PURPOSE: Write a 2- to 4-page paper to help you learn about your own listening strengths and weaknesses.
DIRECTIONS: Keep a log of 6 separate listening events on the LISTENING LOG FORM, which is included below as a PDF. Your entries can be done for family interactions, work conversations, classroom situations, or any other incident in which you’re listening to another person or other people. Analyze these 6 events and turn them into an essay.
Your paper should be at least 2 pages long (double-spaced) and should be written in a college-level manner. Your paper should include at least 1 specific example of a conversation from each of your 6 listening logs. I should be able to easily tell from your paper that you had 6 different conversations with 6 different people or groups of people. These conversations should be in person, via ZOOM, or talking to someone on the phone. It will be easier to do the logs with in-person or ZOOM conversations, but I realize that COVID-19 restrictions are making it harder to have in-person conversations. Therefore, using a conversation your have with someone on the phone will be allowed for some of your interactions. Do not use a conversation via text message as one of your examples.
Your paper must also include a detailed discussion of at least 6 listening concepts from the textbook, such as responsive listening, monopolizing, mindfulness, preoccupation, paraphrasing, selective listening, listening for pleasure, etc. You should clearly note these textbook concepts with a section number from our book. You should support this part of your discussion with specific examples from your listening logs.
Other issues to address in your paper are:
1) One or more of your strengths as a listener.
2) One or more of your weaknesses as a listener.
3) One or more of your negative listening responses. You could then describe how you’ve tried to modify your behavior.
4) One or more instance(s) of when you’ve learned something important about yourself.
Papers that do not address all required issues will receive failing grades. Papers that do not meet the minimum length requirements will receive failing grades. Papers that are not written in a college-level manner will receive failing grades. The On-line Writing Center is a good resource to help you with writing, and I am glad to help with any writing issues you encounter. Remember that I don’t accept late work.
Papers that receive grades of A and B are always longer than the minimum 2 pages, usually due to being able to include more examples and more in-depth discussion of listening concepts. If your paper is at least 3 full pages and meets all other criteria, you will be in the running to receive a B. If your paper is at least 4 full pages and meets all other criteria, you will be in the running to receive an A. Your paper does not need to be longer than 4 pages to receive an A, but it can be longer. Papers that aren’t at least 4 full pages will not receive an A grade. Papers that do not meet the minimum 2-page requirement always receive an F grade.
