Objective: To prepare a term paper no longer than 8-9 pages (APA format, double spaced, 1 inch margins, properly cited with references, excluding title and reference page) to critically reflect upon the cumulative course content as relates to the volunteer experience. A minimum of six (6) references are required, and you may cite the actual power point lectures no more than twice. At the end of each lecture, you will find the references your instructor used to create the presentation. These resources can be used for your APA citing purposes and do not count toward to two lecture citing limit. Students will include references from readings and/or other scholarly references. Please note that D2L and Power Point lectures contain resources for all readings/multi-media sources which may be useful to reference as you construct your paper. Prose should be scholarly; however, first person is appropriate for a reflection paper.
Please refer to the following documents to further guide you in writing your paper: Assignment 10 (reflection), Assignment 11 (organization), Weekly Module Overviews, and Template for Final Paper.
Students are advised to follow the rubric criteria AND should refer to the CHS 305 Template Final Project Paper to ensure you are including the relevant and required components.
Note: with the exception of the introduction and conclusion EACH PAPER SECTION should specifically link to at least one concept, theory, model, framework, etc. from course content. Successful students review all lecture materials, lecture references, text book, assigned readings, assignments, multi-media presentations, etc. in synthesizing key points for inclusion in the paper. Assignments #10 and #11 are specifically designed to support this process and are excellent resources to use in formulating term papers in other coursework.
| Criteria | Exemplary
(90 – 100%) |
Competent
(70 – 89.9%) |
Not yet competent
( < 70%) |
| Introduction/Background
Summary (5 points) |
Section is clear and well-thought out and conveys setting and care provider | Clarity inconsistent, at times well-developed, other times unclear | Vague, incomplete or non-scholarly throughout section |
| Nature of suffering encountered (10 points)
What frames, classifications, or types of suffering did you observe and/or experience? |
Description (defining and linking types of suffering) is clear and robust in breadth and depth, relates to course content with relevant citations | Description has depth and breadth in areas, intermittently relates to course content, minimal citations | Description is emergent with scholarly attributes, lacks relevance to course content, lacks citations |
| Attempts to alleviate suffering encountered (10 points) | Description is clear and robust in breadth and depth, relates to | Description has depth and breadth in areas, intermittently relates | Description is emergent with scholarly attributes, |
| By what means does this organization and the people who work/volunteer there go about relieving suffering? | course content with relevant citations | to course content, minimal citations | lacks relevance to course content, lacks citations |
| Resolution of suffering
(status/results of dilemma resolution) (10 points) How effective is your organization at mitigating or addressing the suffering? Are there facts, figures, and data to substantiate their effectiveness? What is your observation and experience regarding the resolution of suffering? |
Description is clear and robust in breadth and depth, relates to course content with relevant citations.
Student locates statistical information from actual setting or similar programs at local, regional, state, or national level from which to support their discussion |
Description has depth and breadth in areas, intermittently relates to course content, minimal citations
Student mentions information, but does not include robust statistics from which a scholarly perspective is discussed. |
Description is emergent with scholarly attributes, lacks relevance to course content, lacks citations
Student fails to include statistical data in the paper, or it is a very weak resource, such as personal information from a supervisor, a blog, etc. |
| Critical reflection of setting, interaction with care professional (10 points)
Describe the characteristics of social interactions between the care provider and those who suffer, linking what you observed or experience to course content (for example, Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, Need to Belong Theory, Maslow’s etc.). |
Insightful, descriptive and well-thought out utilizing critical thinking and application of course content, appropriate citations
Defines, discusses and links at least one theory, model, or framework to substantiate discussion. |
Critical reflection is appropriate, critical reflection demonstrated sporadically, occasional application of course content, minimal citations
Student mentions a theory, etc., but does not sufficiently link to the experience |
Reflection limited in critical application of course content, lacks appropriate citations
Fails to discuss or link a theory, etc. to discussion. |
| Discuss motivations and emotional strategies of care professional and your own (10 points)
What motivational characteristics, theory, emotional intelligence, or self-care/compassion fatigue |
Clear, concise discussion of strategies with relevance to course content, appropriate citations
Defines, discusses and links at least one |
Ambiguous or vague description, limited relevance to course content, minimal citations
Student mentions a theory, etc., but does not sufficiently link to |
Inadequate discussion with limited relevance to course content, lacks citations
Fails to discuss or link a theory, etc. to discussion. |
| did you observe or can you infer? | theory, model, or framework to substantiate discussion. | the experience | |
| Transcending Suffering: discuss what evidence or indications exist that transcendence of suffering is occurring and what you would recommend to assist in this process (10 points)
What observations or insights can you infer with respect to the cyclic relationship among concepts from Morse & Penrod’s (1999) model depicting the phases toward the reformulated self (M5L1)? What evidence or indications did you find that suffering is being transcended? |
Insightful, descriptive and well-thought out utilizing critical thinking and application of course content, appropriate citations
Specifically discusses several concepts from the model and links them to observations or inferences. |
Critical reflection is appropriate, critical reflection demonstrated sporadically, occasional application of course content, minimal citations
Mentions the model, but fails to specifically link several concepts. |
Reflection limited in critical application of course content, lacks appropriate citations
Fails to discuss the model other than a passing mention. |
| Conclusion, your opinions, reflections (5 points)
Summarize your experience, paying particular attention as to how it relates to course content. How will you apply this experience in your future role? In your personal life? What are the ‘take home’ messages that you would like the reader to know? |
Demonstrates application of course content to volunteer experience, disseminates same in scholarly manner | Intermittent application of course content to volunteer experience | Subjective conclusion lacks application of course content to volunteer experience |
| References, APA formatting (5 points) | uses minimum of 6 references (no more than 2 were lecture power points), cited properly with separate reference page | uses 3-5 references, mostly correct in text citations, separate reference page | < 3 references, occasionally correct in text citations, lacks or incomplete reference page |
| Volunteer log sheet (15 points) reflecting 9 hours of | 15 points awarded for completing 9 hours of | Points will be prorated if less than | Does not provide a log sheet |
| community service at an instructor-approved setting | community service
Alternate version: 15 points awarded for completing 12 hours of video field work |
the 9 requisite hours were performed. Students completing 9 hours or more are awarded the full 15 points. | |
| Peer Evaluation (10 points) | All sections complete with thoughtful and insightful comments demonstrating linkage of course content to volunteer experience | Sections incomplete or lacking in critical thinking and/or constructive feedback | Largely incomplete or limited in quantity/quality of feedback being provided. |
