Research Summaries: The purpose of this assignment is to introduce you to peer-reviewed academic literature.
Use Google Scholar to find a peer-reviewed journal article related to the topic we will be discussing over the next few weeks: Higher education.
In bullet point format, summarize the main points of the article in your own words to the best of your ability. If you desire, feel free to include your thoughts on the article in the final bullet points.
Format (an example is attached):
On the top line of the first page, insert the citation of your chosen paper in APA reference style format.
Bullet points shall be double-spaced from each other, but each bullet point shall be single-spaced. (Again, see attached example.)
12 pt., Times New Roman font.
This is a low-stakes assignment, but you are required to format your summary as instructed.
Suggestions:
If you must do a research project/paper for another course, then note you are welcome to use this assignment to augment that effort.
It is highly unlikely you will understand the entirety of 99% of peer-reviewed journal articles (that are worth reading, at least).
Try using varieties of search terms. Google Scholar is sensitive to even the slightest variations in search terms. For example: Let’s say you want to find a paper on the effect of marijuana usage on college students’ academic performance. Searching “marijuana college students” returns 95,500 results and the top hit is “The residual cognitive effects of heavy marijuana use in college students”. Searching “marijuana university students” returns 112,000 results and the top hit is “Alcohol and drug use in UK university students”.
Find an article title that seems interesting? I suggest you follow these steps:No more than two pages. Upload your summary on Blackboard.
Okay, now read the abstract. If it fails to interest you, or seems too “mathy” or otherwise unintelligible, then keep searching. There are tens of thousands of articles on any topic you can fathom that you should find fascinating, somewhat intelligible, and relevant to your interests. You are significantly more likely to enjoy this assignment and learn exponentially more if you choose your articles with care.
Note the number of citations–Google Scholar results report “Cited by ___” and automatically presents search results with the most highly cited papers up top. More citations mean the journal is highly respected, the article’s findings are very influential, and professors are more likely to recognize the journal/article/author(s)—undergraduates are forgiven for citing lame articles, but usually highly rewarded when professors realize you’re grappling with the highest caliber of respected research.
Note the date of publication. Whether the date of publication matters depends on context. An article presenting statistics on marijuana use amongst college students conducted in 1985 is probably not relevant, but an article on the “influence of spirituality on substance abuse by college students” from 2001 is still very much relevant. Use common sense.
If using Google Scholar, click “Cited by” and “Related articles” and quickly scan the top results. Very often you’ll find better articles published more recently. Note that newer articles usually have fewer citations, which makes sense. If a “Cited by” or more “Recent article” has more citations, that’s powerful signal it’s a much better and more influential paper. Check it out.However, the most important criteria I suggest for picking papers: Is it interesting—does it immediately appeal to your interests? Can you understand most of the abstract? Do the main findings sound important, and perhaps contrary to your current beliefs?
You’ve chosen a paper. Now scan the article and make sure it’s not 90% equations that you’d need a PhD to comprehend and it isn’t ridiculously long. (Top journals usually limit papers to 40 pages—don’t freak out, that’s an upper bound and most papers have lots of graphs, tables, endnotes, etc.)
Now, read the introduction, then skip to the conclusion. A quality paper gives you all important points in these two sections.
Now, read the rest of the article to the best of your ability. On the first pass just read without stopping even if you don’t understand most of it. Scholars often rely on specialized methods only very few specialists can comprehend. Don’t sweat it, just plow through. Exposure to this portion of the paper is one of my main objectives for this assignment, which I will explain several times during class. Now, do something else to take your mind of the paper for a while. After at least a few hours, take another shot at reading the guts of the paper. You’ll be surprised to discover how much you can learn from high-level research it you have faith in yourself and use a disciplined approach.
Download the paper.
Now, open a Word document. Make sure it’s set to Times New Roman, 12-point font If you use any other font or style I will set you on fire.
Click the “References” tab, select “APA”, click “Manage Sources”, then “New”, and then “Journal Article”. Fill out the fields using information from the article.
At the top of the first page, insert your citation by clicking “Bibliography” and “Insert Bibliography”.
In bullet point format and using your own words, summarize the article using the same order as the article. Underline one or two main bullet points that you think are the most interesting and/or important, please—this is for my benefit.
The last bullet point is an opportunity for you to tell me your opinion of the article, its value (if any), and what you learned from the article and the assignment. Please be honest. I often use honest feedback to recalibrate assignments, and even the harshest criticism is welcome if it’s clearly articulated and supported.
Why Work with Us
Top Quality and Well-Researched Papers
We always make sure that writers follow all your instructions precisely. You can choose your academic level: high school, college/university or professional, and we will assign a writer who has a respective degree.
Professional and Experienced Academic Writers
We have a team of professional writers with experience in academic and business writing. Many are native speakers and able to perform any task for which you need help.
Free Unlimited Revisions
If you think we missed something, send your order for a free revision. You have 10 days to submit the order for review after you have received the final document. You can do this yourself after logging into your personal account or by contacting our support.
Prompt Delivery and 100% Money-Back-Guarantee
All papers are always delivered on time. In case we need more time to master your paper, we may contact you regarding the deadline extension. In case you cannot provide us with more time, a 100% refund is guaranteed.
Original & Confidential
We use several writing tools checks to ensure that all documents you receive are free from plagiarism. Our editors carefully review all quotations in the text. We also promise maximum confidentiality in all of our services.
24/7 Customer Support
Our support agents are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and committed to providing you with the best customer experience. Get in touch whenever you need any assistance.
Try it now!
How it works?
Follow these simple steps to get your paper done
Place your order
Fill in the order form and provide all details of your assignment.
Proceed with the payment
Choose the payment system that suits you most.
Receive the final file
Once your paper is ready, we will email it to you.
Our Services
No need to work on your paper at night. Sleep tight, we will cover your back. We offer all kinds of writing services.
Essays
No matter what kind of academic paper you need and how urgent you need it, you are welcome to choose your academic level and the type of your paper at an affordable price. We take care of all your paper needs and give a 24/7 customer care support system.
Admissions
Admission Essays & Business Writing Help
An admission essay is an essay or other written statement by a candidate, often a potential student enrolling in a college, university, or graduate school. You can be rest assurred that through our service we will write the best admission essay for you.
Reviews
Editing Support
Our academic writers and editors make the necessary changes to your paper so that it is polished. We also format your document by correctly quoting the sources and creating reference lists in the formats APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago / Turabian.
Reviews
Revision Support
If you think your paper could be improved, you can request a review. In this case, your paper will be checked by the writer or assigned to an editor. You can use this option as many times as you see fit. This is free because we want you to be completely satisfied with the service offered.