u Both of your reaction papers will be written using the American Psychological Association (APA) style and format, 6th edition. You will start by selecting one movie from the list provided below. In the first reaction paper you will discuss certain aspects of the movie that relate to the topics in your textbook that are covered during the first 7 weeks of class. Your paper will analyze one or two characters from the movie based on some of the topics found in these chapters. The second reaction paper will be a continuation of the first reaction paper, further relating your characters to topics in your textbook that will be covered during the last 7 weeks of class.
Your first reaction paper will consist of a title page, abstract page, reference page and 2-3 pages of the analysis of your characters. Your first paper will include at least 6 cited references: 3 cited references to pages from the appropriate chapters, as well as 3 cited references (relating to those same chapters) from academic journals, books, or professional internet sources such as the American Psychological Association, www.apa.org or the Association for Psychological Sciences, www.psychologicalscience.org. (These sites provide references to appropriate articles that you may use in your paper.)
Your second reaction paper will be a continuation of your first paper using the same characters from the movie you selected, but you will now relate your characters to topics found in chapters covered during the last 7 weeks of class. For this second paper, you will adda minimum of 3 cited references from the appropriate chapters in your textbook and add at least 3 more references from academic journals relating to these same chapters.
Your final paper will have a minimum of 6 cited references for your textbook and 6 cited references from other sources such as academic journals, books, or other credible web sites such as APA.
Your final paper will consist of a title page, abstract page, reference page and an analysis of the movie based on the topics in the book – approximately 7-9 pages total.
Because writing is a process, I will provide you with feedback along the way to your final paper. This feedback should be used to make corrections/additions to your final paper. Your first paper with feedback must be handed in with your second paper. Check the tentative calendar for due dates.
Both reaction papers must be completed to receive a grade for the course. Points will be deducted for late papers at the rate of 10 points per day after the due date.
Movie List:
Awakenings (1990). Based on a true story by neurologist Oliver Sacks, this film portrays Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams) as a psychiatrist in charge of patients who are apparently catatonic. He achieves success, albeit temporary, via neuropharmacology aimed at increasing dopamine levels in the brain.
Regarding Henry (1991). Henry (Harrison Ford) is a ruthless and driven lawyer who sustains a gunshot wound to the head during an interrupted robbery. What results is amnesia as well as a significant change in his personality. The film focuses on his recovery as he comes to terms with the person he once was.
Legends of the Fall (1994). Tristan (Brad Pitt) falls from innocence as he embarks on a journey into the darkest secrets of love, betrayal, and the unbreakable bonds of blood. This movie portrays an evolution over a lifespan of joy, hate, compassion, and rites of passage.
At First Sight (1996). Val Kilmer stars as a man who has been blind since birth and has learned to relate to the world through his sense of touch. The movie illustrates his experiences following experimental surgery to restore his vision.
50 First Dates (2004). A romantic comedy about young adult love in which Adam Sandler portrays a young man who falls in love with a girl (Drew Barrymore) with an unusual type of memory loss. She maintains memories throughout the day, but every night she loses those new memories and awakens the next day starting over. Sandler’s character must find new and effective methods of winning her affections every day.
Still Alice (2014). Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she’s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband (Alec Baldwin) and three grown children (Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, and Hunter Parrish). When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s changes her life—and her relationship with her family and the world—forever.
American Sniper (2015). Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris (Bradley Cooper) finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.
