CONNECTING TO REAL LIFE - Planning Your Real-World Example for your Psychology in Our Lives Research Paper

Remember: Your paper needs a real-world connection! This worksheet should help you think about where you'll see this topic in everyday life.

1) What real-world connection option will you use? (Choose ONE)

□ Social Media Analysis: Find examples on TikTok, Instagram, etc.

□ Mini-Interview: Ask 2-3 people about their experiences
□ Personal Observation: Keep a log of when you notice this topic

□ News/Media Example: Find a recent news story, movie, or TV show

2) Brainstorm: Where might I see this topic in real life?

Based on what the articles have taught me, I might see this topic when:

Examples to look for:

What behaviors or situations show this concept?
What might people say or do that connects to this research?
Where in daily life does this psychological concept appear?

Making the Connection: Questions to Guide Your Real-World Example

If you choose SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS:

□ What specific hashtags, trends, or accounts relate to your topic?

□ What are people posting about that shows this concept?

□ How do the posts/videos illustrate what the research found?

Example: If your topic is about social comparison and self-esteem, you might look at:

Instagram posts with captions about "comparison is the thief of joy"
TikToks showing before/after comparisons
Comments sections where people compare themselves to influencers

If you choose MINI-INTERVIEW:

□ Who could I ask about this topic? (friends, family, classmates)

□ What 3-5 questions would help me understand their experience?

□ How do their answers connect to what the research says?

Example questions to ask:

Have you ever experienced [your topic]?
Can you describe a time when...?
How did it affect you?
What did you do about it?

If you choose PERSONAL OBSERVATION:

□ What will I observe or track over the next week?

□ When and where am I most likely to notice this concept?

□ What specific behaviors or situations will I look for?

Example: If your topic is about stress and memory, you might observe:

Times when you're stressed before an exam
Whether you remember details better when calm vs. stressed
How your friends' memory works during stressful moments

If you choose NEWS/MEDIA EXAMPLE:

□ What recent news stories relate to this topic?

□ What movies or TV shows illustrate this concept?

□ How does the media example show what the research explains?

Example: If your topic is about eyewitness testimony accuracy, you might find:

News stories about wrongful convictions
Crime documentaries discussing memory reliability
Court cases where witnesses contradicted each other

Planning Your Real-World Section

3) My real-world example will be:

4) This example connects to the research because:

In my paper, I will explain:

What I observed/found in real life:
How it illustrates the psychological concept:
How it matches (or doesn't match) what the research says:

5) What steps do I need to take to put together my real-world example?

Quick Check: Is My Real-World Example Strong Enough?

A good real-world example should:

□ Clearly show the psychological concept from your research

□ Be specific and detailed (not vague)

□ Show you put thought and effort into finding/creating it

□ Connect back to what the research article taught you

Ask yourself:

Could I write at least ½ page describing this example?
Does it clearly illustrate what the research found?
Will my reader understand the connection without me having to stretch?

If you answered NO to any of these, consider:

Adding more detail to your example
Finding a different/stronger example
Choosing a different real-world connection option

Notes on Real-World Connections: Ideas for where to find examples, who to interview, what to observe;