Research is important in the field of psychology and to child development. Knowing the components for conducting and analyzing research is just as important to help prepare students for their capstone course. For this assignment, students will be conducting scholarly research and incorporating content they have learned from Topics 1-4 to write a 1,200-1,500-word paper. This assignment contains two parts. Please read the assignment instructions carefully to ensure the inclusion of both parts.
To prepare for this assignment, locate three scholarly articles at library.gcu.edu, using parameters for articles that are peer-reviewed and published within the last 5 years.
(a) One of your articles must include research methods and design concepts from Chapter 1 of the textbook, including but not limited to survey and interview, case study, physiological measures, standardized testing, descriptive, correlational, or experimental research, and cross-sectional or longitudinal approaches.
(b) Select a Topic from Topics 1-4 in the textbook. For example, you may choose from biological foundations or genetic components of development, one of the stages of development (prenatal, infant, or birth), developmental milestones in infancy, aspects of development including biological, psychological, and socioemotional, theoretical perspectives, such as psychoanalytic, cognitive, evolutionary, ecological, etc. This list is not comprehensive but can offer students ideas to choose from. The selected topic may not duplicate work that has been completed in the class thus far in previous topics.
Part I: The purpose of this assignment is to combine focused research with elements learned within the class. Your goal is to pick one area of interest from what you have learned so far. Address the following in your paper in third person narrative:
1. Describe the Topic selected (e.g., prenatal stages of development).
2. Which theories and theorists contributed to this Topic?
3. In a minimum of 300 words, summarize each of the three scholarly articles found in the library. Identify the following within the article: What type of research method was used? What type of design was used? Was the research qualitative or quantitative? Identify other research elements if any, such as informed consent, confidentiality, debriefing practices, and deception.
4. Discuss whether the research was ethical and explain another way the study could have been conducted. A detailed discussion with source support is required for critical thought to be demonstrated. *To receive full credit, you have to include an alternative method of conducting the study.
Part II: In a first-person narrative, reflect on what you learned in your research in a minimum of 200 words.
1. Was there anything interesting that you did not know before? OR What new information did you learn throughout the process: readings, class discussions, focused research?
2. Does the incorporation of scholarly research in the early stages of your academic journey, further your understanding of conducting research?
Use three to four scholarly resources to support your explanations. The textbook and other relevant resources should be cited when describing topics from the class.
