Conditioning Rats

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PSY 337 Learning

Autumn 2017

Journal Discussion Assignment

In this assignment, you will be assigned an article and lead a discussion of it. To be able to lead a discussion on any topic requires that you know some of the background. So be prepared to do some extra library research to understand and present a background to the class so that they can understand the importance of the paper. Grading will be based on the relevance and quality of the background material (i.e., does it aid in understanding or is it irrelevant or insufficient), and the quality of the discussion that you lead.  You will need to schedule a time to meet with me prior to leading their discussion. Discussions will last 15 minutes and happen during the 7th week of the term. The articles are linked to below.  

 

During the presentation you will be required to accomplish the following goals:

  • A clear presentation of the research question, presented in a manner that the class can follow. This includes provided necessary background.
  • Relate the research question to the class material, e.g., describe what learning paradigm is involved, explicitly and specifically. It would be a good idea to be able to reference pages in the text here.
  • Present the research methodology in a clear and comprehensible manner.
  • If an experiment, identify the independent and dependent variables. If another type of method, describe variables and measures.
  • Present the results and conclusions.
  • Lead the class in a critique of the study, i.e, what are the strengths and limits of the study and are the conclusions supported.

These are the criteria I will evaluate your presentation and discussion leading on.

 

Possible Articles:

 

There are also articles available on the Sage Student Website. You may also select from one of theses.