PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

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PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Week 1: Welcome! The Walden Community and Your Program

Welcome to Walden!

When you were researching Walden University prior to enrolling in this program, you might have come across Walden’s vision, value, and mission statements. What does it mean to have a mission? How is the Walden community committed to “advancing the greater global good?” Beginning with this course, you will learn that Walden really “talks the talk and walks the walk” when it comes to the mission of effecting positive social change.

This week, as you begin your first graduate courses at our university, you will delve into Walden’s vision, mission, goals, and values and, in so doing, find out why we are so excited about what happens at our university and how it relates to you, your educational journey, and the goals of your program and specialization PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

This week, you will identify and focus on the strengths and skills that will lead you to success as you progress through your program.

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What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Discussion 1
Wednesday, Day 3 Discussion: Hopes, Challenges, and Strategies Initial Post
Friday, Day 5 Discussion: Hopes, Challenges, and Strategies (2) Response Posts
Sunday, Day 7 Prepare for Week 2

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Analyze personal expectations related to program of study
  • Apply Walden’s vision and mission to professional careers
  • Apply Walden’s goal and values to academic programs
  • Analyze strategies for overcoming challenges to obtaining a degree
  • Analyze best practices for time management
  • Explain back-up plans for successful online learning

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Walden University. (2020d). Welcome to the catalog, student handbook, and university guidebooks. In Walden University student handbook. Retrieved from https://catalog.waldenu.edu/index.php

This handbook provides an overview of the driving philosophy and goals of the members of the Walden community.

Walden University. (n.d.-a). Social change. Retrieved from https://www.waldenu.edu/why-walden/social-change
This website introduces you to the Walden activities and opportunities promoting social change.

Walden University. (n.d.-b). Walden University Departments and Centers. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/home
This website contains direct links to Walden support services.

Haynie, D. (2014, July 15). 10 time management mistakes online students make. U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/slideshows/10-time-management-mistakes-online-students-make/1

Walden University. (n.d.-a). Time Management. Retrieved from https://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/WWOW/1001/pulse_check/time_management/index.html#/

Course Tool: My Progress Tracker

Note: Access the “My Progress Tracker” page on the course menu of the Blackboard classroom and review the features of the My Progress Tracker tool as a time management strategy you might use for this course and for the rest of your program of study. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Document: Final Project Overview (PDF)

Spreadsheet: Weekly Schedule (Excel)
One of the most valuable skills you can have as an online student is effective time management. Therefore, we ask that you

  • download and save this sample weekly schedule,
  • use it to create your own based on your work and personal responsibilities, and
  • revisit the schedule at least once a month to ensure that it still reflects your time commitments.

Required Media

Walden University (Producer). (2020b). Meet the faculty [Video file].
Note: The approximate length of this media is 10 minutes.
Walden University faculty share their thoughts about the graduate programs in Psychology.

Walden University (Producer). (n.d.-c). Diverse learning community [Video file].
Note: The approximate length of this media is 1 minute.
This media program shows how Walden’s programs support a global environment, with students from all parts of the world.

 

Credit: Walden University. (Producer). (2013). Diverse Learning Community [Video]. Minneapolis, MN: Walden University. Retrievedfrom https://www.waldenu.edu/about/multimedia/learning- experience/international/overview/diverse-learning-community

Optional Resources

Document: Discussion Checklist (PDF)
Use this one-page checklist to prepare, write, and respond to your weekly discussions.

Document: Assignment Checklist (PDF)
Use this one-page checklist to prepare, write, and review feedback for your weekly assignments.

Discussion: Hopes, Challenges, and Strategies

As you begin your studies at Walden, you have probably thought about what you hope to gain from the Program Progress Guide (PPG) you will complete. What are your hopes and aspirations as an emerging professional beginning graduate-level study? Apart from a degree in psychology, also think about what you will gain from engaging with the scholarly community at Walden University. Your Program Progress Guide (PPG) can help you anticipate the topics you will learn about and perhaps the kinds of skills you will master as you complete your graduate degree.

This week, you will discuss potential challenges you and your classmates foresee in the coming weeks. Together, you can share strategies that could help you overcome these challenges, as a group and individually.

This dialogue through the Discussion Board is designed to connect you with your new colleagues so that you can develop community and engage with each other in a supportive manner as you begin the educational journey together. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Locate and download your Program Progress Guide (PPG) from your DegreeWorks. Note: if you have difficulty, please contact your academic advisor to help you.
  • Review Walden’s mission and vision statements and Walden’s goals and values in this week’s Learning Resources.
  • Explore the web page “Social Change,” located in this week’s Learning Resources.
  • Reflect on what you hope to achieve as a graduate student personally, professionally, and within the larger community.
  • Consider factors that could pose a challenge to the successful completion of your chosen degree.
  • Reflect on your values, ideals, and goals in relation to what you have learned about Walden.
  • Think about how you will incorporate a commitment to social change, particularly as it relates to the area(s) of interest represented by your program/specialization, into your professional, personal, and academic goals.
  • Review the “Meet the Faculty” media program found in this week’s Learning Resources and consider the inspiring messages from the faculty.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post a reflection of something that inspired you from the faculty video messages. Describe how your expectations for your program are reflected in Walden’s mission, vision, and values. Share any challenges that you may face in completing your degree and provide at least one strategy to help overcome these challenges. Then explain why you chose this particular field of study at Walden and how you intend to use your degree PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings and note the similarities and differences compared to what you shared.

My journey into the field of Psychology was not what I expected that I would go for. I always wanted to teach children. It wasn’t until I worked with young children who had special needs that had me wanting to know how their minds worked and how their families managed through the joys and trials that come with their needs. While working on my bachelor’s I discovered that I really want to help those families who have newly diagnosed children, that may not know where to turn. I see their struggles and want to help them come to terms with where their child is at and give them a positive outlook on what their child can do. I want to help those children that have behavior issues that keep them from being able to function in a classroom.

In my opinion, if a child can attend and focus on a teacher, the learning will come. If they have a safe and friendly environment that is free of bias and stereotypes, they can reach their full potential. After watching the video of Walden giving Baltimore teachers tablets and learning kits to help get kids connected for learning, I knew I made the right choice in joining this family. It is nice to be part of a community that wants the best for all who are in it.

While viewing the meet the faculty videos, I was really drawn to Siliva Bagatti. She talks of the stress of an illness on a family and how stress can also lead to health issues. My students and their families have many issues that we don’t see as the teacher. I only see the student and how they are at school. My students have severe and profound disabilities that are a lifetime of care for the families to look after them. They will never be considered normal or independent. It is my hope that getting my master’s will help me give these families a little relief from behaviors that they just don’t know how to manage. While it will benefit my classroom, I look beyond to how it can help the families and the students at home. In my job, I remind myself that while I might have a difficult day with a student, the parents and families deal with it on a daily basis. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

One struggle that I see I may have is writing in APA format. I have Grammarly to help me but plan to use any and all resources that Walden has to offer. I will be looking for writing workshops to help me along the way.

Walden University. (n.d.). Social Change. Walden University. https://www.waldenu.edu/why-walden/social-change

Walden University. (2020). Meet Your Faculty. [Video]. Walden University. https://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/PSYC/6002/01/index.html

 

By Day 5

Respond to two of your colleagues and continue the Discussion through Day 7 by affirming colleagues’ concerns or hopes and suggesting another strategy you find useful. Suggest at least one resource at Walden that they might also find helpful.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 1 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 1 Discussion

Looking Ahead

To help guide your time management throughout your course and program, you are provided with the “My Progress Tracker” tool in the classroom navigation area. This tool will help you keep track of any completed, late, or upcoming work for the course. Please feel free to use this tool as a time management strategy.

Also, this course will require a Final Project. This project will be due in Week 6. Please familiarize yourself with the expectations of the project by reviewing Final Project Overview document. Also note that you will be referencing resources from Week 1 for your Final Project so you might want to archive this information for quick access later in the course. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Next Week

To go to the next week:

Week 2

Week 2: Information Is Power: Scholarly Resources and Critical Thinking

Because psychology touches all aspects of our lives you can find a wealth of information available online on just about any psychology topic. As a graduate student, it is essential to understand the type of information you are looking at, the source of that information, and be able to differentiate between scholarly and non-scholarly sources.

Consider Jan: She is writing a paper for her psychology course about romantic relationships and how opposites attract. This is a saying she has heard often, and as she researches online, she finds numerous websites that confirm this. Just before she submits her paper, she discovers an online news article about a research study published in the past few months that shows the opposite to be true: people prefer others who are similar to themselves. The article goes on to explain the belief that “opposites attract” is a psychology myth that researchers have been disproving for years. Which source should she believe? Which is fact and which is opinion? Which of her sources are trustworthy?

Psychology is steeped in science and looks to the literature for guidance, specifically peer reviewed research. During your time here at Walden, as well as in your professional career, you will be asked to support your ideas and assertations using this type of information.

This week, you will focus on evaluating sources and identifying the characteristics of scholarly and non-scholarly sources and peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed sources. You will also be introduced to the Walden Library and academic databases where peer reviewed literature is found as well as techniques and strategies to begin expanding your research skills.

What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday  – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Discussion 1
Wednesday, Day 3 Discussion 1: Scholarly Sources and the Walden Library Initial Post
Thursday, Day 4 Learning Resources Continue reviewing Learning Resources to complete your Discussion 2
Thursday, Day 4 Discussion 2: Trends and Issues in Psychology Initial Post
Friday, Day 5
(Note: Response posts can be submitted any day of the week but no later than Day 7)		 Discussion 1: Scholarly Sources and the Walden Library (2) Response Posts
Sunday, Day 7 Assignment: The Value of Critical Thinking in the Field of Psychology Submit your 1-page paper

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Contrast between scholarly and non-scholarly sources
  • Demonstrate familiarity with academic databases in the Walden Library
  • Analyze the importance of peer-reviewed articles in scholarly research
  • Identify the elements involved in critical thinking
  • Apply critical-thinking skills PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Walden University Academic Skills Center. (n.d.). Critical thinking skills. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/academic-skills-center/skills/critical-thinking

Walden University Library. (n.d.-a). Ask a librarian. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/ask

Walden University Library. (n.d.-b). Database search skills. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/databasesearchskills

Walden University Library. (n.d.-c). Evaluating resources: Evaluation methods. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/evaluating/researcharticles

Walden University Library. (n.d.-d). Evaluation resources: Peer review. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/evaluating/peer-review

Walden University Library. (n.d.-e). Evaluating resources: Publication types. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/evaluating/resource-types

Walden University Library. (n.d.-f). Evaluating resources: Research articles. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/evaluating/researcharticles

Walden University Library. (n.d.-g). Library webinar archives: Webinars on library skills. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/libraryskillswebinars

Walden University Library. (n.d.-h). Psychology library research: Basic article search. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/psychologyresearch

Walden University Library. (n.d.-i). Top Psychology journals: Top Psychology journals. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/subject/psychology/journals

Walden University Student Affairs. (n.d.-b). Academic integrity: SafeAssign & Turnitin. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/studentaffairs/academicintegrity/safe-assign-turn-it-in

Document: Study Notes: What Is Critical Thinking? (PDF)
This Walden Writing Center publication explores various definitions of critical thinking.

Required Media

Walden University Library. (2019, November 25). Short video: Database search techniques [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Dsbt5faRqME
Note: Approximate length of this media program is 5 minutes.

Discussion 1: Scholarly Sources and the Walden Library

Scholarly information comes from a wide variety of sources including academic books, encyclopedias, handbooks, and journals. “Scholarly” is a broad term for publications written by and for researchers and scholars. These publications are typically not found in your local bookstore or public library because they are written for a very specific audience. They are mostly available in university and specialized libraries, not freely available online. This is why it is essential to learn to navigate the Walden Library and use it often!

During your time at Walden, you will be focusing on peer reviewed journal articles, a specific type of scholarly publication that goes through a specialized review process. These types of articles may report on original research or review the work of other researchers. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

As you use the Walden Library to search the peer reviewed literature to support your discussion posts and assignments, it is important to understand how the Library is organized. Most modern libraries make their materials available electronically through searchable databases. Here in the Walden Library, you have access to specialized academic databases, many of which are specific to psychology and the social and behavioral sciences.

As part of this week’s Discussion, you will explore the databases in the Walden Library and compare and contrast peer reviewed articles found in these databases to those found online.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review Learning Resources for this week and familiarize yourself with navigating the Walden Library, searching Library databases, and limiting your searches to full text, peer review, and publication date.
  • Search the “APA PsycINFO database” in the Walden Library and locate a peer reviewed article on a psychology topic you would like to explore relevant to your area of specialization in your program.
  • Next, search the Internet and locate an article related to the same topic.
  • Reflect on the sources of both articles, and evaluate each article using the evaluation methods listed in the Learning Resources.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post a brief description of the articles you found. Next, compare and contrast the articles and explain the differences you noticed between them.  Further explain how the use of peer review articles will improve the arguments  in your scholarly writing. As a professional in the field of psychology, which article would you use as evidence to support your ideas? Provide the article title and journal name for the article you find in the Library and the URL for the article you found online.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to this week’s Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

The first article I chose was Assessing the Relative Impact of Diverse Stressorsamong Public Safety Personnel (Carleton, R. N., et al. 2020) published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and can be found from Walden’s Library. The article discusses public safety personnel, including emergency communication call takers, and their frequent exposure to what they describe as “potentially psychologically traumatic events”, other work related stressful events, and mental health issues.

The second article is Stress Continues to Plague Telecommunicators (Snyder, D, 2020) (https://psc.apcointl.org/2020/07/02/stress-continues-to-plague-telecommunicators/) published by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), which is an organization dedicated to helping emergency communication centers (ECCs) and 911 call takers. The author notes a lack of research pertaining specifically to call takers as most public safety articles related to stress (including the first one I’ve mentioned here) tend to focus on the firefighters and police officers in the field. The article examines the resources available to the call takers, and how administrative staff can play a role in communicating with the call takers about the stress of the job. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

The first article has an extensive amount of graphs to relay the results of the information the researchers found. It included numerous statistics and references throughout the article to support the information provided. The layout consists of headers and subheaders and includes sections such as an introduction, the methods and materials, data, statistical analysis, ethics, results, discussion, strengths and limitations of the study, conclusions, etc. This article is clearly intended for a scholarly audience. The second article, however, had two brightly coloured graphs and a picture to support the data. While it provided statistics there are no in text citations and all the references are saved for the list at the bottom of the article. The paragraphs in this article were divided up according for ease of reading and to keep the reader’s attention. In summary, the first article has a layout that one would typically expect to find in a scholarly article while the second one is oriented towards the public’s understanding of the material.

Using the peer reviewed article the argument would have more evidence based information and statistics, be harder to disprove, and therefore help strengthen the argument more effectively. This would be the primary article to use. If the second article is used in an argument, it would be best to support the first article and provide a summary with call taker specific details.

 

Carleton, R. N., Afifi, T. O., Taillieu, T., Turner, S., Mason, J. E., Ricciardelli, R., McCreary, D. R., Vaughan, A. D., Anderson, G. S., Krakauer, R. L., Donnelly, E. A., Camp, R. D., 2nd, Groll, D., Cramm, H. A., MacPhee, R. S., & Griffiths, C. T. (2020). Assessing the Relative Impact of Diverse Stressors among Public Safety Personnel. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4). https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.3390/ijerph17041234.

Snyder, D. L. (2020, July 2). Stress continues to plague telecommunicators. Public Safety Communications. Retrieved from https://psc.apcointl.org/2020/07/02/stress-continues-to-plague-telecommunicators/.

By Day 5

Respond to two of your colleagues and continue the discussion through Day 7. When researching a topic, often leads to another. Choose one of your colleague’s posts and search the Walden Library databases to locate another peer reviewed article on the same topic as your colleague’s article. Describe the article you found and why it might be of interest to your colleague. Include the name of the database where you found it (i.e., APA PsycINFO, etc.) and further provide the citation to the article in APA format (author, publication, year, article title, journal title, and volume/issue/page numbers).

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 2 Discussion 1 Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 2 Discussion 1

Discussion 2: Trends and Issues in Psychology

This is a non-graded Discussion that will provide you with another option for exploring psychology topics in your program of study. Please note that it is highly recommended that you complete this Discussion to help you gain important library skills for your academic success.

In Discussion 1, you searched a topic across multiple psychology journals using a subject specific database. For this Discussion, you will browse a psychology journal of your choice to explore current trends and issues.

To prepare:

  • Using the Top Psychology Journals in the Learning Resources, choose a journal that is related to a topic in your program of study. Select an issue/volume of that journal from the last 2-3 years to browse.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

Post a brief summary of your observations about the journal. What did you notice about the topics that were covered? What articles interested you? Did anything surprise you? Include the name of the journal, how often it is published, and a description of the type of research it publishes. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

No response will be required for this Discussion. However, if you want to follow up with an additional question or insight to your colleague’s posts, please feel free to do so.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

This is a non-graded Discussion.

Post by Day 4. No response required.

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 2 Discussion 2

Assignment: The Value of Critical Thinking in the Field of Psychology

Overfamiliarity with an idea can lead you to accept the information as true without questioning it. Just like the psychology myth that opposites attract, have you heard these other common psychology myths? Smiling makes you happier. We only use 10 percent of our brain. Memory is like a video recording. People are either left-brained or right-brained.PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Have you ever wondered where these ideas  originated and why  so widely believed? Are they completely false or partially true? When you begin to look more closely at ideas and where the information came from,  you have started the critical-thinking process.

Critical thinking is inherent in scholarly work because it forces you to separate opinions and biases from the evidence found in the research literature

In this Assignment, you will examine the value of critical thinking by exploring facts and opinions and how they are distinguished from one to the other.

To Prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the readings in this week’s Learning Resources and specifically focus on the critical thinking resources.
  • Think of and choose a common psychology myth that you have heard. If you have trouble of thinking of an example, identify one using a general Internet search.

The Assignment (1-page):

  • Based on the psychology myth you chose, write a short paragraph that would be considered an opinion and why this is an opinion.
  • Search the Walden Library databases for a peer-reviewed article on this same topic. Based on what you learn from the article, write a second paragraph that would be considered a fact and why it would be considered factual. Support your ideas with information cited from the article and include the reference to the article in APA format.
  • Explain the differences between the two paragraphs. Explain how a reader would know which statement is opinion and which is factual.  Use the Learning Resources to support your rationale.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
  • Click the Week 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology
Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 2 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 2 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 2 Assignment

Next Week

To go to the next week:

Week 3

Week 3: Scholarly Writing: A New Way of Communicating

Now that you have developed the ability to analyze scholarly resources and employ critical thinking more diligently, we move on to how to express yourself in a scholarly manner. Scholarly writing, also referred to as academic writing, has a voice and style unique to this format.

The primary purpose of scholarly writing is to clearly communicate information supported by the academic body of literature, furthering the knowledge and understanding of a topic in the field of psychology to an audience of scholars and those trained in psychology. There are many aspects to scholarly writing that will be covered in the next weeks of the course.

This week, you will use a body of literature to support your ideas, and you will need to paraphrase in order to communicate ideas from the literature.

What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday  – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Discussion
Thursday, Day 4 Discussion: Discoving Key Concepts in Scholarly Writing Initial Post
Saturday, Day 6
(Note: Response posts can be submitted any day of the week but no later than Day 7)		 Discussion: Discoving Key Concepts in Scholarly Writing (2) Response Posts
Sunday, Day 7 Assignment: Paraphrasing: Putting It Into Your Own Words Submit your 1-page paper

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Demonstrate the ability to paraphrase
  • Explain key concepts in academic writing: purpose, audience, presence of bias, and quality of evidence

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.-a). Online Writing Center. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/home
This web page provides information about the resources available to you through the Writing Center.

Walden University Student Affairs. (n.d.-b). Academic integrity: SafeAssign & Turnitin. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/studentaffairs/academicintegrity/safe-assign-turn-it-in

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.-c). Using evidence: Effective paraphrasing strategies. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/paraphrase/effective#s-lg-box-2832443

Document: Study Notes: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Finding a Scholarly Voice (PDF)
These Study Notes will help reinforce the information presented in the media and enrich your understanding of how to find your scholarly voice.

Document: Study Notes: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Purpose, Audience, and Evidence (PDF)
Purpose, audience, and evidence are three important topics a scholar-practitioner needs to keep in mind when writing. These Study Notes will help to reinforce the information presented in the media and enrich your understanding of scholarly writing.

Articles for Discussion

Gallant, F., Thibault, V., Hebert, J., Gunnell, K. E., & Bélanger, M. (2020). One size does not fit all: Identifying clusters of physical activity, screen time, and sleep behaviour co-development from childhood to adolescence. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00964-1

 

Stein, R., & Albritton, K. (2020). Early childhood-focused training in school psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000350

Valsiner, J. (2019). Culture & psychology: 25 constructive years. Culture & Psychology, 25(4), 429–469. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X19872358

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012a). Introduction to scholarly writing: Purpose, audience, and evidence [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media is 4 minutes.
Learning to be a scholarly writer will enhance your writing skills and increase your ability to succeed as an online learner as well as in your professional life. This media will introduce you to the key concepts of scholarly writing.

 

Walden University Writing Center. (2020a). Paraphrasing sources: Paraphrasing strategies video [Video file]. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/paraphrase/effective#s-lg-box-10514308
Note: The approximate length of this media is 3 minutes.

Walden University Writing Center. (2020b). Practical skills: Paraphrasing Source Information [Video file]. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/webinars/practicalskills#s-lg-box-2773728

Note: The approximate length of this media is 60 minutes.
This webinar explains what paraphrasing is and provides tips for paraphrasing. In the second half of the session, you will be asked to practice paraphrasing so you can walk away confident in your paraphrasing skills.

Optional Resources

Walden University (Producer). (2020a). APA tutorial [Interactive media]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: This interactive media tutorial will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Discussion: Discovering Key Concepts in Scholarly Writing

Scholarly or academic writing is comprised of a number of key ideas, including purpose, audience, presence of bias, and quality of evidence. It is important to understand these terms in order to incorporate them in your writing.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review the “Example Articles” found in the Learning Resources and select one of the articles for this Discussion. consider how the four concepts (purpose, audience, presence of bias, and quality of evidence) relate to the article you chose.
  • Review the Study Notes: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Purpose, Audience, and Evidence and the media presentation Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Purpose, Audience, and Evidence.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

Post a description of the four key concepts (purpose, audience, presence of bias, and quality of evidence) of scholarly writing as they relate to the article you chose. Further explain why you believe these concepts are important to writing and communication in the field of psychology. Include at least one example to illustrate one of the concepts.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts and continue the Discussion through Day 7 by providing an example or personal experience that illustrates one of the points made by your colleague. Refer back to the “Purpose, Audience, and Evidence” media program to review the personal experience illustration to guide you. Further explain to your colleague this example from a personal experience perspective. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 3 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 4 and Respond by Day 6

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 3 Discussion

Assignment: Paraphrasing: Putting It Into Your Own Words

Paraphrasing is at the center of scholarly writing. One of the habits that many undergraduate students develop when discussing information from references is to quote that information. As graduate students, you are expected to advance your academic writing style to rely on paraphrasing—or putting what you read into your own words; however, the ideas and information are still always cited.

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the Learning Resources for this week and pay close attention to good paraphrasing.
  • Select a peer reviewed article from your previous search in Week 2 or based on a topic of interest and consider a paragraph you would like to paraphrase for your Assignment.

Assignment (1 page):

  • Copy a paragraph from the article you chose with a reference to your article.
  • Next, using the Learning Resources related to good paraphrasing for guidance, paraphrase this paragraph and include this in your assignment.

Note: Cite your source in APA style. Use your APA Manual to help guide your referencing.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Note: When you submit this Assignment, you will submit to SafeAssign and generate an originality report. Please make sure to save this report since you will use this in Week 5. To access SafeAssign tutorial and the Originality Report support and help, please access the “Classroom Help” feature in the dashboard of your classroom as well as the “Academic Integrity” source in the Learning Resources.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK3Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 3 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
  • Click the Week 3 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK3Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology
Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 3 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 3 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 3 Assignment

Looking Ahead

Be sure to review the instructions for the Final Project due in Week 6. You can review the Final Project details by viewing the Project area of Week 6. Begin thinking about what you will want to include in your PowerPoint slides. Be sure to review your Discussion posts from previous weeks for material you might find useful.

Next Week

Week 4: APA Form and Style: The “Language” of Psychology

As part of the academic community of Walden University, you are learning to identify scholarly sources and critically evaluate and communicate your findings. You will also learn to communicate in writing in the “language” of the profession. APA format is the structure for scholarly writing for the behavioral and social sciences. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the resource book you can use to understand this structure, and it is the style you should replicate in your own writing.

APA format is precise in terms of punctuation, the structure of citations and references, and in addressing topics such as bias in language and the ethics of authorship. You will be expected to apply APA format and scholarly writing in all your courses at Walden (and likely in your career). You can read about APA format, but it takes ongoing practice to be able to integrate it into your writing style. It is important to begin mastering these skills now.

What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Assignment 1
Wednesday, Day 3 Assignment 1: Basic Skills in APA Complete and submit your results of your APA Tutorial interactive
Thursday –Saturday
(Days 4 – 6)		 Learning Resources Continue reviewing Learning Resources to complete your Assignment 2
Sunday, Day 7 Assignment 2: You’re the Editor Submit your Assignment Sheet: Social Change

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Demonstrate basic proficiency with APA style
  • Demonstrate ability to use the APA Publication Manual as a resource

Learning Resources

Required Readings

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

  • Chapter 8, “Works Credited in the Text”
  • Chapter 9, “Reference List”
  • Chapter 10, “Reference Examples”These chapters describe how to credit sources in APA style

Document: Study Notes: Ten Common APA Points (PDF)
This information from the Walden Writing Center provides basic standards of APA format.

Document: Assignment Sheet: Social Change (Word Document)
This document will be used for your Discussion assignments this week.

Required Media

Walden University. (2020, May 6). APA citations part I: Methods to the madness [Video file]. Retrieved from https://waldencss.adobeconnect.com/p468kctx0afz/
Note: The approximate length of this media is 60 minutes.
This presentation is an overview of APA citation principles along with standard formats for references and citations.

Transcript: APA Citations Part I: Methods to the Madness Transcript

Walden University (Producer). (2020a). APA tutorial [Interactive media]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: This interactive media tutorial will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Assignment 1: Basic Skills in APA

For this Assignment, you will practice basic APA skills to prepare you for Assignment 2. You will need to demonstrate your knowledge by completing this APA interactive tutorial which includes an APA Quiz. You are encouraged to retake the quiz as many times as you like to help you to improve in those areas you may find that need further practice. Also, it is recommended to use your APA Manual throughout the interactive experience to support and guide your efforts. Note: Make sure to follow the instructions below to save your results and upload for your Assignment submission.

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • View the video APA Citations Part I: Methods to the Madness, and read the Study Notes from the Learning Resources.
  • Become familiar with the APA Publication Manual; review Chapter 8, “Works Credited in the Text,” Chapter 9, “Reference List,” and Chapter 10, “Reference Examples” and note their contents and the variety of topics covered.
  • Take the time to complete the interactive media program “APA Tutorial” to help you to practice the basic skills of APA citing and referencing your sources. Note: It is recommended to use your APA Manual throughout for support and guidance. You will have unlimited opportunities to retake the quiz portion of the tutorial so make sure to save the results you want for this Assignment submission.

Assignment:

  • Complete the “APA Tutorial”, which includes a ten-question quiz.
  • Once you have completed the quiz portion of the interactive tutorial, save your results page in a word document and upload the document to the Assignment 1 submission link. To copy your results page, use the Print Screen keyboard shortcut ctrl+prt sc, then paste the results into a Word document.

By Day 3

Submit your APA Tutorial Results for this Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 4 Assignment link.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology
Grading Criteria

This assignment is graded S/U.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 3

To submit your Assignment:

Week 4 Assignment 1

Assignment 2: You’re the Editor

The APA Publication Manual is an essential reference guide for all students and practitioners in the social and behavioral sciences. The purpose of this Discussion is to assist you in becoming familiar with and applying key parts of the manual. For this Discussion, you will play the role of an editor who must provide feedback to the writer, identifying and correcting flaws in the writer’s use of citations, quotes, and references. How would you make the writer’s work reflect the language of the profession?

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the “Assignment Sheet: Social Change” document (located in this week’s Learning Resources area) that includes quotes, paraphrased information, and reference information without format. Use this document to complete your Assignment.

Assignment:

Complete the following steps to edit the “Social Change” excerpts:

Step 1: Use the “Assignment Sheet: Social Change” document to edit each excerpt. This document is found in the Learning Resources. Please use your best effort to make your edits within the document.

Step 2: Referring to Chapter 8 and 9 of the APA Publication Manual, revise the paragraph in correct APA format, rewriting the citations, quotations, and references as necessary. Use the references listed for your paragraph number as your citation sources.

Step 3: For this Assignment, include the references for each paragraph are listed in the Social Change document. These references are not in correct APA format. Using the information from Chapter 10 of the APA Publication Manual, put the references for your paragraph in correct APA format.

Step 4: In addition and based on the information provided about social change as well as the topics you have explored in this course, explain how social change relates to the field of psychology. Provide examples.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
  • Click the Week 4 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 4 Assignment 2 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 4 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 4 Assignment 2

Next Week

To go to the next week:

Week 5

Week 5: Guarding the Integrity of the Profession: Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

As a student, you work hard each week to complete Discussions and Assignments that show your high personal standards and academic ability. Most, if not all, of your Discussion posts or Assignments will make you proud of the work you did PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology. How would you feel if someone used your work and took credit for it?

ORDER NOW FOR CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION PAPERS

Academic integrity is one of those terms that can really create some anxiety for graduate students. It is important to understand that this type of “integrity” is focused on protecting the integrity—the wholeness—of the profession and its literature. Simply put, it is making sure that you “respect and acknowledge the research and ideas of others” in your work (Walden University, 2013a, para. 9). Learning how to credit the owner/creator of other work is a skill that is learned and used in every Assignment and Discussion post throughout your graduate career.

As you review the Learning Resources this week, you will learn about the high standards that Walden University and the psychological profession set when it comes to academic integrity, scholarly writing, and properly crediting the source of information. You will be expected to maintain these standards as well; this week’s lesson will provide you with information to do that. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Through the Learning Resources and Discussions, you will learn how to recognize and avoid plagiarism, even unintentional plagiarism. You will also learn how to interpret a SafeAssign Originality Report and what to do if your report indicates possible plagiarism.

It is a complicated topic and not limited to the idea of “stealing” someone’s work. There are some very specific rules and ways of writing that protect the integrity of the literature and learning, and practicing these skills is critical for graduate students in psychology.

What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday  – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Discussion 1
Wednesday, Day 3 Discussion: Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism Initial Post
Thursday, Day 4 Learning Resources Continue reviewing Learning Resources to complete your Assignment
Friday, Day 5
(Note: Response posts can be submitted any day of the week but no later than Day 7.)		 Discussion: Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism (2) Response Posts
Sunday, Day 7 Assignment: Understanding Academic Integrity and Plagiarism as a Psychology Professional Submit your 1–2 page paper

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Evaluate scenarios for plagiarism
  • Analyze strategies to avoid plagiarism
  • Analyze the purpose of SafeAssign Similarity Indexes in maintaining academic integrity

Learning Resources

Required Readings

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

  • 1.17, “Implications of Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism”This section discusses plagiarism and self-plagiarism PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

Walden University. (2020c). SafeAssign: Reading the SafeAssign originality report. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/software/Walden/Training/Walden_University_Online_Classroom_Tutorial_Student_SafeAssign.pdf
This document reviews the SafeAssign Originality Report and points out important areas in the document to examine.

Walden University Student Affairs. (n.d.-a). Academic integrity: Overview. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/studentaffairs/academicintegrity

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.-b). Plagiarism prevention resource kit: Home. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/plagiarism
This web page covers topics related to plagiarism.PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Document: Study Notes: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Plagiarism and Academic Integrity (PDF)
These Study Notes will help reinforce the information presented in the media program and enrich your understanding of plagiarism and academic integrity.

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012a). Introduction to scholarly writing: Plagiarism and academic integrity [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media is 5 minutes.
Scholarly writing requires ethical practice in every phase and form of the process—from the drafting of a course paper to a capstone project. Academic integrity is basic to all teaching and learning at Walden University. As a Walden student, you are required to follow the guidelines of academic integrity as set forth in the Walden Catalog. This course media segment will help you to do so.

 

Discussion: Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism

What is plagiarism exactly? Is it always done on purpose? The rules related to plagiarism can be complex, and there are instances in which people who have unwittingly plagiarized have ended up in court. The concept of academic integrity includes the avoidance of plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism, it helps to first recognize it.

For this Discussion, you will review fictional scenarios that depict common occurrences in the classroom. It is an opportunity for you to practice identifying plagiarism and discussing how to avoid plagiarism in these situations.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review the materials in this week’s Learning Resources.
  • Read the four scenarios presented below and, for each situation, determine whether the student has plagiarized.

1. John has not had time to work on his online assignment on psychological theory. He found a website that has an article with the content he needs to complete his assignment. However, he has only 30 minutes before his assignment is due. John believes that the author of the article described psychological theory so well that it would take John hours to paraphrase the material. John decides to copy several sentences and one short paragraph from the article and paste it into his own paper. He includes the author in the references and believes that this appropriately cites the author.

2. Sally has a writing assignment due. She has written about the topic before in a previous course and received 100% on that paper. She decides to include several paragraphs from her previous work in her current paper.

3. Brad just finished submitting his writing assignment through SafeAssign, and the similarity report shows a 40% match between passages he wrote and various websites.

4. Catherine likes to include quotes from famous psychologists in her writing assignments. She does not use quotation marks, but Catherine makes sure to include the citation immediately following each quote.

  • Reflect on how the Walden resources and communication with colleagues (including your Instructor) could impact the outcome of the scenarios.
  • Choose one of the scenarios for your Discussion. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post a description of the scenario you chose and whether you believe the student plagiarized. Explain what led you to make that determination. Provide one strategy that the student can use to avoid potential plagiarism, given the scenario presented.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to this week’s Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to at least two of your colleagues, and continue the discussion through Day 7 by providing another strategy to avoid potential plagiarism, given the scenario presented.

Return to this Discussion periodically to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made. Remember to be supportive and build community; this is a tough topic!

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 5 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 5 Discussion

Assignment: Understanding Academic Integrity and Plagiarism as a Psychology Professional

As you have progressed through this course, you have learned the importance of developing your scholarly voice, you have learned about critical thinking, you have practiced paraphrasing, and you are beginning to understand the importance of crediting the sources of ideas and of presenting the literature in your own words. You are still at the early stages of mastering these many skills. Luckily, Walden provides resources and tools to help you along the way.

For this Assignment, you will familiarize yourself with a tool that can aid you in avoiding plagiarism: SafeAssign.

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the Academic Integrity resources located in this week’s Learning Resources and consider the different aspects of plagiarism PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.
  • Review the document “How to Read a SafeAssign Originality Report” in this week’s Learning Resources. Also, the “Classroom Help” feature in the dashboard of this course provides additional information related to SafeAssign as well as how to read the Originality Report.
  • In Week 3, you submitted “The Process of Critical Thinking” Assignment and submitted your Assignment to SafeAssign to generate an originality report. Locate the SafeAssign Originality report you downloaded for this Assignment.
  • Review the Similarity Index and the Match Overview.
  • Review the matches in detail.

The Assignment (1–2 pages):

Describe the SafeAssign Originality report for your Assignment from Week 3:

  • Provide the Similarity Index.
  • List the source that constitutes the highest match with your written work.
  • Explain why a high Similarity Index might not necessarily indicate plagiarism and why a low Similarity Index does not necessarily indicate a lack of plagiarism.
  • Based on the review by SafeAssign, what changes would you make to your paper?
  • Explain how you would use SafeAssign in the future to minimize issues with plagiarism.
  • As a future psychology professional, explain how academic integrity will impact/influence your academic and professional practice.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK5Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 5 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
  • Click the Week 5 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK5Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 5 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 5 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 5 Assignment

Looking Ahead

Be sure to review the instructions for the Final Project due in Week 6. You can review the Final Project details by viewing the Project area of Week 6. By now, you should be thinking about what you will want to include in your PowerPoint slides. Be sure to review your Discussion posts from previous weeks for material you might find useful.

Next Week

To go to the next week:

Week 6: Ethics and Social Change in Psychology

Students and professionals in psychology are held to a high standard of professional behavior within school and work settings. Individuals adhere to various moral codes, whether it is being good to others, being honest, caring for others, etc.

Ethical codes are a bit trickier, as they are usually related to behavior within a profession and are written by experts in the field. Ethical codes describe the correct ways to act in a workplace or professional situation. Ethical codes are written to reflect the best practice in a field in relation to research, human interaction, business practice, consulting, and teaching. In psychology, the overarching code is the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, but there are other codes from individual organizations and institutions that also inform professional ethical behavior. This week, you will discuss the way ethical principles can be applied to your professional career PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

Though this course is coming to an end, in many ways this is just the beginning for you and your classmates. You now possess the skills and knowledge that will allow you to recognize when you need assistance and where to get that help. You know how to build community, support each other, and share tips and strategies. This week, you will also create your professional development plan (PDP), which shows where you want to go. Your tools are in place and so will be your plan. Your journey is just beginning and we are excited with—and for—you!

In your Final Project, you will reflect on what you and your classmates have accomplished over this term and how it has prepared you for academic success and meeting the professional and personal goals you had in mind when you enrolled at Walden. As a member of the Walden community, you are motivated to effect positive social change and participate actively in this group of scholars.

After watching the Scholars of Change videos, you might think you are not prepared to create the types of social change that these Walden students did. Social change can, indeed, be far reaching, affecting the lives of individuals across many countries and regions of the world. However, social change can also be relatively small and focused, improving the lives of single individuals, your colleagues, a family, a community. Those lives, in turn, will impact others. It is not the size of the change but the intent, focus, purpose, and spirit of advocacy and benevolence that creates ripples of hope for you and others. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

What’s Happening In This Week?

 

When do I have to do it? Title What do I have to do?
Monday  – Tuesday
(Days 1 & 2)		 Learning Resources Begin reviewing your Learning Resources to complete your Discussion
Wednesday, Day 3 Discussion: Ethical Considerations Initial Post
Thursday, Day 4 Learning Resources Continue reviewing Learning Resources to complete your Final Project
Friday, Day 5
(Note: Response posts can be submitted any day of the week but no later than Day 7.)		 Discussion: Ethical Considerations (2) Response Posts
Sunday, Day 7 Final Project: PowerPoint Presentation of Your Professional Development Plan Submit your 10- to 12-slide narrated PowerPoint presentation

 

Learning Objectives

You will:

  • Analyze APA ethical principles
  • Analyze the relationship between ethical principles and positive social change
  • Create professional development plans that reflect personal and professional goals

Learning Resources

Required Readings

American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
This website reviews the ethical guidelines held by the APA. Read “Introduction and Applicability,” “Preamble,” “General Principles,” and “Standard 8” onlyPSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

Behnke, S. (2009). Disability as an ethical issue. Monitor on Psychology, 40(6), 62. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/ethics.aspx
This article discusses how the stigma of a disability should be examined in terms of ethical guidelines.

Walden University. (2020a). Code of conduct. In 2020-2021 Walden University student handbook. Retrieved from https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=176&navoid=62548
The Walden Code of Conduct addresses the university’s expectations for students in the areas of nondiscrimination, nonharassment, professional conduct, and academic integrity.

Document: Study Notes: Creating PowerPoint Presentations (PDF)
This document provides a concise overview of the minimum requirements for a PowerPoint presentation, as well as some style and format issues.

Resources for PowerPoint and Narrated PowerPoint

Microsoft Office. (n.d.-a). Office for Mac quick starts. Retrieved from https://support.office.com/en-us/article/office-for-mac-quick-starts-5bccb480-0e5b-4b51-b072-66d3793ccad8
Note: If you are a MAC user and have never experienced PowerPoint before, this source will guide you through the basics of how to use PowerPoint.
Time Estimate: 20 minutes

Microsoft Office. (n.d.-b). PowerPoint for Windows training. Retrieved from https://support.office.com/en-us/article/powerpoint-for-windows-training-40e8c930-cb0b-40d8-82c4-bd53d3398787

Note: If you are a PC user and have never experienced PowerPoint before, this source will guide you through the basics of how to use PowerPoint.
Time Estimate: 20 minutes

Microsoft Office. (n.d.-c). Record a slide show with narration and slide timings. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us
Time Estimate: 2 minutes
Note:  You will be required to include narration in your PowerPoint presentation for your Final Project presentation. Take the time to review and apply these skills.

Walden University Academic Skills Center. (2018, June 21). PowerPoint quick tip: Adding narration [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8a-U1W-KVg&list=PLNgQgQNniJ25vrgZ4g1aYE6geg33mDgBJ&index=14&t=0s
Note:  You will be required to include narration in your PowerPoint presentation for your Final Project presentation. Take the time to review and apply these skills.

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.). Walden templates: General templates. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/genera
Note: On this webpage refer to the PowerPoint Presentation

Required Media

Scholars of Change

Learn more about some of the people at the heart of the Walden community and see how they represent Walden’s mission and commitment to social change:

Walden University (Producer). (n.d.-a). Creating social change through education [Video file].
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
This video features Linda Davis, MS in Psychology, Scholars of Change 2009 winner.

 

Credit: Davis, L. (Producer). (2009). MS in Psychology student and 2009 Scholar of Change Linda Davis empowers Latin American women througheducation [Video]. 2009 Walden University Scholars of change contest winner. Minneapolis, MN: Walden University.

Walden University (Producer). (n.d.-c). Creating social change in the psychological school climate [Video file].

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
This video features Carla Ortiz, MS in Psychology, Scholars of Change.

 

Credit: Ortiz, C. (Producer). (2009). MS in Psychology student and 2009 Scholar of Change Carla Ortiz video entry [Video]. 2009 Walden University Scholars of change contest honorable mention winner. Minneapolis, MN: Walden University.

Walden University (Producer). (n.d.-d). Japanese English as a Second Language art students: Helping Sri Lankan children develop learning strategies [Video file].
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
This video features Dawn O’Day, MS in Psychology, Scholars of Change 2010 honorable mention PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

 

Credit: O’Day, D. (Producer). (2013). MS in Psychology student and 2010 Scholar of Change Dawn O’Day has her ESL students create storybooks to donate to rural schools [Video]. 2010 Walden University Scholars of change contest honorable mention winner. Minneapolis, MN: Walden University.

Discussion: Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations can become complex, particularly within the many careers in which psychology graduates find themselves. This week, you received just an introduction to the area of professional ethics. Your Discussion gives you an opportunity to consider what ethical principles are in psychology and what they might mean to you as a professional.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Read the information on ethics presented in the APA websites listed in this week’s Learning Resources.
  • Review the General Principles of the APA Ethical Standards from the resource titled “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct” found in the Learning Resources
  • Select one of the principles and think about how it applies to your program or area of specialization.
  • Take the time to really envision what your success looks and feels like; really sit back and put yourself in that position and create the “you” that successfully finishes this program and how you might put what you learn into action for positive social change. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post a brief description of the principle you selected from the General Principles of the APA Ethical Standards you read about in “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.” Explain it in your own words. Explain in what way the principle could be applicable in your area of specialization and why.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to this week’s Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two of your colleagues and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Choose one of the ethical principles discussed by your colleagues and respond with your thoughts about how positive social change relates to this ethical principle. Describe one act of positive social change that you can foresee resulting from your psychology specialization/program.

Return to this Discussion periodically to read the responses to your initial posting and reply as you wish. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 6 Discussion

Final Project: PowerPoint Presentation of Your Professional Development Plan

You have already identified many resources in your network—in this class and outside the university—and within the wider Walden community. Support is best used when you know what you need; it is hard to get support in building a ladder if you do not know what a ladder looks like PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

If you have an idea of what a ladder looks like, you can ask for rungs and nails and a hammer. Think of the resources offered by Walden as the rungs and nails for your ladder, but you are the one who must design the ladder. A PDP allows you to design your ladder and identify which supports you need to build it.

Remember that you must help your classmates and colleagues along the way with their ladders too. Think of what you need to give, as well as what you will need to receive, in terms of support and help.

A PDP explains how you, individually, came to the decision to begin your graduate studies, what you envision for yourself and others when you complete the degree, and what objectives or steps you need to define in order to realize your dream and become your previously envisioned “future self.” You will refer to your PDP when you want to check your progress or re-evaluate your goals. It should be motivating and related to the mission of Walden, your mission, and the community of your colleagues. Remember, we are all in this together.

PowerPoint presentations will be used in many of your courses at Walden. This Assignment will also provide an opportunity for you to become familiar with, or become a more advanced user of, PowerPoint as a communication tool which will narration.

NOTE: You are strongly encouraged to submit this Assignment as a narrated PowerPoint presentation, but if you are having difficulty with the software, you may submit it as a Word document with sufficient notes to explain each “slide.” Please feel free to contact your Instructor if you need any support with this Assignment.

To prepare for this Final Project:

  • Review the Learning Resources for this week and specifically focus on how to create a narrated PowerPoint for your Final Project presentation.
  • Use the PowerPoint Template located in the Learning Resources for this week to complete this Final Project. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology

Final Project Assignment:

In this Final Project Assignment, you will create a 10- to 12-slide narrated PowerPoint presentation related to your Professional Development Plan (PDP). Your PowerPoint needs to include the following:

  • A cover slide with the following:
    • Title of your Project
    • Date -Walden University
    • Course number
    • Your name
  • Part I: Personal and Professional Goals (3-4 slides)
    • Include a brief personal introduction in which you state your personal and professional goals and articulate how these goals intersect with your academic interests and selected field of study.
    • Reflect upon the mission of the university: “Walden University provides a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so that they may transform society” and how this mission statement connects to your personal vision for future practice.
    • Explain how specialized learning and the attainment of a doctoral degree will help you meet your career and personal life goals.
  • Part II: Educational Background and Research Proficiency (3-4 slides)
    • Reflect on the formal and informal learning experiences that compose your educational background and explain how these experiences support the direction of study established in Part I. You are encouraged to include individual knowledge, skills, and accomplishments.
    • Explain the academic and research proficiencies you bring to the program and identify any areas you want to consider for improvement.
    • Explain your current readiness to engage in dissertation research (Note: Honest disclosure will help guide and provide clear focus on any knowledge and skills needed to propel you forward in your program.)
      • Categories for you to consider when writing this section include the following:
        • Academic coursework in the social and behavioral sciences
        • Academic coursework in other fields
        • Professional presentations, seminars, and workshops
        • Volunteer activities
        • Prior experience designing and executing research
        • Publications and other writing experiences
        • Teaching assignments
        • Professional training
        • Academic strengths and weaknesses
        • Research strengths and weaknesses
        • Availability of library, reference, and information technology resources
        • Students should be clear about plans for preparing themselves for doctoral study, particularly if gaps exist in their background.
  • Part III: Plan of Study and Program Progress Guide (PPG) Form (3-4 slides)

    Note    : Refer to your Program Progress Guide (PPG). Your PPG is available in your student portal.

For non-licensure students in the School of Psychology, you only need to refer to your Program Progress Guide for this section.

For students in Clinical Psychology, a state licensure plan also needs to be discussed in this section. This licensure plan needs to present the results of your investigation into the licensing requirements for your state and how you plan to meet those requirements during your study at Walden.

All students must create a timeline for completing the requirements in their PPG for this Part III as follows:

  • In your timeline, group your degree requirements into stages of progress. It is suggested that you target a completion date and work backwards from this date.
  • Identify specific milestones of academic progress and time frames for completion.
  • Account for review, revision, and approval of academic work throughout your timeline. Note: Be familiar with the approval processes of your academic work.

Even though you are providing narration to your PowerPoint presentation, please include the following:

  • Write detailed speaker notes for the slide to complement the slide content. Speaker notes should be clear, in-depth, and function as augmentation to the slide material.Note: These notes should be written with sufficient depth to allow someone else to deliver the presentation. Make sure the PowerPoint presentation reflects graduate-level writing and presentation standards, with professional-looking graphics and appropriate type style.
  • Your presentation should be explicit in its detail about what you plan to do at Walden to meet your personal and professional goals PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology.

By Day 7

Submit your Project by Day 7.

* The PDP is a University requirement. Satisfactory credit cannot be earned for this course without successfully completing this project.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Project for review and grading, do the following:

  • Please save your Project using the naming convention “WK6Proj+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
  • Click the Week 6 Final Project Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Project.
  • Click the Week 6 Final Project link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
  • Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK6Proj+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
  • If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
  • Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Final Project Rubric

Submit Your Final Project by Day 7

To submit your Final Project:

Week 6 Final Project

Congratulations! After you have finished all of the assignments for this week, you have completed the course. Please submit your Course Evaluation by the end of the weekPSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology. PSYC-6002 Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology