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					                                          Homework #5
                                            PSY 285
                                           Due 3/23/09

The purpose of this assignment is to begin generating ideas for experimental research. You will
come up with a research topic that is (a) experimental and (b) involves research that could be
conducted on a college campus. You will then find two experimental articles related to the topic,
read them, and critique them.

Include a cover page and a complete copy of both research articles. Type all responses. Quotes
should generally be avoided, but if they are needed, cite appropriately. If you do not know how
to cite quotes, ask Mike.

1. Determine an experimental research topic of personal interest.

       For PSY 385, you will design and conduct an experiment on campus, a difficult task.
       The present assignment will help to prepare you for that type of project. Determine a
       research topic that interests you that (a) can be examine experimentally, and (b) could
       feasibly be conducted on a college campus during a two month time span.

       Topic ideas, good and bad.
           Example (good topic): How does mortality salience affect war support?
           Example (good topic): How does overlearning impact math anxiety?
           Example (bad topic): How does extraversion affect happiness? (cannot be
              examined experimentally because extraversion cannot be experimentally
           Example (bad topic): How successful are different types of therapies in treating
              anxiety? (cannot be examined easily in a college study)

2. Find two scientific research articles describing experiments related to this topic.

      Must be experimental (e.g. non-correlational)
      Articles must be scientific (e.g. found using PsycInfo)
      Articles must be original studies (e.g. has a Method section), not just review articles

3. Critique the articles

Examine the major methodological concerns of each article, hitting on the following types of
validity as appropriate (p. 7 of the exp1.doc lecture notes):
     Measurement validity
     Conclusion validity
     Internal validity
     External validity
                                                   HW #5
                                                 Answer Sheet

30 pts total.
5 points for neatness. -2 if no cover sheet.
No credit for handwritten responses. No credit for #2 if complete articles are not attached.

1. What is your research topic? How does it interest you? How can it be examined
experimentally? How do you know this line of research is feasible? (5 points, brief

5 points total
Of personal      1 pt        Full credit (1.0): Describes a topic and provides a clear rationale, such as it relating
interest?                    to some prior area of study
                             Half credit (0.5): Describes a topic but the rationale is weak, such as “I’m studying
                             X because it interests me” or “I’m studying X because I wonder about X”
                             No credit (0.0): No explanation for topic.
Examined         2 pts       Full credit (2.0): The topic can clearly be examined experimentally
experimentally               Half credit (1.0): The topic could possibly be examined experimentally, but there is
?                            some ambiguity; the question may be more easily examined through survey
                             research, or no clear rationale for an experiment is provided.
                             No credit (0.0): The topic could not easily be examined through an experiment
                             (e.g. it is clearly correlational), or the question is not addressed.
Feasible?        2 pt        Full credit (2.0): The line of research likely involves studies of high feasibility.
                             75% of CMU students could complete a study related to this topic with little to no
                             funding, using a college sample, during the course of 2 months.
                             Half credit (1.0): The line of research is somewhat feasible, but fewer than 50% of
                             students would be able to conduct a study in this field successfully, given
                             difficulties related to funding, sampling, or timing.
                             No credit (0.0): The line of research likely involves studies that would not be
                             feasible for most CMU students to conduct during a PSY 385 class.

2. Attach two scientific research articles documenting experiments related to your topic of
interest. How do you know the studies are experimental? How do you know the studies
are scientific? (10 points, brief response)

10 points total
Each article must be scientific and experimental (rather than correlational). A study is scientific
if it appears in a peer-reviewed journal, as you might find through PsycInfo. A study is
experimental if it contains any experimental manipulation, such as random assignment, different
conditions, or tasks other than surveys. No points for purely correlational studies.

10 pts           Both articles are scientific and experimental. Both articles are attached.
5 pts            One article is scientific and experimental. The other article fails to meet one or both
                 requirements. Both articles are attached.
0 pts            Neither article meets these guidelines, or complete articles are not attached.
                 -2 pts if no explanation is included.
3a. What are your major methodological concerns about the first article? Describe these in
terms of measurement validity, conclusion validity, internal validity, and external validity,
as appropriate. (5 points, 140-160 words, no more/less)

3b. What are your major methodological concerns about the second article? Describe these
in terms of measurement validity, conclusion validity, internal validity, and external
validity, as appropriate. (5 points, 140-160 words, no more/less)

3a and 3b, 5 pts each

Perfect        5.0      One of the top critiques in the class, thoughtful and intelligent. The response uses
                        appropriate vocabulary (e.g. conclusion validity) and hones in on an important
                        methodological concern. The response wows the reader, perhaps placing the
                        critique within some greater context of significance.
Near-perfect   4.5      A very strong critique, but not one of the top few. The response adequately
                        addresses the question, using appropriate vocabulary (e.g. conclusion validity), and
                        notes an important concern, but does not wow the reader, merely answering the
Satisfactory   4.0      The response attempts to use vocabulary, but may not use terms completely
                        appropriately. The critique tends to hit on issues of only minor importance, rather
                        than central limitations. Any errors or weaknesses present are mild.
Borderline-    3.5      Like a satisfactory response, this one demonstrates some understanding of concepts
Pass                    but generally addresses criticisms that are unimportant, rather than central. The
                        response may contain a “spoiler” (a statement that demonstrates an incorrect
                        understanding of a concept or fact).
Borderline-    3.0      The response fails to incorporate vocabulary from the course, highlights
Fail                    unimportant issues, rather than central criticisms, and is overly brief or contains
                        several “spoilers”. Personal referents, such as “I think”, “I feel”, and “I believe”
                        are common and unsupported by deeper forms of evidence.
Fail           2.0      The response is unintelligible or contains little effort.
Severe Fail    1.0      The response contains no real effort.
No Response    0.0      No answer given
                        -1 pt if a response is not within the 140-160 word limit

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