6/17/2014
Description and Educational Objective Guidelines
Every continuing education session in the preliminary and final program must have a
description and 2 educational objectives.
Sample of a session description and educational objective:
Discussion Group 67: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on the Dissociative Disorders
This discussion group will explore the interface of psychoanalytic and dissociative disorders
theory and practice in the study of dissociation and the dissociative disorders. The
presentation of a patient with a dissociative disorder treated in analysis or analytic
psychotherapy will be followed by the intense study and discussion of transcripts of a series
of treatment sessions, allowing the group to track and explore the ongoing process of the
therapeutic work, assess the impact of interventions upon dissociative defenses and
processes, and follow the vicissitudes of memory, transference countertransference
reenactments, and enactments across dissociated states.
After attending this session, participants should be able to: 1) Describe manifestation of
defensive processes in the characteristics, interactions, and switches of dissociated aspects of
mental structure and function; 2) Assess the meanings of switch processes occurring during
sessions and their participation in the relationship between the dissociative patient and the
analyst.
Guidelines for writing a description and educational objectives:
1. Description: As an informative introduction to your session, your session description
should include the following:
 To whom the group is targeted
 Background on the group’s topic; any texts, films, or music to be discussed
 Details about presenters, their area of expertise or their professional involvements
 Any other information you would like potential participants to know
Descriptions should not be written in the 1st person and should be about 100 words. Please
count the words of your description. Descriptions over 124 words will be returned to be
revised.
2. Educational Objectives: An educational objective is an outcome statement that captures
specifically what knowledge or skills the learner should be able to exhibit following the
session.
 Educational objectives should be observable and measurable.
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Educational Objectives should (1) focus on the learner, and (2) contain action verbs
that describe measurable behaviors.
Each session must have two educational objectives
Each objective should start with an action verb (see below for recommended verbs)
Verbs to consider when writing educational objectives:
- list, describe, recite, write, summarize
- compute, discuss, explain, predict
- apply, demonstrate, prepare, use
- analyze, design, select, utilize
- compile, create, plan, revise
- assess, compare, rate, critique
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Verbs to avoid when writing educational objectives: The following verbs are not
acceptable:
- know, understand
- learn, appreciate
- become aware of, become familiar with
- have faith in, better understand, believe.
Start your educational objectives with this sentence:
 After attending this session, participants should be able to:
1)
2)
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Some examples of well-written educational objectives:
After attending this session, participants should be able to:
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Recognize termination as a distinct phase and process
Apply Lacanian concepts to diagnose psychosis
Summarize several fMRI study designs in neuroscience and psychotherapy and
identify major brain areas in depressed patients
Describe regressions of individuals in the context of dyads or families as an
aspect of pathology.
Compare levels of psychic functioning on a continuum from the more organized
to the more disturbed
Employ interventions that take into account the extremely limited use of words
and reality/fantasy distinctions permitted by primitive, pre-mentalized modes of
thought