Overview
For this Performance Task, you will compose a 2-3-page expository paper that demonstrates your scholarly writing and critical thinking skills. The expository paper will consist of two parts. In Part 1, you will evaluate articles of your choosing (relevant to your area of specialization) to determine if they are scholarly sources. In Part 2 of your paper, you will analyze the Turnitin report related to your writing for Part 1 and explain strategies for avoiding plagiarism. Your paper must follow proper APA format and style.
Professional Skills: Professional Skill of Written Communication is assessed in this Competency. To make certain you are addressing all aspects of the Professional Skill, please review the Rubric to determine what is necessary for meeting the requirements. Visit the Professional Skills resources, as needed.
Your response to this Performance Task should:
Reflect the criteria provided in the Rubric
Adhere to the required length.
Submit your paper to Grammarly
Use the APA Course Paper template
This Assessment requires submission of one (1) document that includes your critical analysis of research articles of your choosing, as well as your explanation of strategies to avoid plagiarism. Save this file as GS002_final_firstinitial_lastname (for example, GS002_final_J_Smith).
You may submit a draft of your assignment to the Turnitin Draft Check area to check for authenticity. When you are ready to upload your completed Assessment, use the Assessment tab on the top navigation menu.
Instructions
Access the following to complete this Assessment:
APA course paper template
Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the assessor will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most productively.
TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FINAL ASSESSMENT, COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
1. Locate and Assess Articles
Search the “APA PsycINFO database” in the Walden Library and locate a peer reviewed article on a psychology topic you would like to explore relevant to your area of specialization in your program. (Note: Refer to the resources in Module 1 for help with how to complete your search. Focus on the resources for navigating the Walden Library, searching Library databases, and limiting your searches to full text, peer review, and publication date)
Next, search the Internet and locate an article related to the same topic.
Reflect on the sources of both articles, and evaluate each article using the evaluation methods listed in the Module 1 resources. Evaluate the sources to determine if they are scholarly. Consider the following questions:
Would this author have a reason for bias?
Is this source old, or is it up to date (i.e., published within the past 5 years)?
Is the source peer-reviewed? (Do other researchers regard it as trustworthy; did other researchers review it in order for it to be published, or is it an opinion piece?)
Does this source cite other scholarly references?
2. Create a Draft for Part 1 of Your Expository Paper
In your draft, respond to the following:
Describe the two articles you found and how they are related to your area of specialization in your program. (Minimum one paragraph per article.)
Compare and contrast the two articles and explain the differences you noticed between them. In your explanation, evaluate each article in terms of whether each article is a scholarly or non-scholarly source. For each article, explain why and how you made the determination.
Explain how the use of peer review articles will improve the arguments in your scholarly writing. As a professional in the field of psychology, which article would you use as evidence to support your ideas?
Provide in-text citations and a reference list following APA form and style for all sources used in your paper. Your reference list should include your two selected articles and must include the URL and/or DOI of the articles.
3. Submit Your Part 1 Draft to Grammarly and Turnitin
Once you write the draft of your Part 1 of this Assessment, complete the following:
Submit your draft to Grammarly to check your grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
Submit your writing to the GS002 Assessment: Part 2 (Not final submission) Turnitin link.
Access the draft of your writing from Turnitin.
Review the Similarity Index and the Match Overview. Review the matches in detail and consider the changes you would need to make to your writing.
4. Revise Your Part 1 Draft
Based on your Grammarly and Turnitin results, revise Part 1 as needed in preparation for submitting your finalized Assessment.
ASSESSMENT (2–3 PAGES EXCLUDING TITLE AND REFERENCE PAGE)
After following all the steps to prepare for this Assessment, submit the following expository paper following APA style that includes the following:
Title page
Part 1: The final draft of your 1-page assessment of your chosen articles that addresses the following:
Describe the two articles you found and how they relate to your area of specialization in your program. (Minimum one paragraph per article.)
Compare and contrast the two articles and explain the differences you noticed between them. In your explanation, evaluate each article in terms of whether each article is a scholarly or non-scholarly source. For each article, explain why and how you made the determination.
Explain how the use of peer reviewed articles will improve the arguments in your scholarly writing. As a professional in the field of psychology, which article would you use as evidence to support your ideas?
Be sure to use proper APA style for in-text citations when referring to your chosen articles and other resources.
Part 2: A 1-2-page analysis of the plagiarism report and your revision process related to Part 1 that addresses the following:
Describe the Turnitin plagiarism report for Part 1.
List the Similarity Index.
List the source that constituted the highest match with your written work.
Explain why a high Similarity Index might not necessarily indicate plagiarism and why a low Similarity Index does not necessarily indicate a lack of plagiarism.
Based on the review of your Turnitin Report, what changes did you make to your paper? Explain how you would use Turnitin, or similar plagiarism detection tools, in the future to minimize issues with plagiarism.
Based on the review of your Grammarly feedback, what changes did you make to your paper? Explain how you would analyze your writing in the future to ensure you are submitting quality, graduate-level work.
Be sure to use proper APA style for in-text citations when referring to your chosen articles and other resources.
Reference list that includes all sources used for your paper. Use APA format for your reference list and be sure to provide the DOI or URL for each source per APA form and style rules.
