PSYC10003 Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1
Individual Written Assignment
Due Date: By 8am on Friday the 3rd of May 2024 (end of Week 9).
Word limit: 1200 words
Weight: 35%
Essay Prompt
English and Nielson (2010) interpreted their findings as being consistent with the source monitoring account of the misinformation e=ect. In their discussion they stated:
“...arousal helped keep memory for the video events and later questionnaire
information distinct, most likely by enhancing consolidation for both episodic and source information.”
English & Nielson (2010, p. 41)
Analyse the references provided. Apply your understanding of the arguments and methods described in these references to explain why English and Nielson’s (2010) interpretation of their results goes beyond what is warranted by their design and data. Your essay should include the following components:
1. An introductory paragraph that includes a) an introduction to the topic, b) a statement about the importance and relevance of the topic, c) a clear statement of your argument, and d) a clear overview of the direction of the essay.
2. A discussion of the limitations of the “yes” or “no” test of recognition memory used by English and Neilson for identifying the cognitive processes that are proposed to underlie the misinformation e=ect (HINT - what are some of the alternative explanations of the misinformation e=ect when it is tested this way? Why is this a problem? etc);
3. An argument for an alternative approach to the design of the memory test component of the experiment that would enable a replication of English and Nielson and a direct test of the hypothesis that post-encoding arousal reduces the misinformation e=ect by enhancing consolidation of source information (HINT - this will require addition of a task that assesses source memory/monitoring);
4. An explanation of why and how the proposed alternative approach would allow stronger conclusions to be drawn about the role of post-learning arousal in enhancing source memory/monitoring in the misinformation e=ect.
5. A conclusion that summarises your arguments and states why the proposed study would
advance our understanding of the mechanism through which post-learning arousal reduces the misinformation e=ect.
Instructions and advice
1. You will need to find the four required readings in the reference list provided below – we will
provide tips about how to search the literature for papers in our Week 5 practical class.
2. You may work with your team-mates to find and summarise the papers, but you must construct your arguments and write your assignment independently.
3. We recommend reading the paper by McCloskey and Zaragoza (1985) first to understand the alternative accounts of the misinformation e=ect. The other three papers all cite this seminal paper, and provide helpful accounts of it, so the initial e=ort will pay o=.
4. The other three papers provide information and examples that will help you propose an appropriate measure of source memory/monitoring.
5. You should survey the papers that have cited English and Neilson since its publication to
determine whether there have been any attempts to replicate their findings, and/or to extend their findings to test the source monitoring account. If there are none, then you may note any that are close or relevant. This is important for establishing the importance of your proposed study in advancing our understanding in your conclusion (part 5 above). This means that you should include at least one citation to a paper in addition to those that are provided.
6. The expected word count for this essay is 1,200 words. Please review the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences (MSPS) Undergraduate & Graduate Diploma Student Manual for
information on the School’s word count policy.
Required Readings (references)
Lindsay, D. S. (1990). Misleading suggestions can impair eyewitnesses' ability to remember event details. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 16(6), 1077.
Lindsay, D. S., & Johnson, M. K. (1989). The eyewitness suggestibility e=ect and memory for source. Memory & Cognition, 17(3), 349-358.
McCloskey, M., & Zaragoza, M. (1985). Misleading post-event information and memory for events: arguments and evidence against memory impairment hypotheses. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 114(1), 1.
Zaragoza, M. S., & Lane, S. M. (1994). Source misattributions and the suggestibility of eyewitness
memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 20(4), 934.
Assignment support:
. Our practical class in Week 5 will provide advice and support for how to search the literature.
. The Assessment Literacy Module (ALM) will be introduced in the Week 5 practical class. It is a self-directed module that helps you understand the marking criteria for evidence-based essays in psychology
. Check out the Assignments Support Module for assignment Q&A session times with our Head Tutors Lindsie and Elektra.
. The full assessment criteria (marking criteria) can be found on the next page.
Assessment criteria
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A. Title
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Weight
Wight
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A1. Title Content . Clearly and concisely outlines the main topic of the essay,
including the author’s thesis (i.e., central argument).
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2%
|
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B. Introduction
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Weight
Weht
|
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B1. Topic
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. Introduces the topic that is the focus of the essay.
. Defines key terms and summarises essential background information accurately and in appropriate detail.
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10%
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B2. Importance . Establishes the importance and relevance of the topic.
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4%
|
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B3. Thesis and Direction
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. Clearly states the author’s position (thesis).
. Provides a succinct overview of the author’s argument and the direction of the essay.
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6%
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C. Body
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Weight
Weight
|
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C1. Argument
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. Critically engages with the topic to develop a clear and cogent argument for the author’s stated thesis.
. Supports key points in the argument with credible evidence drawn from relevant scholarly literature.
. Explains how the evidence supports the author’s thesis.
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20%
|
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C2. Organisation
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. Structures the argument coherently, with a clear and logical progression of ideas throughout.
. Guides the reader through the argument, with each point building on the next and related to the whole.
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10%
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C3. Understanding . Demonstrates understanding of all relevant aspects of the topic
under consideration (e.g., theoretical concepts, empirical findings, and so on).
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10%
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D. Conclusion
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Weight
Weight
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D1. Summary and Synthesis
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. Summarises the argument by succinctly reviewing the key points developed throughout the essay.
. Resolves the discussion with reference to the author’s thesis
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15%
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D2. Significance . Briefly reflects on the significance of the author’s conclusions
with regard to the topic and may provide useful suggestions for future research.
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5%
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E. Writing/Presentation
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Weight
Weight
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E1. Written Expression
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. Demonstrates clarity and conciseness in written expression.
. Demonstrates continuity and flow within and across all sections of the report.
. Exhibits a professional tone suitable for academic writing.
. Word choice is appropriate and sentences are well-
constructed, with no errors in spelling, grammar, or usage.
. Contains an appropriate amount of original material.
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8%
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E2. Paper Formatting . Adheres to APA Style formatting requirements (e.g., with regard
to page numbers, headings, line spacing, and paragraph alignment and indentation).
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5%
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E3. Referencing . Works are cited appropriately in-text and in the reference list,
following the requirements of APA Style.
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5%
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Assessment and feedback
Your work will be evaluated according to the assessment criteria, with the table below used as a guide for marking. Your tutor will also provide feedback on your essay, with the aim of o=ering practical guidance that you can use to enhance your academic writing in the future.
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Grade Range Example Descriptor
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H1 80– 100
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Excellent performance; shows a high to very high level of proficiency.
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H2A 75–79
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Very good performance; shows a high level of proficiency.
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H2B 70–74
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Good performance; shows a sound level of proficiency.
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H3 65–69
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Competent performance; shows a fair level of proficiency.
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P 50–64 Satisfactory performance; shows an acceptable or
adequate level of proficiency.
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N 0–49
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Unsatisfactory performance; shows an inadequate level of proficiency.
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Writing resources
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association forms the basis of APA Style and provides guidelines for scholarly writing in psychology and related disciplines. The companion website (https://apastyle.apa.org/) summarises much of the manual’s contents and includes webinars, tutorials, and other resources that can help you with your writing.
The following texts provide general guidance on essay writing. They are also available through the library (https://library.unimelb.edu.au/).
. Dickerson, P. (2021). How to write brilliant psychology essays. Sage.
. Mewburn, I., Firth, K., & Lehmann, S. (2021). Level up your essays: How to get better grades at university. NewSouth.
. O’Shea, R. P., & McKenzie, W. A. (2021). Writing for psychology. (7th ed.). Cengage.
Understanding the assessment criteria: Some pointers
Title
The title of the essay should be focused and succinct. Ensure that the title captures the main topic of your essay and that it includes only essential terms. Avoid using abbreviations in the title; instead, write out all terms in full. The title should also convey your position on the topic under consideration, thereby setting up readers expectations for what will be argued in the essay.
Introduction
The introduction sets the focus of the essay by establishing what the topic is, why it is important or relevant, what the author’s position on the topic is, and how that position will be argued for throughout the essay.
As you write the introduction, you will need to define key terms and summarise essential
background information, so the reader understands the broader context for the essay. You will also need to explain why the topic is important or relevant in a way that attempts to engage the reader and captures their interest. Finally, you will need to clearly state your own position with regard to the topic (i.e., your thesis) and provide a concise overview of the argument you will develop in support of it.
Because the introduction as a whole needs to be concise, you should aim to include only essential information; that is, information that orients the reader to the purpose of your essay. Avoid material that is tangential, o=-topic, or beyond the scope of the essay you have been asked to write.
Argument
The body of the essay is dedicated to analysis. The aim of this section is to provide well-
reasoned support for your stated thesis—to develop a cogent argument. Your argument will
most likely involve a few key points. Each one will need to be supported by credible evidence, drawn from relevant research, and you will need to explain how the point supports your thesis. Assessors will thus be paying attention to your ability to critically engage with the topic and to how you evaluate and use evidence throughout your essay.
Organisation
As you present your argument, it is important to consider the progression of ideas. The reader needs to understand how the key points in your argument relate to one another and to the
whole. For this reason, it is a good idea to sketch out your ideas before you start writing the
essay. This process encourages you to think about the overall structure of your argument and the order in which points are presented. Because your argument likely has many points, it is
important that they all fit together neatly. Assessors will be paying attention to whether your
ideas are presented in a logical order and how you guide the reader through the main points in your argument.
Understanding
Throughout the essay you will need to draw on relevant material from the literature to make your argument. This means you will need to refer to particular theoretical concepts, research methods, and empirical findings as you go about elaborating each point. In doing so, you show the reader your understanding of the topic and the associated literature. Assessors will therefore consider the accuracy of the information you have presented and whether it reflects an appropriate level of understanding.
Conclusion
The conclusion summarises and integrates the key points developed throughout the body to bring the essay to a satisfying close. This section is not intended as a repeat of the introduction; rather, you need to bring all the strands of your argument together to resolve the discussion with reference to your thesis. The conclusion also gives you the opportunity to reflect more broadly on the significance of your argument, such as the wider implications it might have, and to discuss directions that future research on the topic may wish to explore.
Writing and presentation
Throughout your essay, readers will be paying attention to how you express yourself in writing, how you format the paper, and how you reference work from other authors. You can find advice relevant to these matters on the APA website https://apastyle.apa.org/