Cyberpsychology
You are required to write a 2000-word critique of a media article about a cyberpsychology topic, which must be supported by reference to relevant academic theory and literature, from the field of cyberpsychology and beyond. You should write in formal, academic language, as you would in a traditional academic essay.
You must choose one of the articles in the table below, and in your critique, you should take care to include:
– An introductory paragraph explaining what the article is about and what research study or studies, if any, it is based on.
– Careful, in-depth discussion of the accuracy of the points in the article.
o Backed up by reference to relevant academic research and theory.
– Critical evaluation of the research studies and theories you are citing in your critique.
– References to other studies relevant to the topic.
– A concluding paragraph summing up how well the media article represents what the scientific research has shown.
– A reference list, in APA format (this does not count towards the word limit)
You may also find it useful to consider, in the closing paragraphs your critique:
– Possible implications of the media article (are there any likely harms/benefits of the article being published, based on how well it does or does not represent what the academic literature suggests is true?)
– What future research is needed to confirm or refute possibly unsubstantiated claims in the article?
The module leader will upload lecture slides and video, and give tips and answer questions, during teaching weeks 9 and 12.
While you will pick an article about one particular issue/area of cyberpsychology for this assessment, each week’s session will provide you with opportunities to develop your knowledge of cyberpsychological theory and literature, and to practise your critical evaluation skills. All of this will contribute to your ability to produce a convincing critique for your assessment, so regular attendance at all the sessions is very important to help you get the best possible grade.
The learning outcomes that you should be aiming to achieve in this work are:
1) Demonstrate knowledge of key cyber-psychological theory.
2) Appraise and apply theory from a range of disciplines to explain human behaviour in the online world.
3) Critically evaluate the role of the Internet in human lives.
4) Present and articulate research findings effectively, concisely and professionally.
