NEUR1020: Research Claim Essay Assessment

Assessment Task

In popular culture, the “Beer Goggles” effect refers to the belief that alcohol consumption can boost the perceived attractiveness of other people. Despite how widespread the belief is, research on the matter has been relatively sparse and the veracity and nature of the effect remain underexplored. For the Research Claim Essay, we want you to present and defend a thesis statement that is supported by evidence drawn from two scientific journal articles (details provided below). The articles both focus on the testing effect. Guidance on how to structure and write the research claim essay will be provided in tutorials.

You will have to develop your own thesis statement based on the information provided in these two research articles. The evidence from each of the two articles must independently support your thesis statement in its entirety (i.e., the evidence from each article should support all aspects of your thesis statement, not just part of it). You may cite additional research papers as background to introduce the topic, but the evidence supporting your thesis statement must come from the two articles mentioned above. We are not looking for a review of the overall balance of evidence, nor are we looking for a discussion of points both for and against the thesis statement. Your essay will be marked by the course tutors. All marking will follow the Marking Criteria that you can find on Blackboard via the Assessment folder, in the Research Claim Essay section. We also require that you complete and submit the AI Coversheet with your assignment to appropriately acknowledge and document your use of AI tools in preparing your work for submission. The AI Coversheet can be found alongside the other Essay materials on Blackboard.

Task Requirements

Write a 1500-word critical evidence-based essay on a topic to be provided, using two scientific research journal papers from a list to be provided.

For this essay, you must formulate a specific Thesis Statement or claim within the general topic provided. You must argue for that thesis statement, providing evidence from and critical evaluation of two research papers from the list provided. We are not looking for a review of the overall balance of evidence, nor are we looking for a discussion of points for and against the thesis statement. We are looking for accurate summaries of evidence and critical evaluation of experiments from two papers that both support your formulated thesis statement.

Summary of Assessment Requirements

The given assessment requires students to write a 1500-word critical, evidence-based essay focused on a topic derived from two selected scientific research journal articles. The essay aims to assess the student’s ability to formulate a clear and specific thesis statement (research claim) and substantiate it using empirical evidence and critical analysis drawn from the two provided studies.

Students are expected to:

• Develop a coherent thesis statement based on the topic and evidence from the given articles.
• Provide accurate summaries and critical evaluations of the two selected research papers.
• Demonstrate how each article independently supports the entire thesis statement, not just a portion of it.
• Avoid writing a general literature review or discussing arguments for and against the claim.
• Submit the essay along with an AI Coversheet acknowledging any AI assistance in preparing the work.

The primary objective of this assessment is to test students’ skills in critical thinking, academic writing, evidence synthesis, and argument construction within the context of psychological research.

Academic Mentor’s Step-by-Step Guidance and Approach

While guiding the student through the assessment, the Academic Mentor adopted a structured, step-by-step approach to ensure clarity, coherence, and academic rigor throughout the essay development process.

Step 1: Understanding the Task and Topic

The mentor began by helping the student interpret the assessment brief, clarifying that the focus was not on summarizing or debating existing evidence but on developing and defending a single cohesive thesis supported by both studies. The mentor also ensured the student understood the meaning of the “Beer Goggles” effect as a contextual concept but emphasized that the real focus was on evidence-based argumentation, not popular beliefs.

Step 2: Formulating the Thesis Statement

Next, the mentor guided the student in constructing a precise and arguable thesis statement that aligns with the data and conclusions drawn from both journal articles. This step involved reading the papers carefully to identify common patterns, findings, or theoretical overlaps that could jointly support a unified claim.

Step 3: Critical Evaluation of the Research Papers

The mentor then supported the student in performing a critical appraisal of both studies. This included identifying:

• The research design, sample, and methodology used.
• The key findings and limitations.
• How the data supports the proposed thesis statement.
  This step helped the student move beyond mere summary to engage with the material analytically.

Step 4: Structuring the Essay

With the evidence and arguments organized, the mentor guided the student in structuring the essay into logical sections introduction, body, and conclusion. The mentor emphasized maintaining a coherent argumentative flow, ensuring each paragraph contributed to strengthening the central claim. The importance of academic tone, citation accuracy (APA style), and clear transitions between ideas was also reinforced.

Step 5: Draft Review and Refinement

Once the draft was completed, the mentor helped the student refine the essay by reviewing the clarity, critical depth, and cohesiveness of the argument. Feedback was given on improving the analytical sections, eliminating redundancy, and ensuring both articles’ evidence supported the thesis in full.

Step 6: Final Submission Preparation

Finally, the mentor reviewed the work against the marking criteriachecking content accuracy, structure, argument strength, and referencing quality. The student was also reminded to include the AI Coversheet and perform a plagiarism check before final submission.

Outcome and Learning Objectives Achieved

Through this guided process, the student successfully developed a well-structured, critically analyzed, and evidence-based essay that aligned with the course’s academic standards.

Learning objectives achieved included:

• Demonstrating the ability to formulate and defend a clear research claim.
• Applying critical analysis to interpret and evaluate empirical evidence.
• Synthesizing findings from multiple studies into a cohesive argument.
• Enhancing academic writing, referencing, and ethical scholarship skills.
• Understanding the importance of academic integrity and AI acknowledgment in research work.

Get Inspired by This Sample

Looking for guidance on how to structure and present your assignment? You can download this professionally written sample solution to understand the right approach, formatting, and academic tone needed to score higher. However, remember that this sample is provided for reference and study purposes only. Submitting it as your own work can lead to plagiarism issues and academic penalties.

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