Copy of Reading and Writing Research

Introduction to Research Papers

  • Focus on the importance of reading and writing in research papers.

Importance of Scientific Papers

  • Why not just read a textbook?

    • Scientific papers represent the most current knowledge in the field.

    • Timeliness of Journal Articles:

      • Textbooks can be outdated by years.

    • Critical Thinking:

      • Journal articles provide enough detail to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.

      • Encourages essential critical thinking skills.

Anatomy of an Article

  • Peer-Reviewed Journals have a common layout:

    • Abstract

    • Introduction

    • Methods

    • Results

    • Discussion

  • Literature also includes:

    • Review articles

    • Books

    • Chapters

    • Edited volumes

Sections of a Research Article

  • Abstract

    • A comprehensive summary of the research question, population, and key findings.

  • Introduction

    • Explains the background of the research problem by addressing:

      • Importance of the topic

      • Existing knowledge

      • Knowledge gaps that need to be filled

Methods Section

  • Components of the Method Section:

    • Participants/Subjects: The sample involved in the study (humans/animals)

    • Materials/Apparatus: Overview of equipment and tests used

    • Procedure: Chronological sequence of events affecting participants

Understanding the Methods

  • Independent Variable (IV):

    • The variable manipulated by the researcher.

    • Includes participant-related variables (e.g., gender).

  • Dependent Variable (DV):

    • The outcome measure believed to be influenced by the IV.

  • Extraneous Variables:

    • Can interfere with the relationship between IV and DV.

  • Confounding Variables Example:

    • Research on pipe-smoke vs. cigarette-smoke shows higher mortality in older pipe smokers, linking age as a confounding factor.

Confounding Variables Explored

  • Example of Age as a Confounding Variable:

    • Mortality was influenced by age differences between smokers of different tobacco types.

    • Tobacco type and age were intertwined, leading to biased conclusions.

Mediating Variables

  • Study by Frank, Amso, & Johnson (2014):

    • Investigated early perceptual abilities and face perception in infants.

    • Method: tested visual search abilities of infants using visual tasks against backgrounds.

    • Findings: Older infants showed improved accuracy and focus on moving targets (visual search accuracy mediated face recognition).

Moderating Variables

  • Stress-Buffering Hypothesis by Cohen and Willis:

    • Explored the relationship between social support and quality of life.

    • Stress level moderates the effect of social support on outcomes (better support leads to improved quality of life under high stress).

Results Section

  • Purpose of Results Section:

    • Presents statistical information validating or rejecting the research hypothesis.

    • Statistics serve to summarize data and test hypotheses.

Discussion Section

  • Discussion Content:

    • Summarizes key results and their context within existing literature.

    • Identifies limitations and suggests areas for future research.

Additional Content in Research Articles

  • References:

    • Cited works that informed the research.

  • Tables/Figures:

    • Visual representation of raw data.

  • Appendices:

    • Additional materials that support the research findings.

Reading a Research Article

  • Reading Approach Comparison:

    • Textbook: Linear format; read sequentially.

    • Journal Article: Non-linear; navigation through sections as needed.

  • Recommended Practices for Students:

    • Formulating ideas and researching the literature.

    • Reading 1-2 research papers weekly and utilizing tools like Zotero for note collection.

Practice Identifying IV and DV

  • Example 1: Impact of Drug on Cancer

    • IV: Dosage levels of the drug

    • DV: Mortality rates

  • Example 2: Withholding Affection in Rats

    • IV: Amount of attention received

    • DV: Time spent on activity wheel

  • Example 3: Sleep Deprivation Study

    • IV: Number of days without sleep

    • DV: Reported hallucinations