Research Paper

Educational Psychology Research Project

Focus of the Research Project

For this Research Project, students will identify a topic, find at least five articles from scholarly sources on that topic, prepare an annotated bibliography including these articles and information about them, and summarize the research and the implications relevant to the chosen topic. Students will:

1. Self-select an educational psychology topic of interest.
2. State the reason for their choice of topic.
3. Research this topic.
4. Answer specific questions about this topic.
5. Provide applications of this research to academic, professional, and personal work.

For example, a student interested in behavioral modification for children having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (A.D.H.D.) may conduct research and find and summarize results that a developing teacher could use to enhance the learning of children in a classroom situation. Or, alternatively, a social worker may determine that this new learning may be helpful in the development of intervention strategies for some of their potential clients.

Instructions

To complete the Research Project:

1. Select a topic of interest relevant to the field of educational psychology.
   • The topic selected for research should have a limited scope or defined specific area.
     
2. Write a brief introduction to this topic.
   • Explain the topic and why it was chosen.
3. Research the topic using scholarly journals.
   • Find least five articles, reports, or other resources relevant to your research topic. These resources must come from scholarly/professional journals or publications about educational psychology or education.
4. For each article, address the following:
   • Create a bibliographic citation (in APA format) for each article
   • Summarize the article, addressing the following questions:
     • Who?
     • What was done?
     • How was it done?
     • What were the findings?
     • What contributions has this research made?
   • Describe, in a meaningful and specific way, how the article contributed to your knowledge and understanding about your selected research topic.
     • Be brief, but also provide a complete explanation.
   • Critique the article:
     • Is the article well-written and well-researched?
     • Did it/does it lead to new ideas and findings in the selected research area?
   • Synthesize your understanding of the article with what you have learned throughout the course to describe the new learning that took place as a result of reading and thinking critically about the article.
5. Then, summarize the overall findings of your research including the summary, description, critique, and synthesis completed for each individual article.
6. Describe two applications this research and your deepened understanding of this educational psychology topic have to the following:
   • Academic goals
   • Personal goals
   • Current role (e.g., your current career, your role as a parent, your role as a community member, etc.)

Preparing the Research Project

The Research Project:

1. Must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   • Title of paper
   • Student’s name
   • Course name and number
   • Instructor’s name
   • Date submitted
3. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
4. Must use at least five scholarly sources, listed in an APA formatted annotated bibliography.
5. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.