Discussion Board Grading Matrix

Posts to Chapter Essay Questions Grading Topics:   "Flashy/Catchy" Posting Title (stands out but is relevant) 10% of points Accuracy and Completeness of Content 60 % of points Clarity of Response 20% of points Additional Information from outside text (cite source used!) 10% of points Grammatical Errors minus 2% each error Spelling Errors minus 2% each error   Response to Others' Essays Posts (counts toward participation points) Grading Topics:   Posting Title Appeal (respectful but interesting title)   Additional Factual Contributions and/or clarifications   Interesting related "personal wonderings" or stories   Grammatical Errors   Spelling Errors

Examples of Good & Bad Discussion Board Essays e

WHAT IS A THOUGHTFUL POST? Make posts that are useful for other students. You may want to clarify a point, add information, and even post a helpful link.

WHAT IS B.S.?: While you may be complementary or critical of a post, responses of this nature that are not backed up with evidence, or critical thought are seen as B.S. by the professor and will be graded accordingly. (for example,  if you post "I really like your essay, good job" you must also say why and how that liking relates to the course material of it is consider BS).

Sample Question: What evidence is there that genetics contributes to personality development?  How much of personality is then due to something other than genetics (e.g., environmental influences)?

A Good, Complete, and Useful Essay: (catchy title, detailed discussion of text info; additional info gathered from outside the text)

Nature not nurture?: Genetic researchers say much of personality is inherited!

The field of behavioral genetics studies the contributions of our genetics to our existing psychology. In the case of this concept question, behavioral geneticists have examined the role genetics plays in the development of our personality. As the text says "Could personality be largely inherited?" (p.378). 

Several studies have attempted to answer this question.  The first study, cited in the text an "The Minnesota Study"" was conducted by Tellergen in 1988.  This study found that identical twins reared reared together AND APART were more similar in their personality than fraternal twins reared together. This is important because identical twins share the same genetics, while fraternal twins do not. Therefore, even identical twins that do not grow up together, still have more similar personalities that fraternal twins that do grow up together. Tellergen concluded that between 40-60% of personality (heritability estimates) comes from genetics, the rest comes from environment. 

This 1988 study has been supported by second study completed in Germany and Poland and reported on by Reimann (1997) and Plomin & Caspi (1999).  They looked at the the contribution of genetics to the Big 5 Traits of personality (Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Extraversion). There is a great figure on page 380 of the text (figure 12.11) that shows again somewhere between 38-55% of personality is estimated to come from our genetic make-up. The traits ""Conscientiousness"" and "Neuroticism" appear most strongly influenced by genetics (~55%) while Agreeableness (related to being trusting and cooperative, see Table 12.1, page 632) is the trait least affected by genetics (still around 37%). It is clear once again, however, that while genetics contributes a lot, it is generally only a little more or less that half.... therefore, the other half of personality is due to environmental influences.

As is noted in your text on page 380, "shared family environment" appears to have very little to do with personality. This has been a surprise to researchers. They have found the children in the same home, even if they are twins (I guess) may be treated quite differently due to differences in the child's gender, birth order and initial temperament.

This research makes a lot of sense to me on a personal level.  I have two friends that are identical twins.  Their mannerisms and "personality" are a lot alike. For instance, they are both kind of quiet, and have a clear sense that they must work to make the world a better place (altruistic personalities).  However, the one that was born first is much more socially confident and self-assured, then the one that was born second. I know that being born second has created a kind of "2nd child" effect with Joe (the 2nd-twin).  He feels competitive with his twin brother and seem very conscious of the need to achieve and be noticed, whereas with Jim (1st-twin), this is not the case. This case evidenced a little of what the twin studies on personality have found:  Genetics is important, but only a partial contributor (environment being the other) to personality.

Key terms/concepts from text in this essay: Behavioral Genetics, Big 5 Personality Traits, Twin Studies, Heritability, Genetic &. Environment, Heritability Estimates, Shared Environment
 

An Average Essay: (weak title, valid information but vague discussion of information presented in the text, spelling errors)
Genetics and Personality:
This is question interests me and I have wondered about how much genetics really is responsible for personality. Research by Tellergen and Eyesenck suggest that genetics can be responsible for alot of personality.  Their research also suggests that much of personality is still a matter of environmental influences too.  This makes a lot of sense to me on a personal level.  I have two friends that are identical twins.  Their mannerisms and "personality" are alot alike. For instance, they are both kind of quiet, and have a clear sense that they must work to make the world a better place (altruistic personalities).  However, the one that was born first is much more socially confident and self-assured, then the one that was born second. I know that being born second has created a kind of "2nd child" effect with Joe (the 2nd-twin).  He feels competitive with his twin brother and seem very conscious of the need to achieve and be noticed, wheras with Jim (1st-twin), this is not the case.  This case evidenced a little of what the twin studies on personality have found:  Genetics is important, but only a partial contributor (environment being the other) to personality.

A "B.S." Essay:
(Opinion based reaction; little to no effort to examine the topic empirically using text,)
Genetics & Personality
This is a really good question.  I have wondered whether genetics causes people to the the way that they are. I think that really it is a combination of genetics and the world people grow up in... don't you?. 

Response to Others Essays (RTOE):

Responses to an essay posted to the sample question:  
"Summarize Skinner's work, view and influence"

Good RTOE:
After reading this essay post about B.F. Skinner, I continued to go online and read more about him and his life. I found out many interesting facts about him that I didn't know before entering this site. After reading that he was a English major who became interested in the writings of Watson and Pavlov, when he then changed majors and began attending school at Harvard University for psychology. After graduating, he became chairman at a few Universities where he then ended up at Harvard where he became one of the leaders of behavior.

Skinner was interested in behavioral psychology, which is a theory of learning based upon ideas that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. In order for conditioning to occur it was believed it had to be through the interaction of the environment. Skinner based all his behaviorism work on experiments. One example of an experiment that he did on behaviorism is called a skinner box, which a rat learns to obtain food by pressing on a lever.

These are just a few interesting facts I found on Skinner that I thought were interesting. Skinner wasn't just a leader, but also a winner of many awards such as the Gold Medal of the American Psychological Foundation, the Human of the Year Award, and Citation for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology.

Psychology: themes and variations by Wayne Weiten

http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/bio_skinner.htm

Acceptable RTOE:
I found this essay post to be very helpful in learning about Skinner and some of the things that he did in his lifetime.  After Skinner graduated from college he worked as a bookstore clerk and found books that were written by Watson and found there very intriguing and wanted to learn more.  I couldn't imagine just picking up a book and reading it and being inspired enough to dedicate my life to it and eventually becoming one of the most influential psychologists in the history of psychology. 

I thought that you covered all of his accomplishments very thoroughly such as he was able to conclude that animals and humans are controlled by their environment, not themselves and that he followed many of Watson's beliefs.  I also found a little biography about Skinner that was written by his daughter that also was very helpful in learning about Skinner and his life accomplishments.  (listed below)

Psychology: themes and variations by Wayne Weiten
http://www.bfskinner.org/home.html

B.S. RTOE:
I believe that this is a very good response to a discussion board question because she covered all of the material that was answered in the question.  I also find it interesting that he was born in Pennsylvania.   She did a good job summarizing a lot of the things that B.F. Skinner did.

 

AVOID UNNECESSARY COMPUTER PROBLEMS DURING TESTS/QUIZZES

Computer Problems During Tests

Because our testing involves using computers, problems can and will happen.  By following these instructions you will minimize the likelihood of lost points as a result of unnecessary and preventable technological failures due to student lack of awareness or the limitations of the testing software used in this course.

All Students Must Attend To These

• FRESHLY STARTED COMPUTER: Always take your tests and quizzes on a freshly-restarted computer.
• ONE-WINDOW OPEN: Always take your tests and quizzes with only one window open (the test window), but your email program's window minimized (more on this below).
• BACK BUTTON BAD: Using the "Back" button at any time during a quiz will terminate the quiz, lock you out, and send me a message. At that point you will have the embarrassing task of explaining why this happened.
• TIME LIMITS ON EXAMS: All exams have a time limit. You will see the clock at the bottom of the page when you are test.  I allow one-minute of no-questions-asked overtime on a test. This is because the clock starts on the server as soon as their click is processed but the clock on their PC does not start until the quiz page has fully loaded. Overtime beyond the one minute will result in a deduction of 1%/minute.

Definitely for Students on a Dial-Up, DSL or for AOL Subscribers:
(Disconnection issues may not apply to students using Cable Modems that are not AOL customers... but all students should do this anyway...why risk a problem, right?)

• INACTIVITY DISCONNECTIONS:
  When you are taking a test/quiz on "D2L", even though you are active with your mouse,  it appears to your internet provider that you are "inactive"!!! (THAT'S RIGHT!!). Most dial-up internet providers have a limit of 20-30 minutes of "inactivity" before they boot you off. For example, Epix.Net and Prolog.net in Tioga County kick you off after 20 minutes of inactivity.  If you are disconnected while taking a test, your test will be terminated and you will be locked out from retaking the test. I will consider it your fault if you do not follow the directions below which prevent this from happening.
• THE SOLUTION:
  1. Open your Email account. Set your email to check every 10 minutes. In your email program usually there is a "Tools Menu" with an "Options" button under it which will allow you to set options for checking your email. You will be looking for something that allows you to check mail every "XX minutes". You will type 10 in the box or line you are given. You need to do this step only once. Now while you test, every 10 minute your computer will check the a mail server on the internet, thus sending the message to your local provider that you are active on your current connection.
  2. Without closing your email, open a new Internet connection, then "minimize" your email window.
  3. Each time you logon to take a test or will be on "D2L" for an extended period, open your email first then open your "D2L" course page.