The New York Times (NYT) Assignment
Common Assignment One for PLO 2 – PSY 2210
The goals of this activity are to (1) help students find a current applied example of the course content,
(2) make this class more interactive, (3) add current international (each of us lives in an international
context) content to this class, and (3) promote reading as enjoyable and educational. This is one of
two UPCC Common Assignments approved for PSY 2210, the representative course for Program
Learning Objective 2. This required assignment has two steps, which are described below.
Troy University provides free copies of the New York Times (NYT) to students. In addition, the NYT
maintains a website, www.nytimes.com, where articles can be located.
FIRST, STEP ONE
1. Choose a topic in developmental psychology that interests you.
2. Find, read, and write about one article in a recent (published within the current term or
semester) issue of the New York Times (NYT) newspaper.
3. Write a summary of your article (at least 100 words), explain how it is an applied example of
developmental psychology (at least 100 words), and share this information (along with a copy
of your article or a direct link to it) with the class on our Blackboard course site in the NYT
Discussion Board Forum located in the Discussion Board area.
4. You are to visit two other posts made by your colleagues and discuss their posts.
5. See due date in your Course Schedule.
THEN, STEP TWO:
1. Write a 2-3 page paper (a minimum of 500 words), save it in MS-Word, and submit it via
LiveText and Blackboard, if Blackboard is requested by your instructor.
2. This paper will include the work you posted on the NYT Discussion Forum.
3. In addition, use your textbook as another source of information.
YOUR PAPER SHOULD INCLUDE:
1. An introductory paragraph,
2. A description of your topic (use your textbook as a source of information),
3. A summary of the NYT article and an explanation of the connection between your topic and
article (i.e., in what ways does the information in the article provide an example of your
topic), and
4. A concluding paragraph. In addition, write about the socio-cultural and international context
inherent in your NYT article.
5. Upload this assignment via LiveText and Blackboard (if Blackboard is required by
your instructor) by the due date identified in your course schedule. Designated
Common Assignments not submitted to LiveText will not be graded.
USE BASIC APA 6TH ED STYLE MANUAL FOR YOUR PAPER:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
12-point Times New Roman font, double-space, and one-inch margins on each side.
Include in-text citations for your sources based on APA 6th Ed Style Manual
A separate APA style references page in APA 6th Ed Style Manual
Make sure that each of your references (textbook, newspaper article) is cited in your text.
Conversely, each citation in your text must have a corresponding reference.
You can find detailed information on APA style on our Blackboard course site.
Your submitted paper will consist of the title page, 2-3 pages of text, and a references page at
minimum.
8. A rubric is located in the syllabus. This rubric provides you with grading
expectations/assessment criteria. Assessment points and grading points may differ.
9. Adhere to the College of Education’s plagiarism guidelines included in this syllabus.
The New York Times (NYT) Assignment
Common Assignment One for PLO 2 – PSY 2210
Assessment Rubric
Task Category
APA Style:
appropriate
application (i.e.,
margins, font,
etc.), appropriate
citation of
sources (student
paraphrases and
knows how to
use direct
quotes);
appropriate
mechanical
structure
(grammar,
spelling, etc.)
Exceptional
Above Average
Average
Below Average
(90 – 100%)
(80-89%)
(70 – 79%)
(69% or less)
4
3
2
1
Student
demonstrated a
mastery of APA
style; paper was
well organized
and
substantiated;
paper was well
written
Student
demonstrated an
above average
understanding of
APA style; some
citation or
structure errors
were present;
some grammatical
problems
Student
demonstrated
a basic
understanding
of APA style
(e.g., margins
may be
appropriate,
but citations,
where
required, were
not accurate);
grammatical
problems are
more visible.
Student did not
demonstrate an
understanding of
APA style, errors
of font, citations,
and structural
problems hinder
reading of paper.
Identification
Identification and
Identification
Topic from
APA
6.2
6.3
6.4
7.1
7.1
SLO
8
Topic from
Task Category
developmental
psychology
identified and
explained
Exceptional
Above Average
Average
Below Average
(90 – 100%)
(80-89%)
(70 – 79%)
(69% or less)
4
3
2
1
and explanation
of a topic from
developmental
psychology was
exceptional
explanation of a
topic from
developmental
psychology was
above average
and
explanation of
a topic from
developmental
psychology was
average
developmental
psychology was
not identified
and/or the
explanation was
below average
Provided an
exceptional
current “real
world” example
of the chosen
topic (NYT),
summary, and
explanation,
included a copy
of the article,
and posted
these on the
provided
discussion forum
Provided an
above average
current “real
world” example of
the chosen topic,
summary, and
explanation,
included a copy of
the article, and
posted these on
the provided
discussion forum
Provided an
average current
“real world”
example of the
chosen topic,
summary,
and/or
explanation,
included a copy
of the article,
and posted
these on the
provided
discussion
forum
Did not provide a
current “real
world” example
of the chosen
topic, summary,
or explanation,
the provided
example had no
relation to the
chosen topic,
and/or the article
was not posted
on the provided
discussion forum
APA
1.2(4)
1.3
SLO
1
2
3
Applied example
of the chosen
topic provided
(NYT),
summarized,
explained, and
posted on the
course
blackboard site.
APA
3.1
3.2
4.1
Task Category
Exceptional
Above Average
Average
Below Average
(90 – 100%)
(80-89%)
(70 – 79%)
(69% or less)
4
3
2
1
Demonstrated
exceptional
knowledge of
the sociocultural
and
international
context inherent
in the chosen
NYT article
Demonstrated
above average
knowledge of the
sociocultural and
international
context inherent
in the chosen NYT
article
Demonstrated
average
knowledge of
the
sociocultural
and
international
context
inherent in the
chosen NYT
article
Demonstrated no
or below average
knowledge of the
sociocultural and
international
context inherent
in the chosen
NYT article
4.2
6.3
6.4
SLO
6
Demonstrate
knowledge of the
sociocultural and
international
context inherent
in the chosen
NYT article
APA
8
SLO
3
5