Assignments

Homework (10%)

Over the course of the semester you will be assigned various tasks to be completed outside of class. This may include, but is not limited to, responses to the reading, answering questions about the reading, finding relevant articles, summarizing articles, etc.
All homework will be graded on a 0-2 rubric:

0: Not turned in or unsatisfactory work.
1: Passing. More thought and effort required for full credit.
2: Good. Sufficient thought and effort demonstrated.

Group Work (10%)

This class will include some lectures but more often classes will rely on student engagement and discussion. This means that you need to complete the outside of class work and come to class prepared to work with other students. Participation in the discussion is very important both for your grade and to keep the class interesting.

Attendance & Etiquette (10%)

Attendance and etiquette make up a considerable portion of your final grade (10%). It is very important that you come to class and are prepared to engage with your classmates. Aside from attending, students are expected to behave like adults and respect fellow classmates. Students should avoid: being late, disrupting class, talking out of turn, being rude to other students and/or the instructor, and using cell phones during class.

Literature Review (10%)

The Literature review will be the first half of your final research proposal. It will include the title page, proposal introduction, and the literature review. This includes background information about your topic, and a research question. In this paper you will begin to think about how you could conduct research on your topic. A brief outline:

1. Title Page: Must be in APA format.
2. Introduction (1 page): Introduce the topic, provide background information
3. Literature Review (3-4 pages): The literature review provides an overview of research already conducted on your topic. You will need to find 8-10 sources from peer-reviewed journals. You must connect the sources by talking about their overall similarities and how they will help you investigate your own research question. The literature review should lead the reader to a clear impression of how you will build upon research that has already been done and how your work differs from past research.
4. Research Question (1-2 paragraphs): Formulate your own research question about the topic.

Midterm (15%)

Halfway through the semester, there will be a short exam to assess student progress and understanding of the material covered so far.

Final Group Presentation (10%)

The final group presentation will be 10-15 minutes. Each group will present their topic, background information, a brief overview of the literature and past research, and several methods that could be used to investigate the topic. Each member must present.

Final Research Proposal (25%)

The final research proposal will be an 8-12 page paper. The proposal will include your Literature Review (with edits made from my comments) and several new sections, most importantly, the “Methods” section.

1. Title Page
2. Introduction (1 page)
3. Literature Review (3-5 pages)
4. Methods (3-5 pages)
5. Conclusion and Ethical Considerations (1page)
6. References

Peer Assessment (5%)

Because much of the class time and work will take place in groups, students will have a chance to assess their peers and peer’s contributions.