Hong Kong Community College

1st Semester AY 2009-2010

CC2413 Fundamental Psychology for Health Studies
Guidelines for Individual paper
(30% of the total coursework assessment)

Individual Paper: Each student is required to submit an individual paper (both the hard copy to my #034
th
mailbox at 15 floor of HHB campus and the soft copy via the Moodle’s assignment box) of no more than
750 words (format: typed, Font size 12, double-line spacing, 1-inch margins, APA format in referencing) on
or before Week 12, Nov 21, Saturday, 2009.

I. Objectives:
1. to provide a chance for you to work independently and demonstrate you academic potential and
understanding in the subject area; and
2. to encourage self-reflections, enhance insights, self-awareness or understanding with the subject
knowledge; and/or
3. to facilitate you to relate, integrate, and apply the knowledge and psychological concepts/theories
learnt
a. to your own development; or
b. to specific real-life issues/challenges usually faced by the health care professionals

II. Expected learning outcomes:

On successfully completing this assignment, you should be able to:

Recognise and explain the key developmental stages and issues of human being over the life span
OR

Appreciate how different aspects of psychology are related to stress, health, and illness
AND,

Demonstrate abilities to apply psychological techniques and coping strategies to deal with
challenges and stress within yourself and of the relevant health professionals

III. Topic:
Please write on the ONE of the following suggested topics:
a) Identify and discuss ONE specific psychological/social weaknesses (e.g. any kind of phobias,
emotional, egocentric, insecure attachment, not assertive, low self-esteem, poor self-control,
defense mechanisms, etc.) of you as you grow that you would like to change, or you can also
select and analyze a specific individual from people around you in the real life (e.g. your
friends, your family members, etc.) and discuss ONE of his/her major psychological/social
weaknesses and how would you propose to change his/her weakness with reference to what
you have learnt in this subject.

b) Identify and discuss ONE specific health-related problematic behavior / habit / lifestyle (e.g. any

1 Updated on 26/08/2009 by May Poon for CC2413

 kind of substance abuses/dependences/additions, poor dieting, overeating or under eating, lack
of exercise, overwork, etc.) of you as you grow that you would like to change, or you can also
select and analyze a specific individual from people around you in the real life (e.g. your
friends, your family members, etc.) and discuss ONE of his/her major health-related problematic
behavior / habit / lifestyle and how would you propose to change his/her problematic behavior
with reference to what you have learnt in this subject.

IV. Content:
1. Cover page – Your name, student ID no., course code and name, lecture group (101 / 102), tutorial
group (A / B / C / D), title of your paper, instructor’s name, and date of submission should be on the
cover page.
2. Content pages –
- Describe your own weakness / health-related problematic behavior and its major impacts
- Explain the major causes of your own weakness / health-related problematic behavior with the
MOST relevant/appropriate psychological concepts/theories learnt
- Provide suggestions/solutions on how to change/control your weakness or the behavior by
applying the MOST relevant/appropriate psychological concepts/theories learnt
- Total word counts (e.g. 738 words) at the end after the last paragraph.
3. References (adopt APA/MLA format) – To avoid any suspect of plagiarism, you must give proper
citations in your text and a corresponding list of references at the last page if any of your
points/information are/is derived from other sources (e.g., newspaper, books, websites, etc).

V. Grading Aspects:

Criteria Weight

Understanding
• Interpretation of concepts and theories 25%
• Relevancy of the concepts and theory used to the selected topic

Rationale and Analysis

• Reasoning are logical & well-supported (e.g. provide clear, specific & good
examples or scientific evidence) 25%
• Identify the major causes and effects of the weakness/ health-related
problematic behavior / habit / lifestyle
Suggestions
• Quality of the suggestions (e.g. relevant, specific, practical, creative, etc.) 25%
• Application of concepts and theories to deal with own / others’ weakness or
problematic behavior
Organization & Writing Style:
• Structure of the paper is clear, smooth, systematic & logical, coherent &
focus
• Coverage has well-balanced the depth & width of the topic & is complete 25%
(e.g. cover key definitions/points/concepts/theories)
• Style – clear, to-the-point, correct grammar, appropriate word choice,
coherence
• APA/MLA format if references have been used: proper citations in text,
complete references list, coherence between citations & references
Total 100%
2 Updated on 26/08/2009 by May Poon for CC2413
Reminder:
Marks may be deducted if the guidelines set out above are NOT complied with. In addition, plagiarism is a
serious disciplinary offence; please note the official line regarding penalty as stated in the student handbook
applies.

3 Updated on 26/08/2009 by May Poon for CC2413