For Psychology majors....

[HSstudent]

I need help! I am currently enrolled in a DC Composition class and I have to ask a student and a professional ( in our potential field of study) the following questions. I know they are insufferably boring, but if you can find the kindness in your heart to respond, please do.

1. What kinds of writing are students required to do in classes in this field?

2. How would they characterize the role of images and other graphic elements in this writing? What role, if any, do multimedia play in their writing?

3. How is their writing evaluated by their professors?

4. What advice about writing would they give to other students taking classes in this discipline?

Thanks if you actually answer this.

[MysticCat]

Shouldn't you be asking people you actually know and can talk too? For all you know, answers you get from strangers on the Internet could be from circus clowns.

[sirnaps]

Hi! I'm a psychology major and I think I can help but I'm not entirely sure if this is what you're looking for.

1. What kinds of writing are students required to do in classes in this field?
----- A majority of the writing assignments I have had to do up to this point in my major were research manuscripts following the APA format. They're basically detailed lab manuals that report the findings of experiments and then evaluate them accordingly.

2. How would they characterize the role of images and other graphic elements in this writing? What role, if any, do multimedia play in their writing?
----- Images and graphics are really important with these writing assignments because we use them to illustrate demographics of the research subjects; give examples of the conditions used in the experiment; some of the findings that might be difficult to understand; and mathematical equations.

3. How is their writing evaluated by their professors?
----- Professors typically grade these writing assignments checking for accuracy in the information reported and how well the papers follow the APA guidelines. Many paper reviews also include suggestions on how to make the research seem more appealing to the public.

4. What advice about writing would they give to other students taking classes in this discipline?
----- I would advise students to really read the APA manual and familiarize themselves with the formatting. It is not uncommon for students to lose major points for the slightest infraction against the APA format. The manual really details the differences between a regular research paper and this type of manuscript.

Hope this helps!