Reflection Journal

     

                Submit your journal entry in Canvas

 

During the semester, you should complete 5 reflection journal entries. There will be 11 opportunities to write an entry (Weeks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14), but you only need to submit 5 – you get to choose which weeks you would like to write. Each entry should be 1-2 paragraphs of your writing in which you reflect on how the material from that week applies to your life. Several prompts will be provided on the course website and Canvas. One example is: “Please reflect on whether you have encountered stigma towards the mental disorder covered this week. How was your/your family’s/the media’s understanding of the mental disorder different than the scientific understanding of the mental disorder?” You are NOT required to disclose any private, personal information.

​

Journal entries are typically due by Sunday of the end of that week, except for the last two weeks of class they are due on a Wednesday. Each journal entry is worth 10 points and will earn full points as long as it: (1) is submitted by the deadline, (2) is at least 1-2 paragraphs in length, (3) it addresses the topics covered from that week, and (4) it discusses how the material relates to something in real life (personal or societal) using one of the provided prompts (please also feel creative and go beyond the prompts!). You will not receive points if the entry is plagiarized or written using generative AI, such as ChatGPT. Although grammar and spelling are not graded, you will receive partial points if your writing is very unclear.

​

Prompt ideas

Below are some ideas of things that you could write about, but please feel free to be creative in reflecting on how the material from this week applies to your life. You do not need to answer all or any of the questions below to earn the full points for the assignment.

 

Stigma

Please reflect on whether you have encountered stigma (a mark of disgrace) towards the topics covered this week. How was your (or your family’s or the media’s) understanding of this week’s topic different than the scientific understanding of the topic?

 

Influence of identity/culture

Do you think that any aspects of your individual identity (such as gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation) or your culture (such as religion, socioeconomic status, nationality) influence the way that you perceive the topics covered this week? Why or why not? 

 

Media

How do you think the media, such as television, movies, and social media, has influenced your (or your family’s or our society’s) understanding of the topics covered this week? Explain whether you think the media has been a mostly positive influence, a mostly negative influence, or somewhere in between.

 

Care/Treatment

(Probably not relevant the first few weeks)

What types of care or treatment would you want if you suffered from a mental disorder covered this week and why? Or, what types of care or treatment would you recommend to a loved one suffering from a mental disorder covered this week and why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this care/treatment?