Choose an original research study to read from among the approved peer-reviewed journals list. Any other journal must first be approved by the instructor.
The study chosen must meet the following criteria:
You may have to read several articles to be sure that an actual study was done and that the authors were not simply reviewing studies done by others. Be careful not to use a "meta-analysis" -- an examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject. You must use original research.
Make a copy of the study you choose--you must submit a full copy of the study along with your research report.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a scientific experiment where subjects are randomly assigned to one or other of the different groups under study. One of these groups must be a control group, or a group that receives no treatment (in the case of a clinical trial).
Check the methods or methodology section of the study and look for those specific keywords ("randomized" and "controlled" or "control").
These approved journals are available in the Merritt College Library databases, which are free for Merritt students (unlike many of those found on the internet). The databases are also recommended for their ease of searching.