SCS 100 Project 3: Final Reflection Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Your third longer-term assignment in this course is a presentation or short paper in which you will share your question derived at the end of your observation
journal in learning block 4-3 and discuss why it is important and how developments in the social sciences contribute to our understanding of ourselves, each
other, and the world around us.
This final reflection will assess the following course outcomes, which you focused on throughout the fourth theme (Weeks 7 and 8):
Investigate major developments in the progression of social scientific thought for informing critical questions that drive social scientific inquiry
Articulate the value of the social sciences for their impact on contemporary issues
Prompt
Your third project is a presentation or short paper (you are free to choose) that explores the question you posed at the end of your observation journal. With
that question as your topic, you will explain why the answer to it is important to understanding yourself, other people, and the world around you and how the
social sciences have developed to help us answer these important questions. The critical elements of this assessment will be evaluated by the information in
your presentation or paper. Be sure your actual question is apparent on the presentation or paper.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your submission:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Explain why your question is important to you as a member of society.
Detail the major developments in social science thinking that drive questions regarding studying the individual. Use course resources to back up
your discussion.
Explain how finding the answer to your question might impact others around you. For instance, who might be most invested in the answer?
Detail the major developments in social science thinking that drive questions regarding studying others. Use course resources to back up your
discussion.
Explain why studying human behavior and identity is a valuable human endeavor.
Detail the major developments in social science thinking that support the study and advancement of the social sciences as necessary and valuable.
Use course resources to back up your discussion.
Supporting Work and Resources
Throughout the fourth theme of this course, there are supports you will use as you work directly on different elements of the final reflection.
1. In learning block 2-7, you submitted your observation journal. Review your submission and the feedback for this assignment via the Project 2 submission
link in the My Grades section of the course. Use the question you created from your observation journal for your final reflection. You are free to
incorporate any feedback from your instructor on this question into your final reflection.
2. In learning block 6-3, you submitted a micro-presentation or short answer response to give you an opportunity to practice elements of the final
submission. For this assignment, you reflected on what you considered to be some of the most significant developments covered in the third theme of
this course and addressed the following:
a. Identify the developments and how they impact individuals or larger groups/cultures.
b. Describe how the developments changed society’s understanding. How is the development applicable outside of the social sciences?
View this submission and the feedback for this assignment via the My Grades section of the course and incorporate this assignment into your final
reflection.
3. If you choose to submit a presentation instead of a paper, you may use PowerPoint, Prezi, or another presentation platform of your choosing. Reference
the Supporting Resources document for instructions on how to use different presentation programs. Be sure to include notes as needed in your
presentation in order to meet the outlined critical elements.
4. In learning block 7-1, it was suggested for you to work on Section III of your project. If completed, use this as well as the instructor feedback when
working toward your final submission. You can view this via the Student Dashboard.
5. Learning block 8-1 includes a Final Reflection Submission Checklist that you can use to ensure you have met all the requirements of this project. Your
instructor is available to provide guidance and answer any questions you may have as you work to finalize your final reflection.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your actual question must be apparent on the presentation or in the short paper. If you choose to write a short paper, it should be
double spaced and 1–2 pages in length.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information,
review these instructions.
Critical Elements
Importance of
Question
Studying the Self
Answer
Studying Others
Human Endeavor
Exemplary (100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates mature awareness
of the connections between the
question and being a member of
society
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
examples chosen demonstrate
insight into social science
thinking
Proficient (85%)
Explains why the question is
important as a member of
society
Needs Improvement (55%)
Explains why the question is
important as a member of
society, but is overly generalized
Not Evident (0%)
Does not explain why the
question is important as a
member of society
Details major developments in
social science thinking that drive
questions that support studying
the individual, using course
resources to back up arguments
Does not detail major
developments in social science
thinking that drive questions
that support studying the
individual
16
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates mature awareness
of the connections between the
answer to the question and
others
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
examples chosen demonstrate
insight into social science
thinking
Explains how finding the answer
to the question might impact
others
Details major developments in
social science thinking that drive
questions that support studying
the individual, but does not
utilize course resources to back
up arguments, is cursory, or has
inaccuracies
Explains how finding the answer
to the question might impact
others, but is overly generalized
Does not explain how finding the
answer to the questions might
impact others
16
Does not detail major
developments in social science
thinking that drive questions
that support studying others
16
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
details demonstrate insight into
social scientific study
Explains why studying human
behavior and identity is a
valuable human endeavor
Details major developments in
social science thinking that drive
questions that support studying
others, but does not utilize
course resources to back up
arguments, is cursory, or has
inaccuracies
Explains why studying human
behavior and identity is a
valuable human endeavor, but is
overly generalized
Does not explain why studying
human behavior and identity is a
valuable human endeavor
16
Details major developments in
social science thinking that drive
questions that support studying
others, using course resources
to back up arguments
Value
16
Study and
Advancement
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
examples chosen illustrate a
strong argument for the value of
social scientific study
Details the major influences on
social science thinking that
support the study and
advancement of the social
sciences as necessary, using
course resources to back up
arguments
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a
professional and easy-to-read
format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Details major influences on
social science thinking that
support the study and
advancement of the social
sciences as necessary, but does
not utilize course resources to
back up arguments, is cursory, or
has inaccuracies
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Does not detail major influences
on social science thinking that
support the study of the social
sciences
16
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
4
Total
100%
SCS 100 Project 3 Paper Exemplar
My social scientific question is, how do cognitive biases influence our behaviors to adhere
to gender stereotypes? Cognitive biases impact our perception of others. I have learned
throughout this course that our perception influences the assumptions we make about others,
which in turn influences our behavior. My question is important because it begins to question
why we do what we do. It is important to me as a member of society because I engage in
behaviors that adhere to gender stereotypes and I want to understand the motivation behind these
behaviors. I would use this information to make an informed decision about continuing to adhere
to these stereotypes.
Major developments within the social sciences have changed the way we study individuals.
According to the History of Psychology Timeline in learning block 3-2, cognitive psychology,
which was created in 1956, is focused on cognitive states and studying concepts such as
cognitive biases. It was the development of this subfield that led to key understandings of how
our brain processes and perceives. In turn, this led to understanding of how unconscious biases
influence our behavior.
There have been major developments within the field of social science that have impacted
the way groups of people have been studied. Gender inequality within the United States is
important, but it is also important to look outside of the United States. In learning block 3-1, we
learned that globalization has led to more research being done in other countries and that new
technology has led to rapid dissemination of news stories from all over the globe. These
advancements have allowed us to read about stories like that of Malala, who was shot because
she was a girl who wanted to go to school. These major developments have made it possible for
us to see the importance of gender equality research. In the Sociology and Anthropology
Timeline in learning block 3-3, we learned that towards the middle of the twentieth century,
myths of racial difference were debunked by sociologists and anthropologists in North America.
These research findings are major developments that were the foundation for policy change that
called for greater equality. The timeline also highlights the current notion that research can be a
form of social activism.
Social scientific research has changed in the face of globalization and new technology. The
learning block 3-1 overview describes how neuroimaging techniques have led to advancements
in identifying structures of the brain associated with perception, love, altruism, and aggression.
Therefore, new neuroimaging technology is a major development within the social sciences that
has led to us understanding concepts like prejudice and identifying cognitive biases.
An overall general trend toward equality is highlighted in the American Psychological
Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major Goal 3: Ethical and Social
Responsibility in a Diverse World. A trend in social science toward greater equality allows for
researchers to focus on important questions like understanding gender inequality.
Finding the answer to this question would be beneficial to all members of society because it
would create a better understanding of why we do what we do. Without conscious awareness of
our own biases and the shortcuts our brain makes, we can jump to conclusions without objective
evidence. Understanding why we engage in gender stereotypes might allow us to make changes to
our behavior if we do not wish to perpetuate certain stereotypes. This information would be useful
to individuals, families, couples, and even businesses. Gender differences continue to be present
within leadership positions in businesses. Finding the answer to my question may be useful to
understanding why businesses and corporations continue to adhere to gender stereotypes and why
women continue to be left out of positions of power.
The American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology
Major Goal 3, guideline 3.3b, describes the importance of recognizing potential for prejudice and
discrimination in oneself and others, and 3.3e explains the importance of being able to articulate
psychology’s role in developing, designing, and disseminating public policy. These guidelines
highlight the importance of studying human behavior. First, studying human behavior leads to
recognition of one’s own and others’ prejudices, for example, continuing to behave in ways that
perpetuate current stereotypes. Second, studying human behavior can also lead to changing and
developing public policy, which means that the information learned about prejudice can be
disseminated to inform public policy change and hopefully contribute to the betterment of
society.
SCS 100 Theme 4: Final Reflection Submission Checklist
As you review your presentation/short paper and prepare to submit this assignment to your instructor,
review the items below. If your answer to any of the items below is “no,” consider revisiting your
submission or reaching out to your instructor for assistance.
Did you . . .
Explain why your question is important to you as a member of society?
Use course resources to detail the major developments in social science
thinking that drive questions regarding studying the individual?
Explain how finding the answer to your question might impact others
around you?
Use course resources to detail the major developments in social science
thinking that drive questions regarding studying others?
Explain why studying human behavior and identity is a valuable human
endeavor?
Use course resources to detail the major developments in social science
thinking that support the study and advancement of the social sciences as
necessary and valuable?
Complete a spelling and grammar check? Your submission should be free of
errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and
presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.
Yes
No
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