Activity#1

you are going to find two (2) research articles published on the effectiveness of conversion therapy for homosexualityone article that finds the treatment is effective, and one that finds the treatment is not effective.  You are going to address each of the following questions for both articles and conclude with which article you feel makes the stronger case.

1.  What are the researchers credentials? Are they affiliated with reputable institutions (research centers, academic institutions, etc)? Are they associated with any special-interest groups that may favor a particular research finding or conclusion?

2.  Through what type of media were the results published: reputable scientific journals, scholarly textbooks, popular magazines, newspapers, blog posts, Internet sites?

3.  What approach or type of research method was used, and were proper scientific procedures adhered to?

4.  Were a sufficient number of subjects used, and is there any reason to suspect bias in the selection method?

5.  Is it reasonable to apply the research findings to a larger population beyond the sample group? To what extent can legitimate generalizations be made?

6.  Is there any reason to believe that the research methods could have biased the findings? (e.g. Did the presence of an interviewer affect how the participants responded?  Was anonymity guaranteed for the participants? Was there anything in the study that would have affected how the participants responded?)

7.  Which article makes the more solid case for their findings?  How does it address conflicting research?

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