For my social psychology class, we have to submit an essay explaining why prejudice continues to occur despite social sanctions against it. We have all seen various forms of racial, ethnic and religious prejudice throughout the human history. It can be traced back to the Holocaust, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the tribal warfare and genocide in Rwanda and other African countries, the civil war and atrocities in Bosnia and terrorist activities in the United States and throughout the world. The list goes on forever.

Do the roots of prejudice lie in individual psychology (such as personality dynamics or cognition) or in social dynamics (the oppression of one group by another)? And are the reasons for prejudice be found in cognition or motivation - in the way people think or in the way they want to think? 

A penny for your thoughts?

Failure to carefully examine the literature for similar research
Failure to critically assess the prior literature
Failure to specify the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the subjects
Failure to determine and report the error of measurement methods
Failure to specify exact statistical assumptions made in the analysis
Failure to perform sample size analysis before the study begins
Failure to implement adequate bias control measures
Failure to write and stick to a detailed time line
Failure to vigorously recruit and retain subjects
Failure to have a detailed, written and vetted protocol
Failure to examine for normality of data
Failure to report missing data, dropped subjects and use of an intention to treat analysis
Failure to perform and report power calculations
Failure to point out the weaknesses of own study
Failure to understand and use correct scientific language.