Psychology 241

Research Methods I

David Allbritton

Homework 1

Evaluating Research in the News

It is almost impossible to pick up a newspaper or newsmagazine without encountering a report of a "new finding" from research on some important topic. Such reports vary widely in the detail with which the findings are reported, and in the quality of the "research" the article describes. Your assignment for next class period is to find an article in a newspaper or newsmagazine that reports some type of research finding. If possible, choose a research finding related to psychology, but any type of research is acceptable. (Note about internet articles: You may use an article retrieved from the internet only if it is from the site of a newspaper or news organization. You must provide the URL for articles from the internet. If you have questions about whether a particular source is appropriate, ask.)

Write a short (half-page to one-page) critique of the research described in the article, applying ideas from the first class and from the assigned readings. Your paper should include a brief summary of the article (what was the hypothesis the research was said to support, what was the evidence that supported that conclusion), and a critical analysis of the research as it was reported. Did the article give enough details for you to evaluate the quality of the research? If not, what else would you like to have known, and why is that information needed to evaluate the research? What method of study did the researchers use (experiment, naturalistic observation, survey, etc.), and do you think it was the best way to study the issue? What possible alternative explanations (if any) can you think of for the findings? Are there any other possible problems with the research you can identify? Conclude with your best judgment of how much confidence we should place in the research findings described in the article? Do you think the conclusions 1) are probably correct, 2) should be taken seriously but there are still some serious questions about whether they are correct, 3) are not well supported by the evidence presented, or 4) do not appear to be based on any scientific evidence at all. Justify your answer.

Your paper should be one-half page to two pages long, typed and double-spaced. (If you do not have a typewriter or computer, you should go to one of the public computer labs on campus to print your paper.) Attach the first page of the article you are critiquing (or a photocopy of the first page of the article) to your paper. If the date and source of the article are not evident on the first page, be sure to write them in. You may do this assignment either individually or with a partner. If you work with a partner, both of you must read the article, discuss it, and contribute to writing the paper. You must both sign the paper to affirm that you contributed equally to producing it, and make sure both of your names are typed at the top of the page.

This assignment is due at the beginning of class on the date listed in the syllabus. Be prepared to discuss your article in class.