PSY 540 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Within the professions of psychology, it can be typical for you to work on proposals for programs, studies, or new initiatives. For example, you may work for a
university that regularly partners with foundations and corporations to identify grant opportunities for projects in local communities. The final project for this
course is a project proposal that provides you an opportunity to draw upon your knowledge of cognitive psychology and demonstrate the key skills and abilities
developed in this course to address a contemporary psychological problem, giving you critical exposure to how that problem impacts people’s interactions in a
professional setting. You will select an area of interest in cognitive psychology and one of the following applied settings: education, law, mental health, or
technology. Your proposal may include brief references to an additional setting, but your focus must be on your primary applied setting choice. For example, you
can select education as your primary applied setting as you research a contemporary problem related to memory processes and learning, but you may find that
you want to also touch on memory disorders (i.e., mental health setting) within the scope of your project.
This project is supported by four milestones, which will provide you opportunities to work toward the final project throughout the course and improve the
quality of your final submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, Six, and Seven. The final project will be submitted in Module Nine.
Outcomes
These assessments will address the following course outcomes:
Apply foundational theories of attention, learning, memory, language, and decision making to practical, contemporary problems
Identify gaps in and propose improvements for practices in professional disciplines based on the strengths and limitations of human cognitive systems
Assess foundational theories of cognitive psychology for their relevancy to real-world issues
Interpret current research and statistical findings in cognitive psychology through the application of sound methodological principles
Advocate for and defend the use of socially responsible strategies and techniques for improving upon human cognitive processes
Prompt
Approach your proposal by first identifying an area of cognitive psychology to address within your proposal: attention, learning, memory, language, or decision
making. Then select an applied setting to connect with your selected area of cognitive psychology: education, law, mental health, or technology. You will focus on
a contemporary problem that pertains to your selected area of cognitive psychology and your selected applied setting. For example, suppose that you selected
“attention” as your area of cognitive psychology and “education” as your selected applied setting. Based on those selections, you will now have to identify a
relevant contemporary problem. As an example, with the growth of online education, consider online students, the different factors competing for attention
given the nature of the educational environment, and potential impact on success.
After you have identified your area of cognitive psychology, applied setting, and contemporary problem, you will select at least two relevant foundational
theories within your selected area of cognitive psychology, keeping in mind your selected applied setting and contemporary problem. For example, in relation to
attention, you may be interested in exploring Treisman’s attenuation theory, which posits that information not being attended to “consciously” is still being
processed. However, the information being attended to is being processed at a deeper level than the unattended information. Based on your review of related
research, you will be required to formulate a research question that addresses potential improvements to practices in your selected applied setting based on the
strengths of human cognitive systems. Lastly, you will devise an appropriate solution that will offer socially responsible strategies and techniques to address the
problem.
The examples below can help provide further direction for your proposal. Keep in mind that you must identify a key topic or area of cognitive psychology, as well
as an applied setting (education, law, mental health, or technology) in your proposal. In your proposal, you may briefly address secondary applied settings, as
well:
Topic and Proposal Examples
Example 1:
Area of cognitive psychology: Attention
Applied setting: Education (with potential secondary applications in technology)
Example: A study that investigates online students, the factors competing for attention, and the impacts on educational success, and draws conclusions about the
resulting societal implications for improving upon these human cognitive processes
Example 2:
Area of cognitive psychology: Memory (processes and disorders)
Applied setting: Mental health (with potential secondary applications in education)
Example: A mental health program designed to help the elderly improve memory and prevent memory loss due to Alzheimer’s and/or dementia
Example 3:
Area of cognitive psychology: Decision making
Applied setting: Law
Example: A study that investigates decision-making processes of jurors in court cases
Topic Selection Resources
The following sites offer topics and news feeds on a variety of issues related to various areas of psychology.
American Psychological Association – Topics area
Psychological Science in the News – News feed
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your proposal, in the following order:
I.
Problem Statement
a) Describe the contemporary problem that is the focus of your proposal with full details with respect to your selected applied setting.
b) Identify your selected area of cognitive psychology (attention, learning, memory, language, or decision making) and appropriate foundational
theories that apply to your selected problem.
c) Describe performance issues in your selected applied setting based on limitations of human cognitive systems.
d) Create a research question that addresses potential improvements to practices in the applied setting based on the strengths of human cognitive
systems. Remember that your research question should address your contemporary problem.
II.
Contemporary Relevance
a) Evaluate the utility of the theories you identified when describing your problem with respect to their strengths and limitations.
b) Which particular theory offers the greatest utility for practitioners to apply in addressing real-world issues specific to the contemporary problem
you selected? Defend your selection.
III.
Interpretation of Research Findings: Explain how each primary or secondary resource you selected supports your research question. This is where you
will apply sound methodological principles (by following the prompts below, a–b) to qualify the research results and statistical findings.
a) How do the research results and statistical findings apply to your research question?*
b) Explain the strengths and limitations of the research results and findings in supporting the research question. This is where you will explain how
the research results and findings you have reviewed support your research question and specific gaps. In other words, in reviewing your
sources, is there sufficient support for this research question? This is also where you would identify what research does not yet exist that is
necessary in supporting the application of your research question.*
IV.
Methodological Principles: This is where you will look at your research question (critical element I, part d) and determine what types of strategies or
techniques you would use if you were to hypothesize improving upon the problem in your selected applied setting. Remember, this is not limited to a
controlled experiment.
a) What socially responsible strategies and techniques could be used for improving upon human cognitive processes specific to your applied
setting?
b) What are the implications for using these strategies and techniques?
V.
Conclusion
a) What potential future direction do you see from implementation of your research specific to addressing the contemporary problem you cited in
critical element I, part a?
*Click here to access a list of approved publications, which has been provided to illustrate the standards of quality expected in the types of resources necessary
in supporting this proposal.
Project Milestones
Milestone One: Topic and Setting Submission
In Module Two, you will draft a topic suggestion by identifying your particular area of interest in cognitive psychology (attention, learning, memory, language, or
decision making), select an applied setting (education, law, mental health, or technology), and describe the contemporary problem as it relates to your topic and
setting. Last, draft three potential research questions that explore potential improvements related to your topic and the applied setting. This milestone will be
graded using the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Annotated Bibliography
In Module Four, you will work from the topic, applied setting, and research questions you identified in Milestone One and start identifying relevant research to
support your final proposal. You will complete an annotated bibliography featuring a minimum of four research articles. In your bibliography, you will reflect on
how the research applies to your topic, explore strengths and limitations of the research, and propose ways to expand on the research. This milestone will be
graded using the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Rough Draft of Final Proposal
In Module Six, you will submit a rough draft of your proposal and post the draft to the Module Seven discussion topic to be reviewed by one of your peers. The
draft will include all the required elements of your final proposal and incorporate any relevant instructor feedback you received on Milestones One and Two.
This draft submission represents an opportunity to receive targeted instructor feedback that you can use to improve your final proposal. This milestone will be
graded using the Milestone Three Rubric.
Milestone Four: Peer Review of Rough Draft
In Module Seven, you will review a rough draft completed by one of your peers and provide feedback related to current strengths of the proposal, potential
areas of clarification, and remaining questions. You will also respond to feedback that one of your peers provided on your own rough draft. This milestone will
be graded using the Milestone Four Rubric.
Final Submission: Project Proposal
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project, a proposal exploring how you would address a contemporary problem of cognitive psychology within a
specific setting. Throughout the course, you have had multiple opportunities to work on elements of this proposal and to fine-tune your thinking on your chosen
topic. Your finalized proposal should incorporate feedback you have received from your instructor as well as your peers. This submission will be graded with the
Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone
Deliverables
Module Due
Grading
1
Topic and Setting Submission
Two
Graded using the Milestone One Rubric
2
Annotated Bibliography
Four
Graded using the Milestone Two Rubric
3
Rough Draft of Final Proposal
Six
Graded using the Milestone Three Rubric
4
Peer Review of Rough Draft
Seven
Graded using the Milestone Four Rubric
Project Proposal
Nine
Graded using the Final Project Rubric (on following page)
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Written components of the proposal must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: double spacing, 12-point Times New
Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA citations. Your proposal should be approximately 8–10 pages, not including cover page and references, and use
preapproved resources. (The submission should include a variety of research and findings from at least three of the provided publications. Click here to access
the list of approved publications.)
Critical Elements
Problem Statement:
Contemporary
Problem
Exemplary (100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
the details are well qualified
with examples specific to the
applied setting
Meets “Proficient” criteria with
examples from real-world
situations
Proficient (90%)
Describes a contemporary
problem in full detail with
respect to the applied setting
Problem Statement:
Performance Issues
and Limitations
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is well qualified with examples
from selected applied setting
Problem Statement:
Potential
Improvements
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is well qualified with examples
from selected applied setting
Contemporary
Relevance: Utility of
Theories
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
contrast of theories is well
qualified with real-world
examples
Identifies performance issues in
the selected fields (education,
law, mental health, or
technology), demonstrating
clear connection to the
limitations of human cognitive
systems
Creates research question that
addresses potential
improvements to practices in
the applied setting based on the
strengths of human cognitive
systems
Evaluate the utility of the
foundational theories for
practitioners with respect to
their strengths and limitations
Contemporary
Relevance: Apply
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is well qualified with examples
in which the theory would not
Problem Statement:
Selected Area
Explains aspects of foundational
theories, fully connecting them
to selected problem
Selects theory and defends with
explanation on how particular
theory offers the greatest utility
for practitioners to apply
Needs Improvement (70%)
Describes the contemporary
problem, but with gaps in detail
with respect to the applied
setting
Explains aspects of foundational
theories, but with gaps in
connecting them to selected
problem
Identifies performance issues in
the selected applied setting
(education, law, mental health,
or technology), but connections
to the limitations of human
cognitive systems are unclear
Not Evident (0%)
Does not describe a
contemporary problem in any
detail with respect to the
applied setting
Does not explain aspects of
foundational theories
Value
9
Does not identify performance
issues in the selected applied
setting (education, law, mental
health, or technology)
9
Research question addresses
potential improvements to
practices in the applied setting,
but connections to the
strengths of human cognitive
systems are unclear
Evaluates the utility of the
foundational theories for
practitioners, but with gaps in
addressing their strengths or
limitations
Selects theory but is unclear on
how selection offers the
greatest utility for practitioners
to apply in addressing real-
Does not create research
question that addresses
potential improvements to
practices in the applied setting
9
Does not evaluate the utility of
the foundational theories
9
Does not select particular
theory for practitioners to apply
in addressing real-world issues
9
9
Interpretation of
Research: Question
Interpretation of
Research: Support
be applicable in real-world
situations
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is well qualified with examples
in which aspects of the research
and research findings would not
be applicable to proposed
improvements
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
substantiates with specific
examples of scholarly research
Methodological
Principles: Strategies
and Techniques
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
substantiates strategies and
techniques with scholarly
research
Methodological
Principles:
Implications
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
the implications of the
strategies and techniques are
well qualified with examples
specific to the applied setting
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
substantiates with scholarly
research
Conclusion
specific to contemporary
problem selected
Explains the research and
research findings with regard to
how they apply to proposed
improvements
world issues specific to
contemporary problem selected
Explains the research and
research findings, but does not
connect to proposed
improvements
Explains the strengths and
limitations of the research
results and findings in
supporting the research
question
Recommends appropriate,
socially responsible strategies
and techniques for improving
human cognitive processes that
are applicable to applied setting
Explains implications of the
strategies and techniques in full
detail with respect to the
applied setting
Explains the research results
and findings, but does not
address strengths or limitations
Explains potential future
direction from implementation
of research specific to
addressing the contemporary
problem(s)
Explains potential future
direction from implementation
of research, but with gaps in
how it is specific to addressing
the contemporary problem(s)
Recommends appropriate
strategies and techniques for
improving human cognitive
processes, but with gaps in
applicability to proposal
Explains implications of the
strategies and techniques, but
with gaps in detail with respect
to the applied setting
Does not explain how the
research and research findings
apply to proposed
improvements
9
Does not explain the strengths
and limitations of the research
results and findings in
supporting the research
question
Does not make appropriate,
socially responsible
recommendations for strategies
and techniques for improving
human cognitive processes
Does not explain implications of
the strategies and techniques
with respect to the applied
setting
9
Does not explain potential
future direction from
implementation of research
study
5
9
9
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented in
a professional and easy-to-read
format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
Earned Total
5
100%
Project Resources
In this course, you will synthesize quality research so that you can use your findings to develop your own solutions to contemporary issues. Psychology Today and
other such publications developed for the mass consumer market are NOT appropriate resources upon which to base the research that informs your solutions in
these projects. Below is a list of quality resources that are critical to your ability to map cognitive psychology concepts and theories onto real-world situations.
Your work should be informed by a variety of resources from at least three of these publications. Use these resources to identify current research (less than five
years old) and statistical findings that will inform your interpretation of the foundational theories in this course.
Shapiro Library Resource Guide for Undergraduate and Graduate Psychology Students
You are not limited to the publications listed below for informing your work. For additional research, you may wish to use this guide provided as a main jumpingoff point to source quality research. This guide organizes and provides psychology students and faculty links to the Shapiro Library resources available in this field
of study.
Association for Psychological Science
The Association for Psychological Science (previously the American Psychological Society) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of scientific
psychology and its representation at the national and international level.
Cognitive Psychology
This journal offers articles that focus on new theoretical advances in the study of attention, memory, language processing, perception, problem solving, and
thinking.
Cognitive Science
This multidisciplinary journal brings together researchers from a variety of fields including but not limited to psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and
education, which will be valuable as you seek to apply your solutions in the fields of education and mental health.
Cognition, Technology & Work
This journal focuses on human interaction with technology in the context of work and working conditions, which will be valuable as you seek to apply your
solutions in terms of interaction with technology in the workplace.
Law & Psychology Review
This journal combines the disciplines of law and psychology, which will be valuable as you seek apply your solutions specific to issues of law.
Memory & Cognition
This journal covers topics including but not limited to human memory and learning, conceptual processes, and problem solving.
Psychological Science
This journal offers the latest findings in cognitive, social, developmental, and health psychology, as well as behavioral neuroscience and biopsychology.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
This journal provides a topic for research in cognitive science, which brings together the fields of psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, philosophy, and
neuroscience, among others.
Topics in Cognitive Science
This journal offers topics specific to cognitive science.
PSY 540 Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric: Topic and Setting Submission
Overview
As a professional with a cognitive psychology background, you may be called upon to contribute your insights to help solve a contemporary problem in an
applied setting. This solution could take the form of a proposal for a new program, research study, or initiative. For your final project, you will select an applied
professional setting and contemporary problem related to cognitive processes and draft a proposal to explore strategies to improve the problem in that
particular setting.
In order to help you organize the thoughts you generated in an earlier discussion topic in Module One, this assignment will allow you the opportunity to develop
a topic suggestion. First, you will identify your topic of interest within the field of cognitive psychology from the following options:
Attention
Learning
Memory
Language
Decision making
Next, you will choose an applied setting, a professional field that could pose a contemporary problem related to your identified topic. You will describe how this
problem relates to your topic and setting in this assignment.
Education
Law
Mental health
Technology
Finally, you will generate three research questions about a contemporary problem related to your topic and applied setting.
For example, if your topic is attention and your field of interest is technology, your potential problem could be related to decreasing attention spans and the
online learning environment. Some potential research questions related to this problem might include:
How does multitasking (e.g., listening to music while reading or texting while reading) influence attention to online course material?
How do individuals with ADHD perform in an online learning environment, and what strategies can help them succeed?
What strategies can teachers and students use to increase attention to relevant material in an online course?
Note that the topic and setting elements are graded Pass/Fail. Please see the feedback provided by your instructor and re-submit, as needed.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: This submission should be approximately one page, 12-point Times New Roman font, and double spaced, adhering to all appropriate
writing conventions, including APA-style citation format where appropriate. Feel free to use bulleted lists to identify your topic, setting, and research questions.
Your contemporary problem will require explanation in a written paragraph.
Critical Elements
Topic
Setting
Contemporary Problem
Research Question 1
Research Question 2
Research Question 3
Proficient (100%)
Selected topic is appropriately within the
domain of the course and the assignment
Selected applied setting is appropriately
within the domain of the course and the
assignment
Identified contemporary problem is related
to both cognitive psychology and an applied
setting
Research question relates contemporary
psychological problem to applied setting
Research question relates contemporary
psychological problem to applied setting
Research question relates contemporary
psychological problem to applied setting
Not Evident (0%)
Selected topic is not identified or
appropriately within the domain of the
course and the assignment
Selected applied setting is not identified or
appropriately within the domain of the
course and the assignment
Does not identify a contemporary problem
Value
15
15
25
Does not provide a research question
15
Does not provide a research question
15
Does not provide a research question
15
Earned Total
100%
3 1-3 Discussion: Areas of Interest and Practical Applications in Cognitive
Psychology
Sharaya Janes posted May 30, 2019 8:37 PM Subscribed
The areas of cognitive psychology that interest me most are learning and decision making.
Learning more about how individual process information or think not only helps me gain a deeper
understanding of how the human brain works, but it also helps in developing new ways of assisting
people to overcome psychological difficulties. Notably, learning and decision making are correlated. One
should learn new concepts and be able to apply them to make informed decisions. Learning and decision
making, therefore, will enable me to analyze the nature of the incoming information, thus evaluating and
constructing logical arguments.
My future career path is in mental health. I have friends with depression, bipolar, and eating
disorders. Such disorders affect their daily lives, physical health, and also relationships. They do not have
a balance between life activities and the efforts to gain psychological resilience. Through cognitive
psychology, I will, therefore, be able to improve my understanding of how people store, forms, or recall
memories. By understanding more about how those processes work, I will develop new techniques that
combat potential memory problems. More research needs to be done to evaluate the impact of fragility
and capacity of human memory on mental health.
1-3 Discussion: Areas of Interest and Practical
Applications in Cognitive Psychology
Brainstorm some potential ideas for your final project. What areas of cognitive
psychology interest you the most (attention, learning, memory, language or
decision making)? What applied setting is of interest to you or important for your
future career (education, law, mental health, or technology)? Also, consider some
of the potential cognitive problems in your area that you think further research
and study in cognitive processes may be able to help solve.
In your responses to your peers' posts, offer additional perspectives on the
potential problems they identified and additional challenges within applied fields.
Also, consider how your own interests in cognitive psych relate to those of your
peers.
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric document.
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