Developing Psychology Assignments

Basic Assignment Template:

Assignment: [Specific psychological concept]
Objective: Students will [measurable learning outcome]
Task: [Clear action with real-world application]
Deliverable: [Specific format and length]
Rubric: [3-4 clear criteria with performance levels]

Example:

• Topic: Cognitive biases
• Task: Identify and document 3 cognitive biases in your daily decisions over one week
• Deliverable: 2-page reflection with specific examples and psychological explanations
• Assessment: Accuracy of bias identification (40%), quality of examples (30%), psychological insight (30%)

Progress:

• Identify specific learning objective tied to course standards
• Choose assignment type: application, analysis, research, or reflection
• Design authentic task connected to real-world psychology
• Create clear rubric with measurable criteria
• Include scaffolding for different skill levels
• Test assignment scope (time/difficulty appropriate)
• Plan feedback mechanism

Assignment Types:

1. Application: Apply theory to personal experiences or case studies
2. Analysis: Critique research studies or psychological claims
3. Research: Conduct mini-studies or literature reviews
4. Reflection: Connect course concepts to lived experiences

Example 1: Social Psychology Input: Need assignment on conformity and social influence Output: Students observe and analyze group dynamics in three different settings (cafeteria, study group, social media). They identify instances of conformity, document the psychological mechanisms at play, and propose one intervention to encourage independent thinking.

Example 2: Developmental Psychology Input: Want students to understand lifespan development Output: Interview assignment where students conduct structured interviews with people from three different life stages about the same major life transition (career choice, relationships, etc.), then analyze responses using developmental theories.

Example 3: Research Methods Input: Students need to practice experimental design Output: Design a simple study testing one psychological phenomenon they've experienced. Students write a 3-page proposal including hypothesis, methodology, and predicted results, then peer-review two other proposals using provided criteria.

• Connect to student experience: Use examples from their lives, current events, or popular culture
• Build in choice: Offer 2-3 topic options or format alternatives
• Scaffold complexity: Break large assignments into smaller checkpoints
• Include real psychology: Require citation of 2-3 peer-reviewed sources minimum
• Make it active: Avoid pure summary assignments; require analysis or application
• Set realistic scope: 1-2 hours of work per credit hour per week
• Provide models: Show examples of excellent work from previous semesters

• Avoiding vague prompts: Don't ask students to "discuss" or "explore" without specific parameters
• Over-complexity: Resist assignments requiring advanced statistical knowledge unless taught
• Pure memorization: Assignments shouldn't test only recall of facts or definitions
• Impossible requirements: Don't require access to special populations or expensive materials
• Missing ethical considerations: Always address confidentiality and consent in observational tasks
• No connection to theory: Every assignment should explicitly tie to psychological concepts
• Unclear expectations: Rubrics must specify what constitutes different performance levels