When you watch news programs, read magazine articles, and peruse information on the Internet
you are frequently presented with secondhand information. That is, you often receive information
from someone who did not live or experience the actual event. This is especially true when you
read your textbook, where the author merely presents a summary of research, theories, and
foundational concepts. So, what does this mean for you? In short, you may not be getting all of
the facts. There may be fascinating or essential details that were omitted. To get the “real” story,
you have to go to the primary source (a.k.a. the horse’s mouth!)
The In Their Own Words assignments are designed to give you experience reading primary source
information from some of the most influential theorists and researchers in the field of psychology.
Some of the selections you will read describe classic studies in psychology that have become quite
famous! By reading these primary source selections, you will have the opportunity to connect with
the information we are currently exploring at a deeper level and get a firsthand sense of what
leading researchers and theorists in the field were (and are) attempting to communicate.
For this assignment, you will…
· Read the assigned In Their Own Words article.
· Write three paragraphs that summarize the article and discuss its value and weaknesses.
· Post your paragraphs in the appropriate discussion forum and respond to a peer.
How long should this assignment take?
This assignment should take approximately 3 hours.
· Reading = 1-2 hours
· First Post = 45 min
· Peer Response = 15 min
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
This assignment involves a conversation with other students. Thus, it is best to keep your
comments concise and brief. Going beyond the word minimum specified in the instructions is OK,
but not necessary.
Also, your first post for this assignment is an independent learning opportunity. Thus, your work
should reflect your own thinking and ideas. Working with other students in class is not appropriate
when generating your first post.
LOCATE THE ASSIGNMENT MATERIALS
1. Look at the course schedule (in the syllabus) and determine our current topic.
2. Locate the In Their Own Words assignment materials for our current topic in your online
class. All assignment materials and instructions are located under Content in your class.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS ARTICLE
Most articles for this assignment will be journal articles. They will include scientific terminology
and encourage you to stretch your thinking. Plan enough time to read and reread the information.
However, do not spend more than 1-2 hours reading each article. The idea is not to become an
expert, but to extract enough information to make a meaningful contribution to class discussions.
1. Read the “Reading Scholarly Publications” information sheet (see assignment materials).
This sheet provides helpful information on how to read journal articles.
2. Read the assigned article. The assigned article is noted in your course schedule and is also
located with the assignment materials for our current topic in your online class.
Important Note: You must read the article assigned for the current topic. Posts including
information related to another article will result in a zero for the entire assignment.CLASSIC ARTICLES
Some of the articles that you will read may be older articles published in the early to mid-1900s.
These articles describe classic studies that have had a significant impact on our understanding of
basic psychological principles. These studies, while old, are still relevant today because of the
contribution they have made to the field of psychology. Old does not necessarily mean irrelevant.
Our thinking and understanding today has been greatly changed by these studies. So, if you see an
article published a while ago, you’re reading history in the making!
PARAGRAPH #1
1. Write a paragraph that answers the following question.
· What was the article about? (Provide a brief summary of the main points presented
in the beginning, middle, and end of the article.)
2. Follow the guidelines below when writing your paragraph.
Your paragraph should…
· Include at least 75 words.
· Be detailed and descriptive. Thoroughly describe your thoughts and ideas.
· Incorporate several unique and original points. Avoid repeating similar ideas.
Important Note: Use your own words. Copying or quoting information in any part of this
assignment will result in a zero for the entire assignment.
PARAGRAPH #2
1. Write a paragraph that answers the following question.
· Why is the information presented in the article important? (Focus on how the
information in the article might be useful in everyday life. Write about who might
benefit from the information and why. Avoid simply summarizing or restating
information from the article. Instead, write about the impact on daily living.)
2. Follow the guidelines below when writing your paragraph.
Your paragraph should…
· Include at least 75 words.
· Be detailed and descriptive. Thoroughly describe your thoughts and ideas.
· Incorporate several unique and original points. Avoid repeating similar ideas.
Examples
· Poor Statements: The information in the article is important because depression in
children is a serious problem. Doctors, teachers, and parents can use this
information to help children who show early warning signs of depression.
§ These statements are vague and general. They do not mention exactly what
information is helpful, nor do they mention exactly how it can be used.
· Good Statements: Knowing the symptoms of childhood depression can help identify
children who need mental health services. Doctors, teachers, and parents, should
look for changes in eating and sleeping, excessive guilt, and decreased activity as key
warning signs of childhood depression. If a child is not sleeping and seems
preoccupied with his/her “bad” behaviors, mental health services may be needed.
§ These statements are detailed and specific. They mention specific details
from the article and how this information may be applied in everyday life.
PARAGRAPH #3
1. Write a paragraph that answers the following question.
· What weaknesses do you see with the arguments or ideas presented in the article?
(Focus on problems with experiments that were conducted or information that you
thought was flawed or questionable.)
Avoid writing about missing information or the lack of supporting research.
· Statements like, “More information about experiments and supporting research should
have been included,” or “Comments made by the author/presenter were not supported by
research,” are not appropriate. At times you will encounter articles/videos that are
intended to provide a general overview or summary of ideas and theories. Unless you are
reading a research article about a specific study, detailed descriptions of experiments or
supporting research will be missing. As long as the authors/presenters are respected
experts (which is true for most articles/videos in class), it can be assumed the information is
reasonably supported by research, even though it may not be explicitly stated.
· Statements like, “The author/presenter did not talk about _____,” or “More detailed
descriptions or definitions of _____ should have been included,” are not appropriate.
Authors and presenters often have limited space and time. Because of this, they cannot
include descriptions of everything. Unfortunately, important details will always be missing.
· Key Idea: Rather than write about what was missing, focus on what was stated by the
authors or presenters. Evaluate techniques and strategies used in experiments. Examine
core theories and arguments. Look for far-fetched ideas that may not apply in the real
world and think of alternative explanations for claims that seem too good to be true. Avoid talking about poor writing or presentation styles.
· Statements like, “This paper should have been organized better” or “The information was
messy and difficult to read,” are not appropriate.
What if you cannot find any weaknesses or far-fetched information?
· Although some articles/videos appear to be completely believable, nothing is ever perfect.
There is always some idea, theory, or study that seems questionable or flawed. To earn full
credit for this paragraph, you will need to write about specific weaknesses and limitations.
2. Follow the guidelines below when writing your paragraph.
Your paragraph should…
· Include at least 75 words.
· Be detailed and descriptive. Thoroughly describe your thoughts and ideas.
· Incorporate several unique and original points. Avoid repeating similar ideas.
Examples
· Poor Statements: Descriptions of studies or supporting research were not provided.
Furthermore, a detailed list of age-appropriate antidepressant drugs was not
provided, making it difficult to determine which drugs the author was referring to.
§ These statements focus on missing information (see section on missing
information on the previous page).
· Good Statements: The author mentions that traditional counseling techniques may
help children who suffer from depression. However, this approach may not be
appropriate for very young children who can’t sit still for long periods of time. Playbased
therapy for young preschool children may be more suitable to their needs.
§ These statements identify specific argument from the article and the problem
with this argument is described in detail.
FORMATTING FOR FIRST POST
1. Organize your first post in the discussion forum exactly like the example below.
Paragraph #1
Type paragraph #1 here
Paragraph #2
Type paragraph #2 here
Paragraph #3
Type paragraph #3 here
PEER RESPONSE
1. Respond to a post made by one of your peers.
2. Follow the guidelines below when writing your response.
Your peer response should…
· Include at least 50 words.
· Be conversational. Respond as if you were conversing with the individual in person.
· Avoid positive or negative evaluations. Statements such as, “You did a great job on
your post,” or “You could have explained your ideas better,” are not appropriate.
Instead, comment on ideas you agreed with or things you thought differently about.
· Be detailed and descriptive. Thoroughly describe your thoughts and ideas.
SUBMIT YOUR POSTS
1. Review the grade information on the following pages to determine how you can earn up to
full points for this assignment.
2. Locate the appropriate discussion forum (see assignment materials for our current topic)
and submit your first post and peer response.
3. Type your posts directly into the forum. DO NOT submit your comments in attached
documents. Attachments can make it difficult for others to read your posts.
Important Note: Posts that are submitted in attached documents or in the wrong discussion
forum will receive an automatic zero for this assignment.
***Additional information related to assignment grades is provided on the following pages***
A ZERO for the entire assignment was automatically assigned if…
1. The posts included information that was directly copied from the article or another source. This includes the use of quotes.
2. Significant spelling, grammar, or formatting errors made the posts difficult to read.
3. The posts were submitted in attached documents or in the wrong discussion forum.
4. Comments in the posts were not related to the article assigned for the current topic.
I’m confused about why I missed points. What should I do?
The opportunity to review and evaluate your own work is a very important part of the learning process. In doing this, you learn how to
independently analyze your performance and identify strengths and weaknesses. This is a valuable skill that can benefit you both within and
outside of the classroom. To help you develop this skill, you are encouraged to review the assignment instructions and determine where your
assignment could be improved.
To review and evaluate your assignment, follow these four easy steps!
1. Review the assignment instructions.
2. Read each line of the instructions carefully.
3. Examine your assignment and determine where it could be improved.
4. Make notes and review these notes before you complete your next assignment.
I’m still confused and I need more information. What should I do?
1. Contact your instructor via e-mail.
2. In your e-mail, specify the following:
· Assignment title
· The topic the assignment is associated with (e.g., “Introduction to Psychology”)
· The points you received for EACH section of your assignment (paragraphs, formatting, peer response).
· Your ideas about how your assignment could have been improved (this MUST be included).
3. Attach a copy of your assignment to the e-mail.
Note: E-mails that are lacking any of the above information will be returned to the student with a request for additional information. Textbook
Comer, R. J. (2015). Abnormal psychology (9th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.
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