Assignments – Other Assignments

Paper Review

In this assignment, you will practice the process of reviewing an empirical paper as if you were serving as a referee for a peer-reviewed journal. Your task is to evaluate the paper’s methods, data, and the strength and validity of its arguments and results. The assignment has two components. First, you will give a ten-minute presentation in class summarizing your assessment of the paper. Second, you will submit a one-page written review that reflects the professional style of a scholarly referee report. These tasks are designed to develop your ability to read research critically and to communicate constructive feedback in both oral and written forms.

What to Address in Review:
  • Summarize the main research question and the key findings of the paper.
  • Evaluate the appropriateness and rigor of the methods and data used.
  • Assess the clarity, logic, and strength of the arguments and conclusions.
  • Identify any major limitations, weaknesses, or areas for improvement.
  • Provide constructive feedback and suggestions for the authors.
Quiz

There will be three quizzes during the semester, each consisting of approximately five multiple-choice questions. To earn full credit, you must correctly answer at least 80% of the quiz questions across the semester. If your overall accuracy is below 80%, your final quiz grade will be scaled in proportion to your performance relative to the 80% threshold, and then multiplied by the full points.

  • Examples:
Name 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 TOTAL Points (Final Grade)
Jordan
2/4 3/4 3/4 4/4 3/4 2/4 4/4 1/4 3/4 3/4 26/32 = 81% 20 (100%)
Casey
3/4 3/4 Missed 2/4 3/4 2/4 3/4 1/4 3/4 1/4 20/32 = 62.5% 15.6 (78.13%)