Advanced Alcohol and Other Drugs Article Review Assignment

Review of research articles

Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to undertake

a search of the library electronic data bases on a topic of their choice, relevant to the

Advanced Alcohol and Other Drugs subject, and to review selected articles to identify

research findings for the topic area.

Process:

Students are to identify a topic relevant to Advanced Alcohol and Other Drugs and

generate search terms for the topic.

Search the electronic data bases in the library, and Google Scholar, using the search

terms, for five research studies on the topic conducted in the last five years. If too few

studies are found, you will need to broaden the search terms. If too many are found, you

will need to tighten the search terms. At least one of the studies should be conducted in

Australia.

Read the research articles carefully and for each of them, note the methods, sample size,

findings, rigour and reliability, and key findings.

Take notes on common understandings of key concepts, areas of agreement and

controversy, gaps in knowledge (what is not known), and recommendations for future

research.

Then write up the review, and include a synthesis of the findings to demonstrate the

current evidence base for the topic area. Identify the implications for the field of alcohol

and other drugs counselling.

Your review will need to address:

 The topic, search terms and databases searched are clearly identified

 Methods, sample procedure and size, findings, rigour and reliability, findings and

recommendations for future research are critically evaluated

 The evidence base for the topic area is clearly demonstrated

 The implications of the findings for the field of alcohol and other drug counselling

are discussed

 Fluent academic writing is used, written in third person; word count is + or – 10%

 Minimum five references are used

 Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation are demonstrated

 APA referencing style (6th ed.) is followed for in-text referencing and reference list

 

Marking criteria – Research review

Content

1. Topic, search terms and data bases searched clearly

identified

2. Evaluation of method, sample procedure and size, ,

rigour and reliability, findings and recommendations for

future research for each demonstrated

3. Understanding of the evidence base for the topic area

clearly communicated to the reader

4. Implications for the field of alcohol and other drugs

counselling are discussed

5. Ideas and concepts are clearly and logically presented

Structure, Presentation and Referencing

1. Main ideas clearly and logically presented
2. Relevant research and scholarship literature used

appropriately to support claims. Minimum of five

references used.

3. Presentation guidelines followed as specified in the

learning support website (https://sls.navitasprofessional.edu.au/presentation-guidelines-apa-style)

 

and first/ third person writing style is applied where

required

4. Academic writing style is used, including correct spelling,

grammar and punctuation

5. In-text referencing and reference list follows APA

referencing style (6th ed.) as set out in the APA website:

http://www.apastyle.org/

6. Word count is within + or – 10% of requirement No Yes

Total Mark: /100

Weighted Scale: / 25

Grade: