The final literature review paper will contribute 100 points toward the total grade. This literature review will involve students choosing a core topic in sport psychology – citing/summarizing theoretical concepts and citing/summarizing case studies.
Topics should be relevant to the students’ areas of specialization in Kinesiology or Psychology, and involve populations in the case studies that the students will work with their chosen professions. Details about this assignment will be provided in class and on Canvas.
4pp 6-7 refs = C range
5pp 7-8 refs = B range
6pp 9-10 refs = A range.
4-6pp of text – not including title page or reference pages.
Develop an original title that includes the topic.
Must use a minimum of 6 total sources – all must be from refereed journal articles.
Paper must be submitted to course assignment dropbox that links to Turnitin.com by due date.
-4% each day late up to 3 days late.
APA formatted, 12 in text, 1in margins, use of Level 1 APA headers
No block quotes. No more than x3 small quotes.
Should be multiple refs in each para/section.
Academic refs only – no popular sources (no magazine, newspapers, social media, wiki, non-academic websites, for profit .com sites, and/or no-name websites/blogs/news)
All topics need to be OKed by instructor in advance
Post L.R. topic to Discussion postings by due date
See grading rubric on Canvas for more grading details
Literature Review Research Paper (20% of overall grade, 100pts.) (LO # 1, 2, 3, 4) (PLO #1, 2).
The final research paper must include the following:
4-6 pages of text, not including the title page and references page.
A focused and thoughtful sport psychology topic/thesis that involved challenging significant research.
Synthesize information from a wide range of relevant sources, both print and electronic, relevant to the thesis, balanced, and critically evaluated for credibility and objectivity.
Logical organization with unity developed from the thesis and clear connections among ideas.
Researcher’s ideas integrated smoothly with paraphrased and quoted material, and all conclusions clearly supported by relevant, convincing evidence.
Effectively communicated the results of research to convey an original understanding (researcher’s voice) with clear, unified concluding ideas.
Student papers demonstrate clear writing that exhibits mostly proper grammar, word choice, spelling, and consistently accurate APA format and citation style.
EG topics: performance anxiety, cohesion, motivation (intr or extr), mental toughness, self-esteem/self-efficacy, centering, leadership, burnout, sexual harassment, goal-setting, peak performance, athletic career transition, imagery & visualization, attention and concentration.
Add a age group – and preferably – a sport type.
MUST HAVE AGE GROUP AND SPORT PSYCH VARIABLE.
Option:
focus on one sport only – EG: basketball or soccer
focus on sport types – team contact sports, ball sports, combat sports
(Also possible narrow to a gender).
Ager Groups Options:
High school elite athletes, ages 14-18;
Elite professional players 18 – 40;
Recreational athletes (preteen), ages 11-13.
Adolescents ages 6-10
Older populations 65 and up
College athletes ages 18 – 25
Olympic Athletes 18 – 40
Literature Review Outline (use this exact outline for the paper).
Title Page (L1) (1p.)
Table of Contents (1 page)
Abstract (1 page)
Introduction (L1) (1/2 pp. to 1pp / 3 paras)
Topic (1 para)
Scope (1 para)
Basic Background information (1-3 para)
Key elements/variables
Key concerns
Current research status
Stats
%s
Purpose/Goals/Organization of paper (1 para)
Methods (L1) (1-2 paras)
Population (L2) (1 para) (this is the population you are looking at, not a specific pop form a study)
Ages
Gender
Ethnicity
(Optional SES, sexual orientation, disability)
Demographics, age, gender, etc.
Search Criteria (L2)
Key words
Databases used
Journals
Overview of Theories (L1) (1-2pp.)
Cite/Summarize x2 major theories related to the topic.
Min x2 paras per theory summary
Case Studies (L1) (2pp.)
Cite/Summarize – x3 case studies where a sport psychology intervention was completed with a specific population on the topic discussed in the paper (a population the student will work with post-grad)
Case Studies Summaries (1-2 PARA, x3 Case study summaries)
Discussion (L1) (1-2 paras)
Restate topic
Key Results & implications
Limitations of the current research
Holes in Research
Future Research
Future considerations
Conclusions
References (L1) (1-2pp.)
Min of 6 PRJAs
Min of 4 .gov.
Include professional associations
Non-profit organizations
Merriam-Webster definition
Cite the textbook!
Putting Together the Research Paper – Overall Notes and Requirements
Your paper should have a clear, professional, and appropriate title, a title page and a reference page. The paper will include headings to divide sections/constructs. It will also contain properly formatted in-text citations of primary and where appropriate secondary sources in order to avoid plagiarism..
Number your pages using the automatic word processing format of your computer.
See APA for samples of how to format all sections of your paper from start to finish.
Title
The primary function of a title is to be a clear indicator of the content to be found in the paper. After creating your title, evaluate it.
Introduction
Research articles almost always begin with an introduction in which literature/authors are cited. The purpose of the introduction is to (a) introduce the problem area, and (b) establish importance. Usually in the last few statements of the introduction you the writer will describe the specific research question you plan to address.
Different ways to start that first sentence
Begin with a quotation. Just make sure you explain its relevance.
Begin with an acknowledgment of an opinion opposite to the one you plan to take.
Begin with an interesting fact.
Begin with an explanation of a term relevant to your paper.
Begin with an analogy. Make sure it’s original but not too far-fetched.
Section Headings (Levels of Headings)
Section headings are used to organize the document and reflect the relative importance of sections. You are only required to use one level of heading or Main Headings. Main headings use centered uppercase and lowercase letters in bold font. The heading should help you organize your discoveries. Create original headings. Keep the headings concise, using very few words. In your paper you may also use level 2 headings. See APA manual for sample of a level 2 heading.
Paragraphs
A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence and Adequate Development. All of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them will help you construct effective paragraphs.
Evaluating Paragraphs
Does the entire paragraph concern itself with a single focus? If it begins with one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.
Evaluating the Body
Does the body move from topic to topic instead of from citation to citation?
In each section does the writer use multiple sources to support the claim or topic? Or is there only one author (source) used to support the topic?
Is the research a coherent essay with logical transitions from topic to topic?
Has the writer provided conceptual definitions of key terms?
Has the writer indicated the basis for “factual” statements? (support)
Conclusion/Discussion
A solid conclusion begins with some phrase that indicates the author is bringing the paper to an end. In the concluding paragraph(s), the author summarizes, synthesizes and evaluates findings. Recommendations are made for future research, and the conclusion is often tied back to some idea in the introductory paragraph(s).
GO TO THIS APA LINK BEFORE YOU TURN IN THE PAPER!: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Web Site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ (VERY useful resource for writing and research including APA style)
Professional Journal Articles:
Professional journal articles, or scholarly articles, have undergone a review process before publication. This means that the article has been reviewed by experts and typically revised prior to publication. The peer-review process helps to ensure that high quality articles are published. For this assignment, it’s recommended that you begin searching for articles using Academic Premier (one of the library’s databases) and on the search menu, check the box to limit your search to peer-reviewed articles. This database also provides full text articles. How to search using this database will be demonstrated in class. Reference librarians in the King Library are also available to help you search for references.
You MUST provide reference citations (use author, year format) for information you include in your paper, and a reference list must be included. Failing to provide reference citations is PLAGIARISM! Be sure to read the information that follows on plagiarism. It also illustrates how to include reference citations in the text of your paper, and how to cite references in your reference list. The King Library also has an online tutorial on plagiarism. Be sure you know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it!
PLAGIARISM
“Plagiarism in student writing is often unintentional, as when an elementary school pupil, assigned to do a report on a certain topic, goes home and copies down, word for word, everything on the subject in an encyclopedia. Unfortunately, some students continue to use such ‘research methods’ in high school and even in college without realizing that these practices constitute plagiarism. You may certainly use other persons’ words and thoughts in your research paper, but you must acknowledge the authors” (Gibaldi & Achtert, 1988, p. 22).
Writing research papers requires that you use the work and ideas of others; however, these ideas are the property of the original author — the original author MUST be indicated by a reference citation [e.g., (author, year), footnote, or (#) corresponding to the citation in the reference list]. Every source listed in the reference list must be cited in your paper, and every source cited in your paper must be included in the reference list. (Exception: Personal communications are cited in the paper, but are not included in the reference list.) It is not necessary to cite sources of common knowledge; common knowledge is what any knowledgeable person in the field would know (Corder & Ruszkiewicz, 1989). However, any information that is not common knowledge MUST be cited whether or not it is a direct quotation. If in doubt, credit your source.
Example:
In general, physical activity is associated with positive psychological well-being in older adults (McAuley & Rudolph, 1995). However, training programs designed to improve physical fitness are not always associated with enhanced psychological well-being. Nieman, Warren, Dotson, Butterworth, and Henson (1993) found that women aged 67-85 years who participated in a 12 week walking program improved aerobic capacity 12.6%, but did not significantly improve psychological well-being or mood state compared to a control group that participated in mild stretching exercises.
To avoid unintentional plagiarism, read the reference, then SET IT ASIDE while you summarize what you read IN YOUR OWN WORDS. You may THEN go back to the reference to check the accuracy of your notes and to ensure that you have not inadvertently taken direct quotes from the reference. DO NOT TAKE NOTES DIRECTLY FROM THE REFERENCE and DO NOT WRITE YOUR PAPER DIRECTLY FROM YOUR REFERENCES — plagiarism frequently results from these practices.
When taking notes, you may paraphrase the author’s words or you may summarize the author’s words. In both cases, you MUST cite the original author. “If you merely rearrange a few words in an original passage, or include a few words of your own, and then pass the idea along as yours, you have committed plagiarism” (Bingham, 1982, p. 163).
Direct quotations should be used VERY SPARINGLY. It is appropriate to use direct quotations in the following circumstances: (a) when giving the wordings of laws and official rulings (b) when exact wording is crucial (c) when the original is worded so well that you cannot improve upon it (Campbell & Ballou, 1978). Direct quotations must be indicated by quotation marks (longer passages may require block quotations, depending on the style manual used). When citing direct quotations, include the page number in the reference citation.
If you do not sufficiently understand what you have read to summarize and integrate it into your paper, do NOT use that reference. It is NOT acceptable to use a direct quotation in place of understanding the ideas. Note: There is a limit on the number of sentences that may be direct quotations in research papers submitted for this class.
APA Citation Examples:
Bingham, E. G. (1982). Pocketbook for technical and professional writers. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Campbell, W. G., & Ballou, S. V. (1978). Form and style. Theses, reports, term papers (5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Corder, J. W., & Ruszkiewicz, J. J. (1989). Handbook of current English (8th ed.). Glenview, IL: HarperCollins.
Gibaldi, J., & Achtert, W. S. (1988). MLA handbook for writers of research papers (3rd ed.). New York: Modern Language Association of America.
McAuley, E., & Rudolph, D. (1995). Physical activity, aging, and psychological well-being. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 3, 67-96.
Nieman, D. C., Warren, B. J., Dotson, R. G., Butterworth, D. E., & Henson, D. A. (1993). Physical activity, psychological well-being, and mood state in elderly women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 1, 22-33.
Note: For professional journal articles, cite the following information:
Author(s), (Year of publication), Article title, Journal title, Volume number of journal, Inclusive page numbers.
For on-line professional journal articles, cite the above information, if available, AND include the date the document was retrieved and the URL. Example:
Fredrickson, B. L. (2000). Cultivating positive emotions to optimize health and well-being. Prevention &
Treatment, 3, Article 0001a. Retrieved from
http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume3/pre003001a.html
In-text citation examples:
Anderson (1999, p. 10) stated, “there are numerous causes for youth to drop of sport including parental pressure and burn-out”.
Or
The authors of the study noted that, “there are numerous causes for youth to drop of sport including parental pressure and burn-out” (Anderson et al., 1999, p. 10).
Or
The researcher argued that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches could indeed allow one to dunk a basketball (Iverson, 2000).
Examples of types of sentences for Intro paragraph
The purpose of this paper was to explore heath situations facing LBGTQ women in the United States. The goal of the paper was to provide an overview of this diverse communities’ health outcomes and tendencies in relation to social inequality.
