ONLY for KIM WOODS

In regards to discussion posts I generally follow the guidelines spelled out in Walden's grading rubric in regards to posts (see the grading rubric outlined in the course information section of blackboard). However, if you do not use APA format or references in at least your initial post, I will deduct at least 5 points for that (so please do that).  This is also the same rules for assignments, that they must follow APA style format. Also, in past courses I have been flexible in certain situations regarding delayed or late posts. I do believe that life sometimes gets in the way when we least expect it to. Please know that I would prefer a late post than no post at all.  However, I will not accept posts that are more than a week late.  If you are not able to post by the required date for whatever reason, just please let me know beforehand. As a rule, however, I do deduct points off the posts if they are late so as to be fair to those who post on time.

In addition, I will be following very closely with Walden's Tunitin Policy, which I posted below. Therefore, any paper that is submitted to me with more than 30% of the paper with improperly cited passages (or to many cited passages) I will return the paper to you and ask for you to re-review it and for a re-write if necessary. You will not lose points if the original paper was submitted on-time, but will be given a limited period of time to review/rewrite the paper (2-3 days).

I have provided an outline of what is specifically required for discussion posts and written assignments in this course:

Discussion Posts:

All posts to all discussions require APA citations and references. Each student is to respond to 2 other students’ posts for every discussion throughout the course.  This is the rule for this class; there are discrepancies in this on the Blackboard site. However, going forward,  If you post more than 6 response posts by day 5 you will be eligible for 3 points extra participation credit to make up for any lost points (my class rule).

I will be posting on discussions and I am requiring a response from you so please check throughout the week for when respond to your discussion post (usually by day 5)

All initial posts and response posts are due on the days specified on Blackboard (usually Day Three and Five).  If your post is late for whatever reason please make sure your posts are posted by Day 7.  I am no longer allowed to accept posts after Day 7 as per Walden’s Policy, and any posts. If you know that there is a circumstance that will prevent you for making the post on time or by Day 7, please email me to discuss.

The way a reader (myself and other students) can see that you understand the information, theoretical models, concepts, and words you are discussing is to write about them in your own words as much as possible, tell us what the article authors said by paraphrasing, using your own language. Scholarly does not mean you have to write using multi-syllabic words. Writing a bit like you talk is fine if the reader can understand and if your spelling and grammar are correct.

Read the rubric before and while you write. Let it guide you as to what you write. This is straightforward. In discussion posts you can draft a post in a word document where you have pasted the instructions for each point to be made in the post. You can then write your answer/post right under this instruction and copy and paste the whole thing onto the discussion list. This can help you stay on track.

The idea in discussions is to have as much of a conversation as possible. Notice that the “feedback” rubric score for “excellent” says: RESPONSES  --if you fail to respond at all, the grade for feedback is 0 out of 10 points.  This does not even consider quality of posts, doing nothing causes a loss of 10 points

CITATIONS AND REFERENCES:  Initial posts and the 2 required responses must have citations and references from the professional literature.  Using only the case as a reference/cite is NOT sufficient.  This is a vignette, it is not research that will back up a claim.  Every post should have a claim you are making  (e.g. "I think an eco map is good to use here",  "Strengths based is best here", "Women in violent relationships often attempt to leave 9 times before leaving for good).  You then must have a cite/ref. that backs up this claim, e.g. an article that states eco maps are good to use in situations similar to the case under discussion.

Written Assignments:

Walden University has a strict policy on written assignments, whereas all papers are required to follow APA format.  The only exception is that they no longer require a running head on the papers.  Most of you already adhere to this format and I have not been as strict in my grading when reviewing your papers on this, but going forward (Week 7 and beyond) I will now follow closely to Walden University requirements and the rubric.  The outline for an APA paper is below, and I have attached a sample for your review. 

In addition, as I mentioned in my introductory post at the beginning of the quarter. following very closely with Walden's Tunitin Policy, which I posted below. Therefore, any paper that is submitted to me with more than 30% of the paper with improperly cited passages (or too many cited passages) I will return the paper to you and ask for you to re-review it and for a re-write if necessary. You will not lose points if the original paper was submitted on-time, but will be given a limited period of time to review/rewrite the paper (2-3 days).

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

APA Format Outline:  In general, your paper should follow these formatting guidelines:

Margin. Although formerly, the required measurement for margins is 1 ½ inch, now, it is required that margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, right) should each just measure one (1) inch.

Font Size and Type. Font for text all throughout the paper should be 12-pt., Times New Roman.

Spacing. Double-space for the whole document, including appendices, footnotes, tables and figures. For spacing after punctuation, space once after commas, colons and semicolons within sentences and space twice after punctuation marks that end sentences.

Text Alignment and Indentation. Alignment should be flush left, or aligned to the left creating uneven right margin.

Active Voice. Traditionally, the APA writing format requires writing in an impersonal form. That is, refraining from using pronouns such as ‘I' or ‘We' in your statements. Now, it has changed. Most disciplines require the active voice. An example of this would be, instead of writing “according to the study,” it should be “according to our study.” This way, papers are made to be as active as possible.

Order of Pages and Pagination. The order of pages should follow this format:

Title Page > Abstract > Body > References > Appendices > Footnotes > Tables > Figures

The page number should appear one inch from the right corner of the paper on the first line of each page. The title page will serve as the Page 1 of your paper.

Title Page

The Title Page should contain the title of your paper, your name as its author (including co-authors), your institutional affiliation/s and author note if applicable. In case there's no institutional affiliation, just indicate your city and state or your city and country instead.

As mentioned earlier, your title page will serve as your Page 1. It should be typed centered on the page. If it requires more than one line, please be reminded to double-space between all lines. Your name appears double-spaced as well, below the paper title.

The author note is where information about the author's departmental affiliation is stated, or acknowledgements of assistance or financial support are made, as well as the mailing address for future correspondence.

Abstract

The Abstract of your paper contains a brief summary of the entirety of your research paper. It usually consists of just 150-250 words, typed in block format. The Abstract begins on a new page, Page 2. All numbers in your Abstract should be typed as digits rather than words, except those that begin a sentence.

Body

The body of your research paper begins on a new page, Page 3. The whole text should be typed flush-left with each paragraph's first line indented 5-7 spaces from the left. Also, avoid hyphenating words at ends of line.

Text Citation and References

Text Citations are important to avoid issues of plagiarism. When documenting source materials, the author/s and date/s of the sources should be cited within the body of the paper. The main principle here is that, all ideas and words of others should be properly and formally acknowledged.

The Reference Section lists all the sources you've previously cited in the body of your research paper. It states the author/s of the source, the material's year of publication, the name or title of the source material, as well as its electronic retrieval information, if these were gathered from the Internet.

Appendices

The Appendix is where unpublished tests or other descriptions of complex equipment or stimulus materials are presented.

apaformat.pdf

SOCW 6200 week10 and 11

Week 10: Gender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Sexism, Power and Privilege

Introduction

In order to understand and assess human behavior, one must be aware of the pressures that gender-based stereotypes have on people. Social workers need to understand how human diversity affects behavior.
—Zaslow and Kirst-Ashman (2016, p. 431)

Gender expectations and gender roles are most evident when they are being violated. When people defy the gender roles that a particular society defines as “normal,” tension and pressure to conform to those roles arises. It is this tension that creates an impact on one’s personal and professional environment, as it can affect psychological development and impact behavior. This week consider the differences among gender, gender identity, and gender expression as they relate to power and privilege.

References
Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze impact of sexual identity and gender role on one’s social environment

• Analyze impact of sexual identity and gender role on one’s behavior

• Analyze impact of sexual identity and gender role on one’s self esteem

• Create a bio-psycho-social assessment

Required

• Bos, H. M. W., Sanfort, T. G. M., de Bruyn, E. H., & Hakvoort, E. M. (2008). Same-sex attraction, social relationships, psychsocial functioning, and school performance in early adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 59–68.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Required

• Braly. J. (2002). Oliver’s pink bicycle [Audio file]. Retrieved from http://themoth.org/posts/stories/olivers-pink-bicycle

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 7 minutes.

• Discussion: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression

Think about the moment in which you became aware of your sexual orientation.  Do you recall making a conscious choice to be gay or straight? Some believe that gender identity and sexual expression is a choice, or more likely, that “people choose to be gay.” The counter to that belief is that one does not “choose” his or her sexual orientation; it simply is. This week you consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation impacts his or her environment and experience.

When adolescents question their sexual orientation or gender identity, they encounter various reactions from individuals in their environment. For this Discussion, consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation may impact his or her environment and experience.

Post by Day 3 your answer to the following question:

• • How might potential reactions to an adolescent’s questioning of their sexual identity, or gender role, impact their social environment, behavior and self-esteem?

  • As social workers, what role can we play in assuring the best outcomes for these adolescents?

Please use the Learning Resources to support your answer.

• Project: Bio-Psycho-Social Assessment
  Assessing a client’s biological, psychological, and social history is a holistic approach that is an essential aspect of social work practice. Since one area often affects the other two, it is important to get as accurate an assessment as possible when working with a client. Social workers use the bio-psycho-social tool to communicate specific information, and possible conclusions, about a client to other professionals. It is, at once, a summary of current issues and problems; a listing of past factors that may be relevant to the current situation; and a description of potential issues that may have an effect on the client in the future. In addition to describing the client’s challenges and problems, the assessment identifies strengths and assets that are available to provide support. For this Assignment you create a bio-psycho-social assessment.

Submit by Day 7 a 8 to 10-page paper that focuses on an adolescent from one of the case studies presented in this course. For this assignment, complete a bio-psycho-social assessment and provide an analysis of the assessment. This assignment is divided into two parts:

Part A: Bio-Psycho-Social Assessment: The assessment should be written in professional language and include sections on each of the following:

• • Presenting issue (including referral source)

  • Demographic information

  • Current living situation

  • Birth and developmental history

  • School and social relationships

  • Family members and relationships

  • Health and medical issues (including psychological and psychiatric functioning, substance abuse)

  • Spiritual development

  • Social, community, and recreational activities

  • Client strengths, capacities, and resources

Part B: Analysis of Assessment. Address each of the following:

• • Explain the challenges faced by the client(s)—for example, drug addiction, lack of basic needs, victim of abuse, new school environment, etc.

  • Analyze how the social environment affects the client.

  • Identify which human behavior or social theories may guide your practice with this individual and explain how these theories inform your assessment.

  • Explain how you would use this assessment to develop mutually agreed-upon goals to be met in order to address the presenting issue and challenges face by the client.

  • Explain how you would use the identified strengths of the client(s) in a treatment plan.

  • Explain how you would use evidence-based practice when working with this client and recommend specific intervention strategies (skills, knowledge, etc.) to address the presenting issue.

  • Analysis the ethical issues present in the case. Explain how will you address them.

  • Describe the issues will you need to address around cultural competence.

Week 11: Suicide

Introduction

Suicide can occur during almost any time of life. However, it might be considered especially critical in the years of adolescence and youth.
—Zaslow and Kirst-Ashman (2016, p. 360)

Competent social workers are knowledgeable about indicators of potential suicidal behavior. Understanding how to recognize and respond to someone who is contemplating ending his or her life is an important aspect of competent social work practice. No one can prevent another from taking his or her own life, but when there is an understanding about what precipitates this desire, the chances for a successful intervention can be greatly improved. This week consider the reasons, indicators, and interventions surrounding the potential act of suicide.

References
Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze indicators of suicidal behavior present in a case study

• Evaluate responses to indicators of suicidal behavior

Required

• Russell, S. T., & Joyner, K. (2001). Adolescent sexual orientation and suicide risk: Evidence from a natural study. American Journal of Public Health, 91(8), 1276–1281.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Miers, D, Abbott, D., & Springer, P. R. (2012). A phenomenological study of family needs following the suicide of a teenager. Death Studies, 36(2), 118–133.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Optional

• Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Required

• Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

  • The Parker Family

Required

• Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Parker family (Episode 3) [Video file]. In Sessions. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

• Discussion Question: Indicators of Suicide

Increased stress levels, feeling hopeless and alone, being bullied, or experiencing repeated physical or sexual abuse could all be reasons why some adolescents consider suicide. Adolescent suicide has far-reaching consequences on families, friends, communities, and schools. For this Discussion, use the Parker Family case study to consider the indicators of suicide. Also think about how you might react to students in this situation if you were a social worker in a school.

Post by Day 3 your answer to the following:

• • After learning about the character in the Parker Family case study, imagine that you were the school social worker. Which indicators would you have looked for and why.

  • How would you have responded to each of those indicators?

  • What kinds of questions would you have asked and why?

Please use the Learning Resources to support your answer.