First of all, these directions make it appear that this is a longer and more difficult assignment than it really is. It is essentially ‘read and summarize.’ The issue is making sure it is a scientific journal (easy to do!) and using the correct style and formatting. The directions are long because I want to include any information that can help you get a perfect score. Please also see the rubric for grading guidelines. As noted in the introductory module, I recommend you read these directions at least 3 times; once now, once while writing your assignment, and once after you think you have completed it correctly.

Choose a peer-reviewed research article originally published in the last 5 years that relates to physical development. The research must involve humans, but, anything throughout the lifespan will suffice. Make sure that the research article includes data and data analysis. Choose a topic that you are genuinely interested in so you will learn something that you find valuable.

Pay particular attention to anything that is a review or meta research. These studies combine information from many studies and then summarize their findings. You don’t have to explain how all the different data was collected, but you do you have identify that it is a review and discuss the results and takeaway.

For instance:

• Is there a relationship between sitting and health?
• What are the physical effects of dementia?
• What is the optimal schedule for mammograms?
• What are the risk factors for [macular degeneration, arthritis, stroke, etc.]
• Are there genetic determinants of some diseases of development?
• What is the benefit of free play versus structured play in preschool?
• Can Type 2 diabetes be reversed?

The above are only examples. Feel free to choose any topic in physical development that catches your interest. And remember, the LAVC library has the option to search only for peer-reviewed information on its homepage. Here’s an update of that process:

Provide a brief (~250 words) summary of the study’s findings in terms that a non-psychology student could understand. Do not copy the abstract or any other part of the article and do not use any of the references in the text. See the Week 2 module for guidance.

Make sure these elements are included (see the rubric):

• A copy of the journal article
• A properly formatted title page and page numbers. I don’t care what your title is, as long as you have it in the proper places. With new APA guidelines, this is super easy. No running head necessary.

Title page:

• An explanation of the type of study or review in a way that a friend could understand.
• A general idea of who the participants were
• A description of the results
• An explanation of what we have learned from the study. What is the takeaway if you were explaining it to someone else? The title usually (not always) gives a strong clue here. Tell me what the purpose of the article was and and what you or others might learn from it.
• At the end, make sure to post your properly formatted, appropriate reference. As noted in the module, there are all sorts of templates you can use, especially those in the back of your text. (Free points, do it right!) This time you will need to provide a hanging (reverse) indent, as per APA format. You are submitting a pdf, so the format will remain the same. If you do not know how to do electronic indents (do NOT use the tab key or space bar!), please view this video:

Please post two pdfs. The first pdf should be of the article you are using (again, free points!). The second is your assignment.

Words and phrases you should avoid (unless you prefer a lower score):

• “prove”
• “Works cited”
• Retrieved [date], from
  (On the other hand, it is necessary to use ‘retrieved from’ when citing an online-only resource like the CDC, the United Nations, WHO, or those kinds of organizations. You can see examples in the back of the text, but for this assignment it is not necessary.)
• fact
  
• In addition, do not provide a library link as part of your reference. If you retrieve a journal from the lavc library and I am not logged into your account, including a URL is a useless piece of information.
• Also, look at the extra credit examples that improperly included links at a specific library.

And others that may not affect your score, but nevertheless you should avoid:

• “in the article…”
• “A study was conducted that showed…” (I know it was a study, just explain it. You can write, “The study showed…” or “Research attempted to…” or something like that.)
• “The authors talk about…” (If it is a written article, no one is talking.)
• “The article talks about…” (same same. Instead, say ” [ … ] is discussed” or “The authors discuss…” or “the researchers discuss…” or “In order to study the effect of …, researchers attempted to…”

Example assignments (without title pages) follow in the next module.

Four important issues that appear in most years:

1. Make sure you summarize in your own words, using common language that your friends could understand, and do not plagiarize! The best way to ensure they are your original words is to read the article and then keep it out of sight while you write. I understand you will need to consult it, but add details like the number of participants after you have completed your summary.
2. If the article you choose is not primarily about physical development, your final score will be reduced by 50%. But don’t be paranoid. It’s never happened that a student thinks an article was about the physical domain and it really wasn’t. It has only occurred when students just haven’t paid attention, since other assignments are specific to other domains.
3. If your article is dated by more than 5 years, your final score will be reduced by at least 30%.
4. If the article you choose is not peer-reviewed, you will not earn any points. Please review the appropriate module. I am here to further guide you and answer any questions.