COM 314 - Journal Paper
From the first time you were assigned a group in
class, you have been keeping a journal of observations of your COM 314
group interactions. In this journal, you should have recorded three
types of information each time your group met in or out of class: (1) observations
of what happened during meetings; (2) analysis and application of small
group principles to your experiences, and; (3) evaluation of the positive
and negative aspects of your experiences, and how you might improve future
group interactions.
For this assignment, I would like you to draw
upon your records (journal entries and other group notes that you might
have taken) to analyze your group experience as a whole.
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Choose 2 ongoing aspects–one
positive, one negative–of your group's interactions
to analyze.
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Think about the following when preparing to
write your paper:
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Are these 2 aspects related in any way to each other?
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How (or why) did these experience's arise in your
group?
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How did your own behavior contribute to these experiences?
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How can you help to increase the effectiveness of
your group, by perpetuating the positive functioning of the group, while
attempting to change the negative functioning?
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How well does small group theory and research explain
what has happened in your group? Choose one (or two) major theories
or theoretical concepts to apply in-depth, rather than applying several
concepts superficially.
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You will want to be able to point to specific issues
and examples from your observations to back up your analysis and application
of research.
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Conclude your paper with a reasoned prediction of
what will happen next in your group (i.e., during preparation of Group
Project #2).
Go to the library and find research that seems to
address the issue(s) highlighted in the group situations you chose.
You may use academic journals or books, but please don't use magazines
such as "Time" or "News Week" as a source of expert advice. You should
have at least 3 sources for this paper (some, but not all, research may
come from the class textbook), and your analysis should be grounded in
theoretical research.
WRITE - This paper should be 2-3 double-spaced
pages (of text), and follow APA style guidelines. Submit one hard
copy of your paper, as well as your journal. Send me an e-mailed
copy of your paper too (you do not need to e-mail your journal).
You can turn this paper in as
early as the Tuesday we return from Thanksgiving Break, November 29.
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Updated 11/11/05