An Alternative to Study Participation 1) As an alternative to participation in psychological studies, you may write two-page papers on topics relevant to your class. Each of these papers will count as one hour of participation in a study. You will need to submit four two-page papers in total. 2) Each paper must consist of two, double-spaced text pages (at least 600 words) and be on a topic related to some area of Psychology discussed in your particular Introductory course (in other words, not on a topic in an area of Psychology irrelevant to your class). If you choose to write more than one paper to complete the requirement, each must be on a different topic. 3) Each paper should discuss some finding, idea, or application of a relevant topic that goes beyond what was discussed in your readings and lecture. For example, you may write about a new finding discussed in the media that is relevant to a topic discussed in your class but was not directly mentioned either in lecture, discussion, or your readings. 4) It is important that you choose a reputable source for your paper topic – for example some professional magazine, newspaper, or online source – and not simply a discussion board or amateur blog. You are to list your source(s) at the bottom of your paper so that it can be verified. Your paper should be written completely in your own words and you are not to plagiarize in any way. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please refer to: http://www.plagiarism.org/