Assignment 1: Science in the news
1. For this assignment locate a media report or news article reporting research findings on the role of a psychological or social factor in a specific disease or
health problem.
2. Then locate the original scientific research article on which this news report is based. This original research article should be found in a scholarly journal
(e.g. Journal of the American Medical Association Health Psychology Journal of Health Psychology).
3. Write a 2-page paper with an additional page for references (total 3 pages) comparing the media and scientific reports on this research study. Is the media report
accurate?
NOTE:
Please provide either links to the two articles or include pdf?s of them with your assignment.
Assignment 1.
This assignment will be graded based on the appropriateness of the articles clarity of the writing and the quality of the arguments you present. You should provide a
clear justification for why you think the media report is or is not accurate.
The study you chose should be on the role of a psychological or social factor in what would generally be considered a medical disease. Studies that focus on the
biological effects of a particular health behaviour (e.g. exercise smoking alcohol consumption) on a particular disease are not appropriate.
Do not select articles that focus on psychiatric disease (e.g. depression eating disorders) as the outcome. These psychological disorders are more fully covered a
course on abnormal psychology. You may choose to consider a psychological disorder like depression as a psychological factor that has a causal role in disease
outcomes.
Example: A study finding that that depression (psychological factor) worsens the recovery of cardiac patients (disease) would be appropriate but a study showing that
lack of social support (psychological factor) increases your risk of depression (disease) would not.
General requirements
Please double-space your assignments and allow 1 inch margins on both the left and right side using Times New Roman 12 point font.
Your references should be in American Psychological Association (APA) style. Please refer to the following link: APA Quick Guide
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
