Final Paper Learning Analysis 20%

In this 10-12 page paper you will reflect on your learning throughout this course and
synthesize many of the readings, personal reflections and writings, activities, and
other material presented/discussed in class.

Generally, this paper will include:

1) Your conceptual learning about race, culture, racism, oppression, and

privilege through the class and experiential activities, organized by
themes
2) Your learning about yourself and your process of development in
relation to these concepts and issues
3) Your ideas for application of your learning in terms of personal,
professional and other relationships moving forward
You can structure your paper as you wish; however, you can use the above 3
sections as a framework and outline your paper addressing each of the 3 areas. You
must be careful to avoid repetition in any case, because it is likely that all 3 areas
overlap. Also, I expect that you will be going back to your previous writings to reread and review your earlier thoughts and reflections. You will need to include some
of this material in your final paper as a way to discuss what youve learned over the
course of the semester and any way in which your thoughts have changed or
evolved as a result of the class. NOTE: I will also look for your inclusion of responses
to any comments I made on earlier writings.

Below are some additional thoughts and what I will be looking for as I evaluate your
paper.

I.

Conceptual learning about race, culture, relationships. The challenge

here is to be focused and try to organize your learning around themes.
Examples of concepts or themes include (but are not limited to) race,
racism, power and privilege, ethnicity, culture, oppression and other
forms of discrimination, social identities, social hierarchies, social
justice, allies, etc. Conceptual learning might also includeyour learning
about people different from yourself (Otherness Experience). NOTE: I

dont expect this to be a comprehensive overview of everything you

have learned or all the concepts we have covered. I expect you to
consider and integrate learning that is most important to you,
described as thoroughly as possible and illustrated with examples and
specific information from different experiences (e.g., readings from
your textbooks, class discussions, your otherness experience interview,
your experiences and other conversations youve had with classmates,
etc.). In this section, I would like for you to discuss at least 3 readings
from class either chapters in your textbooks or other peer-reviewed
sources that helped connect you to the material we explored. What
was meaningful and important about these readings? What did you
learn from them?
II.

Learning about yourself. This is where Id like to hear about your

journey and your self-insights/observations about where you are now in
relation to where you were in September. This part of the paper may
overview changes in your self-awareness and your awareness of your
own race, culture, identity, etc. generally, and/or in relation to the
particular group or identities of the person you interviewed for your
Otherness Experience. You may discuss what it was like to learn about
these issues and what you learned about yourself throughout the
process.

III.

Application. This section is about what you will do with your learning.
Here I am asking you to consider how your learning this semester
(about yourself, about issues of race and culture, power and privilege,
oppression and social justice more generally) will affect your
relationships. This could include effects on actions with peers, your
approach to people generally, your view of and interaction with the
media and other social institutions, your career aspirations or
understanding of your professional role and activities, etc. It may also
include your thoughts about what it might mean to be an ally or
advocate, if this is something you aspire to be.
Here are some questions you might consider or reflect on for this finalsection:
How can/will the ideas, feelings, and issues presented in our class belived?
What do the issues discussed mean to you in your life? What do theymean to
you in your role/identity as a student or a psychology major, withyour
particular career plans? If we talk about fighting oppression, socialjustice, or
being an ally how are we to engage this in our lives?

NOTE: Youcan also disagree, presenting what you think should be the major
issues inbuilding positive relationships across differences, in psychological
practiceand helping professions. Describe how you disagree with the ideas or
stancespresented in this course in terms of the salience or importance of
culturaland racial issues in psychology, relationships, and society in general.
Beingable to disagree is also part of racial and cultural awareness and
analysis.Remember, when thinking and writing critically, there are no right or
wronganswers! Just be sure to provide your thoughtful reasons for what you
thinkso that I can understand your perspective. Explore your thinking
critically and take risks.

One final note on my criteria for grading: In addition to the above information that
Ive provided in as much detail as possible, I will be grading your paper based on
the quality of your writing. Sometimes this is the only criterion in which you end up
getting points taken off because your ideas are good overall but you are not
representing them as clearly, thoroughly, and professionally as I think you should at
this stage in the class and in your undergraduate career. Please proofread and
check that sentences are complete, as well as check grammar and spelling. Please
adhere to the page requirements. And please feel free to come talk to me if you are
having any difficulties completing the assignment, preferably well before the last
day of class when it is due.

Grading Rubric:

5 points = Adherence to writing guidelines and proper

spelling/grammar/punctuation, including adherence to APA style guidelines for
citations and references. Here are some examples of what is associated with
receiving 5 points, 4 points, 3 points, etc.

Almost entirely free

of spelling,
punctuation, and
grammatical errors.
Sources are cited
and referenced
accurately and
appropriately.

Contains several
errors, which may
temporarily confuse
the reader but does
not impede the
overall ideas or
understanding

1
Contains so many
errors that it is
impossible for the
reader to follow
the thinking from
sentence to
sentence. Contains
many awkward or
ungrammatical
sentences and
misused words.

5 points = Adherence to assignment instructions and requirements, including

how clearly you address the questions, suggestions and expectations for each
section

5
Excels in
responding to
assignment and
following all
requirements,
including page
requirement. Entire
assignment is
organized and
coherent, and the
reader is clear on
how one
idea/example ties to
the overall paper.

3
Adequate but
weaker and less
effective response
to the assignment.
Structure of the
paper is less logical
and coherent. The
reader cannot
identify some of the
required questions
or suggestions for
reflection in
response.

1
Does not respond
clearly to the
assignment and
neglects several of
the required
questions or
suggestions for
reflection. Focuses
on irrelevant
details or
information.

10 points = Thoughtfulness and depth of paper, including use of examples from

personal life, class discussions and activities or film clips; material from our

textbooks or other sources you are reading relevant to this paper; and examples
of critical thinking and analysis

10
Demonstrates
thoughtful
responses and
informed discussion
of concepts,
recognizing
complexity of
issues/experiences.
Demonstrates
critical thinking
skills. Uses relevant
sources and
examples to
support reflections
and ideas.

Often uses
generalizations to
support points
without any obvious
supporting
examples or
sources. Usually
does not
acknowledge other
viewpoints or new
discoveries. Uses
some supporting
material but not as
relevant.

Total possible points = 20

SAMPLE
Contact celikahmet25f@gmail.com
For a full paper rewrite

1
Merely
summarizes or
copies past writing
with little reflection
or thought about
it. Uses irrelevant
details or lacks any
supporting
material/examples.
Does not include
thematic material
or discussion of
any
concepts/construct
s.

Race, Culture, and Religion

Name:
Institutional Affiliation:

Race, Culture, and Religion

Definitions
Race can be defined as a category of people who share certain inherited physical
characteristics, such as skin color, facial features, and stature (Peterson, Wunder & Mueller,
1999). Generally, the term describes a certain subset of people who share almost similar physical
appearances, for example Caucasian, black-skinned, or even bi-racial. On the other hand, culture
is the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a
particular time (Dictionary.cambridge.org, 2015). In this regard, it generally acts as a guideline
of how human beings are expected to conduct themselves and what they can or cannot do. In
addition, it is set and socially learnt and imbedded throughout lifetime interactions. In some
popular African cultures for example, circumcision is compulsory before a boy is considered a
real man in the society. Racism is a negative attitude by people of a particular racial background
against those of a different race. There is a belief that a certain racial group is more superior to
another and therefore they cannot be at the same level socially, economically, and politically.
This can be due to various reasons such as prejudice, past negative experiences or just

xenophobia. In the contemporary world, racism is common towards Africans and dark-skinned
people including the minority groups. Perhaps the most obvious illustration of this was in the
1990s in South Africa when the whites segregated themselves from the blacks during apartheid.
In a nutshell, it is an act that denies other human beings of their basic rights such as freedom of
expression and autonomy as they are controlled by discrimination and bias.
Oppression is the act of directly frustrating the growth and progress of another individual for
ones self satisfaction. It is an attempt to stagnate the process of prosperity and is unjust and
abusive of power by senior authorities. It is mostly used to keep individuals in check and to