PSY 311 Theoretical Paper
Fall 2008
Description: Your paper is to be a three-page paper in which you apply a personality theory covered in this
course to explain the behavior of a character in a novel, film or television program.
Objectives: The objectives underlying this paper are two-fold.
1. Learning to use personality theory to understand people’s behavior. This requires knowing the theory
well enough to apply the primary concepts to new situations in a way that leads to seeing the situation
from a fresh perspective. Being able to apply the knowledge of personality you are learning is one of
the primary objectives of this course.
2. Improving writing and critical thinking skills. Being able to think well and to communicate your ideas
clearly are two essential abilities. The freedom to select the scenario and the personality theory that
you will write about leaves a great deal of room for your critical thinking to be applied to a scene that
you find particularly compelling. A powerful scenario coupled with sound reasoning and new ways of
looking at things makes for an interesting and valuable paper.
Choosing the scenario and the personality theory: These two aspects of the paper are left intentionally
broad so that you can write about a scenario that is personally compelling. While it might be easier for
both of us if I simply gave everyone the same scenario from a novel to analyze, this would lead to less
interesting writing (and reading) and be further removed from how you will use your knowledge in the
“real world.”
As for the selection process, many find it helpful to generate a list of scenes from novels, films or television
programs that have stayed with them over time and that they have found particularly surprising, interesting,
and/or meaningful. This, of course, eliminates most scenes from TV sitcoms. The length of the scene can
vary, but keep in mind you will want to be able to provide an account of the scene in a relatively brief
amount of space. Be selective in this process, as an uninteresting or transparent scene will not make for a
stirring paper. After you have made your list, select the two personality theories that you feel you
understand most thoroughly. Then analyze how each theory would explain the behavior in each scene on
your list. For example, if applying Freudian theory, you might think about how the characters’ behavior
might be explained in terms of intrapsychic conflict, defense mechanisms, and psychosexual development.
This part of the process requires plenty of effort, as the quality and depth of the conceptual application are
very important.
You will now have two theoretical explanations for several different scenes. From these, select the
explanation that you think is most compelling. This will be the scene and explanation you will use for your
paper.
Organization: Given the brevity of the paper, every sentence will need to be carefully crafted and directly
relevant to your main purpose. A paper much longer than three pages indicates the need for further
revision. You will start with an opening paragraph that briefly touches on the scene to be analyzed, the
theory to be applied, and the conclusion you reached. This serves as a lead statement to capture the
reader’s interest and lays out the main ideas that will be presented. Because additional ideas can come
during the writing of subsequent paragraphs, it is a good idea to reconsider this paragraph after you have
written the rest of the paper.
The next section should be a brief description (not longer than 2/3 of a page) of the scene you will analyze,
including the setting and the characters involved. What transpired should be very clear, even to someone
who is not familiar with that scene. This section should be followed by a brief section in which you lay out
the main aspects of the personality theory you will use to explain the scene. There is no need to go into
great detail, just enough to provide sufficient background for your analysis. You can assume that your
reader has enough understanding of the theory that you do not have to go into detail. Remember that you
will need to cite whatever sources you use (including the textbook; see the APA Publication Manual if
unfamiliar with the citation process).
The next section is really the heart of your paper. This is where you apply the theory to your selected
scene. Your analysis will employ critical thinking, creativity, and sound reasoning in understanding the
characters’ behavior. Most readers will have at least a superficial understanding, so you will want to
provide more depth. The quality of your analysis will be the primary determinant of your grade. Finally,
in your closing you will want to bring closure to the composition by rounding out ideas and thoughts and
by leaving the reader with something to think about.
Format: Papers should follow APA style format (e.g., 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and 12-point font).
This format is used in most psychology journals and books, and is increasingly used in other disciplines as
well (e.g., education). For reference, see
American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Information can also be found on the Internet on the Butler Library web page.
Recommendations: Because a paper that includes spelling and grammatical errors gives the impression of
slipshod work, every effort should be made to eliminate all such errors. Some steps that might help in this
area include:
1. Read your paper aloud, listening carefully for sentences that do not make sense or that sound awkward.
2. Have someone else read your paper, carefully noting any problems encountered. Oftentimes students
in class will agree to read each other’s paper. This is typical of the process that authors use for their
manuscripts prior to publication.
3. Proofread your paper one final time. Remember that relying on a computer program to catch
misspellings is usually insufficient. If possible, it can be helpful to have not looked at it for a day or
two so that you can read it over with a “fresh eye.”
Important Note: Plagiarism must be avoided at all costs. The important underlying principle is to
avoid presenting another author’s work as your own. While there are no hard and fast rules, if you
are going to use more than three consecutive words from another’s work then the words should be
put in quotes and the original work cited. Rather than use numerous quotes, it is better to provide
your own interpretation of the author’s idea whenever possible (and still cite the ideas as the
author’s). Although it can seem difficult to paraphrase a particularly well-written statement
without it losing some of its meaning, plagiarism is academic fraud and grounds for course failure
at the least. If you are at all unclear as to what constitutes plagiarism, please see me before writing
your paper, as ignorance of the concept is not an acceptable excuse.
Deadline: Papers are to be turned in no later than 9:25 a.m. on Thursday, November 20. Please see the
syllabus regarding preparing papers ahead of the deadline and fairness penalties for late papers.
Evaluation criteria: Papers are worth a possible 40 points. Your paper will be evaluated on the following
criteria:
Is the writing clear, including grammar and spelling?
Is the focus of the paper clearly presented in the first paragraph?
Is the scenario described clearly?
Is the theory presented clearly?
Does the analysis make sense and is it of appropriate depth and quality?
You have my support and hopes for success as you embark on this endeavor. Please do not hesitate to
come by my office or email me as questions arise. I look forward to reading the results of your efforts.