PSYC 316: Adv Lab in Lrng&Bh Analysis Research Paper Checklist
Before turning in your draft of the research project, have you…
| Results | |
| Reported the relative descriptive statistics using proper APA format? | |
| Reported the results of the relevant inferential tests using proper APA format? | |
| Provided and described relevant figures that are constructed according to APA guidelines? | |
| Discussion | |
| Restated the purpose of the study? | |
| Briefly described in narrative form the results of the study? (Omitting numerical data.) | |
| Described how the results of your study fit in with the existing literature that was reviewed in the Introduction? | |
| If your results conflict with the existing literature, examined methodological reasons for why they may differ? | |
| Identified any methodological weaknesses of the present study and described why these are weaknesses and how they could be corrected? | |
| Considered logical next steps for future research based on the results of your study? | |
| References | |
| Included references for all resources cited in your paper? |
| Style: APA | |
| Formatted your title page according to APA style? | |
| Formatted your Abstract according to APA standards, including word limits? | |
| Used appropriate headings and subheadings? | |
| Formatted your headings according to APA standards? | |
| Used in-text citations where needed and formatted them according to APA standards? | |
| Used direct quotes sparingly (if at all) and cited them according to APA standards? | |
| Formatted your Reference page/slide according to APA style? | |
| Formatted all references according to APA style? | |
| Used appropriate font, font size, and line spacing? (Note: In a Sway, these characteristics should be determined based on what looks best and what is easily readable.) | |
| Formatted numbers according to APA standards? |
| Style: General | |
| Corrected any spelling errors? | |
| Used appropriate grammar? | |
| Used appropriate punctuation? | |
| Used appropriate transitions between and within paragraphs? | |
| Edited for “flow”? (Information should be presented in a linear, logical manner.) | |
| Edited for clarity? (The reader should be able to understand what you are saying after reading it once.) | |
| Focused primarily on your research topic without “wandering” too far from it? |
Summary of Order Effects for Introduction: The following paragraph should be integrated into your Introduction in the appropriate location. Be sure to add the references to your Reference page.
The use of a repeated measures design is desirable for several reasons. First, these designs have more statistical power than between-groups designs. This means that smaller treatment effects can be detected with fewer animals. Second, the ability to carry out multiple reinstatement tests in the same animals is more resource and time efficient; that is, it takes less time, fewer resources, and fewer animals than the alternative (i.e., training a separate group of animals for each type of reinstatement test). However, some studies have revealed a serial position effect on the magnitude of responding following repeated reinstatement tests carried out over an extended period of extinction. For example, Buffalari, Feltenstein, and See (2013) found lower rates of lever pressing during a second cue reinstatement test for cocaine seeking when compared to an initial cue test. Similarly, yohimbine-induced reinstatement decreased across four tests for some (10% ethanol, statistically significant; 5% sucrose, trend only) but not other (20% ethanol), rewards (Simms et al., 2011). Finally, rats trained to self-administer cocaine demonstrated a significant decrease in responding from an initial cue reinstatement test to a second, an effect that was attenuated in a group treated with amoxicillin (Bechard et al., 2019). These results suggest that the order in which reinstatement tests are conducted can influence the magnitude of drug seeking, confounding comparisons across different types of challenges (e.g., cue, drug, and stress).
References:
Bechard, A. R., Hamor, P. U., Wu, L., Schwendt, M., & Knackstedt, L. A. (2019). The effects of
clavulanic acid and amoxicillin on cue-primed reinstatement of cocaine seeking.
Behavioral Neuroscience, 133(2), 247-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bne0000297
Buffalari, D. M., Feltenstein, M., & See, R. (2013). The effects of varied extinction procedures
on contingent cue-induced reinstatement in Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology,
230(2), 319-327. doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3156-z
Simms, J. A., Richards, J. K., Mill, D., Kanholm, I., Holgate, J. Y., & Bartlett, S. E. (2011).
Induction of multiple reinstatements of ethanol- and sucrose- seeking behavior in Long–
Evans rats by the α-2 adrenoreceptor antagonist yohimbine. Psychopharmacology,
218(1), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2451-9
Some random notes…
- The yellow cell in the grading rubric is to indicate that everyone was given a “1” for the integration part—at the time the drafts were due, you wouldn’t have been able to complete this part b/c you hadn’t reviewed all of the literature, so I just gave you the points.
- “ad libitum” should be italicized.
- If I point out an error (e.g., number formatting) make sure to check the whole paper for similar errors—I’ll note one or two, but I won’t identify them all.
- No need to describe the subject identification method (i.e., coloring on tails).
- Make sure you check the Excel sheet for the order of training procedures, beginning with habituation. Correct in your Method section, if necessary.
- Check formatting for SAMHSA report citation in Reference section.
- When describing experimental procedures, focus on the a) environment, b) behaviors, and c) (most importantly) the behavior-environment interactions (i.e., contingencies).