are given below. Please note that in-text citations do not have to be included in the reference section of this report although normally they would.
IN-TEXT CITATION EXAMPLES
Both of these theories, explains Langford (1997), describe how moral development begins with the self (egocentric), eventually takes into account others in the immediate context (parents, teachers), and finally becomes more universal and more independent.
or
Both of these theories describe how moral development begins with the self (egocentric), eventually takes into account others in the immediate context (parents, teachers), and finally becomes more universal and more independent (Langford, 1997).
REFERENCE LIST EXAMPLE
Bem, D., & Funder, D. (1978). Predicting more of the people more of the time: Assessing the personality of situations. Psychological Review, 85(6), 485–501.
Dobrin, A. (Ed.). (1993). Being good and doing right: Readings in moral development. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Fawcett, M. (1996). Learning through child observation. Bristol, PA: J. Kingsley Publishers.
Kurtines, W., & Greif, E. G. (1974). The development of moral thought: Review and evaluation of Kohlberg’s approach. Psychological Bulletin, 81(8), 453–470.
Langford, P. E. (1997). Separating judicial from legislative reasoning in moral dilemma interviews. Child Development, 68(6), 1105–1106.
McLeod, S. (2013). Kohlberg. SimplyPsychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html on August 16, 2017.
Wright, H. F. (1960). Observational child study. In P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of research methods in child development. New York: John Wiley.