PSY 550 Final Project Memory Processing
PSY 550: Final Project Guidelines and Grading Guide
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of an evaluative, comprehensive literature review. You will select a psychological measure or test. You will
evaluate the test using research in peer-reviewed psychology journals to substantiate claims about its validity, reliability, applications, and implications.
Prompt
Your literature review should answer the following prompt: What is the overall appropriateness and practical value of your selected
psychological assessment measure?
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I.
Background of the test [PSY-550-01]
a.
What is the purpose of the test?
b.
What type of test is it? What type of information does it yield?
c.
How is it administered and scored? Who publishes the results?
d.
For whom is this test intended? Who else has utilized this test?
II.
Assessment of the test
a.
To what extent does the test employ appropriate psychometric principles? [PSY-550-03]
b.
To what extent has the reliability and validity of the test been demonstrated for varying populations? [PSY-550-02]
c.
What are the cut scores for “normal” versus “at-risk” and/or “clinically significant”? Is the method for interpreting and communicating
the results (e.g., scaled scores, percentile ranks, z-scores, t-scores) appropriate? [PSY-550-03]
d.
Are there any specific cultural concerns that should be attended to? To what extent do cultural and environmental factors for
minorities or special populations impact the effectiveness of the measure? [PSY-550-04]
e.
III.
To what extent are there ethical issues related to the use, administration, and interpretation of this measure? [PSY-550-05]
Practical applications of the test
a.
Under what circumstances would you give this test? Provide example scenarios in which the test would be helpful to another mental
health professional, parent, teacher, student, individual, court, business, or other profession? [PSY-550-04]
b.
For what purposes and with what clients would you not consider it useful? What are the limitations of this test? [PSY-550-04]
c.
What issues must you attend to carefully in order to present the test results accurately (e.g., not over- or under-interpret their
significance) and ethically? [PSY-550-05]
d.
What strategies would you use to help you or your client make decisions resulting from an assessment (e.g., pairing results with
other kinds of information)? [PSY-550-02]
Instructions
Final Product: Comprehensive Literature Review
In task 10-2, you will submit your final literature review. This should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the main elements of the final product. It
should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. You should comprehensively review and integrate (at a minimum) seven scholarly
resources, including peer-reviewed research articles and/or well-respected texts. This milestone is graded using the Final Project Rubric (below).
With your final Literature Review, you will submit an annotated bibliography (separate from your resource page included in the literature
review) that categorizes all resources located in the topic area of interest. You should use at least seven scholarly resources, including
peer-reviewed research articles or academic texts, to write this review. An example of an appropriate text would be Psychological Testing by
Anne Anastasi and Susana Urbina. This document should include full bibliographic information (title, author, and other reference
information), the abstract, and your notes about how the resource informs your understanding of the topic. Use APA format for this
document, as with all work submitted in this course.
Final Project Rubric
Requirements of submission: Written components of project must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: double spacing, 12-point Times New
Roman font, 1-inch margins, and APA format for all elements. The literature review should be a minimum of eight pages, not including references and a cover
page (which are required).
Instructor feedback: Students can find their feedback in the grade book as an attachment.
This project uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. To view the integrated rubric in Blackboard, navigate to the final submission item, click on the title, and then
click the “View Rubric” button. For more information, review these instructions.
Critical Elements
Exemplary
Proficient
Background
[PSY-550-01]
Meets “Proficient” and cites
specific, relevant examples
to establish a robust context
for the literature review
The purpose, type, intended
populations, and uses of the test
are sufficiently analyzed to
establish an appropriate context
for the literature review
(4.5)
(5)
Assessment:
Psychometric Principles
[PSY-550-03]
Meets “Proficient” and
claims are qualified and
nuanced in their assessment
(10)
Assessment: Reliability
and Validity
[PSY-550-02]
Meets “Proficient” and
qualifies claims specific to
different population groups
(10)
Assessment: Results
[PSY-550-03]
Meets “Proficient” and
substantiates claims with
scholarly research
Makes accurate claims about
the extent to which the test
employs appropriate
psychometric principles based
on the available evidence
(9)
Makes accurate claims about
the extent to which the test’s
reliability and validity have
been demonstrated by the
research
(9)
Makes and justifies claims
about the appropriateness of the
methods for interpreting and
communicating the results
based on psychometric best
practices
Needs
Improvement
The purpose, type,
intended
populations, or uses
of the test are not
sufficiently analyzed
to establish an
appropriate context
for the literature
review
(3.5)
Not all claims about
the extent to which
the test employs
appropriate
psychometric
principles are
accurate given the
available evidence
(7)
Not all claims about
the reliability and
validity of the test
are accurate based
on the research
(7)
Not all claims about
the methods for
interpreting and
communicating the
results are justifiable
based on
Not Evident
Either the purpose, type, intended
populations, or uses of the test are not
discussed
Value
5
(0)
Does not make claims about the extent to
which the test employs appropriate
psychometric principles
10
(0)
Does not make claims about the reliability
and validity of the test
10
(0)
Does not make claims about the methods
for interpreting and communicating the
results
10
(10)
Assessment: Special
Populations
[PSY-550-04]
(9)
Meets “Proficient” and
substantiates claims with
scholarly research
Makes and justifies claims
about the impacts of cultural
and environmental factors on
the effectiveness of the test for
special populations
(9)
(10)
Assessment: Ethical
Issues
[PSY-550-05]
Applications: Limitations
[PSY-550-04]
Makes and justifies claims
about the ethical issues related
to the use, administration, and
interpretation of the measure
(10)
Applications: Uses
[PSY-550-04]
Meets “Proficient” and
substantiates claims with
scholarly research
(9)
Meets “Proficient” and
proposals represent
insightful or creative ways
for promoting psychological
well-being
(10)
Proposes multiple, specific
scenarios in which the test
would be appropriate for use
based on the evidence
(9)
Meets “Proficient” and the
limitations of the test are
nuanced and well qualified
Proposes multiple, specific
scenarios in which the test
would not be appropriate for
use based on the evidence
(9)
(10)
Applications:
Presentation of Results
[PSY-550-05]
Meets “Proficient” and the
solutions represent
insightful or creative ways
for promoting psychological
well-being
Proposes solutions for
accurately and ethically
presenting the results of the test
based on the research
(9)
Applications: Decision
Making
[PSY-550-02]
(10)
Meets “Proficient” and the
proposals represent
insightful or creative ways
for promoting psychological
Proposes appropriate strategies
for making informed decisions
based on the results of the
measurement
psychometric best
practices
(7)
Not all claims about
the impacts of
cultural and
environmental
factors are
justifiable
(7)
Not all claims about
the ethical issues
related to the use,
administration, and
interpretation of the
measure are
justifiable
(7)
Proposed scenarios
are limited in
number or lack
sufficient detail to
confirm their
appropriateness
(7)
Proposed scenarios
are limited in
number, lack
sufficient detail or
are not based on the
evidence
(7)
Proposes solutions
for accurately and
ethically presenting
the results of the test
that are not based on
the research
(7)
Not all proposed
strategies for
decision making are
appropriate
(0)
Does not make claims about the impacts of
cultural and environmental factors on the
effectiveness of the test
10
(0)
Does not make claims about the ethical
issues related to the use, administration,
and interpretation of the measure
10
(0)
Does not propose scenarios in which the
test would be appropriate for use
10
(0)
Does not propose scenarios in which the
test would be appropriate for use
10
(0)
Does not propose solutions for accurately
and ethically presenting the results of the
test
10
(0)
Does not propose strategies for making
informed decisions based on the results of
the measurement
(0)
10
Articulation of Response
Earned Total
Comments:
well-being
(10)
Submission is free of errors
related to citations,
grammar, spelling, syntax,
and organization and is
presented in a professional
and easy-to-read format
(5)
(9)
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
(4.5)
(7)
Submission has
major errors related
to citations,
grammar, spelling,
syntax, or
organization that
negatively impact
readability and
articulation of main
ideas
(3.5)
100%
Submission has critical errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization that prevent understanding of
ideas
(0)
5
