Kirkorian, Pempek, Murphy, Schmidt, & Anderson, 2009). Specifically, students will identify the strengths and weaknesses

Assignment 6: Method Critique Due Thursday, 10/6; 75 points Overview: The purpose of this assignment is to critique the article posted in the Week 7 folder (Kirkorian, Pempek, Murphy, Schmidt, & Anderson, 2009). Specifically, students will identify the strengths and weaknesses of the assigned article guided by the questions noted below. Students will be evaluated based on their ability to clearly articulate their comprehension and assessment of pertinent course concepts and how closely the conventions appropriate for academic writing (e.g., mechanics, sentence structure), including APA formatting, are followed. Instructions: After reading the assigned article, please answer the following questions (numbering your responses and following the order listed below). You do not need to include a title page or running head. Study design 1. How did these researchers manipulate the IV? 2. a. How did these researchers exercise experimental control? b. Similarly, how did they control any potential extraneous factors? 3. How did these researchers measure the DV? 4. Why is it important not to manipulate the DV? Observational coding 5. After examining the coding procedure, do these categories evidence construct validity? 6. What evidence is there to suggest the observations have acceptable reliability? Results 7. How does background television affect interactions between parents and very young children? Evaluating the study’s limitations and strengths Limitations 8. What aspects of this study make us take pause and think more carefully about the findings? (In particular, identify 2 unique methodological issues/limitations – clearly define and discuss them, and then elaborate on the implications of each issue.) Strengths 9. What aspects of this study help us feel more confident that the results are trustworthy? (In particular, identify 2 unique methodological strengths – clearly define and discuss how they strengthened this study.) Final conclusions 10. How confident are you that the IV is responsible for changes in the DV? (Why?) 11. How confident are you that we would find similar results at home (vs. in a lab setting)? (Why?) 12. What is the main, overarching “take-home message” from this study, and how should it be presented with scientific integrity to a broader audience? Breakdown of point allocation: APA/writing mechanics (e.g., spelling, grammar, sentence structure) – 10 points Study design – 10 points Observational coding – 7 points Results – 3 points Evaluating the study’s limitations and strengths – 25 points Final conclusions – 20 points