PSYC 108 - Reading and Writing in Psychological Science

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

This first-year writing seminar is designed to develop critical reading skills across a range of work in Psychological Science and to practice different kinds of writing. Open only to first year students, this course satisfies the college requirement for a First-Year Writing Seminar. The specific topics of these first-year writing seminars in Psychological Science vary, and despite its variety of topics, this course may not be repeated for credit.

Topic for 2024/25a: Neurodiversity. This class looks at some of the ways in which differences in brain architecture, chemistry and wiring can impact the lives of children and young adults. Topics for reading and writing include: ADHD, the autism spectrum, and dyslexia. Nicholas de Leeuw.

Topic for 2024/25b: The Art and Science of Resilience. Resilience has many faces and takes many forms. How do people who suffer from early disadvantage, chronic illness, devastating loss, and/or other traumas manage to build/rebuild lives of meaning, achievement, and service? What are the most effective ways to overcome adversity or to recover from a setback? [How] Can the art and science of resilience, grounded in the experiences of resilient individuals and communities, equip us in any way to face challenges that affect the whole human community? This semester, we examine the art and science of human resilience, and think together about the many ways in which people face, process, and respond to significant challenges. A rich and growing scientific literature on human resilience informs our considerations of artistic explorations of resilience. As a course in Psychological Science, a substantial portion of the writing assignments involve the critical reading of scientific texts and the construction of evidence-based, scientific arguments. Sue Trumbetta.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS