Clinical Psychology

Article Review

For this assignment, you will read and critically review a recently published empirical article.  The purpose is not to simply summarize or repeat the contents of the article.  Rather, the assignment is intended to review the study’s main purposes, methodologies, findings and conclusions in a concise and scholarly manner, and then to discuss your views on the article’s strengths, limitations, and implications.

The topic should be something that interests you and is directly relevant to the study of clinical psychology.  Articles must be published in the years 2010-2019.  Make use of the electronic databases, the library catalogue or library personal in identifying and locating your article.

You may not knowingly review an article that another current student has chosen to review.  As part of the assignment, you must turn in a photocopy of the journal article.  Papers must be typed, double spaced, and between 4-6 pages long.  Below is a recommended outline for the synopsis:

Article: Give a full citation in APA format.

Purpose: Review the author’s objectives for conducting the study, and state the main hypotheses.

Method: Summarize the general designs, sample characteristics, measurements/instruments, and procedures.

Findings: Describe the major findings.  Check that the findings you summarize are directly related to the central purpose of the study.

The purpose, method, and findings sections should be summaries of what the authors wrote.  You may paraphrase, but you may not copy what they wrote.

Implications & Impressions: Highlight the practical implications for the study of abnormal psychology.  Discuss how this article might influence research, clinical work, or public policy.  Avoid general conclusion, such as “Psychologist can help more people…” and “Research on this topic is very important…” in favor of concrete and specific implications for the field.  Do not restate what the authors said about the article in the discussion section.  Do give me your opinion on the implications of the article.  If you were a psychologist doing research or clinical work, how might this article influence the way you go about your job?

Some additional hints on completing the Implications and Impressions sections:

(1) Let me know you’ve been taking the class.

This can be accomplished in many ways.  Some of the more common ones are thoughtful analysis and integration of readings or class discussions, mention of themes and major topics, inclusion of occasional quotes, and references to specific or unusual details.

(2) Let me know you thought about the article.

Amplification of central points, agreement or disagreement with the author, questions you would like answered, potential follow up studies—all are ways of expressing your analytic reasoning.  You would be better off picking one or two topics to focus on in depth, rather than writing one or two sentences about numerous issues.

(3) Let me know you are relating the material to something.

The “something” is varied and of your choosing.  Examples include outside readings, related courses, work or other life experiences, the experience of significant others, current events and news stories, and knowledge of scientific methodology.

(4) Make sure the papers are well written.

Be sure to spell check and proof read.  Read aloud to make sure the paper flows.  Double check to make sure you make your points clearly.  In short, the papers should be lively, thoughtful, and well written.