What is this assignment all about?
The requirement is to COMPARE and CONTRAST the two VASTLY different types of materials provided to you (on an EMPIRICALLY-BASED SCHOLARLY article with the other being CURRENT/CONTEMPORARY MAGAZINE-type article). You are comparing and contrasting the two types of materials, not the information within.

To effectively compare/contrast the two different types of materials and articles, you will be required to provide a summary/review of the articles that you read, then compare and contrast the material (of reading magazine-type material with reading scholarly material. You will also be required to include personal insights about the materials that you read. Which did you enjoy more? Why? Which did you get more out of? Why? Which would you recommend, and to whom? Why?).

Your Summary/Review must, at a minimum, address the following seven critical thinking questions, while summarizing the material that you read:
1. What is the main purpose of the article? (state as accurately as possible the author’s purpose for writing the article or for doing the research)
2. What is (are) the important question(s) the author of this article is trying to address? (figure out the key question(s) in the mind of the author when s/he wrote the artcile)
3. What kind of study was done? (Case study, survey, observation, etc., if any at all…if none, discuss what a lack of study means)
3a. JUSTIFY the above answer as to why you think it was that type of research, or what the lack of research may mean.
3b. What are the dep/independent variables?
3c. Who are the subjects?
4. What facts, data, evidence, or experiences does the author use to address the important question of the article?
5. What are the main inferences/conclusions in this article? (Identify the key conclusions the author comes to and presents in the article)
6. Do the author’s conclusions follow for the data/evidence presented? Why or why not?
7a. What are the implications if we take the author’s line of reasoning seriously? (what consequences are likely to follow if people take the author’s line of reasoning as fact?)
7b. What are the implications if we fail to take the author’s reasoning seriously? (what consequences are likely to follow if people ignore the author’s reasoning as fact?)

Personal insights MUST INCLUDE at a minimum: Why you think these two articles were chosen for you, what you thought about as you read the articles, whether or not you learned anything from the articles (why or why not), and whether or not you would recommend the articles (why or why not). Address BOTH the content and the type of material that you read!

DO NOT WAIT to get started on this! Reading/understanding scholarly articles can be TOUGH!

This paper must be 3-5 pages of TEXT, typed, and double-spaced. APA allows for Times New Roman…only in 12 point font. DO NOT use other fonts. Do NOT create fun and pretty cover pages. You are required to have a Title page, your text pages, and a References page. You may try an abstract (it will NOT be counted against you), if you want to get used to writing one (for those of you going on in the Soc/Beh Sciences or Nursing)! In-text citations are also required.
(Use the LINKS in the Writing stuffs resources, and the Writing Book that I created)

WORD TO THE WISE: If you cite it, you must have a Reference for it. If it is in your reference list, you must have an in-text citation for it. General rule of thumb is 2-3 citations per source to avoid plagiarism, and no more than 20%, total, of your paper is to to be quoted. AND…be sure that you READ and USE the RUBRIC!