Final Paper Nabiha

Final Paper Nabiha

Final Paper Guidelines
1. Selecting the Topic:
On the journey we call, “life,” where do you see yourself and your relationship with
others? Are there areas you want to improve and develop a greater awareness of your own
patterns of behavior? Is it your self-esteem, your identity, your emotional expression,
your communication style, or how you handle conflict? Select at least two-three areas that
are most significant to your own growth and development, i.e., your identity development
and its impact on personal and interpersonal relationships, or how you manage conflict and
your communication style and their impact on your relationships, or how you manage your
emotions and their role in developing your personality traits. You have total freedom to
choose any of the areas discussed in your textbook. Make this assignment worthwhile to
you.
2. Structure and Organization:
It would be best to include an introduction and to organize your paper in terms of past,
present, and future to give it a logical order and a smooth flow.
I. Introduction:
Introduce your theme (s) and why you chose this topic. State clearly what your paper is
going to be about. Make sure to highlight your topic sentence. You are expected to
elaborate on this area (s) of your life throughout the paper.
II. Past:
Reflect back on your life story and early childhood experiences. Include details that are
only pertinent to your theme. When you introduce an idea, ask yourself: How does it
relate to my topic sentence? What am I trying to show? This is a good place to introduce
and show how have you dealt or been affected by the theme(s) in your life.
III. Present:
Who are you now in relation to the issue(s) you introduced earlier. How are you dealing
with this issue(s) now compared with how you dealt with it in the past? What are some of
the current event(s) that are impacting the issue(s) presented? Are there any changes to
how you view yourself now?
IV. Future:
What techniques or coping skills from Becoming Aware textbook that you might use to
deal with the issue(s) that you presented earlier? What would you do differently now to
enhance the quality of your life in regard to this issue(s)? What are your goals, hopes and
visions of yourself? In other words, if you were to re-write your life story, what would
you do differently? This part of your paper is about bringing a resolution to the issue (s) of
your earlier concern (s).
An “A” paper must show a clear reflection of the terms used and successful knowledge of
application. This paper is not an autobiography or a book/Chapter summary but rather a
synthesis of the two.
Autobiography Synthesis of the two Book/Chapter Summary
V. Make sure to utilize at least terms from the text and underline them.
VI. Include concepts of at least different theorists from your text.
VII. Use examples from your own experiences and life events to supplement your
responses.
VIII. Submit a one page outline by the due date, discussing the vision of your paper with
your instructor. For a sample outline, see Human Relations Position Paper (p.
99-100).
IX. Write a reflective paper that is 4-5 pages double spaced. This paper is not an
autobiography of your life or a book/chapter summary but rather about incorporating
theories and concepts into one or two or more themes of your personal life.
X. You may submit many rough drafts before the due date until you secure an “A”.
Sample paragraph: (My identity in the future)
In the areas of developing a greater self-awareness of myself, I have always wondered about
who I am and what my identity is. I have been intrigued by the Ideas of Eric Erickson’s
eight stages of psychosocial development. I am convinced that who I will be today is largely
determined by my social interaction with the outside world. I have often found myself
changing and evolving as I meet new friends and acquire new experiences. In his
description of the last stage of psychosocial development (Integrity vs. Despair), I have
come to realize how important it is for me to live life to the fullest so I won’t have any
regrets later on in life. This has become part of my personality and how I see the world.