This guide is for PSYC 636 Week 2 Article Critique 1, start to submission. A critique of a research article on aging and mental health, following the instructions in the course.
PSYC 636 is Geropsychology, 3 credit hours, in Liberty University's MS in Psychology. Canvas and the course guide file print the code as PSYC636; it is the same course.
| Course | PSYC 636 Geropsychology |
|---|---|
| Module/Week | 2 |
| Points | 90 points |
| Length | Not set in the guide; follow the critique instructions |
| Sources | The assigned or selected article and Whitbourne and Whitbourne |
| Faith integration | Not required by the guide |
| Format | Current APA |
What PSYC 636 Week 2 Article Critique 1 asks for
The course includes 2 article critiques worth 90 points each; specific instructions are in the course. Article Critique 1 is due in Module/Week 2 with Whitbourne and Whitbourne chapters 3 and 4. Worth 90 points.
Where it fits in PSYC 636
In the published schedule, Article Critique 1 is one of 9 graded written assignments in PSYC 636. It follows Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1 and comes before Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 2.
How PSYC 636 Week 2 Article Critique 1 is graded
Liberty grades Article Critique 1 with the rubric attached to the assignment in Canvas, worth 90 points in the published guide. That is about 9% of the course's 1,010 points. The rubric rows are the real instructions. Draft against them, and you will rarely be surprised by the grade.
Course grades in PSYC 636 use Liberty's point scale: an A is 920 to 1010 points of the course total. Missing the length or source minimum usually costs points on several rows at once, which is why the checklist below starts with them.
Timing in the published guide: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Check the due dates in your Canvas section, which govern.
The PSYC 636 Week 2 method, step by step
Read the article twice, differently
First read for the story, second read for the method. The critique is graded on the second read: design, sample, data collection, analysis and the honesty of the conclusions.
Describe before you judge
Open with an accurate, brief description of the study: purpose, question or hypothesis, design, sample and main findings. The critique only works if the reader trusts your summary.
Appraise each part of the study
Work through the study section by section and ask the questions the course uses: is the design suited to the question, is the sample adequate, are the measures valid, do the results support the conclusions?
Name strengths as well as weaknesses
Balance the appraisal. Strengths that are explained carry as much weight with graders as weaknesses, and a one-sided critique reads as careless.
Say what it means for practice
Finish by judging whether the findings are strong enough to use, and where. This is where the critique earns the analysis points in PSYC 636.
Keep to the length and format
Write in paragraphs, inside Not set in the guide; follow the critique instructions, with current APA citations. A critique that turns into a table or list usually loses its argument.
Summarize briefly, then evaluate the method (sample, measures, design), whether conclusions follow from the data, and what the study means for counseling older adults.
A structure for PSYC 636 Week 2 Article Critique 1
Word targets are planning numbers for about 1,100 words of body text, set by the length in the guide; the rubric decides where to spend more.
| Section | What it must do | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Purpose, method and findings. | ~330 words |
| Critique | Strengths and limitations. | ~480 words |
| Application | Implications for practice. | ~290 words |
A topic angle that works
Choose or use an article on a topic from the week's chapters, such as physical changes and their psychological effects, and evaluate its design and conclusions.
Model paragraph with notes
An original paragraph written by our desk to show the register that earns full rubric credit. It is study material: learn the moves, then write your own.
The study surveyed 300 adults over 65 and found that hearing loss was associated with higher depression scores. Its large sample is a strength, but its cross-sectional design cannot show whether hearing loss causes depression or both share another cause. Counselors should still screen for hearing problems in depressed older clients.
- Summary.
- A methodological limit.
- An implication.
Mistakes that cost points on PSYC 636 Week 2
- Summary only.
- Ignoring the method.
- No implications.
Checklist before you submit
- Length: Not set in the guide; follow the critique instructions
- Sources: The assigned or selected article and Whitbourne and Whitbourne
- The summary of the study is accurate and brief
- Strengths and weaknesses are both explained
- Each rubric row read against the section that answers it
Questions students ask
How many article critiques are in PSYC 636?
Two, in Weeks 2 and 4, worth 90 points each.
How many points is PSYC 636 Week 2 Article Critique 1 worth?
90 points in Liberty's published course guide for PSYC 636, out of a course total of 1,010 points (about 9% of the grade). The rubric attached to the assignment in Canvas shows how those points are divided.
Is PSYC 636 Week 2 the same in every section of PSYC 636?
This guide follows Liberty's published course guide for PSYC 636. Liberty notes that course content can change from term to term, so if your Canvas section shows different instructions, a different week or different points, follow Canvas and your instructor.
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