Rod Hetzel wrote:
>
> Hi everyone:
>
> I have enjoyed the comments about final exam questions. Let me pose
> another question to you. Does anyone have any unique and/or creative
> ideas for paper assignments in an Introductory Psychology class?
This isn't terribly creative or unique, but I really get to see what
students are taking away from the course.
This means reading a lot of papers, but they're fun to read and don't
require much effort to grade.
>From my Intro syllabus which can be accessed at:
http://web.nmsu.edu/~sfrantz/syllabi/psy201.htm
**********************************
Reaction Papers
Ten points each. (5 out of 6) (2 to 3 pages each)
See the course schedule for due dates.
You may submit these as hardcopies or via e-mail as MS Word 97 file
attachments. If sent as a file, I will grade it in its electronic
format and send it back to you as a file attachment.
Pick something out of the chapter(s) or class we have covered and
discuss it; the topics you choose must relate
directly to the course. If the connection to the course seems unclear,
make it clear in your paper. The following are a few suggestions on what
to write: What do you think about a particular topic? Is there something
in the news or something a friend has experienced that directly relates
to something in class? How does it relate? Is there something that was
discussed in class that you had a thought about but didn’t mention in
class? Basically, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, show me that you have THOUGHT
about it. (Don't summarize; I've read the book, and I've been in class.
Tell me what you're thinking.)
There are 6 opportunities to write papers. I will drop the lowest score,
therefore 50 points are possible. (So, you can miss one; that score of
zero will be dropped.)
Do you remember how I said that I'm interested in you learning this
stuff rather than memorizing it? And do you
remember how I said that the text will give you examples and that I'll
give you examples? These papers give you
an opportunity to come up with your own examples and check them with me
to make sure you understand the
concept you're talking about. Also, I want you to THINK about the stuff
we're covering, not just accept it. "Why is it that way? If that is
true, would this also be true?" I don't want you to simply absorb what
the talk-show experts tell you. I want you to have enough knowledge
about psychology that you'll be able to tell who may be saying something
valuable and who is just blowing smoke. Knowledge isn't just knowing
information; knowledge is also having the ability to question -- knowing
what questions to ask and how to ask them. Saying "I disagree with that;
I don't think that's true" isn't going to get it done unless you have
reason to back up your beliefs. Use these reaction papers to learn
information and to practice questioning.
Besides, these papers give you and me a chance to "talk" about
psychology one-on-one. Sometimes I'll have
quite a bit to say; sometimes you may just get exclamation points.
Exclamation points mean that I thought what
you wrote was something that I agree with or that I thought was funny or
traumatic. It's my shorthand for letting you know I read what you wrote
and have had the appropriate reaction to it.
Points are taken off these papers for grammatical errors (see typing
instructions), for being too short, for having nothing to do with the
content of the course, and for excessive summary.
************************
--
Sue Frantz, Asst Prof of Psych [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Faculty Office Bldg, 2400 Scenic Drive Office: (505)439-3752
New Mexico State Univ. - Alamogordo Fax: (505)439-3802
Alamogordo, NM 88310 USA http://web.nmsu.edu/~sfrantz
