Completing my Capstone! Document 2: Reflective Paper (60 points) You will write
Completing my Capstone!
Document 2: Reflective Paper (60 points)
You will write a paper reflecting upon your educational experiences within your psychology program journey, using the Program Goals as an organizational paradigm. That means you will organize your paper using the Goals. The body of the paper will be organized into sections corresponding to the Goals. This paper should include thoughts regarding successes and challenges, new insights, and personal transformations. This should be at a deep level rather than a surface mention. You must address each of the Program Goals, which are displayed below, and discuss how you have specifically met that goal, referencing courses, papers and concepts.
Organize the Reflective Paper by the Program Goals and use headings per the APA Manual.
List the Program Goal verbatim (with proper citation) and then address each component to receive maximum points.
The Reflective Paper will be 6 to 10 pages, double-spaced, not including the expected title and reference pages. APA Style is expected and you must reference yourself when quoting from past papers.
Only academic/scholarly sources should be used. Avoid common, general reference websites like Wikipedia, Psychology Today, or Verywell Minded.
UMGC Psychology Program Goals
1
Apply relevant concepts, theories, empirical findings, and historical trends, to personal, organizational, and social issues.
2
Model scientific reasoning through the design, participation in, and/or evaluation of psychological research.
3
Implement critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, technology-based information literacy, and/or the scientific approach to solve problems related to current and emerging trends in psychology.
4
Use ethical principles of psychology to evaluate psychological science and practice within professional and personal settings.
5
Communicate concepts, ideas, arguments, and perspectives during effective interactions with diverse groups in a variety of contexts.
6
Analyze the complexity of human diversity and how it influences our understanding of behavior.
7
Apply psychology content and skills to career readiness, lifetime learning goals, and workforce contributions.
The Employment / Advanced Studies section will include the following two documents:
Document 3: Resume/Curriculum Vitae (30 points)
Craft a current, accurate, and professional-appearing resume or curriculum vitae. Which you choose to present depends on your aspirations. Resumes tend to be competency-based, designed to be a marketing document that showcases your skills, achievements, and work experiences [1]. They tend to run 1-2 pages in length. A curriculum vitae is credential-based and is most often composed for jobs in academic, medical fields, or research. They provide a comprehensive, detailed, accounting of one’s education, certifications, research experience, and professional memberships and affiliations [2]. Due to their purpose (an explanation of credentials), curriculum vitae can easily exceed the 1-2 pages.
Your document should reflect your professional experience and be presented in a clean, orderly fashion, consistent with resume/vitae practices.
UMGC Career Services is an excellent resource to explore. There you will find useful tutorials and writing guides for resumes. You can also access resume building assistance via CareerQuest.
wikiHow provides a brief summary of points for inclusion in a curriculum vitae.
O*Net Online – A must see and explore! When constructing your resume/vitae careful, concise wording is critical to building a document that 1) captures your knowledge, skills, and abilities, and 2) uses language recognized by employers. An excellent resource for inspiration and for beefing up resumes is O*Net Online. O*NET OnLine has detailed descriiptions of the world of work, designed for use by job seekers, HR professionals, students, researchers, and more! Here you can find detailed descriiptions of jobs (requirements, duties performed, education requirements, future outlooks, and links to parallel work).
Document 4: Plans for Employment OR Advanced Studies (Graduate School/Professional Certification)
Depending on your post-UMGC studies aspirations, choose either the Employment or the Advanced Studies option to complete. If you are planning to attend graduate school or continue your education in a professional certification program (e.g., nursing, physical therapy, social work) complete the Advanced Studies option. If you are currently employed and plan to remain at your job for now, select the document type that best expresses an option you may, or plan to, pursue in the future. (That is, yes, everyone must complete this document for the portfolio. )
The Employment Option: The Employment section, Document 4, will contain the following requirements, collected and presented in a single document.
Employment Option Document
1. Job Search
(30 points)
Present: 1) the results of a computerized job search that yielded at least three job possibilities and 2) a brief report that explains why each of these jobs are appropriate for you based on your immediate and long-term career and life goals as described in the first section of this portfolio.
Useful resources for successful job searches: UMGC Career Services, CareerOneStop.org
2. Cover Letter
(30 points)
Compose a professional-appearing cover letter that can be modified for specific job applications. When writing address your knowledge, skills and abilities derived from your experiences and from your work in the Psychology program.
Useful resource: The UMGC Career Center offers a Cover Letter Tutorial and links you to CareerOneStop’s webpage dedicated to writing effective cover letters.
3. Letter of Recommendation Request
(30 points)
Draft and present a personalized model letter that can be used to request letters of recommendation for an employment opportunity.
Useful resources: a variety of online resources outline steps and suggestions for developing requests for letters of recommendation.
The Advanced Studies (Graduate School/Professional Certification) Option: The Advanced Studies section, Document 4, will contain the following requirements, collected and presented in a single document.
Graduate School Option Document
1. Advanced Studies Search
(30 points)
Present: 1) the results of a computerized graduate/certification program search that yielded at least three possible programs, and 2) a brief report that explains why each of these programs is appropriate for you based on your immediate and long-term career and life goals as described in the first section of this portfolio.
2. Professional Personal Statement for Applications
(30 points)
Most graduate school and advanced studies programs require submissions of an application. Many require “Personal Statement.” This is a narrative essay that combines self-reflection, details about past experiences (volunteer work, internships, etc.) and a clear expression of your goals and interests in the program of study. This is often achieved in 1-2 pages.
Useful resources: A keyword search – “how to graduate school personal statement” should help you find a variety of resources (e.g., GoGrad) on how to write a strong personal statement
3. Letter of Recommendation Request Template
(30 points)
Draft and present a personalized model letter that can be used to request letters of recommendation for your graduate or certification program.
Useful resources: a variety of online resources outline steps and suggestions for developing requests for letters of recommendation.