Is the abstract concise? Does it summarize all necessary
components of your paper? Is it formatted properly?
Introduction 10
Do you introduce the problem under investigation and
describe why this problem is important to explore? Do you
present the literature in this area and weave the findings
together?
Discussion 10
Do you explain the “big picture” of how the sources you read
connect? Do you say how these studies change or influence
psychology history, theory, and/or practice?
In text citations 10
Do you provide evidence for each claim you make? Are in-text
citations formatted properly?
References 5
Do you provide a complete list of references and cite them
properly? Is the list formatted correctly according to the APA
handbook?
# number of sources 7.5
Do you provide a new source for each new idea presented? Do
you avoid over-reliance on a single source?
Scientific Journals & Books 7.5
Have you selected reputable, peer-reviewed sources to use in
your paper?
Formatting 5
Do you use appropriate margins, fonts, and headers
throughout?
Length 10
Is your paper of sufficient length to address the research on
this topic? Does it represent a significant investment in time
and thought?
Content 25
Have you persuaded the reader that this is a signficant issue
to address? Have you used the research to create a thorough
and accurate explanation of the issue?
Position Paper: Does it matter if people cheat? Either you are for it or against it.
