The purpose of an article review is to provide the academic community with a description, summary, and evaluation of the completed work. For the article review, students will assume the role of an expert who is critically evaluating contemporary research in the field of psychology.

Students will incorporate material from across the course, analyzing and applying theories and principles of psychology, into a cohesive and well-written article review.

This learning activity will facilitate the development of research skills, critical thinking, and writing skills that are necessary to success in the field of psychology. The article for review was chosen in Week Two of the course and must be used in this review. Carefully read the selected article, and then write the Article Review.

Begin with a well-written introduction to the article that:

Analyzes the article and identifies the professional area of psychology it represents

Assesses the roles of psychology professionals within this area and describes whether or not the article clearly and correctly represents these roles.

Evaluate the theoretical perspective on which the study is based

Detail the hypotheses presented in the study or the relationship of interest

Describe the sample(s) presented in the study (how participants were obtained, selected, sample size, etc.)

Discuss where the study was conducted: university setting (lab), organization (field), etc.

Examine the ethical concerns in the study using the APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct as a guide.

Summarize the results of the study. Be certain to specify the findings and whether or not the hypotheses were supported.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the study (usually found in the discussion section of the article).

Evaluate possible contemporary applications of the results within the article

Create a conclusion that includes a synopsis of professional insights about the study.

In the creation of the Article Review, it is paramount to include information in the form of peer-reviewed research to support any statements made. A minimum of five peer-reviewed articles, not including the article chosen for this assignment, are required for this paper.

Attention Students: The Masters of Arts in Psychology program is utilizing the Pathbrite portfolio tool as a repository for student scholarly work in the form of signature assignments completed within the program.

After receiving feedback for this Article Review, please implement any changes recommended by the instructor, go to Pathbrite and upload the revised Article Review to the portfolio. (Use the Pathbrite Quick-Start Guide to create an account if you do not already have one.) The upload of signature assignments will take place after completing each course.

Be certain to upload revised signature assignments throughout the program as the portfolio and its contents will be used in other courses and may be used by individual students as a professional resource tool. See the Pathbrite website for information and further instructions on using this portfolio tool.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

Must be three to five double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a title page with the following:

Title of paper

Student's name

Course name and number

Instructor's name

Date submitted

Must begin with an introductory paragraph that includes an analysis of the article and identification of the professional area of psychology it represents, as well as an assessment of the clear description of the roles of psychology professionals within the area presented.

Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.

Must end with a conclusion that includes a synopsis of professional insights about the study.

Must use at least five peer-reviewed sources, including a minimum of two from the Ashford University Library. The article being reviewed will not count toward this total.

Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.