Topic: Self HelpOrder Description
PSY 4320: Paper Assignment
Overview: The paper assignment is worth 100 points (20% of your final grade). The paper is due by Tuesday May 3rd at 12 Noon.
Length and Style: The paper should be 6 to 8 double-spaced pages (not counting title page or References section). It should be written in APA style.
Specific Details: The paper will address the “pros” and “cons” of an issue relevant to clinical psychology as well as your opinion on the issue. The sections of the manuscript should include:
• A brief overview of the topic (1 to 2 pages)
• A presentation of perspectives on/research supporting one side of the issue—the “pro” side (approx. 2 pages)
• A presentation of perspectives on/research supporting the other side of the issue—the “con” side (approx. 2 pages)
• Your views on the topic that take into account the “pro” and “con” sides (1 to 2 pages)
Other Details:
• Your paper must include citations to at least five published papers (journal articles or book chapters) that address the topic.
• I will supply two of the published papers for each topic. You will need to search for the other three or more papers.
• You will need to include a References section in APA style that lists the citations.
• You will have time during class on March 29th to discuss the topic and search for published papers with other members of the class. However, you are not permitted to write your paper with other members of the class.
• Please review the Department of Psychology’s policy on plagiarism:
https://clasweb.clas.wayne.edu/psychology/PolicyonAcademicDishonesty
Here are the three possible topics:
1. Self-help. Is writing and publishing a self-help book a worthwhile use of a scientifically-trained clinical psychologist’s time?
2. Cyber-therapy and tele-health. Is providing cyber-therapy or other “tele-health” interventions a worthwhile and ethical professional activity for clinical psychologists?
3. Treatment manuals. Do treatment approaches need to have detailed manuals in order to be considered empirically-based treatments?
***I will allow a maximum of 14 students in the class to write a paper on each topic. Students will be able to rank their preferences, and I will use those rankings to match students to topics.
***After students have selected topics, I will post two published papers per topic on Blackboard.
