Scholarly journals will have articles detailing original research, magazines and newspaper articles will have articles summarizing research BUT they may also have advice columns/opinion pieces/editorials that are not clearly marked as such.
Follow the steps included in the boxes on this page to confirm that the article you are about to choose is correct for this assignment - an academic (scholarly) psychology journal or a news article from a newspaper or magazine NOT an advice/opinion article!
See if the database you are searching lists a "DOCUMENT TYPE" in its descriptive record of the academic journal/newspaper/magazine article.
PROQUEST EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE 2, 2nd Psychology Today Article:
EBSCO EXAMPLE:
Notice in some cases the descriptive info is more helpful than others. In either case DO NOT go by this only, databases can make mistakes do your own analysis as well! To help you with that see the boxes on the right side of this page.
News articles about the science of developmental psychology would be:
objective and based on fact,something proven; the author's purpose is to inform; may cite original research done in an academic journal
Advice columns (blogs, editorials or opinion pieces) relating to a topic of developmental psychology would be:
an opinion, a judgment or belief that can't be proved; often a mix of fact and opinion; the author's purpose is to persuade or entertain; often use biased words (best, amazing, horrible, etc) and words that qualify an idea (always, never, probably, etc.); may be written in a more casual tone
Keep these criteria in mind as you try to figure out just what you are reading:
| FACT | ADVICE/OPINION |
| Objective | Subjective |
| Discovered (evidence, scientific method) | Created (p.o.v. based on blend of facts and opinion) |
| States reality | Interprets reality |
| Can be verified | Cannot be verified |
| Presented with unbiased words | Presented with biased words |
|
Example: Erik Erickson came up with 8 stages of psychosocial development |
Example: Erik Erickson's parents must have been mean. |
Adapted from IRSC.edu Writing Lab 2009
Still not sure? Here are several different types of articles all written on the same topic, so you can see the different types...
Two of these would be acceptable to use in an assignment with the same criteria as yours - do you know which two?
As a group, look at each article to determine if it would be considered developmental psychology news or advice. Vote for the one you think would be appropriate to use for this assignment.
As a group, look at each article to determine if it would be considered developmental psychology news or advice. Vote for the one you think would be appropriate to use for this assignment.
As a group, look at each article to determine if it would be considered developmental psychology news or advice. Vote for the one you think would be appropriate to use for this assignment.