Research
Discussions (40 points) – Four lab sessions will be devoted to
small group discussion of eight
empirical
articles. Each student will serve
as discussion leader for one of the eight articles and as discussion participant for
two
additional articles. Discussion leaders will present a brief summary of
the study and provide a one-page outline for student
participants. Discussion
participants will read the article and provide a brief summary. Leaders
and Discussants must complete worksheets in preparation for
research discussions. Please
provide me with list of your first four choices for articles by Monday,
Feb 2nd, so that discussion leaders may be assigned
for each of the articles.
Observations (2
@ 10 points each - 20 points) - The
lab portion of the course requires systematic observation of children
in community settings. There will be two observation assignments
concerning topics associated with social and emotional development
(theory of mind, moral development). Each observation assignment
requires approximately 2-3 hours of observation (outside of class)
with a written record of the observation/interview due at the
designated lab session. Students must be present at lab sessions in
order to receive credit for their observations.
Observation
Reports (2@ 15 points each - 30 points) -
The
lab portion of the course requires systematic observation of children
in community settings. A written report/reflection for each
observation assignment is due two
weeks after each observation discussion.
Exams
(150 points) - There will
be three non-cumulative exams, each covering roughly one-third of the
course material. These exams will cover readings, lectures, class
activities, and videos and include multiple choice, short
answer and essay questions. A study guide will be posted on the web
page one week prior to each exam.
Summary/Critique
Paper (25 points) - A
3-page summary and evaluation of your research discussion article is
required. The paper is a summary of the introduction, method,
results, and discussion sections of the article, as well as an
evaluation of the study’s methodological strengths and weaknesses.
The summary paper is due on Monday, February 16th. Late
papers will not receive full credit.
Discussion
questions/assignments (10 points) - In some cases, students
will be asked to complete written discussion questions in preparation
for class sessions. Questions are listed on course schedule.
Research
Paper
(75 points) - This
6-8 page paper is a focused and integrated review of recent
empirical research (at least 4 articles). Intermediate steps in
the paper (e.g., outline and references) are due throughout the
semester.
Your final research paper is due on Monday, May 11th.
Late papers will not receive full credit.
