End-of-Semester Assignment

Purpose 

To tie together all that you have learned this semester in a coherent manner so that you can apply what you have learned to your future career/life.

Number of Points 

50 points            

Assignment Due Date 

XXXXX (NOT THE DAY OF THE FINAL!!!)

Directions 

Psychology is everywhere (even if you were a hermit, you have to interact with yourself). Additionally, the information that you have learned in class has the potential to improve yourself and those with whom you interact with on a daily basis. This essay will require you to use your critical thinking skills and your writing ability to address a question of primary importance: 

How will you use what you learned in this class to better yourself in your career and/or in your life? 

In order to be able to successfully answer this question, you must be able to analyze and synthesize psychological concepts (or skills learned in this class) and be able to apply them to your speculations concerning your future career/life.  In your essay, you will need to clearly explain an area of your life (with sufficient details) and how the knowledge that you have learned in this class will improve that area of your life.

For this assignment, please a.) describe your future career/situation-in-life, b.) either a principle(s) of psychology or skill learned in this class that can impact that situation (explaining it in sufficient detail, using your book and/or notes), and c.) how that (those) principle(s) will improve your own life or the lives of those around you.

For ideas on how to write this, I would suggest discussing the psychological concept(s) in depth, what this looks like in your situation, and how to either increase or decrease this behavior (depending on whether you want to increase or decrease this behavior).

In terms of length, I expect it to be about one page front and back. If you have larger handwriting, I expect it to be a bit longer, and if you have smaller handwriting, it can be a bit shorter.

I am expecting that you will go into a high amount of detail with this assignment; indeed, I am giving you this prompt before the actual day of the class so that you have sufficient time to develop your thoughts and ideas. Before class, you are to think about this assignment, so that you can come in and write an essay of sufficient detail. Feel free to bring your book, notes, or even an outline of your essay so that I know that you have spent time thinking about this.

Furthermore, if you wish, you may type/write it up before class and bring it to class and submit it to me then. However, I DO need a paper copy of this assignment.

You will be graded on your ability to adequately describe, synthesize, and apply this information to your situation. I’ll know how much effort you have put into this assignment (it will be evident in your writing); to receive full credit, you need to demonstrate that you have thought about this in depth.

I have thoroughly enjoyed having you all in class, and I hope that you have enjoyed the class as well. Even if you don’t do anything else with academic psychology after this class, I desire nothing more than for you to understand that this stuff matters. It impacts every aspect of your life, and it is my hope that you have recognized during the course of this semester.