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Final Project Options:
You can approach your final
project from one of three different angles (outlined below).
Regardless of which approach you choose you will be asked to turn in a
final written product of high quality, carefully edited, well-written
and formatted of 3-7 pages in length. (The details of your three
options are outlined below)
 | research paper with reference
material beyond course materials |
| experiential exploration of your
own choosing with reference material beyond course materials |
| experiential exploration
structured by Dr. Nekich |
The project is worth 100
points so a high level of investment is expected. Grading will be based on
the following:
| summary of your
intended project, due one month before project is due
(required or your final project will not be accepted)
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| a title page with
your name, title of the paper, date, course
(5 points) |
| clear, specific
reference to theory and research studied in class at least twice in
your project (10
points) |
| reference list in
APA style with citations in the body also using APA style
(10 points) |
| carefully edited
(for grammar, spelling, format)
(10 points) |
| additional
requirements as listed below (depending on the option you choose)
(65 points) |
Option 1: Research
Paper
| You can choose a topic to
explore in more depth from among those that have inspired/
interested you throughout the course. Your topic must be drawn
from research/ theory that has been included in the course and be
specific enough that you can explore the topic in 4-7 pages.
You will be required to
discuss your topic making direct reference to a theory/ research
area/ set of findings from our text in at least 2 places in your
final project (APA style reference with page numbers).
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| You will need to include at least
3 references beyond our course texts. One of those references
has to be a published journal article and no website references are
allowed. Your paper topic must in some fashion go beyond
topics explored in the course -- either by adding in additional
material, critiquing a topic presented in class with additional
material, or integrating ideas together beyond those presented in
our texts and/ or course lectures.
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points:
35 as outlined above
15 appropriate reference material
15 meeting the requirement to go beyond course material
20 discussing the theory/ research in accurate/ cogent manner
15 quality of writing |
Option 2: Experiential Exploration of
Your own Choosing
| You can choose to explore a topic
in more depth from an experiential approach. You may choose to
utilize in more depth one (or a combination) of the emotion
regulation techniques, the positivity techniques, any of the ideas
outlined in Authentic Happiness, or develop a personal mindfulness
practice. This approach will ask that you outline beforehand
what you envision and once approved, you will undertake the project.
Your project must be detailed enough to require 4-6 hours of
invested time to complete the experience.
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| You will turn in a 4-7 page paper
outlining the goals of your experience, the specific process you
undertook, the outcomes you expected and the actual outcomes.
You will be required to discuss your topic making direct reference
to a theory/ research area/ set of findings from our text in at
least 2 places in your final project (APA style reference with page
numbers). In addition you will need to include at least 1
reference beyond our course texts. No website references will
be allowed.
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points:
35 as outlined above
15 appropriate reference materials
20 development and completion of an experiential project with clear
goals/ evidence of 4-6 hours of invested time
15 cogent discussion of the project in terms of goals, time
investment, expected outcomes, actual outcomes
15 quality of writing |
Option 3: Experiential Exploration Structured by Dr.
Nekich
| I will offer a structured
experiential exploration that utilizes elements from all three
emotion regulation techniques we have covered this semester:
expressive writing, mindfulness, and signature strengths. This
project will be an expressive art project, that is, use of art as a
means for emotional exploration. The techniques require no
prior art experience; the work will not be critiqued for artistic
elements. It's sole purpose is exploration.
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| This project will only be open to
18 students (first come basis), will require you to attend three
creative sessions of 2.5 hours each that will meet on Thursdays
(3-5:30 pm, dates TBA). You have to attend all three sessions
to earn credit (non negotiable, sorry). And you will complete
some aspects of the project on your own. All materials will be
supplied.
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| You will be asked to choose a
specific life experience to explore in depth (positive or negative
--- but one that holds strong meaning and emotion for you).
You will write about this experience utilizing the techniques
outlined by Pennebaker. We will then build upon the verbal
expression by exploring the topic with specific creative and
mindfulness techniques that will culminate in a handmade 'book', of
sorts, focused on this topic.
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| your final project will be the
completed book and a three page paper outlining the
significant details of this experience, including any personal
insights. You will be required to discuss your topic making
direct reference to a theory/ research area/ set of findings from
our text in at least 2 places in your final project (APA style
reference with page numbers).
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points:
35 as outlined above
10 appropriate reference materials
40 attendance at all 3 sessions of the structured experiential
exploration and completion of the unbound book.
15 quality of writing |
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