The Written Assignment: Reflection/Research Paper(Details will be discussed in class.)

Required Title: Empathic Listening:Principles and Utilization

Use this title and subheadings noted below in bold italics; place subheadings at the left margin. Please do not repeat the description of the subtitles in your paper.

• Concept Define the concept of empathic listening. What are the central ideas?
• Components Identify and describe at least four basic components of the empathic listening approach discussed in class; you may add relevant others.
• Utilization in Helping Professions Discuss how empathic listening can be utilized in the helping professions whichinclude, but are not necessarily limited to, social work, psychology, counseling, health care professions,teaching,law, andlaw enforcement.
• Utilization in Other Professions and Industries How useful is empathic listening in professions and industries such as, for example—business, engineering, government, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, travel/tourism?
• Strengths Discuss the strengths of the empathic listening approach for helping people—not the skill of the practitioner—but rather the strengths of the concept/idea/notion—the model itself.
• Weaknesses/Challenges Discuss the weaknesses/challenges of the empathic listening approach for helping people—not the lack of skills of the practitioner—but rather the weaknesses, challenges of the concept/idea/notion—the model itself.
• Barriers Discuss at least four specific barriers to empathic listening that have particular significance for you. In other words, what do you need to work on to improve your empathic listening skills and what strategies might you use?
• New Ideas and Strategies What new ideas and strategies have you learned from this course?
• Influence on My Style of Communication Discuss how the principles of empathic listening and what you have learned will influence your style of communication.
• What Remains Unclear or Fuzzy About what are you uncertain or unsure regarding the practice of empathic listening?Please do not indicate that everything about empathic listening is “crystal clear” or that you fully and completely understand this approach to working with others in the context of a helping relationship.Empathic listening is a very complex strategy.
• The Strategies That I Will Utilize to Improve My Empathic Listening Skills Identify approaches or tactics that you will employ—the broad, large-scale and or “big picture” steps that you will take—to continuously improve your empathic listening skills.

THINK CRITICALLY AND EXPANSIVELY!

4

Notes:Please review carefully and follow these directions.

• Develop a properly formatted cover page.Avoid using decorations; keep it simple.
• Do not include an introduction, an abstract or a conclusion—these are not necessary.
• Do not create a “running head” for the cover and following pages; just simply number the pages in the upper right corner.
• Use the required title.
• Use the specified sub-headings to clearly identify each of the topics of the paper as set forth in bold italics on page 3.
• Do not combine sub-headings.
• The paper is to be a minimum of 10 full pages in length; it can easily be longer.
• The cover page and References page do not count toward the required length.
• Write in the first person (i.e.; I, me, we, us) or the third person (i.e.; he, she, it, they) not the second person (i.e.; you, your, yourself).
• Do not use contractions.Spell the words out.
• Avoid ending a phrase or a sentence in a preposition.
• Double space; use Arial or Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• Use single-sided pages.
• Do not put individual pages in sheet protectors.
• Use 1-inch margins all around.
• Securely staple or bind.
• Use references — an excellent paper will include and synthesize ideas and information from sources on the Recommended Reading list on pages 7 and 8 of this syllabus (of course, other pertinent/similar sources are also acceptable) in addition to material from class lectures, discussions, the Power Point, material in the Course Pack and the DVDs/Videos/You Tube presentations.
• Drafts will not be reviewed in advance of the due date.
• Proofread carefully before submitting your paper; catch and correct your own errors.
• The opportunity to revise the paper after it has been submitted is not available.