EPY 6214
10
EPY 6214 Educational and Psychological Statistics
Final Paper Instruction and Rubric
Your final paper is limited to 2‐4 pages (no less than 2 and no more than 4 pages),
double‐spaced, not including references. Use Times New Roman 12‐point font and 1‐inch
margins on the top, bottom and sides. A title page and references do not count as part of the
page limit requirements. The text will be followed by a list of references. Your citations and
reference list must follow APA format 7th edition. If you are uncertain about APA format, refer
to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, several copies are located
in the library and it is advisable for all doctoral students in education to have a copy of their
own.
Your paper must include the following sections and provide sufficient information in
regard to the bullet‐point content listed below. Remember, the final paper is a research paper,
not an article critique. You need to analyze a real dataset by yourself.
Introduction
Problem
What is the problem? Provide a statement of the problem. Be explicit!
Provide some background info (with a couple of references) of the problem
Indicate the variables of interest and their hypothesized relations
Research Questions
List all of the research questions
Restate the variables and their hypothesized relationships
Method (Must use one of the quantitative methods covered in the lectures)
Participants
Describe the population
Describe the sample
Demographics info. If available
Instruments
Describe the instruments/measures
Procedure
How were data collected if such information is available
Results
Present the appropriate statistics
See example APA write ups
Discussion
Conclusion and Recommendations
Discuss each result in relation to your research questions
Discuss potential problems with the study and how the study might be improved in the
future
Recommendations for future research
EPY 6214
11
Performance Rubric: EPY 6214 Capstone Project
Criteria Novice/Not
Mentioned
Competent/Not
Clearly Defined
Proficient/Clearly Defined
APA Formatting
(10 pts)
0%. References or
citations not given;
Single spaced;
Headings/subheadings
not used;
50%. Some style
errors, but not
enough to detract
from presentation.
Tables might be cut
and pasted; A few
reference errors, or
failed to italicize all
symbols.
100%. Double spaced; tables/figures in
APA format (not cut and pasted SPSS
output); appropriate # decimal places;
Headings/subheadings appropriate;
Citations correctly given in text and
matched to references. Symbols
italicized.
Introduction &
Research Questions
(15 pts)
0%. No linkage of
introduction to RQ(s);
RQs omit IV(s) and/or
DV, or are not
testable.
50%. RQs are testable
and include variables,
but may be
awkwardly worded.
Introduction may be
weak, but linked to
RQ(s).
100%. Introduction makes case for the
present study; research question(s) are
clearly stated, include appropriate IV(s),
DV, and are testable.
Participants,
Instruments, &
Procedure
(15 pts)
0%. One or none of
the sections suitably
addressed.
50%. Two of the
three sections are
suitably addressed.
100%. All three elements suitably
addressed; clearly explained.
Design & Analysis
Used
(15 pts)
0%.
Design and/or analysis
absent or incorrect.
50%.
Partial or incomplete
description of
statistical design,
analysis.
100%.
Be specific about what analysis you are
using (e.g., t‐tests, one‐way ANOVA,
simple linear regression, Chi‐square,
Binomial tests)
Variables
(5 pts)
0%.
IV(s) and/or DVs not
indicated, or reversed.
50%. DV indicated;
IV(s) may be poorly
indicated (e.g.,
conflating levels of an
IV with number of IVs)
100%.
For ANOVA: clearly define all your
factors (with all levels of each factor) and
DV; For regression: clearly define all
predictor(s) and the outcome variable.
Results
(20 pts)
0%.
Lacks summary
statistics; Omits key
statistical test results;
Fails to include and
explain ES estimates;
Mis‐interprets test
results.
60%.
Possible omission of
some summary
statistics and/or
parameter
estimates/test results,
but otherwise correct;
Too many statistics
given in text when a
table is preferred.
100%. For ANOVA: Descriptive statistics
(Ms and SDs) for every group and all
necessary F ratios with the effect sizes;
For regression: Descriptive statistics (Ms
and SDs) for all variables included in the
analysis, and appropriate R2
, adjusted R2
,
change statistics if applicable, ANOVA
results, and regression parameters (B,
beta, and associated p values).
Conclusions &
Recommendations
(10 pts)
0%. Conclusions
and/or
recommendations
absent; important
conclusions missing or
incorrectly drawn.
50%. Not all
conclusions supported
by data;
Recommendations
absent or
“boilerplate.”
100%. Conclusions supported by
analyses, are linked back to research
questions/hypotheses;
recommendations tied to results; Clear
explanation.
Appendices
(10 pts)
0%. No necessary
output attached.
50%. Output attached
but not organized or
not necessary info.
100%. Only all necessary output
attached.
