CCSD Psychology Essay – Description
Include a review of the literature and relevant theory and a discussion of how the topic you have chosen might be affected by oneindividual difference variable (gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, culture, age, religion, disabilities).
cite and reference at least five sources. If needed, you can include additional citations and references.
You should start your essay with an opening paragraph that introduces your topic. Subsequent paragraphs should include a thorough review of the research related to your topic. A good way to start this process is by finding a research article cited in your textbook or one covered during class. You will want to look specifically for original research articles that have an Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion section. For example, if I was interested in learning more about the Big Five, I would look in Chapter 8 of the textbook for any statements similar to my topic. I would specifically look for citations of articles that I could read. I would then go and read those original articles and start to build a background section. I would summarize, paraphrase and take notes on any article I read.
Step 2b: Discuss individual differences. You should include a discussion of how your topic might affect or be affected by one individual difference variables (gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, culture, age, religion, disabilities). In your explanation, be sure to provide evidence from relevant research to support your assertions. For example, if I suspect that gender might impact personality, I could search for evidence of this idea by searching for articles on gender and personality.
Step 3: Relate your topic to a published theory. What theories are related to your topic? To answer this question, you may find it useful to look for review articles (e.g., Psychological Bulletin & Psychology Review). You can do this by checking review articles in your search in Psych Info. For example, if I were interested in Trait Theory, I would search for review articles on this topic. I would relate the findings of articles I read in step 2 to the theories I found in step 3. Then, I would critique these theories and determine if the available research did a good job of supporting the theory. When assessing the adequacy of each theory it is OK to give your opinion (subjective analysis), however it is not ok to use first person (Do NOT use I, me, we, our, I believe, etc.).
Step 4: Future Directions/Conclusions. Now that you have familiarized yourself with the theories and current research on your selected topic, what future work is needed to further the field’s understanding of the topic? What questions do you think are still left unanswered?
The post CCSD Psychology Essay first appeared on .
