ASSESSING A RESEARCH STUDY
Complete this assignment according to the following:
Choose a research study article of interest to you.
Refer to the study you choose and complete the “Assessing a Research Study” resource which is attached.
Identify an article that directly references your chosen study and compare it to your findings. Does this article refute or confirm the study’s findings?
Write a paper (700 words) that analyzes and summarizes your findings.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the 7TH EDITION APA Style Guide, which is attached
Assessing a Research Study
Review the study components in the left-side column of the form below. Refer to the study you chose, and complete the data in the right-side column with the key components in that study.
Research Question:
How did the research question emerge from the review of literature in the article?
Independent Variables
Type:
Dependent Variables
Type:
Identify and Define the Study Design Elements:
1. Quantitative vs. Qualitative:
2. Sample Size
3. Method of sample selection: Explanation.
4. Identify and define the experimental and control groups?
5. Reliable and valid data instruments? Explain.
Describe analysis.
What statistics were used?
Did the researchers conclusions make sense, did they answer the research question, and did they appear to flow from the review of the literature?
Did they explore control of extraneous variables?
2010. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved. 1. Set the Margins to One Inch
Basics
The margins of the paper should be set to 1″ (one inch) all around.
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Go to thePage LayoutorLayouttab
2. ClickMargins
3. Select theNormaloption
2. Set the Spacing to Double
Basics
The line spacing for the paper should be set to double (2.0).
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Go to theHometab
2. In theParagraphbox, click the icon that looks like two up/down arrows with text to the right
3. Pick2.0
4. Alternate Method: You can also press the Control Key along with the number 2 to quickly double space.
3. Create a Title for Your Paper
Basics
Your title should summarize the main topic of your paper. Try not to be too wordy or off-topic. While there is no word limit for titles, “short but sweet” is the goal. The APA Style Blog has further information on titles:Five Steps to a Great Title. Use title case for paper titles.
Example Titles
Attitudes of College Students Towards Transportation Fees
Effect of Red Light Cameras on Traffic Fatalities
Juror Bias in Capital Punishment Cases
4. Add Page Numbers to the Header
Basics
Insert the page number in the right area of the header. Use the built-in page numbering system; do not attempt to type each page number manually.
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Go to theInserttab
2. UnderHeader, selectEdit Header(at the bottom)
3. PressTabonce or twice to go to the far right
4. ClickPage Number
5. ClickCurrent Position
6. ClickSimple / Plain Number
5. Create the Title Page
Basics
On the first page you will include the following information:
Title of Your Paper
Your Name
Santa Fe College
Course Number: Course Name
Instructor
Due Date
This information will becentered, and will be a few lines down from the top.
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Go to the top of the first page
2. PressEnter3-4 times times
3. Center your text
4. Type in the title of your paper, inbold.
5. PressEntertwice, in order to have one blank line between the title and the next element.
6. On the next line, type your full name
7. On the next line, typeSanta Fe College
8. On the next line, type your course number, a colon, and your course name
9. On the next line, type your instructor’s name.
10. On the next line, type the due date of the paper.
Example
6. Set Up the References List
The references list should be on a new page and should be the last section of your paper.
Heading of Reference List
The heading at the top of the reference list should sayReferencesat the top (notBibliography or Works Cited, unless your instructor tells you otherwise) andbolded.
Hanging Indent
All reference lists should have a hanging indent. An example of a hanging indent is shown below:
George, M. W. (2008).The elements of library research: What every student needs to know. Princeton University Press.
To create a hanging indent in Word, you can press theControl keyalong with theletter T.
+
Spacing
Line spacing in the reference list should be set to double (2.0).
Alphabetizing
When organizing your references list, you must alphabetize your references. Generally, you will organize by the author’s last name. Go letter by letter and ignore spaces, hyphens, punctuation etc.
If a work has no author, use the title to alphabetize. You will use the firstsignificantword to alphabetize; this means you skip words likethe, a,andan.
Example of Proper Order:
1. Alcott, L. M. (1868)…
2. Alcott, L. M. (1893)…
3. Anonymous. (1998).Beowulf…
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.).
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017).
6. Etiquette in Florida. (n.d.).
7. Grammar Girl. (2009, May 21)…
8. Johnson, C. L., & Tuite, C. (Eds.). (2009)…
9. Johnson, S. K. (2003)…
10. Oxford English dictionary(2nd ed.). (1989)…
11. A prescription for health care. (2009).Consumer Reports…
12. Southeast Asia. (2003). InThe new encyclopaedia Britannica…
For more information on creating and formatting references, go to theReference Componentspage.
Source:Publication Manual, 2.12; 9.44-9.49
But What About…?
The Font?
APA does not specify a specific font or size, just that it must be legible. Their only guidelines is that the same font should be used throughout the paper. Some suggestions are 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia.
If your instructor has specified a font or font size, follow those guidelines.
Source:Publication Manual, 2.19
The Running Head?
Student papers do not need a running head.
