Describes a teaching exercise in an undergraduate psychology course in which students read a book with unconventional perspectives on the field of study. Maintains that the activity develops critical reading and thinking skills by confronting students with controversial views. Identifies some of the books selected to fit the criteria of this…

Describes a series of writing assignments in which entry level graduate students in a personality theory class wrote four short papers interpreting the personality of a character from a children's story or comic strip. Explains that each paper utilized a different theoretical orientation: psychoanalytic, dispositional, phenomenological, and…

Reports on a study of 91 psychology faculty who rated each of 39 extra-credit opportunities on 3 criteria: (1) their use of the item; (2) its educational value; and (3) the likelihood that all students would be able to complete the opportunity (access). Finds that approximately 82% used some form of extra-credit assignment. (CFR)

Reports on a study of 110 students in advanced undergraduate psychology courses to assess their retrospective impressions about their introductory psychology course, current course selections and performance, and future academic plans. Finds that students who had participated in a science fair gave significantly higher ratings. (CFR)

Describes a technique used to motivate students to complete assigned journal readings in a college psychology course. Maintains that students completing readings receive two types of tangible benefits: (1) extra course credit and (2) use of their notecards on tests. Asserts that students responded favorably to the technique. (CFR)

Reports study results concerning the effects of peer tutoring, library assistance, and extra credit incentives upon student research paper quality. Indicates that students who sought help got better grades. Reveals a strong correlation between the number of consultations and final research paper grades. Concludes that grade point average also was…

Describes a research project for high school students in which they write to an important figure in psychology to ascertain their contributions to the field. Students sent letters to 113 psychologists and received replies from 72 of them. Reports students were enthusiastic about the project. (NL)

In an effort to provide students with instruction in academic writing early in their college careers, a project was undertaken to link a developmental composition course to an introductory psychology course at Washington's Bellevue College. The two professors designed a sequence of four papers offering practice in two of the more common academic…

Suggests specific approaches to critiquing A student's paper motivates THE student to produce better papers and to improve writing skills. Warns against overemphasis on the mechanics of writing, and points out steps the instructor may follow to involve students in the editing process. (NL)

Asserts the importance of empathy as a necessary condition for health service professionals. Describes classroom techniques and assignments that teach and assess empathic-listening skills. Includes students' ratings of 14 learning activities designed to enhance listening skills and empathy. (CFR)

Suggests a developmental psychology approach to teaching the psychology of women to deal with students' conservative attitudes. Provides examples of discussion topics, examination questions, and class exercises. Recommends students write a "life review" of their gender role socialization to help integrate the course content. (NL)

Describes an exercise that addresses a number of developmental issues in a family and parenting class. The exercise requires students to write a semiautobiographical personal letter. Reports that students responded favorably to this exercise, suggesting a number of beneficial outcomes. Recommendations for instructors are provided. (KO)

Describes a college psychology course activity designed to help students define the parameters of cognitive psychology. Students selected a feature film and a journal article that represented some aspect of cognitive psychology. They then wrote a paper discussing the theoretical and empirical connections between the sources and the topic. (MJP)

Describes a collaborative writing project in which students must identify key variables, search and read relevant literature, and reason through a research idea by working closely with a partner. The end result is a polished laboratory report in the APA style. The class includes a peer review workshop prior to final editing. (MJP)

In response to curricular changes at Muhlenberg College (Pennsylvania), emphasizing interdisciplinary exploration and a focus on writing, students in an introductory psychology course were assigned a paper examining a "hero" of their own choosing from a psychological perspective, from an ethical perspective, and from a viewpoint…