As students and career-path professionals, we encounter a large amount of information. Some information we simply need to know, and other information we need to retain and act on for future use. This is true in all aspects of our lives: school, work, home, and so on. Note taking is one tool that we use to manage the information (written or verbal) we must process. This tool is not specific to academia alone: Professionals use it on a daily basis as well. Just consider the vast amount of information you receive via email each day alone. Paul LeBlanc addressed this dilemma when discussing the concept of busy versus productive:

Time Management

Each day, there will be information you receive/review that requires some sort of action or follow-up. Note taking is an effective way to manage information of all types (school, work, personal, verbal, written, etc.) and keep yourself on the path of productivity and success.

Taking into account the reading and the project materials this week, along with the content above, work to address the following in your initial post:

1. Share a time outside of school when you took notes on something so you could use/act on them at a later time. This might come from a multitude of things, like a home project, shopping for a computer, instructions on how to cook a recipe or make something, meeting with a contractor for work in the home, items your children needed when going to school, projects at work, learning a new technology, information about client needs, notes on a presentation, and so on. How important were your notes in helping you complete your task later? Explain.

2. As you review the instructions for Final Project II this week (both the guidelines and rubric document and the project template), what pieces of information stand out as being important? What strategy from the reading this week resonated with you that you could apply to help organize your notes on this important project?

3. Finally, what type of information might you encounter in your specific degree program or career that would benefit from the strategies reviewed this week?

I have posted information regarding your paper in our PSYC 351 class, the “My Lot in Life” project, in Week 8. General information about the paper structure and expectations are posted in this module, and will be relevant to all topics (e.g., length, APA style, reference requirements).

Your randomly-assigned “lot” is having to decide whether to keep your daughter, when she turns six years old and is tested as “gifted”, in her current grade, or to have her skip a grade next school year. You are responsible for finding relevant and meaningful material on this topic and using the material to write an integrated essay as to how your story or plan for the future would unfold, given this “lot” you have been assigned.

Your paper is due by 2359 on Sunday, March 4. In Week 5, one of our Discussions will be based on finding and choosing research articles on your topic. In the meantime, take some time to consider what this experience would mean in your life, and to start reading up on the topic.

As always, please email me with questions or post in the Ask the Professor forum.

Syllabus Information (I am unable to download complete syllabus to attach):

The major project in this course is called “My Lot in Life.” In the paper you will address the issue in “your lot” (e.g., your child is born with Down syndrome). Topics will be randomly assigned to you during the second week of class via email.

The paper involves presenting the issue, identifying the relevant psychological theories and concepts, summarizing the current research, and stating why the issue is important. Your summarization of current research must identify both sides of the arguments or all ways of dealing with the issue; for example, whether to mainstream or institutionalize children with Down syndrome. You must also discuss how you would deal with this “lot.” The paper may not consist only of answers to these questions; it must be an integrated essay. You will tell the story from your point of view but will incorporate research about the topic that is informing your decision-making process.

You must include at least four peer-reviewed empirical journal articles, two scholarly website references, and one current article in a popular-press magazine (this may also be a television magazine–show piece).

The paper is to be 6–8 pages long, not including the title and reference pages. The title page, reference page, page numbering, and in-text citations must be in proper APA format. You will submit this paper via TurnItIn (see below module). Papers are due by 2359 on Sunday March 4.

Grading Rule Brick below:

Presentation of “Lot”

Exceptional

5 points

Exceeds Expectations

4 points

Meets Expectations

3 points

Meets Some Expectations

2 points

Meets minimal expectations

1 point

Not Done

0 points

Basic Information

 

Current Research and Trends

 

Discussion of Options

 

Decision

 

Overall

Met expectations

2 points

Partially met expectations

1 point

Did not meet expectations/did not complete