AP Psychology
3rd Quarter Project –Choose ONE of these options
Option 1 – Life Timelines
Choose 10 important events from your own past and 10 events that you foresee happening in
your future and explain these events and their significance in terms of the theories of development we
have discussed (and will discuss – choose from any in the textbook). Examples of significant events
could include your first word, the development of theory of mind, getting married, retiring, etc. Be as
detailed as possible with your real and hypothetical events.
You will turn in a neat, attractive timeline with all of the events either on a poster or using the website
tiki-toki.com (or other similar website, but I know this one works well) as well as a paper explaining your
events and their connections with the theories of development. Papers and timelines may be submitted
as a hard copy or on Google Drive.
Timeline is neat and
meets expectations for
AP-level effort (10
points)
Timeline is neat and
meets some
expectations for APlevel effort (7-9 points)
Timeline is mostly neat
and meets
expectations for
honors-level effort (4-6
points)
All 20 of the events
Most of the events
10 or fewer of the
chosen are significant
chosen are significant
events chosen are
life milestones and are life milestones and
significant life
clearly relevant to
relevant to theories of
milestones and/or
theories of
development (11-19
events have only a
development (20
points)
tenuous connection to
points)
a theory of
development (6 – 10
points)
Paper demonstrates
Paper mostly
Paper attempts to
appropriate and
demonstrates
demonstrate
correct usage of English appropriate and
appropriate and
grammar and formal
correct usage of English correct usage of
style (10 points)
grammar and formal
English, with many
style, with a few
errors (3-6 points)
mistakes (7-9 points)
The significance of all
The significance of
The significance of
20 events is correctly
most events is correctly most events is correctly
interpreted using at
interpreted using at
interpreted using a
least one theory of
least one theory of
theory of development
development (40
development and
(20-29 points)
points)
interpretation is
attempted for all
events (30-39 points)
Total points possible:
80
Timeline is not neat
and does not meet
expectations for
honors-level effort (0-3
points)
Fewer than 12 events
are chosen; 8 or fewer
events are
significant/relevant to
theories of
development (0-5
points)
Paper does not
demonstrate
appropriate or correct
usage of English
grammar or formal
style (0 – 2 points)
Fewer than half of the
events are correctly
interpreted using a
theory of development
(0 – 19 points)
Option 2 – Self-Improvement
This choice will require you to reflect on your personal habits and choose one that you would
like to change that you think can be altered using conditioning techniques that we have studied.
Examples include cutting back on swearing by forcing yourself to put a quarter in a jar every time you
curse (I have heard of someone doing this for this project and it worked), quitting the snooze alarm by
reinforcing yourself for getting up the first time your alarm goes off, or not procrastinating homework.
You must submit a proposal (see page ___ for a form) that is signed by your parent/guardian and by
me before beginning this project or you will not receive credit. This is primarily for your safety and to
make sure that you will have the support of your family in making your change, which should make the
project easier.
You will submit a brief daily log that covers at least two weeks describing your actions related to the
habit and conditioning. A log entry could look like this: “Paid $1.00 to the swear jar today. I was doing
really well until my computer shut down in the middle of my paper and I got angry,” or “Only hit the
snooze once this morning and didn’t even wait for it to go off again before I got up.”
You will also submit a reflection paper at the end of your experience that addresses the following
questions:




Why did you choose this habit to change?
What kind of conditioning techniques did you employ to try to change it?
Were your efforts successful?
What factors most influenced the success or failure of your change?
The log and paper may be submitted in hard copy form or on Google Drive.
Log contains at least 14
consecutive days’
worth of entries (10
points)
All log entries provide
details on actions
related to the habit
and conditioning,
including reasons for
daily success or failure
in making a change (30
points)
Paper demonstrates
appropriate and
correct usage of English
grammar and formal
style (10 points)
Log contains 12-14 days
of entries or at least 14
days that are not
consecutive (7-9 points)
Most log entries provide
sufficient details on
actions related to the
habit and conditioning,
including reasons for
daily success or failure
(20-29 points)
Log contains 8-12
entries (5-6 points)
Log entries may
details on actions
related to the habit
and conditioning but
do not address
reasons for success
or failure (10 – 19
points)
Paper mostly
Paper attempts to
demonstrates
demonstrate
appropriate and correct
appropriate and
usage of English grammar correct usage of
and formal style, with a
English, with many
few mistakes (7-9 points) errors (3-6 points)
Log contains fewer
than 8 entries
(0-4 points)
Few log entries contain
sufficient detail on
actions related to the
habit or conditioning
(0-9 points)
Paper does not
demonstrate
appropriate or correct
usage of English
grammar or formal
style (0 – 2 points)
Terms related to
conditioning are always
correctly applied and
explained in the paper
(10 points)
Terms related to
conditioning are correctly
applied and explained in
the paper, with a few
errors (7-9 points)
Paper thoughtfully,
honestly, and
thoroughly addresses
the assigned questions
(20 points)
Paper attempts to be
thoughtful, honest,
and/or thorough in
addressing the assigned
questions and is mostly
successful (11-19 points)
Terms related to
conditioning are not
consistently correctly
applied and
explained in the
paper (4-6 points)
Paper is thoughtful,
honest, or thorough
(but not all three) in
addressing the
assigned questions
most of the time(610 points)
Terms related to
conditioning are rarely
used correctly in the
paper (0-3 points)
Paper does not
demonstrate attempts
at thoughtfulness,
honesty, or
thoroughness (0-5
points)
Total points possible:
80
Option 3 – Psychology and Public Policy
Choose an issue related to public policy concerning psychology to research and report on.
Possible topics include but are not limited to





Public funding for mental health hospitals and conditions in those hospitals
Insurance coverage for treatment of psychological conditions/disorders
The insanity plea
Mental illness in prisons
Laws concerning education and funding for students with mental, behavioral, or emotional
disabilities
Your topic proposal must be signed by me in order to receive credit for this project. This is so that I
can make sure that your research topic is relevant to the assignment and that you will be able to find
material on it. You will submit a 2-3 page research paper with a works cited page on your topic.
Questions to address in your paper may include:



What is the current policy on this issue? When was it made?
What was the previous policy on this issue? How is the current policy different? Who supported
the change?
Who is affected by this policy and how are they affected?
Paper shows an
appropriate depth of
research (at least 4
valid sources used) that
cover multiple
Paper shows an
attempt at depth of
research (at least four
valid sources used) but
does not cover multiple
At least 3 valid sources
were used; a forth was
included but was not
valid (10-14 points)
Paper does not
demonstrate an
appropriate amount of
research (fewer than 3
viewpoints on the issue
(20 points)
All sources are
correctly cited in MLA 7
format (5 points)
Introductory paragraph
effectively captures the
reader’s attention and
sets up the importance
and relevance of the
policy being explained
(10 points)
Paper demonstrates
advanced and
interesting word choice
and is logically
organized (5 points)
Paper includes,
explains, and interprets
sufficient facts and
details relevant to the
topic (20 points)
viewpoints (15-19
points)
Most sources are
correctly cited in MLA 7
format, all sources are
cited but some may
have errors (3- 4
points)
Introductory paragraph
attempts to capture
the readers’ attention
and/or set up the
importance and
relevance of the issue
(8-9 points)
Paper demonstrates
appropriate word
choice and is logically
organized (4 points)
Paper includes and
attempts to explain
and interpret sufficient
facts and details
relevant to the topic
(14-19 points)
Paper demonstrates
Paper mostly
appropriate and
demonstrates
correct usage of English appropriate and
grammar and formal
correct usage of English
style (10 points)
grammar and formal
style, with a few
mistakes (7-9 points)
Concluding paragraph
Concluding paragraph
summarizes and
summarizes and
supports the important supports the important
points of the paper and points of the paper and
articulates the
may attempt to
significance of the issue articulate the
(10 points)
significance of the issue
(6-9 points)
Total points possible:
80
Some sources are
correctly cited in MLA 7
format, all sources are
cited but some have
errors (1-2 points)
valid sources used) (0-9
points)
Not all sources are
cited (0 points)
Introductory paragraph
explains the topic
without describing its
relevance or
importance (4-7 points)
Introductory paragraph
is ineffective or is not
there (0-3 points)
Paper demonstrates
appropriate word
choice and is mostly
logically organized (2-3
points)
Paper does not
demonstrate
appropriate word
choice and/or is not
logically organized (0-1
point)
Paper does not include
sufficient facts or
details and has little to
no explain or
interpretation of them
(0-6 points)
Paper does not
demonstrate
appropriate or correct
usage of English
grammar or formal
style (0 – 2 points)
Paper includes facts
and details that may be
sufficient in number,
but does not explain or
interpret them (7-13
points)
Paper attempts to
demonstrate
appropriate and
correct usage of
English, with many
errors (3-6 points)
Concluding paragraph
summarizes the paper,
but does not follow
through with support
or significance (3-5
points)
Concluding paragraph
is not there or does not
adequately summarize
the paper (0-2 points)
Proposal Form
I plan to research and write about the following topic for Option 3:
Teacher signature ______________________________________ Date submitted____________
I plan to change the following habit for Option 2:
I will use the following form of conditioning to help me make this change (describe the
punishment/reinforcement you will use, help needed from family or others, etc):
Parent/guardian name (please print) _________________________________________
Email address or preferred contact information for parent/guardian
Parent/guardian signature _________________________________________
Teacher signature _________________________________________ Date submitted _______________