Critical Thinking: Reflection

INTRODUCTION
In this unit, you will finalize your position on the controversy in psychology you selected. As you do so, reflect on how far you have grown in your critical thinking. You have been on an academic and professional journey in considering issues in the field of psychology and the complexity of those issues. Recognition of multiple points of view, the volume and variety of research evidence, and case examples help us to appreciate just how complex the study of human behavior is!

OBJECTIVES
To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:

Articulate your development of critical thinking skills throughout the course.
Integrate critical thinking elements, information literacy skills, and writing skills into a persuasive paper on a topic in psychology.

LEARNING ACTIVITIESCollapse All
Toggle Drawer
[u09s1] Unit 9 Study 1
Studies
Checklist
Read each unit checklist at the start of each week, and use it however it will be most helpful for you.

Unit 9 Checklist.
Preparation
As you transform your final paper from rough draft to final draft, here are some resources to help you in the revision process:

Submit your draft paper to Smarthinking for feedback that will help you structure, develop, and clarify your writing.
Submit your draft paper to Turnitin for feedback that will let you know how you are doing on paraphrasing your evidence.
On the Critical Thinking Web site, read about Universal Intellectual Standards, and review your final paper with these intellectual standards in mind.
Multimedia
Click The Four Stages of Writing – Stage 4: Revising to view the interactive media piece.
Study this example of a learner’s essay as it progresses through the process for lessons you might apply to your paper.
The Writing Process: Revising
The Four Stages of Writing – Stage 4: Revising
BEGIN ACTIVITY
ICON
Transcript
Toggle Drawer
[u09a1] Unit 9 Assignment 1
Controversies in Psychology Position Paper
By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment criteria:

Competency 1: Apply information literacy and library research skills to obtain scholarly information in the field of psychology.
Articulate scholarly evidence appropriate to the argument it supports.
Competency 2: Apply psychological principles to topics in psychology.
Describe the position taken in an author’s thesis statement.
Follow APA guidelines for in-text citations and reference lists.
Competency 3: Analyze scholarly information and research findings through critical thinking to solve problems in the field of psychology.
Articulate evidence-supported arguments that directly support the thesis.
Articulate evidence-supported counterarguments that directly question the thesis.
Articulate evidence-supported arguments to rebut the counterarguments.
Competency 4: Apply ethical principles and standards to topics in psychology.
Draw implications, including ethical implications, from the conclusions.
Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
Articulate a well-developed conclusion that logically flows from the arguments presented.
Write in a manner that is scholarly in tone, easy to follow, and free from grammatical and spelling errors.
For your final paper, you will select a controversial topic in psychology on which to take a position. Choose from the following topics:

Does cosmetic surgery promote or hinder self-esteem?
Does use of electronic technology promote or detract from well-being?
Does online learning or traditional face-to-face learning lead to higher academic performance?
Which is more effective in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—medication or behavioral interventions?
Are virtual teams or traditional teams more effective?
After exploring scholarly research on both sides of the issue, write a 5–7 page, double-spaced paper (not including title page, abstract, and references) that presents:

An introduction to your topic.
Your position and arguments.
Evidence for your position.
Counterarguments to your position.
Evidence for the counterarguments.
Rebuttals to those counterarguments.
Your paper should reference a minimum of five scholarly sources, cited and referenced in APA format.

Your assembled paper should consist of:

A title page.
An abstract.
A clear introduction to the topic.
A thesis statement, your position, and arguments.
A summary and conclusion that discusses the implications (including the ethical implications) of your position and conclusions.