Research Article Review Instructions

Rationale: The teaching profession is increasingly influenced by research on effective instructional practices. For instance, teacher candidates are licensed to teach only after they demonstrate proficiency in research-based standards. Once they are licensed and enter the field, they will be evaluated according to criteria that originated from research-based best practices. It is, therefore, insufficient for teachers to justify decisions on intuition, anecdotal observations, and personal experience. This assignment will increase the candidate’s ability to make professional decisions based on research. 

Alignment with Measurable Learning Outcomes: This assignment aligns with the following outcomes:

· MLO: A – As candidates summarize and analyze research, they will exhibit writing skills and the ability to apply worldview principles.

· MLO: C – Candidates will consider the implications of research findings to their responses to K12 student behavior and instructional needs. 

· MLO: D – Candidates will articulate their understanding of neuroscience and brain research as they summarize research and apply it to the practice of teaching diverse learners.

· MLO: E – Research topics will relate to K12 student behavior and individual differences; implications of these differences will be discussed in context of the research findings.

· MLO: G – The practical application piece of this assignment will assess candidates’ ability to propose research-based classroom management practices.

Specific Guidelines

Search for a research article from a peer-reviewed academic, professional journal. The article is to be on a topic from the textbook and should have been published within the past five years. The article is to be new to you, meaning that you have not used it in any previous assignments in this or any other course. Summarize the article by paraphrasing its key points (e.g., purpose of the study, results/findings, and implications of the research).  After summarizing the contents of the article, analyze it through the lens of the course textbook, video presentations, and/or biblical principles. Cite sources accordingly. Finally, reflect on the topic in a practical sense by considering how educators might benefit by applying the information from the article, textbook, video presentations, etc. 

Article Topics: You may find relevant topics by searching the textbook’s table of contents in the front of the book or the index in the back. Also, you might select a topic by skimming through a chapter that interests you and selecting a topic from a heading, an italicized term, or chart. If there is a topic you would like to include that is not explicitly mentioned in the textbook, you may get approval from the instructor. Proposed topics, however, should relate to concepts found in the syllabus’ course description, rationale, or learning outcomes (e.g., child abuse, disabilities, psycho-social development, and students in poverty). 

Length: The total paper must be 2–3 pages. This does not include the title page or the reference page. 

Structure: The format requires the components listed below: 

· Title Page

· Summary

· Analysis 

· Practical Application 

· References
 

Databases: Explore Liberty University Online library resources to find an article. Avoid searching for articles using generic search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo!, etc. The article must be from a professional, academic journal and should have been published within the past five years.

Summary: Write 1–2 paragraphs paraphrasing the article’s contents. This assignment will be submitted via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool, so be careful to summarize the material using your own words.  Do not copy the abstract of the articles as this would be considered plagiarism.

Analysis: Write 1–2 paragraphs analyzing the article through at least 1 of the following lenses: course textbook, course video presentations, and/or biblical principles. Your analysis may be a comparison of the article’s contents with the information from the textbook, video, Bible, etc. Though the analysis portion may be brief, it is to be more than just a simple personal opinion. The analysis should cite at least 1 other source in addition to the article itself. Cite in current APA format accordingly.  

Practical Application: Write 1–2 paragraphs applying information learned about the topic to practical educational situations. Consider how educators, students, and or parents might benefit from this information.  

References: At the top of a separate page, list references in current APA format; at least 2 references must be listed—the research article itself and any other source(s) used in the analysis. 

Submit the Research Article Review by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week