Want your students to be better writers? This section offers advice on how best to use the "Put It in Writing" assignments to do this.

Promoting Writing Across the Curriculum

We often lament the fact that students do not have adequate writing skills. The "Put it in Writing" section allows you to have students write on the content of each chapter. There are a variety of different assignments. Some assignments require students to begin to think about a concept, such as the assignment in Chapter 12 asking students to identify abnormal behavior. Some assignments are learning checks, such as the assignment in Chapter 1 asking students to set up an experimental design. Other assignments ask student to experience psychological content, such as the assignment in Chapter 9 asking students to report on real-world examples of gender stereotyping for children.

In addition, the assignments can be used in a variety of ways. Some of the assignments can be given before the concept is discussed. Students are more likely to discuss an issue if they have thought about it before AND they have something in writing before them.

The assignment can also be given as a group project. Small groups could consult and report back to theclass at large.

Some of the writing assignments could also be given as essays on exams.

Writing often helps students begin to think and solidify their information about psychological concepts.