Your final paper will be a 4-5 page paper in which you write about 1 or 2 of the following topics:
a) Are certain personality traits linked to prosocial behaviors? Consider how traits such as kindness, generosity,
and empathy might be linked to altruism and heroism.
b) Do people tend to marry individuals with similar personalities?
c) What impact does birth-order have on personality (Oldest/Middle/Youngest or First/Second/Third…)
d) Are people who participate in athletics more likely to have certain personality characteristics? Compare
personality types of athletes versus non-athletes
e) Do people tend to choose pets based on their personality types? How do the personalities of dog owners
compare to those of cat owners?
f) How do personality factors influence a person’s use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter? Are people
who use social media frequently more or less extroverted?
*NOTE* – These responses must be based off research, not opinion. As such, if you elect to discuss two of these
topics I would recommend choosing one from choices a, b, or c and one from choices d, e, or f. It would be
difficult to find enough research to write 4-5 full pages if you choose one of the last three topics (d, e, f). This is
not a rule/requirement, only something I could recommend to you.
The one or two topics you choose from that list are entirely up to you, and how you approach any question is
open ended, just make sure your stance is based off research. You may include small samples that you observe
(whether yourself, friends, family, etc.), but you should back up those observations with research! This
assignment should be double spaced, Time New Roman font, 1 inch margins, with a Title page and
reference page (which do not count towards the 4-5 page requirement). A minimum of 5 references are
required to complete this assignment.
Grading for the assignment will be as follows:
75% will be given for content. The key thing I look for in content is application of the material. This means that
I don’t want to just see you recite research that you did, I hate that! That does not tell me that you understood the
research! Instead this is what I look for: You should have a stance on the question based off what you
researched. You should then reinforce that stance with practical examples, observations, etc. that support it.
Alternatively, you could begin with your opinion as your stance to the question you choose (your opinion or your
guess on what you will find in research), then discuss the research that you found and explain how it
proves/disproves your stance. In either event, what I am looking for is application. That you have mastery of the
subject and can apply that knowledge to practical events (whether those be hypothetical, opinionated, or actual
experienced events [from yourself or surveys of others]).
If I see that application over and over again you will get a full 75% on this part of the grade.
25% will be given for format. This is basically free to you, as long as you submit a paper that is on time, 4-5
pages (and the other details listed above), APA format, proper citations, minimal spelling/grammar errors, etc..
*Note, at least three references are required to successfully complete this assignment.
