CANNOT USE COURSE TEXTBOOK AS A SCHOLARLY BOOK

Prior to beginning work on this assignment,

Read Chapter 4 from Essentials of Psychology.

Read How to Read a Scholarly ArticleLinks to an external site..

Watch Evaluating sources using the CRAAPO testLinks to an external site..

Read Help! Need article!Links to an external site..

Watch Critical Thinking explained by Tom ChatfieldLinks to an external site..

One of the most important outcomes of a graduate education is the development of strong critical thinking skills from an objective, academic perspective. This will enable you to evaluate various sources of information. As a graduate student, you will be expected to produce scholarly papers using primarily scholarly sources to support your ideas.

We have spent a lot of time in this class on activities to prepare you to do just that. Learning about citing sources, proper APA formatting, and references are important, but it’s just as important that you develop the ability to discern the quality of the sources you are using and that you differentiate between scholarly sources and popular sources.

NOTE: Popular sources should be used sparingly if at all in your academic work.

Write

In this final assignment, you will evaluate four source types using what is called the CRAAPO method:

Scholarly Research article

Scholarly Book

Popular Website about psychology

Popular Magazine

In the final paper, you will:

Identify the psychological concept you have chosen to research.

Use the same concept for each of the four sources in order to compare how the topic is presented.

Identify an example of each source type listed above, using the library and Google.

Provide a paragraph that identifies the psychological subject you are researching, the search terms, and the databases searched.

Then for each source:

Create a properly formatted APA reference and an annotated bibliography for the source.

Use the CRAAPO test to describe how your source is appropriate for your research.

Address all five elements of CRAAPO thoroughly by answering the following questions (please select each section for more details):

Currency (C)

When was the information published or last updated?

Is the information current for your topic?

Are the links functional?

Relevance (R)

Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?

Who is the intended audience?

Is the information at an appropriate level (for example, not too simple or advanced for your needs)?

Have you looked at a variety of resources before determining this is one you will use?

Authority (A)

Who is the author? If there is no author, what is the organization responsible for the content?

Why is the author qualified to write on this topic?

Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?

Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source (for example, .com, .edu, .gov, .org, .net)?

Accuracy (A)

What type of evidence is provided to support the information in this source? (Online popular sources often link to supporting sources rather than cite them. Newspaper and magazine articles may use interviews as evidence.)

Has the information been reviewed?

Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?

Are there spelling, grammatical, or other typographical errors?

Purpose (P)

What is the purpose of the information? To inform? Teach? Sell? Entertain? Persuade?

Do authors or sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?

Objectivity (O)

Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?

Is the information fact? Opinion? Propaganda?

Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

Lastly, discuss the importance of understanding the differences between scholarly and popular sources.

Assignment Requirements

The CRAAPO final paper,

must be seven to ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site..

must include a separate title page with the following in title case:

title of paper in bold font

Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.

student’s name

name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)

course name and number

instructor’s name

due date

must utilize academic voice.

must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph.

Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.

must use at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed, credible sources in addition to the course text.

If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.

must document any information used from sources in APA Style.

must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center.

Please check the following resources for guidance:

APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site.

Academic VoiceLinks to an external site.

Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site.

Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site.

Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site.

Quick and Easy Library Research tutorialLinks to an external site.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

✅ SAMPLE TOPIC SELECTION

Psychological Concept: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Search Terms: “social anxiety disorder,” “social phobia,” “treatment for social anxiety,” “psychology of social anxiety”

Databases Used: PsycINFO, Academic Search Ultimate, Google Scholar, Google, Psychology Today

📄 PAPER STRUCTURE

1. Title Page (Separate page – APA 7th edition format)

2. Introduction (1 paragraph)

Introduce your chosen psychological concept and the purpose of the paper: evaluating how Social Anxiety Disorder is represented across four different types of sources using the CRAAPO test. End with a thesis statement.

Thesis Example: This paper examines how Social Anxiety Disorder is portrayed in four distinct source types—a scholarly journal article, a scholarly book, a popular psychology website, and a popular magazine—using the CRAAPO method to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of each source for academic research.

3. Research Process Paragraph

Describe the steps taken to find each type of source. Mention search terms and platforms used.

🔍 SOURCE ANALYSIS (Repeat the following structure for each of the four sources)

SOURCE 1: SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLE

APA Citation:
Heimberg, R. G., Hofmann, S. G., Liebowitz, M. R., Schneier, F. R., Smits, J. A., Stein, M. B., … & Craske, M. G. (2014). Social anxiety disorder in DSM-5. Depression and Anxiety, 31(6), 472-479. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22231

Annotated Bibliography Summary:
This article discusses the revised diagnostic criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder in the DSM-5. It is authored by several leading researchers in clinical psychology and psychiatry. The study provides a historical context, symptom presentation, prevalence data, and the reasoning behind specific diagnostic updates.

CRAAPO Analysis:

Currency: Published in 2014, the article is reasonably current for DSM-5-based discussions. DSM-5 remains the current edition, making the information relevant and timely.
Relevance: Directly relates to Social Anxiety Disorder. Intended for clinicians and researchers. Content is advanced and suitable for graduate-level work.
Authority: Authors are reputable clinicians and researchers affiliated with academic institutions. Published in a peer-reviewed journal (Depression and Anxiety).
Accuracy: Contains detailed evidence, references multiple studies, and uses clinical language. Peer-reviewed and free of grammatical errors.
Purpose: Designed to inform and educate professionals. No commercial intent. Tone is objective and fact-based.
Objectivity: Presents information neutrally with no ideological bias. Focuses on evidence-based updates to psychiatric diagnosis.

Repeat the above format for the remaining source types:

SOURCE 2: SCHOLARLY BOOK

Find a book from a university press or academic publisher like Springer, APA, Elsevier.
Example:
Hofmann, S. G., & DiBartolo, P. M. (2014). Social anxiety: Clinical, developmental, and social perspectives. Academic Press.

SOURCE 3: POPULAR WEBSITE ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY

Example: Psychology Today article on social anxiety.
Use CRAAPO to evaluate its more casual tone, audience, authority, and intent to inform the public.

SOURCE 4: POPULAR MAGAZINE ARTICLE

Find an article from Time, Newsweek, or The Atlantic discussing social anxiety.
Evaluate for currency, casual audience, less rigorous sourcing, and emotional tone.

4. Conclusion Paragraph

Summarize what you discovered. Discuss why it’s important to distinguish scholarly from popular sources, especially in graduate research.

📋 References Page

Include APA-style citations for all four sources, plus any additional sources cited (e.g., videos or articles about CRAAPO or source evaluation).

⚙️ Additional Support

Would you like me to:

Find the remaining 3 real sources for your selected concept?
Provide the full paper text formatted in APA?
Export this as a Word doc or slide deck?

Let me know how you’d like to proceed!

Psychological Concept: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)