(3b.) LASA # 1: Literature Review Paper by Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to select a topic in the particular area in which you have an occupational or research interest, and to complete a literature review of the topic, using a minimum of ten scholarly references. This will allow you to demonstrate mastery of the program outcomes for the B.A. psychology program at Argosy University. A helpful Web site for organizing and writing a literature review iswww.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html.

You may also want to review the following documents that are available in the Doc Sharing area of the course:

• A sample literature review,
• a PowerPoint document illustrating how to set up your word processor for APA style
• a “Guide for Writing a Literature Review”

Based on your review of the most recent, relevant research findings on your chosen topic, submit a final version of your literature review paper, integrating feedback received from your instructor. Be sure to include a research/focal question, synthesis of the literature you reviewed, well-established conclusions, and points of discussion and/or future research. 

• Begin the review by defining the objective of the paper. Introduce the reader to your focal question. What is this question intended to address? You may state your “question” in the form of a problem if you like. Describe the topic for your literature review and why you chose this topic. Explain why you think it is important. It is also useful to tell the reader how the review is organized in your introduction section, before you the transition into the body of the review. 

• Organize your literature review paper by themes/theories/concepts, rather than article by article. If there is one major theme you want to highlight, state the theme. If there are three major themes or streams of thought on the topic, briefly name them—and then organize the balance of your literature review around those three streams. Think of themes, theories, concepts, lines of thought, and ideas as organizing strategies for your literature review. Your creativity in this assignment is not the content or findings but the clarity with which you organize the review and create a context for understanding the focal question.

• When you are done introducing the first line of thought, create a new paragraph to discuss studies which present another line of thought or opposing view.

• Your literature review should hit the high points of each article. You should not discuss a single article, one by one, like a grocery list. Zero in on the main theme or finding and then move on to the next theme. Remember, this is a synthesis, an integration of all the things you have learned. You are creating a discussion on paper, which in turn gives the reader a context for understanding where the scholarship has been, where it is currently, and where it likely will be heading next. Provide enough details to help the reader understand the significance of the studies you cite without “rebuilding Rome.” Be sure to evaluate the studies and offer critical comments on any shortcomings you’ve observed or that have been reported by the authors.

• Discuss the main findings and their implications. Given the results of your literature review, what is/are the prevailing argument(s)? What research question could you ask in order to further develop this area of study and contribute to the existing body of knowledge? Complete your review by drawing conclusions about your body of research and identifying gaps in the research which still remain to be explored, maybe even by you! Make an argument as to why your research question is important and relevant to the current work being done on your topic.

Requirements

Apply current APA standards for editorial style, expression of ideas, and formatting of the text, headings, citations, and references. Remember to use your own words to describe and evaluate the articles. Avoid quoting the material and also cite works when you are discussing someone else’s ideas. Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12 point, Times New Roman font with normal one-inch margins, written in APA style, and free of typographical and grammatical errors. It should include a title page with a running head, an abstract and a reference page. The body of the paper should be no less than 5–6 pages in length.

(4a.) Cultural Issues Related to Diagnosis by Saturday, September 19, 2015

Post your response to the question below with at least 300-400 words. Cite information from at least one academic source, such as your textbook or an article from the Argosy Online Library, to support your statements. Use current APA standards to properly cite your source(s).

(4b.) Professional Portfolio by Wednesday, September 23, 2015

This assignment requires you to gather a compilation of papers and projects from this course and previous courses and add them to your Professional Portfolio. The portfolio is designed to help you compile all you have learned throughout your undergraduate studies with the best examples of your work to represent what you are capable of doing when you graduate the program. This assignment also gives you a opportunity to reflect on what you have learned as a student of psychology, and to prepare to actualize your post-graduation goals. It will serve as a resource as you navigate the world of prospective employers and graduate admissions committees. The student portfolio is also a measure of effectiveness for the Argosy University baccalaureate program in Psychology.  As you develop professionally following graduation, you can add work samples and other pertinent materials, as well as modify existing documents, to reflect that development.

The Professional Portfolio includes two main sections.  A Professional Profilesection that is completed by all students with either an Employment focus or aGraduate School focus, depending on your post-baccalaureate plans. The second section holds your Professional Work Samples demonstrating your abilities, skills, and competencies across a range of tasks and objectives.  This section also includes a Final Evaluation of your work samples, yourself, and the psychology program.

The Professional Profile section summarizes your career planning and professional goals. You have already compiled the documents for this section in Modules 1 and 2 of this course. It contains the following documents:

1. A Cover Letter as a way to introduce yourself to a potential employer This includes details about yourself and why you feel you are qualified for the position. (Employment).

OR

A Personal Statement describing your immediate and long-term career goals, including an explanation of why these goals are appropriate in terms of your knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, values, and experiences (Graduate School).

Note: The personal statement is attached to the Curriculum Vitae (Graduate School), and the Cover Letter is attached to the Resume (Employment), so take the time to be creative and not repeat yourself.

1. A Resume with list of References that is current, accurate, and professional in appearance. (Employment).

OR

A Curriculum Vitae with list of References that is current, accurate and professional in appearance. (Graduate School)

1. OPTIONAL: A copy of your Transcript(s)

The Professional Work Samples section demonstrates your performance and mastery of Argosy University’s program outcomes/competencies for the Psychology major. Select 3-5 documents to serve as samples of your best work in the program. Together, they should illustrate your mastery of all the 7 program outcomes listed below. Examples of the type of work that would illustrate each outcome is provided below, as well. The 3-5 documents should be samples of your work that you completed in previous courses as an undergraduate student.

These outcomes are listed below, along with the assignments that could be included to demonstrate mastery of the outcome:

• Cognitive abilities (critical thinking and information literacy): Assignments or projects that demonstrate problem solving, analysis, synthesis, appropriate use of information resources, etc.
• Research skills: A copy of a research proposal, a survey developed, etc.
• Communication skills (written and oral): A topic paper, presentation outline, or PowerPoint that demonstrates your written and oral communication skills.
• Ethics & Diversity awareness: Papers that demonstrate your understanding and/or analysis of ethical and diversity issues in psychology.
• Knowledge of foundations of the field: Assignments, papers, or projects that demonstrate your understanding of basic concepts, theories, and empirical findings in one or more of the domains of psychology, including biological, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social.
• Knowledge of applied psychology: Assignments, papers, or projects from courses and/or an internship that demonstrates your ability to apply psychology to personal, social, and/or organizational problems.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: PowerPoint presentations, videos of your presentations that demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, appreciate diversity and cultural sensitivity and awareness of your impact on others.

Once you have assembled your work samples, you will write a 700-1000 word narrative to serve as a preface to the Professional Work Samples section. This narrative should consist of a clear and thoughtful analysis of how each work sample reveals your strengths and areas for improvement, according to each of the seven areas addressed in the program outcomes/competencies (listed above). Towards this purpose, you will complete the Student Self Appraisal of Learningfirst, and then use that to generate the preface . Make sure you also address how you intend to strengthen your competencies in all areas as you graduate onto the next step of your professional career. On which areas will you focus most and why?

This preface should also include an evaluation of the Psychology program as well as suggestions for the program that will enable it to help future Psychology majors develop these strengths and overcome these weaknesses in the future.

Enter each of these components (Professional Profile, Professional Work Samples, with self- evaluation) into the Professional Profile Template. 

(5a.) LASA # 2: PowerPoint Presentation by Monday, September 28, 2015.

Utilizing the information you compiled for your literature review paper, and the feedback you received from your instructor about the literature review, prepare a 10-15 minute Power Point presentation on your topic, summarizing the key points and conclusions. Be sure to direct this presentation to an audience in the community. For example, if your paper pertained to a topic in developmental psychology, direct your presentation toward parents, or a parenting center. If your topic pertained to substance abuse, direct it toward a community service agency which may use this information for educating teens or parents about preventing drug use, or current clients about treatments and facilities available. Please state in your presentation the specific audience toward whom your presentation is aimed. Include a reference page in APA format, as well as speaker notes and an audio file with your presentation.

Your slides should provide answers to the following questions: 

• What was your topic?
• What question did you hope to answer by completing this literature review paper? Explain the practical implications of the conclusions of the literature review and the audience to which they are directed.
• Given the results of your literature review, what is/are the prevailing argument(s)? In other words, which of those is supported by the existing evidence? Be sure to include full coverage of the arguments, including strengths and weaknesses of each of them, supported by your findings from reviewing the relevant articles.
• Did the researchers consider multicultural factors in their studies? If not, what factors may be involved? What multicultural factors should future studies include?
• What ethical issues are related to your topic and/or discussed in the studies you reviewed?
• How do the conclusions of your literature review relate to the various specialization areas in psychology? Tie them to as many as apply from the following areas: biological, cognitive, developmental, social, personality theory, psychopathology, and applied psychology.
• How can the conclusions of your literature review inform the population towards whom your presentation is directed? How can they apply this information to their daily lives? What advice or ‘take home message’ can you provide to your audience based on the research you reviewed?
• What research question could you ask in order to further develop this area of study?
• Why is your research question important and relevant to the current work being done on your topic?

Your presentation should also follow these guidelines:

• It should be approximately 10-15 minutes in length.
• It should be clear, concise, and professional.  Writing should be free of spelling and grammatical errors; it should conform to current APA style (including any in-text citations).
• It should include graphs, tables, figures, or images illustrating your ideas.
• There should be a final slide listing references in current APA style.
• The bulk of the text should be placed in the Notes pages of each slide. Keep the amount of text on the slide, itself, to a minimum.
• You should record an audio file of your oral presentation. You should also type the text of the speech you would give while showing these slides to an audience should be typed into the Notes area.  If you are unable to use the audio feature, the Notes text will suffice.
• You can refer to the Power Point tips document provided in the Doc Sharing section of the course.

(5b.) Internet-Based Psychological Interventions Due Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

With so many individuals using the Internet today, the psychology of the individual, the family, the community, and the society has changed. Some might argue that the traditional psychological theories cannot be applied and therefore psychology as an entire field needs to be revamped to incorporate the impact and the application of internet technology. As a student completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, your future career will undoubtedly incorporate the use of the Internet in very new ways. Read the following article from the AUO Library:

Ritterband, L. M., Gonder-Frederick, L., Cox, D. J., Clifton, A. D., West,

        R. W., & Borowitz, S. M. (2003). Internet interventions: In review,

        in use, and into the future. Professional Psychology: Research and

        Practice, 34(5), 527-534.

Identify a problem area or psychological issue that could benefit from the use of an internet intervention. Now, using what you learned from the article, propose an internet intervention using the following guidelines:

1. What problem area would the internet intervention address?
2. Provide a general description of the proposed internet intervention.
3. How would the effectiveness of the proposed intervention be tested?
4. What are any legal and ethical issues related to the proposed intervention? Include the specific APA ethical standard(s) in your response.