Nutrition Analysis 2

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE #1 & #2
Directions
You will write two (2) Analyses of Scientific Literature papers. Each will be a 3 to 4 page critique of an
empirical research study that has been published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. The specific paper to be
critiqued for the 1st Analysis will be given to you by your instructor. For the second Analysis of Scientific
Literature you will need to find your own peer-reviewed paper that relates to whichever topic your group
selected from the list of suggested topics further down in this packet. The research study you select needs to be
recent, published within the last 10 years. The article you select will be the same one that you present for your
group oral presentation. The article must be referenced in your written assignment. Your instructor will provide
you with specific information on how to select a topic, how to find a worthwhile study to analyze, and how to
turn in your Analyses of Scientific Literature. Contact your instructor if you would like confirmation on the
paper you selected.
After the first Analysis of Scientific Literature, you will receive feedback on your critical evaluation skills.
Please use this feedback when preparing the second Analysis of Scientific Literature.
Please see the syllabus for the due dates for the two different analyses. Late papers will be docked 2.5 points
for each day or partial day late, so please be sure to turn your paper in on time.
Each student must do his/her own work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade on the
assignment and the student being reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. Turnitin
will be enabled within Canvas and reports will reviewed by instructors prior to grading.
Form and Style Guidelines
Your paper should:
• be written in narrative, paragraph format, no numbering or bullets;
• be written in formal style-3
rd person only (do not use 1st or 2nd person, such as “we”, “I” or “you”);
• be a professional critique and NOT contain overly personal opinion-based judgements;
• cite a professional reference for any nutrition or fitness guidelines or recommendations suggested in text
(see resource page in Syllabus);
• NOT use direct quotes or copied material from a source. Instead, paraphrase the source material using
YOUR OWN WORDS and cite appropriately in APA format;
• use past tense when describing the research;
• be typed, double spaced, and 3-4 pages in length;
• be in a font size that is Times New Roman 12 point or similar size (easy to read);
• be left justified (do not right justify/align, which centers text) and have 1-inch margins;
• be turned in on Canvas.
Guidelines for Analyzing Research:
Be sure to consider the suggestions from lecture and the handout “How to Understand and Interpret Food and
Health-Related Scientific Studies” when analyzing the articles. Use the questions below as a guide to critically
evaluate each section of the paper. Each one of these questions should be addressed within the paper.
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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Analyses of Scientific Literature #1 & #2
Purpose: To understand how to critically read and analyze research articles.
For #1, your instructor will provide you with an article on Canvas. You can access the link to the article in the
assignment description. For #2, you will select your own study. Make sure to select either an experimental or
observational study so that all components of the assignment can be addressed, a review paper or metaanalysis is not acceptable. The study you select needs to be recent, published within the last 10 years.
Directions
In a 3 to 4-page essay, briefly describe and then critically analyze all of the following components of the
study:
1. What is the research problem? Another way to think about this is: Why was this study conducted?
2. What is/are the hypothesis/hypotheses stated by the author(s)? If not stated directly, what does the
hypothesis appear to be?
3. A. Who were the study participants? How many were there and how were they recruited?
B. What were the inclusion/exclusion criteria for selecting the participants?
4. What was the study design?
5. What were the main study results? (Briefly reference numerical data when appropriate.)
6. Did the results support the authors’ hypothesis/hypotheses? Why or why not?
7. What was/were the limitation(s) and strength(s) discussed by the author(s)? These are usually in the
Discussion/Conclusion section of the article. Were there any additional strengths and weaknesses not
discussed by the author(s)? If so, discuss with a professional critique and do not use overly personal
opinion-based judgements.
A. What conclusion(s) did the author(s) make?
B. How can the research findings be applied? If no applications were suggested by the authors, provide
ideas for how the findings could be applied.
C. Based on this study and past research discussed in the Introduction, what directions should
researchers take for future study of this topic?
Use your own words to discuss the answers using information from the article. DO NOT use direct quotes or
copied material from the article. Instead, paraphrase the source material using YOUR OWN WORDS and
cite appropriately in APA format. Do not include the questions. Your paper should be written in paragraph
form; it should NOT be a list of the questions and your responses.
Your paper will be submitted to CANVAS with turnitin.com enabled by the instructor to check for plagiarism.
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR NUTRITION PRESENTATIONS
Please choose from this list or choose your own topic (if approved by instructor)
LIPIDS/FAT
Possible sub-topics
• Dietary fat recommendations/needs for children (< 2 yr olds), elderly
• Dietary fat and risk for various cancers
• Omega-3 fatty acid (linolenic acid) and treatment or prevention of diseases
• Fat replacements used in the food industry
PROTEIN and AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS
Possible sub-topics
• Whey protein supplements for weight (muscle) gains
• Glutamine and the immune system and/or muscle recovery in athletes
• Creatine supplementation: effects on strength performance OR effects on endurance performance
• Nitrogen balance studies in determining protein needs for athletes
• Branched-chain amino acids and exercise performance
DRUGS, SUPPLEMENTS, HERBS & DIETS FOR WEIGHT CONTROL
Possible sub-topics:
• Evaluate hydroxycitrate supplement for weight loss
• Evaluate ketogenic diets for weight loss
• Evaluate intermittent fasting for weight loss
• Evaluate/review the “Phen-Fen” drugs
• Evaluate/review over-the-counter drug phenylpropanolamine, Alli, etc.
• Evaluate ephedrine (ephedra), EGCG, ginseng or Hoodia and weight loss
DISORDERED EATING ISSUES and OBESITY
Possible sub-topics
• Eating disorders: case studies, adverse complications, therapies, etc.
• Childhood obesity: prevalence, causes, and treatment
• Research in the area of obesity and genetics
• Adult obesity
VITAMINS & MINERALS IN HEALTH
Possible sub-topics
• Vitamin E’s role in reducing risk of heart disease or cancer
• Zinc and the common cold
• Folic acid deficiency and birth defects
• Folic acid, B6, and/or B12’s role in preventing heart disease
• Iron deficiency effects in the young (children)
• Vitamin D status and supplementation in the older population
VITAMINS, MINERALS & HERBS IN EXERCISE PERFORMANCE
Possible sub-topics
• Iron deficiency & anemia in female athletes
• Coenzyme Q10 and exercise performance OR Ginseng supplementation and exercise performance
• Vanadium and body composition
• Antioxidant supplementation (such as vitamin E and vitamin C) and exercise
• Medium-chained triglycerides (MCTs) supplementation and exercise performance/body comp
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR FITNESS PRESENTATIONS
Please choose from this list or choose your own topic (topic must be approved by instructor)
EXERCISE AND AGING
Possible sub-topics:
• Effects of training on muscle strength and/or muscle mass of older adults, including underlying mechanisms
• Effects of training on cardiovascular function in older adults, including underlying mechanisms
• Effects of exercise and aging on changes in flexibility and mobility
• Effects of training on body composition of older adults.
• Exercise and the prevention of falls in older adults, as well as other changes in balance and equilibrium
EXERCISE AND COGNITION
Possible sub-topics:
• Effects of exercise on learning and/or learning disorders
• Effects of exercise on memory
• Exercise and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Exercise and prevention/treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS
Possible sub-topics
• Exercise and prevention or treatment of Type II diabetes
• Exercise and prevention or treatment of hypertension
• Exercise and prevention or treatment of cancer
• Effects of strength training OR aerobic training on metabolic syndrome
• Effects of training on women during pregnancy OR effects of training post-pregnancy
EXERCISE IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS
Possible sub-topics :
• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in the heat
• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in cold environments
• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in water environments
TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS
Possible sub-topics
• Effects of detraining on cardiovascular fitness or muscular fitness
• Effects of strength training on cardiovascular function
• Effects of overtraining
• Effects of strength training on improving fat utilization
• Effects of cardio training on body fat location and utilization
• Pre or Post exercise supplementation with fat, carbs or protein
EMOTIONAL/SOCIAL
Possible sub-topics
• Effect of physical activity on sleep OR stress
• Effect of physical activity on mood
• Effect of physical activity on anxiety
• Effect of physical activity on depression
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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NUFS/KIN 163 GRADING CRITERIA
FOR RESEARCH ANALYSIS
“A” papers (receiving 90% or more of the total points) have the following characteristics:
• Carefully follow the content guidelines given by the instructor; responding to each question with descriptions and
critique for all components of the study;
• Carefully follow the guidelines for format; which includes not exceeding by more than one-half page the
maximum double-spaced pages allowed;
• Are written in standard English, at an upper division college level, with complete sentences and appropriate
paragraphs;
• Are written in the student’s own words, with no direct quotes or copied material;
• Are free of redundancies, and have, at most, only 2-3 spelling and/or grammatical errors;
• Develop each section of the critique in a clear and logical fashion; have smooth transitions from one sentence or
idea to another;
• Include insightful interpretation that goes beyond the obvious or what the authors disclosed;
• Cover all of the major aspects of the assignment without going off track or padding;
• Are turned in on the due date and time.
“B” papers (receiving 80-89% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” report in one or more of the following ways:
• Show less care in following the guidelines;
• Have a few lapses in good writing;
• Have less than full clarity in expression of ideas and interpretations;
• Show some tendency to go off track, pad the paper or have redundancies;
• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago
• Are turned in one day or partial day late.
“C” papers (receiving 70-79% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” paper in 2 or more of the following ways:
• Show minimal care in following guidelines, leaving several components unaddressed;
• Have more than a few lapses in good writing;
• Use some ambiguous descriptions in the analysis or interpretation;
• Go off track, pad the paper, or have redundancy in more than one instance;
• Provide direct quotes rather than summarizing and/or paraphrasing;
• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago
• Are turned in two days after the due date/time.
Papers less than “C” (receiving less than 70% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” paper in more than one of the
following ways:
• Do not follow guidelines, or do not address several of the required components;
• Are poorly written;
• Fail to interpret information correctly, or answer questions clearly;
• Frequently wander off track, are “padded” with extraneous information, or are redundant;
• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago for nutrition, or 20 years for fitness
• Are turned in more than two days after the due date/time.
REMEMBER TO CONSULT THE GRADING RUBRIC FOR SUCCESS!
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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Name _____________________________________
GRADING SHEET FOR ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE #1 & #2
CATEGORY
Followed directions,
originality report
obtained, format
Major flaws in
following directions,
format.
Followed some, but
not all directions;
and/or some
formatting errors.
Excellent format.
Possible Points 0-1 2-4 5
Writing, syntax, spelling,
grammar
Major flaws in
writing, syntax,
spelling and/or
grammar
Some errors in
writing, syntax,
spelling and/or
grammar
Well written.
Possible Points 0-5 6-8 9-10
Poor; showed lack
of understanding
Average Very good-excellent
Shows high level
understanding
Question 1 Stated research
problem clearly.
0-1 2-3 4
Question 2 Described
hypothesis/research
question/goal clearly.
0-2 3-4 5
Question 3 Described
participants and inclusion/
exclusion criteria
0-1 1.5 2-3
Question 4 Described the
study design
0-2 3-4 5-6
Question 5 Described the
results clearly
0-2 3-4 5-6
Question 6 Stated the
results relative to the
hypothesis
0 1 2
Question 7 Described
limitations and strengths
0-1 1.5 2-3
Question 8 Described
conclusions, future research
ideas and applications(s)
0-2 3-4 5-6
Subtotal
2.5 points will be deducted for each calendar day or partial day late Deductions (if late): ___________
Your Total: ___________
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION OF ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE #2
This is a group presentation where each member presents the study he/she selected and wrote about for the Analysis of
Scientific Literature #2 assignment. Each individual in the group should spend approximately 5 to 6 minutes leading a
discussion on his/her own article from the group’s agreed upon topic. Having each individual present their own article on
the same topic allows the overall group presentation to cover a variety of angles on the subject matter.
Presentation
• The presentation should begin with a brief introduction of the topic. This is often done by just one person and is not
considered part of his/her formal presentation.
• Each student’s introductory slide must contain a full APA reference for the research study including authors, year,
title, journal name, volume and pages.
• The presentation should include an evaluation (critique) of the research article including the purpose of the research,
methodology, results, conclusions, strengths/limitations, and applications to the “real” world. Students are encouraged
to evaluate studies that provide differing results.
• Students should be creative and use any or all of the following in their presentations: demonstrations, visual aides
(overheads, charts, handouts), and other techniques to inform and interest the audience. Students should practice oral
presentation etiquette which includes addressing and greeting the audience, introducing yourself and the study,
looking at the camera/audience instead of directly reading off of the slides.
• Once each student presents his/her own paper, the group will then need to compare and contrast their studies. This is
best done with each group member synthesizing their study results with the others and end with a “bottom line” type
of take away and conclusion. This is not a restatement of study characteristics (i.e., participant statistics, study
location, intervention type, etc.).
• This is a group assignment; therefore, each member should collaborate on the introduction, compare/contrast and the
conclusion.
Oral Presentation Slides & Recording: Both the slides and a recording of the presentation need to be uploaded to
Canvas. Only one group member needs to submit these because the assignment is listed as a group assignment and files
will show up in each member’s Canvas as submitted.
Evaluation of the oral presentation will be based on the following and a rubric is included with this
assignment:
1. Presentation skills (including adherence to time guidelines; organization of presentation/preparedness;
effectiveness of oral presentation (e.g., delivered without excessive reliance on notes); and effective use of visual
aids/ability to interest audience).
2. Ability to critically evaluate scientific research;
3. Ability to define/demonstrate practical application of the material;
4. Appropriateness of nutrition/fitness article;
5. Ability to compare & contrast article with other articles in group, contribution to group summary, conclusions and
“take away.”
This assignment is worth a total of 50 points, up to 25 points for each student’s individual presentation and up to 25 points
for a group grade. The group grade is calculated as the average of the group’s individual scores. This means that the total
score for each person is dependent upon the others in the group. To be most successful, communicate with your group
early on and commit to a schedule.
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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Student Name:_______________________________ Date:__________________________
1. Presentation (Adherence to time guidelines; organization of presentation/preparedness; effectiveness of oral presentation
(delivered without excessive note reading; effective use of visual aids/ability to interest audience)
Poor Adequate Good Very Good Excellent
0-1 2 3 4 5
2. Ability to critically evaluate scientific research
Unacceptable/Poor Needs improvement Good Very good Excellent
No attempt to
evaluate study or
evaluative
statements
unsupported or
inappropriate
Student’s opinion of
the article is not
clear; critical
thinking is not
evident
Student’s opinion of the
article is stated, along with
critical evaluation of the
article’s premise and/or
argument, but some
significant points are
overlooked
Includes critical
thinking that clearly
states the student’s
opinion and some
evaluation of the
article’s premise
and/or arguments but
overlooks some points
Includes critical
thinking that clearly
states the student’s
informed and
substantiated opinion,
thorough evaluation of
the article’s premise,
and supporting points
0-1 2-3 4-6 7-9 10
3. Ability to define/demonstrate practical application of material
Unacceptable/Poor Needs improvement Good Very good Excellent
No attempt made to
describe context of
study or practical
application of
material
Attempt made to
discuss practical
application but
missed the mark
Good attempt made to
discuss practical application
but could be improved
Practical application of
material clearly
described
Practical application
of material very
clearly described by
providing a number of
examples
0 1 2 3 4
4. Appropriateness of nutrition/fitness article
Poor Needs improvement Good Very good Excellent
0 .5 1.5 1.75 2
5. Ability to compare/contrast article with other group articles, contribution to group summary/conclusions and “take away”
Poor Below average Average Very good Excellent
Student fails to
mention how article
compares and
contrasts with
others’ article;
demonstrates low or
non-existent level of
understanding
regarding how
article chosen fits in
with other articles;
fails to include
article in
introduction and
conclusion.
Student fails to
mention how article
compares and
contrasts with others’
article or does not
correctly put article
in context;
demonstrates low
level of
understanding
regarding how article
chosen fits in with
other articles; fails to
include article in
introduction and
conclusion
Student does an adequate
job explaining how article
compares and contrasts with
others’ article; demonstrates
average level of
understanding regarding
how article chosen fits in
with other articles; fails to
include article in
introduction and/or
conclusion.
Student does a very
good job explaining
how article compares
and contrasts with
others’ article;
demonstrates good but
not great level of
understanding
regarding how article
chosen fits in with
other articles; includes
article in introduction
and conclusion.
Student does an
excellent and thorough
job explaining how
article compares and
contrasts with others’
article; demonstrates
high level of
understanding
regarding how article
chosen fits in with
other articles; includes
article in introduction
and conclusion.
0 1 2 3 4
Total Points – Individual __________ / 25
Total Points – Group Average __________ / 25
GRAND TOTAL POINTS __________ / 50
NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University
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CONSUMER PRODUCT: FITNESS & NUTRITION
Purpose of the Assignment: to evaluate an electronic advertisement in a way that the student becomes
a more critical consumer. The advertisement will be evaluated by comparing the claims made in the ad
to scientific evidence and research findings.
Ad Selection: For Nutrition, your instructor will provide two options, along with their URLs in the
Assignment itself on Canvas. You will choose which one you want to research for this paper. For
Fitness, you will also be provided the URL of the fitness ad on Canvas. If you opt to do this, make sure
to pick an advertisement that has some substance to it, the less the ad says, the harder it is to critique.
Original advertisements should not come from library sources or magazines.
Assignment Format:
Page 1:Title page with the product name/advertisement
Pages 2 to 4 (or 5): Consumer Product Analysis
This section contains your analysis of both the ad itself and the product advertised. Evaluating the ad
itself is very important however the primary purpose of this paper is evaluating the product and whether
there is research to support its claims. The paper should be 3-4 pages. You should comment on the
positive aspects (praise) and the negative aspects (criticism) of the ad. Your analysis should be in
paragraph form, and critical comments should be well developed and substantiated (cited) by the
research studies you use for this assignment. When discussing scientific articles to analyze the product,
do NOT use direct quotes or copied material from the scientific articles. Instead, paraphrase the
information in your own words and cite appropriately in APA format. In the text of your paper, the
author & year of the scientific source should be indicated. When more than two authors are cited, “et
al.,” may be used as per APA format (however, remember to include all names on Reference Page.).
See example below:
According to Maughan et al. (2013), creatine supplementation has been shown to significantly increase
total body mass in subjects over a 4-week period.
When discussing the advertisement or product description, you may make limited use of short
quotations (<40 words) from the ad or product description, but they should be in APA format and cited
properly with page numbers, and author/year.
When critically evaluating the advertisement, comment on the text, and use of color and graphics.
You need to include comments about all of the following questions:
• Who appears to be the intended consumer?
• What techniques are used to draw the attention of the reader? Are they successful or not? Again,
consider wording, terminology, graphics and more.
• Is the ad straightforward and factual? Explain.
• Is any important information omitted that should be disclosed to the consumer?
• What gimmicks are used to sell the product? Were the gimmicks successful?
When critically evaluating the product, incorporate responses to all of the following questions but do
not limit your critique to the questions below. This product evaluation should make up the majority of
the paper.
• Is the use of this product supported by scientific evidence? If so, are there any conflicting results
among various studies? Do the subjects’ age, health condition, fitness level, etc. match those for
whom the ad is directed? Were there limitations and/or flaws in these studies? Describe the studies,
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in your own words, to defend your statements and give evidence for or against the claims made in
the ad.
• What, if any, contribution would the consumption or use of the product make to the nutrient intake,
physique, or fitness level of the intended consumer?
• How much does the product cost? Could some less expensive product be used to obtain the same
results? If so, what?
• What hazards/adverse effects might be associated with the use of this product? Are there any
conditions (e.g., medical, age-related) that would contraindicate the use of the product?
The Consumer Product paper is aimed to analyze the product and provide research studies to
demonstrate support, or lack thereof, of the product’s claims. This might necessitate a detailed
discussion of the study if relevant to the product directly. You should avoid summarizing the studies
independent from one another and the product.
Page 5 or 6: References
This is a separate page and should be headed “References” at the top center of the page.
List the source of the advertisement, and alphabetically list the references used to support your
evaluation. Do not alphabetize “within” each reference by changing the original order of authors.
However, alphabetize your order among the various references, using the last name of the 1st author of
each reference.
You may use the course textbooks. However, in addition, you must use at least 3 other reliable (peer
reviewed) journal references to support your analysis. References need to be current (published
within the last 10 years) and must be cited in the evaluation. Give the full publication information of
each reference used, including all author(s), title of article and journal or title of book, year of
publication, volume or edition, and page number(s).
Indentation – Although the current Publication Manual advises standard (five spaces, first line)
indentation for the reference list, this is primarily designed to make typesetting easier; the typeset
version will have hanging indents (first line flush left, following lines five spaces indent). We
recommend for this paper that you use hanging indents for enhanced readability. We have formatted
our sample references list with hanging indents.
Capitalization – Capitalize only the first word of book titles and articles and the first word after a colon.
However, for name of journals, capitalize first letter of all major words.
Punctuation – Use a comma to separate:
• Surnames from initials
• A journal title from volume number
• A volume number from page numbers
• When given, an issue number from page numbers
• (Ed.) from book title
• City of publication from state
Spacing – All entries (the entire page) should be double-spaced.
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References should be completed in American Psychological Association (APA) format. See examples
below.
Journal article:
Volek, J. S., Duncan, N. D., Mazetti, S. A., Putukian, M., Gomez, A. L., & Kraemer, W. J. (2000). No
effect of heavy resistance training and creatine supplementation on blood lipids. International
Journal of Sports Nutrition, 10, 144-156. doi:134-5678-321
Book (other than first edition):
Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. (2005). Understanding nutrition (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson
Wadsworth.
Article or chapter in edited book:
Eiser, S., Redpath, A., & Rogers, N. (1987). Outcomes of early parenting: Knowns and unknowns. In
A. P. Kern & L. S. Maze (Eds.), Logical thinking in children (pp. 58-87). New York: Springer.
Electronic Reference (see note of caution below):
Mack, G. W., & Bergeron, M. F. (May 30, 1997). Hydration and physical activity: Scientific concepts
and practical applications. Retrieved from: http://www.gssiweb.com/hydr.html
Quality of References: Acceptable references include any reliable, professional, nutrition, physical
education, sports medicine, or scientific journal or book. Unacceptable references include popular
magazines (e.g., Runner’s World, American Health, Prevention, Muscle and Fitness), blogs or
influencers’ posts, or popular books (The Zone Diet, 50 Ways to Stay Fit on a Busy Schedule, Total-Life
Exercise Book). If you are unsure of the reliability of a reference, check with your instructor!
Refer to the syllabus for a partial list of acceptable periodicals and on-line resources.
You may contact our reference librarian to make an appointment at the library for help in using the
databases and searching for appropriate references. See the course syllabus for contact information.
Use of WWW pages: The World Wide Web (The Internet) is an unmonitored, un-refereed source of
information. Consequently, information may be accurate or inaccurate, and each page must be judged
for accuracy and reliability. Authoritative web pages are written by individuals with appropriate
credentials (e.g., Ph.D., R.D., M.D., etc.) and should cite references used to write the page. Pages that
are sponsored or maintained by the seller of a product are most often biased toward the product and
should be read with this in mind. We highly recommend that you only use journal articles (or articles
coming from professional sources). Again, if you are unsure of the reliability of the source, check with
your instructor.
General Paper Form and Style Guidelines:
Your paper must:
• Be written in narrative, paragraph format, typed and double spaced
• Be written in the 3rd person (do not use first or second person, such as “we”, “I” or “you”)
• Be written in the past tense when describing the research study
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• Not use direct quotations or copied material from the scientific sources
• Be in a font size that is New York Times 12 point or similar size (easy to read)
• Be left justified (do not right justify/align, which centers the text)
• Have 1-inch margins all around
• Have numbered pages
• Be submitted in the manner requested by your instructor
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Name ________________________________________
CONSUMER PRODUCT GRADING SHEET
Format/appearance/organization/complete information APA format
Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5
References (number and quality)
Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5
Use of references in paper (appropriate citations for all references)
Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5
Quality of writing (syntax, grammar, spelling)
Poor Very Good
0-5 6 7-8 9 10
Critical evaluation of advertisement (text, color, graphics)
Poor Very Good
0-5 6 7-8 9 10
Critical evaluation of product (how claims of ad relate to scientific evidence)
Poor Very Good
0-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15
Subtotal: ___________
Deductions (if late): ___________*
* 2.5 points deducted for each calendar day or partial day late
Total Score: ___________