PSY341 – Research Methods in the
Social Sciences
Unit 5 Assignment: Literature Review Article Submission and Summary
Due Date:
Points: 100
Overview:
In Unit 2, you chose a topic for your Literature Review (due in Unit 7).
The Literature Review will consist of a minimum of 4 scholarly, peer-reviewed, and full-text
journal articles on your topic. To help prepare you to write your Literature Review, you will find
your journal articles on your Literature Review topic and summarize the content in your own
words. You did this in Units 3 and 4 and will repeat this with a different article in Unit 6.
You will also explain why the information in each article is important to consider in your literature
review.
For your reference, a sample is provided under each unit where your summaries are due.
Instructions:
• Each summary should be at least one paragraph, double-spaced, using size 12 Times
New Roman font.
• At the bottom of each summary, include a permalink to the article and Reference written
in APA-style.
• Each summary must be written in your own words. Do not cut and paste the article
abstract into your assignment as an alternative to summarizing.
• You must locate and summarize full-text, peer-reviewed journal articles, not just an
article abstract. Website articles, such as those from Psychology Today or About.com,
or magazine articles such as those from Time Magazine, are not allowed for these
assignments. If you need help differentiating between a peer-reviewed journal article and
a magazine article, review the first link below. If you need help locating full-text peer-
reviewed journal articles through the Post University Library, review PSY Tutorial:
Searching the Library Databases, found in Reading and Resources.
• Welcome to the Traurig Library: Tutorial – Academic Journals, Trade Journals, and
Popular Magazines: How are they Different?
Requirements:
• Submit a Word document in APA format.
• One page in length, excluding the Title and Reference pages.
Be sure to read the criteria below by which your work will be evaluated before
you write and again after you write.
Evaluation Rubric for Literature Summary Assignment
CRITERIA Deficient Needs
Improvement
Proficient Exemplary
0-8 points 9-13 points 14-16 points 17-20 points
Scholarly Source
Provided and
Relevant
The article is not
scholarly and/or is
not relevant to the
literature review
topic.
The article is
scholarly and
somewhat
relevant to the
literature review
topic.
The article is
scholarly and
most relevant to
the literature
review topic.
The article is
scholarly and
highly relevant to
the literature
review topic.
0-18 points 19-24 points 25-27 points 28-30 points
Summary A summary is
absent.
A summary is
included but does
not adequately
convey source
content.
A summary is
included, and
source content is
mostly well
conveyed.
A summary is
included, and the
source content is
accurate and
thorough.
0-14 points 15-19 points 20-25 points 26-30 points
Importance of
Article
Information to
Literature
Review
The importance of
article information
to the literature
review is not
included.
The importance of
article information
to the literature
review is included,
but the rationale is
minimal.
The importance of
article information
to the literature
review is well
stated, but further
elaboration would
strengthen the
rationale.
The importance of
article information
to the literature
review is clearly
stated and well
elaborated.
0 points 5 points
Permalink
Included
Not included
and/or not
accessible to
Instructor.
N/A N/A Included and
accessible to the
instructor
0-7 points 8-11 points 12-14 points 15 points
Clear and
Professional
Writing and APA
Format
Errors impede
professional
presentation;
guidelines not
followed.
Significant errors
that do not impede
professional
presentation.
Few errors that do
not impede
professional
presentation.
Writing and format
are clear,
professional, APA
compliant, and
error free.
- Overview:
- Instructions:
- Requirements:
- Evaluation Rubric for Literature Summary Assignment
