Introduction
– Introduce your seminar choices, articles,
identify key theme of the essay
• 500 words for each article
– How does the article relate to the relevant
seminar?
•    –  What are the methods and approach?
•    –  What are the findings?
• Conclusion
– Reflect on the articles and findings: how do they further knowledge and debate in CSP?

Title:
Trial run research essay
Details of task:
Your first assignment for this unit is a 1500 word trial run of your research essay (assessment task 2) due at the end of the semester. To complete your trial run essay, do the following:
1. Choose two of the seminars from the unit (for your research essay you will be required to choose five seminars). The seminars to choose from are:
Self and Society
Discourse and Identity
Narrative and Identity Intersectionality
Performing Identity
Social Interaction
Topical debate: Loss of the Social? Emotional Experience
Love and Attachment
Psychology in Media

2. Using library databases, find one research article for each of your chosen seminar topics. For example, if your seminar choices are 1) ‘self and society’ and 2) ‘discourse and identity,’ you will need to find one research article on ‘self and society’ and another on ‘discourse and identity.’ To find your research articles, you will need to search the Library data-bases for peer-reviewed journals which address your topics. These will normally be in critical social psychology, sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. Your research articles need to be empirical (present qualitative data such as interviews or focus groups)
or theoretical (address theories of self and society) or both (combine qualitative data and theory).

This is a list of recommended journals to search:
Annual Review of Critical Psychology Body & Society
British Journal of Social Psychology Critical Discourse Studies
Culture & Psychology
Culture, Health & Sexuality Discourse & Society
Feminism & Psychology Health: London
Journal of Narrative Theory Journal of Sociology
Narrative Inquiry
Psychology & Health Psychology & Society Qualitative Health Research Qualitative Inquiry
Self & Identity
Sexualities
Sociology
Sociology of Health and Illness Somatechnics
Subjectivity
Theory & Psychology

3. For each of your chosen articles, discuss in 500 words: a) how it relates to the relevant seminar;
b) the methods or approach of the article (interviews, focus groups, theory); c) the findings.

4. In addition, write an introduction (200 words) and a conclusion (300 words) for your essay. The introduction should: explain to the reader which two seminars you have chosen and the accompanying articles; briefly alert the reader to the key features of the essay argument to follow. The conclusion should reflect on the two articles you have chosen in terms of how they each further knowledge and debate in critical social psychology.
Word limit:
1500
Weighting/Value (%):
30
Presentation requirements:
You need to submit your research essay plan online via Moodle.
Estimated return date:
Week 7
Criteria for marking:
The research essay plan should demonstrate:
a) the ability to identify and source relevant research articles;
b) the ability to link the chosen research articles with the chosen seminar topics;
c) a preliminary analysis of the topics, methods and approach of the research article;
d) and a preliminary discussion of the research article in light of the concepts and debates
from critical social psychology.
Learning objectives assessed:
1. Identify and describe key perspectives in social psychological and psycho-social theory and research
2. Discuss the social aspects of individual experience and social action