Students in an abnormal psychology class rated the usefulness of drafts for two writing assignments: a case-study reaction paper and a research proposal. Evaluative data indicated that the research proposal was more effective than the case study in developing students' interest in psychokjgy. Students indicated that they valued the research proposal mostly for the opportunity to be creative; they valued the case study mostly for the opportunity to read an interesting book. Writing assignments and feedback to students should reflect important aspects of a discipline, and a clear rationale for the value of writing skills should be communicated to students.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychological Association. (1983). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
2.
AnisfeldM. (1987). A course to develop competence in critical reading of empirical research in psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 14, 224–227.
3.
AxlineV. (1969). Dibs in search of self. New York: Ballantine.
4.
Blevins-KnabeB. (1987). Writing to learn while learning to write. Teaching of Psychology, 14, 239–241.
5.
BruchH. (1979). The golden cage: The enigma of anorexia nervosa. New York: Vintage.
6.
ChamberlainK.BurroughS. (1985). Techniques for teaching critical reading. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 213–215.
7.
ClarkeJ. CWardmanW. (1985). Agoraphobia: A clinical and personal account. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon.
8.
DavisonG. CNealeJ. M. (1986). Abnormal psychology: An experimental clinical approach (4th ed.). New York: Wiley.
9.
FreudS. (1963). Dora: An analysis of a case of hysteria. New York: Macmillan.
10.
LevineA. G. (1982). Love Canal: Science, politics, and people. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
11.
MalloneeB. C.BreihenJ. R. (1985). Responding to students' drafts: Interdisciplinary consensus. College Composition and Communication, 36, 213–230.
12.
SheehanS. (1983). Is there no place on earth for me?New York: Vintage.
13.
SnodgrassS. E. (1985). Writing as a tool for teaching social psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 91–94.
14.
SommersN. (1982). Responding to student writing. College Composition and Communication, 33, 148–156.
15.
VineP. (1982). Families in pain. New York: Pantheon.
