HELP
In everyday life, we are regularly exposed to various claims about human psychology and human behavior. While some of these claims may be scientifically valid, many of them are not. Choose a psychological claim about which you are skeptical. If you are having trouble thinking of one, think about common areas of pseudoscience that you may have heard about (e.g., astrology, ESP, hypnosis) to help you generate ideas. In your paper, develop a research question that you have about the claim. Discuss how the scientific method could be used to test your research question as compared to one of the other methods mentioned in the module (method of tenacity, method of authority, a priori method).
For additional details, please refer to the
Short Paper: The Scientific Skeptic Guidelines and Rubric PDF
document.
PSY 510 Short Paper 1: The Scientific Skeptic
Guidelines and
Rubric
Overview
This short paper assignment will require you to apply the scientific method to a psychological claim that you are skeptical about.
Prompt
In everyday life, we are regularly exposed to various claims about human psychology and human behavior. Whereas some of these claims may be scientifically
valid, many of them are not.
Choose a psychological claim about which you are skeptical. If you are having trouble thinking of one, think about common areas of pseudoscience that you may
have heard about: astrology, ESP, hypnosis, etc. to maybe get an idea.
In your paper, develop a research question that you have about the claim. Discuss how the scientific method could be used to test your research question as
compared to one of the other methods mentioned in the module (method of tenacity, method of authority, a priori method).
Your paper should include all of the following elements:
• Your chosen psychological claim about which you are skeptical
• Your research question about your chosen claim
• An explanation of how the scientific method can be applied to test your hypothesis
• A comparison how the application of the scientific method to the hypothesis compares to one of the other methods mentioned in this module
Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document with double spacing, standard font (12-point Times New Roman or 11-
point Calibri) and one-inch margins. This paper should be a minimum of three pages (not including cover page and references) and must follow APA format.
Rubric
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (80%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Psychological Claim
Chosen
States chosen psychological
claim
States claim that is not closely
related to psychology.
Does not state a chosen
psychological claim
10
Research Question Creates a testable research
question about chosen claim
Creates a research question
about chosen claim but it is not
testable
Does not state a research
question about chosen claim
10
Application of
Scientific Method
to Research
Question
Illustrates how the scientific
method can be applied to test
the research question about
chosen claim
Provides incomplete
explanation of how the
scientific method can be
applied to test the research
question
Does not illustrate how the
scientific method can be
applied to test the research
question about the chosen
claim
30
Comparison to
Other Method
Explains how the application of
the scientific method compares
to one of the other methods
mentioned in the module and
makes connections to the
readings
Provides an incomplete
explanation of how the
scientific method compares to
one of the other methods
mentioned in the module
Does not compare the
application of the scientific
method to one of the other
methods mentioned in the
module
30
Articulation of
Response
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has some errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
20
Earned Total 100%
- PSY 510 Short Paper 1: The Scientific Skeptic Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Prompt
Rubric
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Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
