Benefits of Looking on the Bright Side
Conduct a literature review (see Bem, 2016). You will review and summarize relevant theory and research in order to defend a particular position (your thesis). The topic of your literature review might come from the following list, or you may identify a different area of interest. However, if you choose something other than the options below, you must obtain permission from your instructor prior to writing/submitting the paper. It is up to the instructor’s discretion to allow/disallow alternative topics. Here are some ideas you might choose to explore:
- Accuracy of Proverbs
- Example: “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “Beauty is a good letter of introduction”? In other words, what can one conclude based on appearance alone?
- Example: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “Out of sight, out of mind”? In other words, do long distances or extended amounts of time strengthen relationship ties, or weaken them?
- Example: “Birds of a feather flock together” or “Opposites attract”? In other words, are people attracted to similar or dissimilar others?
- Impact of Titles/Labels
- Example: How do team mascots (such as the Redskins or Braves) impact Native Americans (self-esteem, stereotype threat, etc.)?
- Example: How do labels (such as smart/stupid, crazy or criminal, etc.) impact people’s mental processes and behaviors?
- Altruism
- Example: Does true altruism exist? What motivates people to help?
- Explanatory Style
- Example: Do optimists experience better life outcomes than pessimists?
- Persuasive Appeals
- Example: How do political campaigns utilize various techniques?
- Self-esteem
- Example: Is there a dark side? Can one be too confident?
- School Size
- Example: Do students fare better in big schools or small schools? Why?
- Reactance
- Example: What is the theory behind “reverse psychology”?
- Gender Differences
- Example: in aggression, sex, etc.
- A Form of Prejudice
- Example: fat prejudice, racial prejudice, etc.
- Psychology and the Law
- Example: jury behavior, etc.
- Other: Must be approved by your instructor in advance!
The Final Paper
- Must be at least 5 to 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a separate title page with the following:
- A header
- Title of paper
- Student’s name
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Date submitted
- Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
- Must utilize academic voice.
- Must address the topic with critical thought.
- Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms the thesis.
- Must use at least five peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Additional scholarly sources are encouraged.
- Be sure to integrate your research smoothly rather than simply inserting it.
- In general, paraphrase material rather than using direct quotes.
- The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
- Must document all sources in APA style as outlined here and here.
- Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style.
- Must be submitted to Grammarly for review and correction prior to submitting.
Submitting to Grammarly:
Grammarly is your personal editor that can act as that second set of eyes and catch those errors before you submit your assignment. It takes approximately 5 minutes to set up an account and after that, you simply download your written submission and wait for the magic. This service is open 24/7, for you night owls hoping for a final proofread before submitting your work. Grammarly will then provide you with a detailed roadmap for improvement.
Grammarly Resource:
Before you submit your written assignment, review the The Grammarly Guide: How to Set Up & Use Grammarly tutorial, set up a Grammarly account (if you have not already done so), and use Grammarly to review a rough draft of your assignment. Then carefully review all issues identified by Grammarly and revise your work as needed.
To use Grammarly:
- Go to https://app.grammarly.com/ (and log in if needed).
- Click on “Upload” (located under “New”) and upload your paper.
- Grammarly will scan your paper for errors and issues.
- To read about the errors Grammarly found, click on the ▼expand button.
- To accept Grammarly’s suggestion, click on the green wording suggestion (if applicable).
- To ignore Grammarly’s suggestion, click on the “x” or the “ignore” button.
- Finally, once you have made all of your corrections, click on the ↓ downward arrow icon in the left navigation pane and select “Download.” This will create a Word document with your corrections. Note: You might have to remove or delete any lingering track changes or comment bubbles before submitting your paper.
Need writing help? The Writing Center offers 24/7 live chat and paper review to all students! Just click on the Writing Center tab in the left column of the classroom to access these services.
You can also email the Writing Center directly! writing@ashford.edu .
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Learning Services Writing Center
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Answer Preview
Everyone is in agreement that optimistic people look at various situations and things more positively than pessimistic people; however, as to whether optimistic people have more satisfying lives or enjoy much quality life is a matter of discussion. Nevertheless, most scholars believe that whether physically, mentally of psychologically, high levels of optimism are…
(1998 Words)