PSYC 2231 Final Project Guideline: Investigating the Impact of Caffeine Consumption on Mood, Attention, or other Cognitive Functioning as a Producer Researcher

 PSYC 2231 Final Project Guideline: Investigating the Impact of Caffeine Consumption on Mood, Attention, or other Cognitive Functioning as a Producer Researcher 

Objective:

 This final project requires analyzing how caffeine affects mood and attention by critically reviewing three peer-reviewed journal articles and developing your own research proposal. Building on your midterm project and course materials, this proposal will deepen your understanding of caffeine’s impact on cognitive functions and emotional well-being while creating a research agenda. Your submission must include an article summary, critical analysis, proposed research design, and expected outcomes, following academic writing standards with APA citations and references. A title page and PDF format are required. 1 point deduction per sentence will be given for frequent use of contractions (e.g., doesn’t), lower case of proper nouns, use of direct quotations, and/or violation of APA citations.

Guidelines (Total: 200 pts):

1. Article Selection & Submission [20 pts]

• Choose 3 peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last 5 years (2019-2024) that investigate the effects of caffeine consumption on mood and attention. One of them must be the article you used for the midterm paper (In other words, you only need to find 2 more journal articles; make sure those are also peer reviewed). Ensure that your chosen articles provide empirical evidence and employs scientific methodology such as experiments, surveys, or clinical studies. (8 pts)

• Include a complete APA-formatted citation for the chosen articles as references. That must be your last page. Please refer to pp. 555-556 of Morling’s book for references. (6 pts)

• Upload your journal articles along with your paper on Blackboard as a PDF (this is the last part for students). You must upload all 4 documents (3 journal articles and your final paper) in order to get full 6 points. (6 pts)

2. A title page & 250-word abstract [20 pts]: Write a title page and then write 250-word summary of your paper. It must provide an overview of the main points, findings, and conclusion of the work. Your abstract must allow readers to quickly understand its content without needing to read the entire document. Abstracts are usually placed at the beginning of a document, providing readers with a preview of the content and helping them decide whether the full text is relevant to their interests or research needs. They are typically written in a clear, concise, and informative style, using precise language and avoiding unnecessary jargon or technical terms. Please adhere the APA guideline. This must be placed after the title page. List 3-5 key words in the end. Please refer to p. 546 of Morling’s book. 

3. Article Summary as Introduction [40 pts-3 paragraphs as a minimum]

• Write a clear and concise summary of the chosen articles presented as an introduction. Your introduction must be a minimum of 3 paragraphs that must include: 

• The importance of the given topic. (10 pts)

• Research objectives, questions, and/or hypotheses clearly stated (10 pts).

• Methodology comprehensively described including variables, design, sample size, and measures based on your chosen articles (10 pts).

• Key findings regarding caffeine consumption, mood, attention, or other cognitive functioning summarized accurately based on your readings of the chosen articles (10 pts).

3. Critical Analysis of the Chosen Articles and Your Proposed Research Methods [60 pts]

• Evaluation of study strengths and limitations with consideration of sample size, design, control measures, and statistical analysis, as well as identification and discussion of potential biases or limitations affecting internal validity and generalizability (minimum 2 paragraphs; 30 pts).

• Explanation of how the article’s findings relate to your proposed research method (minimum 1 paragraph; 10 pts).

• Provide your research design that includes variables, statistical analysis, and procedure (minimum 3 paragraphs: 20 pts)

4. Expected outcomes [60 pts]

• Practical applications of your proposed research, including implications for caffeine consumption recommendations or interventions (minimum 2 paragraphs; 30 pts).

• Consideration of how expected findings contribute to understanding the relationship among caffeine, mood, attention, or other cognitive functioning (minimum 2 paragraph; 30 pts).

Below a table summary that serves as a grading rubric for this final paper:

The overall writing quality is evaluated by clarity, organization, and coherence of writing adhering to academic conventions, as well as proper use of APA formatting for citations and references. Violation will incur a deduction of 1 point per sentence. Grading Scale is as follows:

• 180-200 points: Excellent

• 160-179 points: Very good

• 140-159 points: Fair

• Below 140 points: Need Improvement

This final project represents an opportunity for you to showcase your understanding of research methods in a practical context. Be sure to ask me if you have any questions. Again, the deadline is by 11:59 PM, 12/9 (Mon). No late submission will be accepted after that date.