Instructions:
Part 1:
- Please describe what your opinion about psychology was in the beginning of the semester and how it has changed as a result of what we have learned throughout the semester. For example, perhaps in the beginning of the semester, you may not have understood what psychology really is. For example, perhaps you thought psychology was limited to stereotypes of therapists, like Dr. Phil. However, maybe now you realize that psychology is much more than just counseling. Or maybe you did not believe psychology is a true science, but now you realize it is. (Even if your view of psychology has not necessarily “changed”, you can still discuss how it may have been enhanced, deepened, broadened, etc.).
Part 2:
- If you leave this class with just a grade, then you have wasted 16 weeks. Please identify at least one thing you have learned in this class this semester and how it has impacted your life. (e.g., You might discuss a particular topic, lecture, discussion, or experience in class that has impacted you, challenged you, encouraged you, etc.).
- Your paper should be at least 3 full pages long (or more), typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with 1” margins all around (NO headers or title as this will detract from the page length).
- Please submit it by attaching your file in one of the following formats (.rtf, .doc, .docx, or .pdf; Mac users-NO .pages format). (Please note: you will lose points if your file is not attached in the correct format).
- I will be grading you relatively strictly on grammar and professional readability (in addition to content), so you should definitely proofread your paper before turning it in. I will not proofread rough drafts for you beforehand.
- Grading Rubric: 50 points
Points for Length:
16 points per full page of text (supposed to be at least 3 full pages). So, if your paper was only 2 pages, you will lose 16 points just for length, and then additional points for writing based upon the following rubric.
Points for Writing:
Minus 1 – 5 points = “A” level writing: paper is well structured and organized; thoughts are clearly communicated and organized; language is appropriate for an academic paper; good sentence structure; little to no grammatical or spelling errors.
Minus 6 – 10 points = “B” level writing: paper is well structured and organized, but could use some improvement; thoughts are clear, but might be a little disorganized; language is appropriate for an academic paper; sentence structure could be improved; a few grammatical or spelling errors.
Minus 11 – 15 points = “C” level writing: paper is a little disorganized; thoughts are unclear; language is too colloquial; incomplete or run-on sentences; more than a few grammatical or spelling errors.
Minus 16 – 20 points = “D” level writing: paper is very disorganized; topics jump around; thoughts are unclear (perhaps a lot of switching between present and past tense); language is extremely colloquial (i.e., it does not read like an academic paper); several grammatical and spelling errors.
Minus 21 or more points = “F” level writing: You clearly did not put any effort into it.
