Journal Article Summary assignments
The Journal Article Summary assignment provides an opportunity for students to research a topic of
interest within specific areas of Lifespan Development. The students will not only gain insight and
information regarding the chosen topic, but an understanding of the process of research and its
methodology. Hopefully, this will also prepare them for future endeavors of this type.
Each student will look at the following areas of growth and development:
1) Prenatal Development OR Birth (due at the beginning of the semester—see due dates in Calendar),
and
2) Death and Dying (due at the end of the semester—see due dates in Calendar)
For each developmental period that is listed above, you will explore the HCC databases–Psychology
Database journals is Preferred– previously called ProQuest Psychology. ( Do NOT use Psychology
Collection), then identify a primary source article (you should have already done the tutorials in Module
1), then develop a summary of that journal article on a topic within one of the areas mentioned above.
The summary must follow the steps below to be sure it has met all the requirements of the assignment.
Some topic examples may include: For prenatal/birth options: Positive or negative effects of mother’s
health or choices during Pregnancy or Birthing options or issues, etc.; For death/dying options: Effects of
end of life decisions, Effects of death of a parent on children, or Hospice/Palliative care, etc.
The steps for completing Journal Article Summary
1. Choose an article from a professional journal. These are available through HCC databases. You
have a brief overview of the Library in a set of notes within Module 1 to help you find the kind of
resources necessary for this type of assignment. If it is not clear, you may make arrangements for
a personal library orientation with a reference librarian. You may begin the process of looking for
articles immediately by accessing the library from home.
2. Make sure that the article is considered a PRIMARY SOURCE. This would be found in an
academic journal ONLY. The author(s) must be the researcher(s) reporting on their own specific
study and its results. A Primary Source would include the following: a review of the literature, a
description of methodology including the sample selection process, a description of the statistical
analysis, and a discussion of the results. You may not use an abstract instead of the complete
article. You should use only articles that have been published in the past 10 years. I would like
you to put a link to the article on your submission.
4. After copying the reference information (see example following) in APA format, summarize in
your own words the content of each article in two to three paragraphs. The summary should
include a synopsis of the study and the research methodology. This will include a description of
what the researchers wanted to find out, what population they used, what types of methods—
instruments, physiological measures, etc.—were used, what were their conclusions? You may not
use or summarize the authors’ Abstract. This summary should not include personal opinions
formed as a result of the readings (see example that follows).
5. Submit your article summary online in CANVAS for the specific assignment. The summary
should be typed and double-spaced. Your summary should be in exactly the same format as
shown in the example following:

PSYC 200
Page 2
Example of Journal Article Summary
Ratanasiripong, P., Sverduk, K., Prince, J., & Hayashino, D. (2012). Biofeedback and counseling
for stress and anxiety among college students. Journal of College Student Development, 53(5),
742-749. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals database on September 8, 2014.
Link: http://libproxy.howardcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1287027729?accountid=35779
This study was conducted to determine if the use of biofeedback in combination with
traditional counseling methods, as opposed to counseling alone, would allow college students to
better cope with the stress and anxiety that they face. The 30 participants of the study were
selected from a counseling center at a large public university in the western United States.
The students involved in the study were referred based upon exhibition of symptoms of
anxiety and stress during interaction with the counseling center. Before taking part in the study,
each student involved completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), a widely used measurement
in the counseling population, to determine their current stress and anxiety levels. This particular
test consists of 21 items measured on a scale of 0-3 (3 being the most severe, 0 being not present)
to determine the presence of anxiety. Biofeedback can be described as the process of becoming
more aware of the body and mind’s reactions to stimuli and gaining the ability to manipulate and
control them. Students were randomly assigned to either the group receiving biofeedback
training combined with counseling, or to the group receiving counseling alone. The experimental
group received four sessions of counseling combined with four sessions of biofeedback training
over a 4-week period. The experimental group also received portable biofeedback devices to be
used at home in between sessions. The control group received four sessions of counseling over
the same 4-week period.
The study found that both the control and experimental groups experienced a reduction in
stress and anxiety levels according to post treatment BAI scores. The mean post-treatment BAI
score for the control group was 13.13 compared to the 19.80 post-treatment score. The difference

PSYC 200
Page 3
in those scores demonstrates a medium effect. However, the experimental groups’ post-treatment
score was 10.53 compared to a 24.12 pre-treatment score, representing a large effect. The study
determined that while counseling alone is beneficial, the combination of biofeedback training
and brief counseling sessions is a more effective method than counseling alone

Research assignment

Previous


Next