Georgia Southwestern State University Medication Error in Hospitals Discussion

Choose one of the following topics:

• Option 1: Evolution has prepared animals to behave in particular ways. Choose a favorite animal. Describe how this animal has inborn characteristics that help it to survive and reproduce. Focus upon how evolution contributes to behavior in this animal over multiple generations.
• Option 2: Evolutionary psychology is controversial. Describe an important controversy about an evolutionary psychology idea. Does the criticism significantly weaken the value of evolutionary psychology or not? Make a case for your opinion about evolutionary psychology.
• This Philosopher Is Challenging All of Evolutionary Psychology (gizmodo.com)

How to do the discussion assignments
Purpose
Human learning is partly a social activity in which we share information and discuss topics with each
other. The discussion assignments provide an interactive social experience about the course ideas and
implications. Your classmates may have ideas and examples that will enhance your understanding.
There is also an enthusiasm for the topic that can be communicated through the discussions.
Skill: Interacting with colleagues in online settings is increasingly common in the work force. Using
digital communications are expected for college graduates in today’s job market. This discussion-board
exercise will provide practice in social media exchanges in a professional environment.
Learning: The discussion exercises involve higher-order thinking skills that go beyond simple
memorization. These skills may include analysis (breaking down into components), synthesis
(connecting the dots between similar parts), application (real-world examples of a topic), and
controversies (examining both sides of an uncertain topic).
First part – Writing the discussion essay (post)
In brief, the post part of the discussion assignment must contain these parts.
1. Choose one of the options offered for discussion. These are provided in the content module for each
week on the discussion board. A complete list for the semester is available in the course documents
folder.
2. Write an essay on the topic by following the writing prompts. Make sure that your essay addresses
all of the points suggested for the topic. Proofread for spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and overall
organization.
3. Aim for 150 to 200 words in length. Essays shorter than 150 words seem to lack college-level effort.
Essays over 200 words get too long and might not be read by your classmates.
4. Additional evidence that supports your arguments is recommended, but it is not not required.
a. For sources, professional-level articles discovered through scholar.google.com or
galileo.usg.edu are recommended. Avoid using low-quality blog posts like Kendra Cherry’s essays
from verywellmind.com.
b. The evidence should be cited and referenced in any major style, like MLA, APA, etc.
c. Hyperlinks can be used for videos and web pages.
5. Post the essay in the discussion board. It is highly recommended to post the essay by midnight on
Thursdays. Posting at this time will provide other classmates several days to comment on your essay. If
you wait until late in the week, like 11:30pm on Sunday, your essay will be largely ignored by your
classmates.
Second part – Commenting on other essays
The second part of the assignment is a comment, in which you respond to the writings of other
classmates. The responses should be at least two or three sentences long.
Students sometimes struggle with the commenting, so here are some suggestions. Think about what
you have learned from the classmate. Do you agree or disagree, and why? Is there other evidence to be
considered, perhaps even evidence that contradicts the provided evidence? Try to add to the ideas that
the original post raised. Do you have a similar experience with the topic that you could share? Another
possibility is to add further questions about this topic that could be addressed.
The following examples are provided to get started.
Simple, low-effort comments like “I agree.” are not sufficient and should be avoided. Here’s a real
example of a low-quality comment from a previous class. It’s positive, but empty of thought and
information. How many ways can you say “I agree?” Please aim higher than this low-effort, lowquality work.
“Hey [name deleted], I really enjoyed reading your post. The depth you go into is very informative and
pointed out things I was not aware of. Your point of view on the topic really helped me better
understand the difference between liking and wanting and how they are so different. I really like how in
depth you went on drug addiction and I completely agree with all of the points you made. This
definitely helped me see the topic in a different way and made me understand it a lot better. ”
Making a personal connection between the topic and everyday life is important and can be powerful.
However, be careful about sharing too much personal information. Do you really want your classmates
to know about your medical problems? The following example is a good comment, but it might be
sharing too much personal information.
Indeed, it is so interesting how socializing can cause stress in some situations and relaxation in others.
When I was in the 8th grade, my social anxiety increased immensely. It caused me to isolate myself
from others, and I became pretty depressed. Eventually though, through parental support, I was
diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. In obtaining this knowledge, my parents really strived to
take extra precautions to ensure I had better social experiences. Without them, I do not know how I
would have turned out psychologically.
This next one is a good example that points out some connections between the discussion post and the
assigned reading. Aim for putting some thoughts and ideas into your comments. Opinions are expressed
too – “Although it is not always right…”. Justify opinions with evidence, if possible. It is okay to
disagree with the post, especially on controversial topics. Keep it polite and professional though.
Thank you for your post! I completely agree and I think it was a great point that you brought up about
why we may anthropomorphize; because it is the easiest way for us to make sense of what we see.
Similarly to what was discussed in the reading this week, our mind often makes leaps or jumps to
conclusions without us consciously thinking it, like how we compartmentalize groups when we see
people for the first and this usually relies on stereotypes. We see human characteristics or traits in
inanimate or non-human things because we are used to recognizing those things in ourselves and others
so it is easy for us to recognize them in other things. Although it is not always right, our minds are able
to make sense of things quickly in this way.
A last suggestion is that it is nice to read the comments classmates make on your essay and respond to
the comments. The thoughts of your classmates might be helpful for your understanding. It is also
courteous to thank people for taking the time to give feedback on your work.
Grading criteria
The discussion assignments are required to have all of the following elements.
1. Discussion post
1. All of the points in the writing prompt have been adequately addressed.
2. The word length is at least 150 words.
3. The writing is college-level: Proof-read, good grammar, logical organization, etc.
4. The opinions/arguments/evaluations are based upon solid scientific evidence.
2. Discussion comments
1. A minimum of two comments have been made.
2. The comments go beyond simple “I agree!” statements by contributing towards a meaningful
discussion of the topic. See the section above for more information and examples of high
quality comments.