PSY493: Literature Search Task Instructions
The goal of this assignment is to give you practice using online databases to search for, and interpret,
primary research. Research in the area of neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience is growing
exponentially as new brain imaging technology emerges. The results of this research are often
conflicting and can sometimes seem confusing, so it is important that you know what you are looking
for. The goal of the literature search tasks is to help you see the forest for the trees! That is, the
assignment is intended to direct you to find a common theme among details. There are 3 literature
search tasks, each with a specific goal. You will be expected to search the library's online databases to
find primary research articles that are related to the common theme of the particular task and to write a
short summary comparing and contrasting the articles you found. You will also be expected to include a
general conclusion that answers the task-specific questions based on your literature search. Your
summaries should not exceed 3-pages double-spaced.
Task 1 - due January 30
Compare 2 research methods used to investigate the same research question.
Do these
different methods lead to the same or different conclusions regarding the research question?
Are the observed similarities/differences likely related to the research methods used, or are
they independent of the method?
Task 2 - due February 27
Compare the brain regions involved in the same task across at least 3 different primary research
articles. Are there any regions that are in common across all articles? Are there any regions that
are not common across the articles? What might be the causes of the similarities and/or
differences in brain activity?
Task 3 - due March 13
Compare the activity of a single brain region across at least 2 different tasks. How similar are the
tasks being used? What can we
conclude about the function of the brain area based on its
activity across different tasks?
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