Recently in Topical Blog Category

Topical Blog Week #16 (Optional)

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Discuss how the material you have learned from this class has changed how you think about or view the world.

Thank you and have a great summer break.

Topical Blog Week #15 (Due Friday)

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Based on your topic from week #13 and #14, and based on your research sources, I would like you to synthesize your findings and write an informative stand-alone post about your topic.

By stand-alone I mean something your family can read and understand without having to go back to your sources to get additional information or information needed to clarify what you are talking about. Keep in mind that you are completing a college course and you know a great deal about the topic so you need to take ownership of the material and write with an authority (or command) of the topic.

List one question you still have about this topic. "One question I still have about this topic is...."

Make sure to use the terms and concepts we have covered in class so far as well as those you learned from your research.

At the bottom of your post provide links or reference for the three sources.

List the terms and concepts you used in this post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #14 (Due Friday)

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Based on your topic from week #13, I would like you to find one more source of information.

Next:

State your topic.

List source four (the new one) and briefly discuss why it is a good source and what you learned about your topic from that source.

Based on your four sources (3 from week #13 and 1 from this week), list three aspects (things) that you found interesting about your topic. These would be like sub topics.

List the first aspect of your topic and briefly discuss it using the terms and concepts were have learned so far in class as well as those you learned from your research.

List the second aspect of your topic and briefly discuss it using the terms and concepts were have learned so far in class as well as those you learned from your research.

List the third aspect of your topic and briefly discuss it using the terms and concepts were have learned so far in class as well as those you learned from your research.

At the bottom of your post provide links or reference for the new source sources.

List the terms and concepts you used in this post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #13 (Due Friday)

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For this assignment please find a topic that relates to this class and find three good sources of information about your topic. These can be books, internet sites, or journal articles.

Next:

State your topic.

State why this is an interesting topic and why it interests you.

State how the topic relates to the class.

List source one and briefly discuss why it is a good source and what you learned about your topic from that source.

List source two and briefly discuss why it is a good source and what you learned about your topic from that source.

List source three and briefly discuss why it is a good source and what you learned about your topic from that source.

At the bottom of your post provide links or reference for the three sources.

List the terms and concepts you used in this post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #12 (Due Friday)

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Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) or any news site listed at the bottom of this page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

Please respond the blog by BRIEFLY telling us in essay format:

What your topic is and what the piece you chose was. Why you picked it (what made it interesting for you) and what did you expect to see. What did you find most interesting about the piece

Next discuss IN DETAIL how it relates to the class using terms, terminology, and concepts that we have learned so far in class. Include definitions.

Please make sure you use the terms, terminology and concepts you have learned so far in the class. It should be apparent from reading your post that you are a college student well underway in a course in psychology.

Include the URL in your post.

Make a list of key terms and concepts you used in your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #11 (Due Friday)

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Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) or any news site listed at the bottom of this page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

Please respond the blog by BRIEFLY telling us in essay format:

What your topic is and what the piece you chose was. Why you picked it (what made it interesting for you) and what did you expect to see. What did you find most interesting about the piece

Next discuss IN DETAIL how it relates to the class using terms, terminology, and concepts that we have learned so far in class. Include definitions.

Please make sure you use the terms, terminology and concepts you have learned so far in the class. It should be apparent from reading your post that you are a college student well underway in a course in psychology.

Include the URL in your post.

Make a list of key terms and concepts you used in your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #10 (Due Friday)

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Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) or any news site listed at the bottom of this page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

Please respond the blog by BRIEFLY telling us in essay format:

What your topic is and what the piece you chose was. Why you picked it (what made it interesting for you) and what did you expect to see. What did you find most interesting about the piece

Next discuss IN DETAIL how it relates to the class using terms, terminology, and concepts that we have learned so far in class. Include definitions.

Please make sure you use the terms, terminology and concepts you have learned so far in the class. It should be apparent from reading your post that you are a college student well underway in a course in psychology.

Include the URL in your post.

Make a list of key terms and concepts you used in your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #9 (Due Friday)

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Topics in the News?

What I would like you to do is to start applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this topical blog assignment.

What I would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) or any news site listed at the bottom of this page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to what we have been learning in the class.

Please respond the blog by BRIEFLY telling us in essay format:

What your topic is and what the piece you chose was. Why you picked it (what made it interesting for you) and what did you expect to see. What did you find most interesting about the piece

Next discuss IN DETAIL how it relates to the class using terms, terminology, and concepts that we have learned so far in class. Include definitions.

Please make sure you use the terms, terminology and concepts you have learned so far in the class. It should be apparent from reading your post that you are a college student well underway in a course in psychology.

Include the URL in your post.

Make a list of key terms and concepts you used in your post.

Let me know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Topical Blog Week #8 (Due Friday)

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What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 8 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By now you all should be skilled at synthesizing the topical material you have obtained from the various web sites you visited. If you need a refresher please let me know.

Thanks,

Topical Blog Week #7 (Due Friday)

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What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 7 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By now you all should be skilled at synthesizing the topical material you have obtained from the various web sites you visited. If you need a refresher please let me know.

Thanks,

Topical Blog Week #6 (Due Friday)

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What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 6 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By now you all should be skilled at synthesizing the topical material you have obtained from the various web sites you visited. If you need a refresher please let me know.

Thanks,

Topical Blog Week #5 (Due Friday)

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What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 5 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By now you all should be skilled at synthesizing the topical material you have obtained from the various web sites you visited. If you need a refresher please let me know.

Include a list of the terms and concepts you used in your post. (example - Terms: positive reinforcer, extinction, reinforcer, discriminative stimulus...)

Thanks,

--Dr. M 

Topical Blog Week #4 (Due Friday)

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What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 4 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By now you all should be skilled at synthesizing the topical material you have obtained from the various web sites you visited. If you need a refresher please let me know.

Thanks,

--Dr. M 

Topical Blog Week #2 (Due Friday)

| 21 Comments

What I would like you to do is to find a topic from chapter 2 that you were interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By integrating/synthesizing I mean to take what your read/experienced from the internet search (and from chapter 1 if you like) organize the information into the main themes, issues, info, examples, etc. about your topic and then write about the topic in your own words using that information. This is hard for some people to do - many students write what we refer to as "serial abstracts." They are tempted to talk about the websites rather than the topic proper. They will talk all about website #1, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #2, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #3, and then write some kind of conclusion. Serial means one after the other...This what you DON'T want to do!

At first it is a real challenge to get out of the habit of writing "serial abstracts," but I assure you once you get the hang of it it is much easier to write using the integration method. And besides this is the way researchers and scientists write their technical reports and findings - many of you will have to be able to do this for other classes and for jobs that you may eventually be hired for so now is a good time to learn this skill. At this point don't worry about a grade, worry about doing your best to have fun with the topic and then integrate it into your own words to share what you found and now know. We will work on citing the sources later....

Let me know if you have any questions.