Time Management
For PSYC 251
Substance Abuse
Overview
Step 1: survey the work required
Step 2: assess the schedule of assignments
Step 3: make a plan
Initial Survey of Work
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2 books
2 NIDA publications
Videos
Recommended reading
2 Weekly Writing Assignments
2 3-4pp. Papers
1 Final Exam (8pp. Paper)
Weekly Assignment 1
Critical Reading Portfolio (5 total): Once per
week, students write a critical analysis of the
reading assigned for that week; to do this, they
identify one or two issues they want to focus
on and demonstrate the ability to take a
position, devise an effective argument, etc.
Weekly Assignment 1 Description
After a critical review of the assigned reading, identify at least
two theories, concepts, or research ideas that you find
important. For each theory, concept, or research idea
described, you should:
1.
2.
Briefly summarize the concepts and principles you find
important, providing support for your claims, and
Critique those that you find adequate or limited
Remember to support you position with logical arguments
and evidence (personal experience, other research,
etc.). Supporting your position is the most important aspect
of your entries and the aspect on which most of your grade
will be based, since this will reflect your ability to engage in
critical and integrative analysis of the reading.
Weekly Assignment 2
Discussion Forum Entries (5 total): A problembased question or case study will be posted
each week. Students will post an individually
derived response to the class-wide forum.
Weekly Assignment 2 Description
Search the literature and course readings for at
least 2 arguments advocating your position in the
Discussion Forum. For each argument identified,
you should:
Briefly summarize two arguments you find
important, providing support for your claims, and
critique those that you find adequate or limited
Then, respond to two other entries from your
classmates, preferably ones that argue the other
side of the issue.
Paper 1
Self-Help Meeting Attendance & Paper:
Students will write a reaction paper after
attending 1 self-help meeting. Each student will
attend either an open AA, NA, or AL-ANON
meeting. Then you will write a reaction paper of
3-4 pages reflecting on the questions outlined.
Paper 1 Questions
1. Was the meeting what you expected? Did anything
surprise or concern you?
2. Did the meetings change how you viewed or
understand substance abuse? How so or not so?
3. What qualities of the meetings that you attended
do you think would be helpful for a person in
recovery?
4. What qualities of the meetings might be barriers to
recovery?
Paper Rubric
Are your ideas clearly stated, organized into paragraphs with
linking statements, and grammatically correct? Do we as readers
struggle to understand what you’re saying because we can’t follow
your sentences or comprehend your meaning?
When you describe concepts central to the course, are these
clearly and accurately elucidated? Do you illustrate your
understanding of these central ideas by providing frequent
examples connected to the vignette?
Are you making claims regarding the ideas of the authors you are
summarizing in your essay responses? Are these claims and
assertions fully supported by references to specific elements in
their work? Do you give at least one quote or citation, as well as
specific page references, to support each of your responses to the
authors’ ideas? Is the bibliography accurate?
Paper 2
Reaction Paper to Beautiful Boy: Students will
read the book Beautiful Boy and write a reaction
paper. This assignment will measure your
competence in understanding the difference
between substance use, abuse, and dependence;
the roles commonly assumed by families affected
by substance abuse; view substance abuse from a
Biopsychosocial perspective; and social work values
and ethics, writing skills, and critical thinking.
Paper 2 Questions
The paper should be a minimum of 4 pages and a maximum of 6 pages. Paper should
adhere to APA style. Quotes from the text should be used to support your responses.
1. At what point in the book did you feel like the substance user’s use went from
normal use to abuse, and then from abuse to addiction? Explain and give
examples from the book.
2. Describe the substance abuse experience you chose from the book from a social
context. How would each of the four theoretical perspectives we reviewed in class
view the situation?
3. How did the narrative that you chose help you better understand the experience
of a family dealing with substance abuse? What risk and protective factors that
were discussed in class could you identify in the book?
4. What surprised or concerned you the most in how the family described their
experience with substance abuse?
5. Describe the substance abuser’s experience from a Bio-Psycho-Social perspective.
Make the connection between the person’s story and the concepts discussed in
class.
Final Exam
5. Students will complete a comprehensive
exam based on a case study. Students will be
expected to apply knowledge acquired over the
course to a vignette.
Final Exam Description
Answer a list of questions regarding a
hypothetical narrative, keeping in mind all the
topics covered during the semester. Support
your answers with examples from the narrative
as well as course readings. Also, feel free to add
to the narrative to flesh out concepts in the
questions. This paper should be written in
accordance with APA style and is limited to 8
pages in length.
Time Available
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
7
8
9
Watch
Welcome
Video on
Moodle
10
1st Learning
Portfolio
Entry Due
14
15
16
2nd
Learning
Portfolio
Entry Due
17
Self-Help
Meeting
Reaction CEC
Paper Due
21
22
23
3rd
Learning
Portfolio
Entry Due
24
11
12
Debate
Position
Paper (Is
addiction a
disease?)
Due
18
19
Debate
Position
Paper (Is
selfmedication
a viable
hypothesis
?) Due
25
26
Debate
Position
Paper
(Should
marijuana
be legal?)
Due
28
29
30
4th
Learning
Portfolio
Entry Due
31
Beautiful Boy
Book
Reaction
Paper Due
Saturda
y
13
20
27
Budgeting Time
Most experts recommend that students spend
2-3 hours per hour of class time, per week,
working to learn on their own. Note that I didn’t
call it “studying”; for this class you won’t really
“study” anything, although you will have plenty
of work to do.
For a 4-credit course, you should assume 4
hours per week of class time. So:
Some Basic Multiplication
4 x 2 = 8 hours working to learn
4 x 2.5 = 10 hours working to learn
4 x 3 = 12 hours working to learn
So, for this course, you should allow yourself 812 hours per week working to learn, on average
(note that some weeks you’ll need to spend
more time, and some you’ll need less).
Breakdown for Assignments
Starting Plan:
set aside 5 hours/week for reading
set aside 3 hours/week for weekly writing tasks
set aside 2-4 hours/week for larger paper tasks
Adjust as necessary.
Reading (Sample from Week 2)
• NIDA Publication: Drugs, brains, and behavior:
The science of addiction (~30 slides; 1h.)
• Miller & Carroll, Chapters 7 & 12 (37pp.; 2h.)
• ⅓ of Beautiful Boy (112 pp.; 1.5h.)
• Video: The House I Live In (108 min.)
Reading Strategy
• Miller & Carroll
Read first, separating chapters, if possible; make copious
notes (esp. of issues & arguments, for weekly writing
assignments, but also looking ahead to the final).
• NIDA pub.
Run through 1 time to get gist; run through again,
making notes on issues & arguments, but also &tc.
• Beautiful Boy
Read, making notes with Paper 2 in mind.
• The House I Live In
Watch, making notes on issues & arguments, &tc.
Writing (Sample from Week 2)
• 2nd Critical Reading Portfolio (2pp.; 1h.)
• 2nd Discussion forum (2pp.; 1h.)
• Paper 1 (3-4pp.; 2h.)
• Final Exam
Writing Strategy
• For weekly writing, sit with notes & texts to
construct issues & arguments; draft,
proofread, edit, & submit.
• For short papers, draft, proofread, edit, & set
aside; reread, redraft, proofread, edit, &
submit (allows for 2 drafts over 2 weeks).
• Try to spend at least 1 hour/week (weeks 1-3)
applying issues & arguments to the vignette
for the final exam (notes & draft paragraphs).
Using Time
• Try to break reading & weekly writing work
into 1-1.5 hour chunks; never less than 1 hour.
• Alternate between assignments.
• Try to break writing work for Papers 1 & 2, &
the Final, into 2-hour chunks (draft notes in
shorter chunks).
• Take no breaks during an established time.
Finding Space
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Retreat to a quiet corner; no music or TV.
No family or friends
No phone (give to someone to keep for you).
No internet; print assignments beforehand, so
you won’t need to open Moodle.
• Complain loudly if interrupted.
Questions?