Include the PSYC 499 Reaction Paper Grading Rubric with the completed assignment.

Your Reaction Paper needs to include the following to receive maximum credit:

1. Behaviors observed during the internship.

2. Theoretical explanations to support the behaviors observed.

3. Benefits of the internship.

4. Suggestions for your internship, future interns, people in the setting.

This is a Reaction Paper, not a Research Paper, so you do not have to include sources within your paper.  However, if you choose to consult any sources (i.e., agency publication, theories), you must use APA format when properly citing the sources in the text, and you must list the publication information of the sources on a References page.

The following are some common mistakes that you will avoid.  Most are according to the standards of appropriate formal writing; some are especially applicable to scientific thought and writing in APA style.

Technical writing

• Use third person references.   Avoid “you” or “I” since this is a formal writing assignment.
• Use formal language–no contractions or informal terms (“a lot”,”thing”,”hyper”).
• Use past tense verbs to describe all findings—the events have already happened.
• Match nouns, pronouns, verbs for singular/plural form, even though it is sometimes awkward to avoid gender issues (he/she, themselves).  Try using all plurals or alternating the singular gender reference.
• Edit carefully for punctuation and grammatical constructions.  Christians must be articulate in order to be influential and persuasive.

Style

• Include a title page in APA format with the name of the paper and your name, and the agency name.
• Put a References page at the end, using hanging indent, if any sources have been cited.
• Cite sources in the form (author, year).  Every source cited in the Paper must be in the References; every entry in the References must be cited in the Paper.
• The paper may be a chronological account of your experience, a focus on a particular area of interest from the experience, or an analysis of how the experience has affected your perception of these clients.  Be careful to cover all areas in the Paper Evaluation adequately by using each bold term as a Paper heading for a section.

Template

Your paper should be formatted in the following manner, addressing each of the following key areas:

I.                 Title Page: Should be in line with APA format, including the title of the paper, your name, and internship agency as well as a running head in APA format

II.               Abstract: 150-250 words of overview of your entire paper; APA format required

III.             Paper Body          

A.    Title: at the top of the first page of the paper

B.    Introduction of internship agency: Do NOT include Introduction heading as this is unnecessary in APA format. Here you should provide an overview of your specific internship agency, as well as your daily duties and responsibilities.

C.    Behaviors Observed: Please provide a summary of the major behaviors you observed throughout your internship experience. You may describe these behaviors in detail, but do not provide an explanation of the development of these behaviors in this section.

D.    Theoretical Explanations: Please provide an explanation of the development of the behaviors you have observed, including at least one major psychological theory, such as the Social Learning Theory (?)

E.     Benefits of the Internship: Here you should describe the various benefits you have received through completing your internship.  

F.     Suggestions for the Internship Agency, Future Interns, and Those in the Internship Setting: After discussing the benefits of the internship experience, please provide suggestions for the internship agency, future interns, and/or individuals you encountered at the internship agency. You do not need to address all three of these areas but you must provide some suggestions based upon your experience. You may address all three areas if you would like.

G.    Conclusion: Please provide an overview of your entire internship experience with your concluding thoughts.

IV.            References: Please include all references in APA format.

V.              Rubric: Please attach the Reaction Paper Rubric at the end of your paper in order to receive feedback on your assignment.