Assignment Details

Open DateJan 3, 2019 12:05 AMGraded?YesPoints Possible150.0Resubmissions Allowed?NoAttachments checked for originality?Yes

Assignment Instructions

Week 5 Assignment: Terror Management Theory in Practice

Selecting a recent terror event, one occurring with the last five (5) years, examine the practicality of the terror management theory (TMT).

• In the opening of your work, provide an overview of the TMT, noting the critical aspects of the theory, to demonstrate a clear understanding of what the theory is and how it can be applied in various circumstances.
• Next, explore your selected terror event, discussing the ways in which the TMT might be applied to improving the understanding of the survivors’ coping and recovery following the terror event.
  • In addressing the applicability of the TMT to the selected event, consider the survivors’ cognitive, social, cultural, and intellectual conditions as factors of influence that might skew perceptions of death and survival.
  • Discuss, with detail and clear examination of the available scholarly resources, why these factors should be examined in the discussion and how, or if, they affect disaster behavioral health outcomes.
• As you wrap up your work, briefly discuss the appropriateness of the use of the TMT as it compares to other theories attempting to rationalize survivor thoughts and behaviors following terror events.
  • Select a single theory upon which you will make the contrast, clearly identifying the foundational tenants of the theory, making a solid case for which theory is most appropriate.

Work should be submitted in a Word document (doc. or docx.) or other compatible word processing document, and be 4 to 6 pages in length, excluding the required title and reference page.

Scholarly sources should be cited both in-text and on the reference page of the submission. A minimum of two academic, scholarly sources are required to be cited in the work.

Submissions should be formatted per 6th edition (revised) APA standards. For assistance and resources on APA formatting style, please see the APUS Writing Center at Writing@APUS.

The Week 5 assignment should be submitted by SUNDAY of Week 5, NLT 11:55 pm ET to the Week 5 Assignment Link accessed through the Assignments Link on the left of the main course screen. The school Late Policy applies to all course assignments and can be found in the course syllabus.

Please see the assignment rubric for complete point breakdown and contact your professor with additional questions or concerns.

Criterion

Excellent

Satisfactory

Needs Improvement

Unsatisfactory

Score

Defines and notes application of TMT

40 points possible

Student accurately defines TMT and provides appropriate, practical applications for TMT.

Student accurately defines TMT and provides appropriate applications; examples might have been further developed to demonstrate greater application in practical settings.

Student provides an acceptable definition of TMT, with no included application of the theory.

Definition and application of TMT were not included.

Identifies event and use of TMT to explain coping

40 possible points

Student identifies a specific terror event and the use of TMT to understand survivors’ process of coping. Details of individual differences are assessed to the extent that they affect the total behavioral health outcome. Quality resources and information are included to support the section.

Student identifies a specific terror event and the use of TMT to understand survivors’ process of coping. Minimal examination of the individual differences between survivors were noted and greater support would have enhanced the section.

Student identified a specific terror event; however, no further supporting information was included to provide context to the survivors’ coping process or the role of individual differences.

A specific terror event was not addressed and no supporting details were included to enhance the section.

Compares/contrasts TMT to other theories

40 possible points

Student includes a coherent, inclusive discussion in which TMT is compared to another theory examining survivor coping and response following terror events.

Student includes an adequate discussion in which TMT is compared to another theory examining survivor coping and response following terror events.

Student includes a discussion in which TMT is compared to another theory examining survivor coping and response following terror events.; however, many details providing context related to the best theory/approach in disaster response were lacking.

The discussion of comparison/contrast of TMT and a selected theory was absent from the work.

Writing style

15 possible points

Work is presented in a logical and coherent way. Writing is clear, articulate, and error free.

Work is grammatically sound with a few minor errors.

Work contains frequent grammatical errors.

Significant grammatical errors within the work severely affect the readability.

Formatting

15 possible points

APA formatting is complete, with all required elements identified in the instructions included within the work.

APA formatting is complete with some minor errors and/or exclusions of required elements noted in the instructions.

Work contains incomplete and inaccurate APA formatting.

Work contains no formatting.

Total

150 possible points

 

Instructions

Warm-Up 7.1: How to Write an Op-Ed Article

Op-ed is short for opinion-editorial. Traditionally, this type of writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines in their editorial pages. Longer than a letter to the editor, an Op-Ed piece provide the writer an opportunity to share a different perspective on a particular issue or problem. The intent of this type of reading is to educate or persuade the reader to take action. It is written in an essay format, typically between 700 and 800 words. It is written in an active voice.

Preparing an Op-Ed Article

Your assignment instructions provide you a basic overview of the topic you will need to address. Before you begin writing, however, you will need to begin to investigate the topic. What is known about this? What does research say about this issue?

Once you have completed your research, you will need to organize your information. An outline will assist you in doing this effectively and efficiently.

Begin by determining the three key points related to the issue or problem of which you want the reader to be aware.

Your introduction should lay out the issue or problem in a clear and concise manner. It is important to get to the point quickly.

From there, you will then need to present each of your key elements, using your research to support each. Remember to cite your information.

The major difference between a standard short essay and an Op-Ed article concerns the conclusion. It needs to summarize the entire issue succinctly, tying back to your introductory statement. You have two options to end your Op-Ed article.

You may suggest a possible action or conclusion – the reader should consider recycling, volunteering, etc. — OR you may state an action or conclusion — recycling has reduced waste; volunteering has helped increase student reading success, etc.

Assignment

It’s your turn to act as an agent of change. For this assignment, you will compose an op-ed piece that relates to a social issue or problem in your community. An op-ed piece is an opinion article that presents an alternative perspective of an issue. While op-ed pieces often are found in a newspaper’s editorial section, they are written by experts or members of the public who wish to share their observation or opinion on a current issue. They are slightly longer than a letter to the editor, and present a single, clear point of view. They are intended to catch the public’s attention and generally also include a call for action on the issue.

Write an op-ed article that reflects the core principles of community psychology that you have identified in previous activities and readings for this course, and focuses on what you believe to be a pressing social issues or problem in your community.  Although this is an opinion piece, you will still need to ensure your facts as presented are accurate and cited. Although you do not need to submit your article to a local media outlet, you certainly may, especially if you find that the topic is one you believe is timely and for which you have an identified passion as an agent of change.

Length: 1-2 pages