Procedure for Summarizing Two Empirical Research
Articles
Students may earn some or all of their SRPCs by writing summaries of published empirical research articles from scholarly journals. Empirical research involves the systematic collection of data, statistical analysis, and reporting of results. Articles that are literature reviews, theory articles, case studies, and opinion pieces are not empirical research. If you are unsure if an article is empirical check with your instructor.
To complete this option, you must thoroughly read two empirical research articles, published in peer-reviewed journals, and then write a brief two-page summary of each article. Articles need to be from research journals in a subject area related to sociology.Each summary is worth one research credit. You need to complete two summaries to earn two credits, which will earn you 25 points for the assignment. These papers are to be turned in on WebCampus under the SRPC assignment.
An acceptable summary must include the complete MLA or APA style reference to the summarized article, along with a description (IN THE STUDENT’S OWN WORDS) which contains:
(a) the purpose of the research project
(b) the basic procedures used
(c) the research findings
(d) what the findings mean (theoretically, practically, or both).
(e) a copy of the article’s abstract
The articles that you choose should come from a Journal related to the field of sociology. Some examples include …
American Journal of Sociology
American Sociological Review
Journal of Social Psychology
Social Psychology Quarterly
Contemporary Sociology
Journal of Family Issues
Journal of Health and Social Behavior
Review of Education Research
Journal of Poverty
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Learning and Motivation
Journal of Family Issues
Sociology of Religion
…And many more
As a rule, empirical articles should include a methods section, and a results section. If you don’t see those, it’s probably not an empirical research article. If you are unsure whether an article you have chosen satisfies the requirements for this assignment, ask.
As usual, consequences for plagiarism, or knowingly turning in work that is not your own, apply for this optional assignment. The best way to avoid plagiarism on this assignment is to thoroughly read the article, and put it out of sight while you write your summary. Your summary should include significant information about the article that was not in the abstract, to demonstrate that you read the article thoroughly