Short reaction
papers:
Each student will complete two short reaction papers (2-3 pages double-spaced). Each will focus
on the articles (focus and supplementary) for one week. Discuss how the articles are different,
and also what connections you see between them. You may find it useful to use concepts and
frameworks from the text and lecture (the four perspectives, for
example, or the ABC triad, or more specific models presented in the
chapter for the week) to organize your thinking. Identify a primary
strength of each reading and a weakness. Please write in complete,
grammatical sentences. A draft of the paper is due in class Thursday for
the focal week; the final version is due the following Tuesday.
You should also be prepared to explain the main points of the supplementary article to your
groupmates on Thursday. They will (probably) have skimmed it quickly, but will not have read it
carefully, in depth, or more than once. They will, of course, have read the primary article
carefully, and covered it in discussion during the lab period the previous day.
Schedule for Short papers, groups 1,2,3:
Week 3: Personality
Group 1. [Holly as guest expert]
Group 2. Jenny
Group 3. Anna
Week 4: Cognitive Development
Group 1/3. Jesi
Group 2. Paula
Week 5: Social Development
Group 1/3 Jenn, Anna
Group 2. Bridget
Week 6: Psychological Disorders
Group 1/3 Marla
Group 2. William
Week 7: Treatment of Disorders
Group 1/3 Jesi
Group 2. Paula
Week 8: Attitudes/SocialCognition
Group 1/3. Marla
Group 2. William, Bridget
Week 9: Interpersonal Processes
Group 1/3. Jenn
Group 2. Jenny
Reaction Papers will be graded on a 1-10 scale, for each of the following categories:
A. Understanding of articles. Looking for close, careful, thoughtful, accurate reading.
B. Analysis of articles--connections & differences, strengths & weaknesses. Looking for critical thinking and insights.
C. Clarity of written expression. Looking for clear, grammatical writing, carefully organized and sequenced paragraphs, appropriate word choice and clear communication of your points.
A,B,C are each graded on 1-10, and then the scores are averaged for the overall grade (1-10).