From Sources to Paper: Putting It All Together Psychology in Our Lives Research Paper

YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION: _____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU HAVE

Your Three Sources - What Does Each One Do?

Think of your three sources like puzzle pieces. Each one has a different job in your paper.

Source 1: CREDO Reference Article □ I've read this and completed my worksheet

In your paper, this source helps you:

Introduce and explain your topic
Define important terms and provide background information, statistics
Show why this topic matters

Key information from CREDO:

Source 2: Peer-Reviewed Psychology Journal Article □ I've read this and completed my worksheet

In your paper, this source helps you:

Explain what research has discovered
Provide evidence for your points
Show the science behind the concept

Key information from journal article:

Source 3: Real-World Connection □ I've completed my real-world example (social media, interview, observation, or news/media)

What this source gives you:

Concrete example of the concept in action
Connection to everyday life
Personal or current relevance

In your paper, this source helps you:

Show how psychology applies to real life
Make your topic relatable
Demonstrate your understanding

What I found in real life:

PART 2: MAPPING OUT YOUR PAPER

The Big Picture: How Your Paper Flows

Introduction → The Research → Real-World Connection → Your Take

Each section has a specific job. Let's plan what goes where.

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION (½ page)

Purpose: Hook your reader and introduce your topic

What to include:

Opening hook - Why is this interesting? Why should anyone care?
Definitions, background information and explanation of your topic (using CREDO) clearly define your topic.
Your research question or what you wanted to find out

Planning your introduction:

My hook (interesting opening sentence or question):

Brief explanation of my topic (2-4 sentences using CREDO):

My research question:

SECTION 2: THE RESEARCH (1½-2 pages)

Purpose: Explain what psychologists have discovered about your topic

This section uses BOTH your CREDO article AND your journal article

Part A: Explain the Concept (using CREDO + journal article introduction)

What you'll write:

What more information do you want to share about this psychological concept?
Why do psychologists study it?
What's important to understand about it?
Does this information help answer your research question?

Key points I'll explain:

Part B: What Research Has Found (using your journal article)

What you'll write:

What did researchers want to find out?
How did they study it? (brief, simple explanation)
What did they discover?
Why does this finding matter?
Does this information help answer your research question?

My journal article in a nutshell:

Researchers wanted to know: ________________________________________

hey studied it by:

They found out that:

This matters because:

SECTION 3: REAL-WORLD CONNECTION (½-1 page)

What real-world example did you use? □ Social Media Analysis □ Mini-Interview
□ Personal Observation □ News/Media Example

Part A: Describe Your Example

What you'll write:

What did you observe/find/analyze?
Be specific and detailed

My real-world example description:

Part B: Connect to the Research

What you'll write:

How does this example illustrate the psychological concept?
How does it connect to what the research found?
Does it match what researchers discovered, or is it different?

The connection between my example and the research:

My example shows: ________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

This connects to the research because: ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 4: YOUR TAKE - Conclusion (½-1 page)

Purpose: Conclusion/Wrap up and show what you learned

What to include:

Brief summary of main points from your paper
What you learned from this investigation – connect back to your question
Why this matters (so what?)
Final thought or implication

What I learned from doing this assignment:

Why this matters to me/to people in general:

Final thought - How might understanding this concept help people?

PAPER WRITING TIPS: WEAVING YOUR SOURCES TOGETHER

How to Use Your Sources Throughout the Paper

Common Mistake: Students write about CREDO, then write about the journal article, then write about real life - like three separate mini-essays.

Better Approach: Weave your sources together so they talk to each other.

Example of Weaving Sources:

❌ DON'T do this (choppy, separated): "According to CREDO, stress is a psychological response. My journal article studied stress in college students. They found that students experience stress during exams. In real life, I observed my roommate stressed during finals."

✓ DO this (woven together): "Stress is the body's psychological and physical response to challenging situations (CREDO). Researchers have found that college students experience particularly high stress levels during examination periods, which can impair memory and concentration (Journal Article). This pattern was clearly visible when I observed my roommate during finals week - she reported feeling overwhelmed and struggled to recall information she had studied just hours before. This real-world observation directly illustrates what researchers have documented about stress's impact on cognitive performance."

See the difference?

The second example uses all three sources to make ONE point
Sources support each other instead of standing alone
It flows like a conversation, not a list

PART 4: WRITING TIPS - Starting Your Draft

You don't have to write in order!

You don't have to write your paper from beginning to end. Many writers find it easier to:

Start with Section 2 (The Research) - This is where you have the most information
Then write Section 3 (Real-World Connection) - While it's fresh in your mind
Then write Section 4 (Conclusion) - Now you know what you've said
Write Section 1 (Introduction) LAST - Now you know exactly what to preview

Paragraph Structure Reminder:

Each paragraph should:

Start with a main point (topic sentence)
Support it with evidence from sources
Explain how the evidence supports your point
Connect to your overall argument

Using Sources – Remember to Cite as You Write:

Every time you use information from a source, cite it right away!

e.g., Jones et al. (2023)

FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU START WRITING

□ I have all three sources

□ I know my research question

□ I know what goes in each section

□ I understand how my sources connect to each other

□ I have my APA style template

□ I’m ready to Write!

Remember:

First draft doesn't have to be perfect
Focus on getting your ideas down
You can revise later
If you get stuck, use the Tutoring Center, Office Hours and/or A.I. (only as support or to correct grammar, not to write the paper)

You've got this! You've done the detective work - now tell the story of what you discovered.

Need Help?

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Tutoring Center
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