Option 2: Movie/ Book Review

PSYC 2301

For this option, you will review a movie or book about an issue related to psychology and the concepts in the course.  You will relate the concepts from the course to the characters of the movie or book. You can watch any movie or read any book of your choosing that has a significant character or characters that relate to one of the concepts of the book.  The movie/book review should include an introduction to the topic, a summary of your main observation, and a concluding summary.

Content of the paper: 

•	You MUST have three scientific citations to support your paper. The citations may come from the textbook or a professional journal but NOT popular press. Better sources include scientific (peer reviewed) journals.
•	For this assignment, you are asked to discuss the psychological aspects of a fictional character. 
•	Students should select at least three areas of psychosocial development that are discussed as part of this course (e.g., cognitive development, culture, parent-child relationships, psychological disorders, motivation, etc.) and discuss the character in the context of what we know about these domains.

1.	What are some of the most specific aspects of the character that you can relate to concepts in the textbook?

2.	What do you find interesting about this character?

3.	What seem to be the pressing issues that this character must resolve?

4.	How have the specific factors inherent in the context in which the person lives affected them? 
5.	To what extent is this character’s development typical, in the sense that it appears to correspond (or not correspond) to what we have learned from scientific research and theory about these psychological concepts? 
6.	What might have been done to change the development of this character in regards to the psychological concepts you have chosen to study?  Family, peers, environment, medication, etc…

Be sure to introduce briefly the character and the story so that the reader of your paper is familiar enough to understand the references to the book or movie. You may use direct quotes (with proper citation) from the scientific articles or movie for the purposes of illustration. You should not rely on this as an alternative to providing your own interpretation or opinion. You are required to tie in references and information from the scientific literature.

Grading Rubric:  Total value:  200 points
	30-50	10-29	0	
Introduction	The introduction includes a clear description of the character as well as the three psychological concepts the author intends to explore.	The introduction includes a clear description of the character as well as 1-2 psychological concepts the author intends to explore.	There is no clear character description or explanation of concepts.	
Body	
The author explores in depth 3 psychological concepts related to the character.  The author includes information from scientific sources that supports or contradicts the authors provided information.  The author is able to effectively tie the characteristics to the information from PSYC 2301.
	The author explores in depth 2-3 concepts related to the character.  The author includes information from sources that supports or contradicts the provided information.	The author does not present concepts related to the character or does not provide supporting evidence..	
Conclusion	
The conclusion provides a clear summary of the paper.  The conclusion gives the reader something to think about after reading the paper.  The conclusion provides ideas for the future of the topic.
	There is a conclusion but it is incomplete.	There is no conclusion.	

Source Documentation

	There are 3-5 acceptable peer-reviewed sources.  Sources are cited in the writing and referenced in a bibliography or works cited page.	There are 1-3 acceptable peer-reviewed sources.  Sources are cited in the writing and referenced in a bibliography or works cited page.	There are no sources provided.	
Updated April, 2019

Movie List
1.	Leaving Las Vegas
2.	A Clockwork Orange
3.	What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
4.	Boys Don’t Cry
5.	Benny and Joon
6.	Girl Interrupted
7.	Seven
8.	Mad Love
9.	Rain Man
10.	Shine
11.	A Beautiful Mind
12.	Madness of King George
13.	Fight Club
14.	The Fisher King
15.	One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
16.	Twelve Monkeys
17.	Sybil
18.	The Three Faces of Eve
19.	Eating
20.	The Silence of the Lambs
21.	Pollock
22.	Ordinary People
23.	Analyze This/Analyze That
24.	Final Analysis
25.	Identity
26.	Primal Fear
27.	What About Bob
28.	Good Will Hunting
29.	Silver Linings Playbook
30.	Split
31.	As Good As It Gets
32.	Awakenings
33.	Rainman
34.	Grumpy Old Men
35.	Nell
36.	I am Sam
37.	Shutter Island
38.	You may choose another movie that is not listed here.

Book List

1.	Tuesday’s With Morrie- Mith Albom
2.	In Cold Blood- Truman Capote
3.	How to Win Friends and Influence People-Dale Carnegie
4.	When Rabbit Howls-Trudi Chase
5.	All Around the Town- Mary Higgins Clark
6.	The Miracle Worker-William Gibson
7.	I’m Ok, You’re Ok- Thomas Harris
8.	When the Bough Breaks-Jonathan Kellerman
9.	The Best Little Girl in the World-Steven Levenkron
10.	Total Recall- Joan Minniger
11.	Starving for Attention-Cherry Boone O’Neil
12.	The Road Less Traveled-Scott M. Peck
13.	A Child Called It (Trilogy)-David Pelzer
14.	The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath
15.	The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing-Judith Rapport
16.	Genie- Russ Rymer
17.	Sybil-Flora R. Schreiber
18.	Prozac Nation- Elizabeth Wurtzel
19.	Little Girls in Pretty Boxes Joan Ryan
20.	You may choose another book if you want one not on the list.