PSYCO 432: Psychological Studies of Dreaming Final Paper (40% of Course Grade) Due: December 10th by 11:59PM
The final paper involves comparing and contrasting two perspectives that we’ve discussed in the class, Freud’s theory of dreaming and either Jung’s or Lacan’s theory of dreaming.
This paper should be written in 12-point font, with standard 1” margins, double-spaced, and in Times New Roman font. It should be between 8-10 pages. Citations should be written in APA citation style, and the paper should include a title page, reference page, and page numbers. This paper must be submitted as a PDF or word document (.doc or .docx).
Papers will be assessed on the basis of the clarity, accuracy, and depth of the content/analysis, organization of ideas, the appropriate use of sources and source materials, the quality of the writing and the professionalism of the overall presentation.
Please note that as this paper is a final exam, we cannot grant extensions except in the case of serious medical issues or extreme personal crisis. Your paper must be submitted via eClass by December 10th by the end of day (11:59PM). Please address any questions or concerns that you have to Dr. Kover ([email protected]) or Evan Shillabeer ([email protected]).
Final Assignment
You are required to analyze two of the theories of dreaming that we’ve discussed this semester, demonstrating your understanding of each theory, and comparing and contrasting these theories. Specifically, you must discuss Freud’s theory of dreams (as discussed in the first half of the course) and either Jung’s theory of dreams OR Lacan’s theory of dreams. Please note that compare/contrast essays require the comparison of theoretical ideas, not superficial comparisons or differences between the perspectives (i.e. Freud uses the word condensation, and Jung uses some other word- this is too superficial). Instead, you should summarize both perspectives and subsequently describe the similarities and differences.
Keep in mind, you must clearly explain both perspectives and then clearly explain how these are similar (i.e. from the same general theoretical tradition, namely psychoanalysis) and how these are different. In writing, you should assume that your reader is not familiar with these perspectives, so be certain that anyone could read the paper and understand the argument that you’re making. Remain focused on the task, and ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and precise. This paper may require some external research to fully explain these perspectives- be sure that you clearly cite sources when you draw from someone else’s work or ideas- failure to do so constitutes plagiarism regardless of whether or not you intended it. Finally, please note that while there are many possible perspectives on dream studies, this paper must only focus on those perspectives that we’ve discussed in class. You should not include any opinion concerning which perspective is better or worse. See below for a grading rubric. Student Name: Grade: /100
Quality of Writing (10%) • Lack of spelling errors • Lack of grammatical errors • Lack of basic structural errors (formatting) • Writing style is clear and precise.
OVERALL: /10 Professionalism (5%) • Paper meets the basic requirements outlined for this paper. • Paper is written in an appropriate and professional manner for an academic audience.
OVERALL: /5 Use of Source Materials (15%) • Evidence of thoughtful reading and research. • Clear use of appropriate academic sources and references from texts. • Topics are in-line with argument. • APA references are correctly employed • Student employs direct quotations appropriately.
OVERALL: /15 Organization (30%) • Evidence of a reasoned argument. • Use of organizational tools • Clear progression in argument • Paper avoids repetition of ideas. • Thoughtful organization of the paper and argument.
OVERALL: /30 Content (40%) • Clear thesis is provided, and evidence cited clearly supports the thesis. • Paper follows instructions, including detailed descriptions of each theory and several comparisons and differences between each theory discussed. • Content of paper is not superficial, and instead clearly demonstrates a deep understanding of the course content. • Evidence for argument is accurate, clearly articulated, and makes sense. • Major sources and sections are cited and discussed (i.e., no obvious gaps in reading). • Argument is persuasive and of high quality. • Student demonstrates clear understanding of the course content.