The APA Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE) awarded a 2022 Teaching Resources Award to Erin K. Freeman, PhD, of the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Freeman’s activity on Statistical Literacy and the Newsopens in new window has been added to APA Project Assessmentopens in new window.
This lesson is designed to familiarize students with the ways in which scientific research is discussed in the news. In this activity, students are exposed to several headlines taken from the news media and will respond to several questions related to the media’s choice of headline, the media article itself, the original research article, and their reflection on the assignment itself. This assignment is designed to engage students’ critical thinking and to encourage the application of statistical concepts such as correlation vs. causation, variable operationalization and measurement, experimental vs. observational research, sample size and make-up, and confounding and third (lurking) variables. This resource can be used across settings and modalities, and is best used for those teaching introductory statistics, research methods, and/or introduction to psychology.
New to Project Assessment (PASS)?
Project Assessment is a collaboratively developed digital library of learning assessments (e.g., assignments, quizzes, evaluations) designed to help psychology instructors demonstrate evidence of teaching and learning effectiveness. Instructors can search for, download, reproduce, and use the assessments in their classes at no cost. Although instructors do not need to be APA members to use PASS, new users must register before they are granted access to the site.
