This document provides information about an extra credit opportunity for students in an Abnormal Psychology course. Students can earn up to 10 extra credit points by writing a paper analyzing a fictional or historical character and diagnosing them with a mental illness using criteria from the DSM-5. The paper must be at least two pages, single spaced, and include examples from the chosen text to support the diagnosis as well as a discussion of potential causes and treatment approaches for the illness. The deadline to submit papers is April 16, 2019.

1. Extra Credit Opportunity for Spring 2019
Students of Abnormal Psychology may opt to earn extra credit
for the Spring 2019 semester by writing a paper meeting the
criteria described below.
Subject matter: Students will select a fictional or historical
character, drawn from outside the psychology curriculum, who
they suspect either has a mental illness or has erroneously been
diagnosed with a mental illness. This character may be
encountered from ongoing classwork, previously completed
classwork, casual reading, or from any publically available print
source. They will then write a paper using DSM-5 to establish a
presumed diagnosis or to critically reassess the presumably
erroneous diagnosis. If you have difficulty selecting a subject,
please see the accompanying bibliography below.
Required Information: After choosing a subject for the paper,
the student will identify the mental illness diagnosed (or
suspected) and will cite examples from the chosen text that
demonstrate how the DSM-5 classification system may be
appropriately applied to diagnose the illness or to refute the
erroneous diagnosis. Not all examples from the text must be
included, but included examples will be graded based on how
well they fit DSM-5 criteria. All elements of the classification
system must be included. Specifically, not only must the
presence or absence of each DSM-5 symptom be noted, but all
the rules for assigning subjects to a diagnosis must be included.
Footnotes will be used to reference examples of symptoms from
the chosen text and to reference symptom descriptions from the
DSM-5 (the real DSM-5, not a list from your textbook or from a
website – if you cannot get your hands on a DSM-5 in the
library, come see me). Exclusionary criteria must be included,
to the degree that an undergraduate student is able, though the
student is not expected to have the expertise of a trained
clinician. For example, in the criteria for unipolar depression,
criterion C states that the symptoms are not better accounted for

2. by physiological effects of a substance or a general medical
condition. In addressing this criterion, the student does not
need to research the physiological effects of substances or
psychological effects of medical conditions. Another example
is in the criteria for Persistent Depressive Disorder. Criterion F
states that “the disturbance is not better explained by a
persistent schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, delusional
disorder, or other specified or unspecified schizophrenia
spectrum and other psychotic disorder.” The student does not
need to formally establish the presence or absence of all
psychotic disorders to document this criterion, but should
include a short statement concerning his reason for considering
this criterion met.
In addition to documenting a specific mental illness in the
subject (or the absence of an erroneously diagnosed one), the
student will refer to the class textbook and note how each of the
possible causes of the selected mental illness may contribute (or
not) to the subject’s mental illness. For example, the text lists
the following as possible causes for unipolar depression:
genetics; alteration in norepinephrine, serotonin, melatonin,
brain derived neurotropic factors, or cortisol; psychodynamic
causes such as loss (real, symbolic, or imagined); behavioral
causes such as loss of reward, increased punishment, or learned
helplessness; cognitive causes such as maladaptive attitudes,
errors in thinking, or automatic thoughts; and sociocultural
factors such as gender, ethnicity, and level of social support.
Each of these would be discussed citing examples from the
chosen text.
Finally, the student will refer to the class textbook and discuss
how various treatment methodologies might address the mental
illness in the chosen subject. The student will address each of
the treatment modalities mentioned in the class textbook,
though if certain types of therapy do not seem appropriate for
the chosen case, the student may note this and explain how the
therapy does not apply.
Format: The extra credit assignment must be submitted on hard

3. copy. The paper will be not less than two pages in length and
will have the following form:
1) single spaced;
2) Times New Roman font, size 12;
3) all margins 1 inch;
4) first line of paragraphs indented 0.5 inches;
5) bibliography consisting of at least three references (chosen
text, DSM-5, and class textbook); and
6) footnotes will be used to cite examples from bibliographic
resources.
Grading: Any paper not formatted correctly, not footnoted
correctly, or not based on an appropriate print source, will not
be graded. Each paper may normally earn up to 10 points extra
credit on the student’s final course grade. The grade will be
determined based on the student’s skill in applying the
classification system and on the completeness and quality of the
discussion of causative factors and treatment methods. I
reserve the right to award up to 5 additional points for papers
that reflect outstanding writing skill (spelling, grammar, and
style). For example, a paper that simply lists the symptoms,
causes, and treatments of an illness will not earn any extra
points (and will not likely earn a full 10 points). However, a
paper that persuasively organizes facts and presents them in a
manner that conveys their subject’s experience of the identified
(or suspected) illness will likely earn the extra points.
If you want to maximize your points on this project, please take
advantage of the Writing Center in the Learning Commons.
Deadline: All papers must be submitted by class time on April
16, 2019.
Bibliography: (You may use these books, though you are not
required to. Referring to a book you have previously read or
are currently reading may reduce your time demands.)
Cahalan, Susannah. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness.
New York: Free Press. 2012. (A young woman erroneously
diagnosed with schizophrenia and ultimately diagnosed with
anti-NMDA receptor autoimmune encephalitis (DSM-5

4. diagnosis of Psychotic Disorder Due to Anti-NMDA receptor
autoimmune encephalitis).
Jamison, Kay Redfield. An Unquiet Mind. New York: Vintage
Books, 1996. (Written by a mental health professional who
both has and conducts research on bipolar disorder).
Nasar, Sylvia. A Beautiful Mind: A Biography of John Forbes
Nash, Jr., Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. New York:
Simon and Schuster. 1998. (A moving account of a brilliant
mathematician and economist who develops a psychotic illness
before winning a Nobel Prize for his work).
Saks, Elyn R. The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through
Madness. New York: Hyperion. 2007. (A gifted law student
develops schizophrenia, yet continues her struggle to achieve
her professional and personal goals, ultimately becoming both a
lawyer and psychoanalyst.)
Styron, William. Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness. New
York: Vintage Books. 1990. (An eloquent description of an
author’s depressive illness and his recovery).
For an example of the format for this paper, see the following:
Major Depression in William Styron’s Darkness Visible: A
Memoir of Madness
In Darkness Visible, William Styron describes his descent into a
major depressive disorder, his emotional distress leading to
suicidal ideation, and the role of hospitalization in his eventual
recovery. In order to establish the accuracy of his diagnosis, I
will cite his symptoms and how they work together to
demonstrate full expression of a major depressive episode.
According to Criterion A for Major Depressive Disorder in
DSM-5, the subject must have at least five of nine specific
depressive symptoms present over a two-week period, and these
must represent a change from previous
functioning[footnoteRef:1]. Furthermore, each of these
symptoms (except for weight change and suicidality) must be
present nearly every day[footnoteRef:2]. I will show that Mr.
Styron easily meets this criterion by showing that he had all of

5. these depressive symptoms, that they are clearly changes from
his normal functioning, and that they persisted for several
months. Mr. Styron notes that the symptoms of Major
Depression he writes about started in June and resulted in
hospitalization in December[footnoteRef:3]…. [1: DSM-5,
Major Depressive Disorder, Criterion A, p. 160.] [2: DSM-5,
Major Depressive Disorder, Diagnostic Features, p. 162.] [3:
Styron, p. 40.]
Comer notes that one possible cause of unipolar depression
(another name for Major Depressive Disorder) is the actual,
symbolic, or imagined loss of a loved one[footnoteRef:4]…. [4:
Comer, p. 251-253.]
Bibliography
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, Washington, D.C.,
American Psychiatric Association, 2013.
Comer, Ronald J. Abnormal Psychology, 8th Edition. New
York: Worth Publishers, 2013.
Styron, William. Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness.
New York: Vintage Books, 1990.
BIO (Medicinal Plants)
Paper Checklist for undergraduates
The topic of the paper may be any subject relevant to the
course; topic must be approved by instructor. A list of
suggested topics will be provided. The paper is to be written on
your own, without discussion or collaboration with other
students in the class.
The Title Page includes topic, course name and number, student
name, and date submitted
The body of the paper should be double spaced throughout.

6. Set margins at 1 inch for top, bottom, left and right. Use Times
Roman 12 point type.
Minimum length of the paper is 1000 words for undergrad
students
(points deducted if substantially shorter)
Well written in complete sentences and logically organized into
paragraphs.
Substantial content and information, making connections where
appropriate between your topic and lecture content (20 points).
Points to include:
Free from grammatical errors and misspellings
Note: Scientific names (binomials) should be italicized
Minimum of 10 references, including sources from all the
following categories: books (including e-books), internet sites,
and journal articles.
Citation style used: Indicate style used: CSE. Use no footnotes
Total Points possible for a well written paper following all
guidelines above: 80
Term paper due dates in D2L. Please submit as a Word
document (not pdf) using D2L dropbox. If it is received after
due date, it will be considered late and points deducted.
Comments on writing and citation of sources
Use no footnotes in your paper. Cite your sources using the
Name and Year System (modified from CBE, 6th ed.); consider
the following examples:
The scientific name of the apple tree is Malus pumila (Smith
1990). According to Jones (1975), apples originated in central
Asia. The genus Malus is sometimes merged with the genus

7. Pyrus, which includes pears (Smith and Jones 1985). Both
genera have alternate leaves, flowers with five petals, and fruit
that is a pome (Jones and others 1994). Both provide fresh fruit,
sauce, and juice. Apple juice is called cider and pear juice is
called peary (Harlan 1975). Sauer (1993, p 240) opines that
“Pear juice is really tasty stuff. I enjoy a glass or two during the
early fall when pears are at their best.” Pear juice has never
been as popular in America as it is in Britain. However, it is
often found as an ingredient of bottled fruit drinks, along with
apple, grape, passion fruit, kiwi, grapefruit, etc. (Harlan 1975).
Specific Examples using the Name and Year System
When writing research papers using the Name-Year system,
following these rules:
1. Place the year within parentheses immediately after the
authority's name.
Smith (1999) ascribes no species-specific behavior to man.
However, Adams (2000) presents data that tend to be
contradictory.
2. If you do not mention the authority's name in your text, insert
the name and year within the parentheses.
One source found some supporting evidence for a portion of the
questionable data (Marson and Brown 2000) through point bi-
serial correlation techniques.
3. For two authors, employ both names in your text and in the
parenthetical citation for three or more authors, use the lead
author's name with "et al."
Torgerson and Andrews (2000) or (Torgerson and Andrews
2000)

8. 4. Use small letters (a, b, c) to identify two or more works
published in the same year by the same author, for example,
"Thompson (2001a)" and "Thompson (2001b)." Then use
"2001a" and "2001b" in your "Cited References" list.
5. In the case of reference to a specific page, separate the page
number from the year with a comma and a space. Do not use a
period after the "p" or "pp."
Jones stated, "These data of plant development suggest that
hybrid roses are atypical in maturation growth" (2000, p 215).
6. Long quotations (two or more lines) are set off from the text
in an indented block without quotation marks:
Albert (1994) found the following:
Whenever these pathogenic organisms attack the human body
and begin to multiply, the infection is set in motion. The host
responds to this parasitic invasion with efforts to cleanse itself
of the invading agents. When rejection efforts of the host
become visible (fever, sneezing, congestion), then disease status
exists. (pp 314-315)
7. Punctuate the citations as follows:
· Use a comma followed by a space to separate citations of
different references by the same author or authors in same-year
or different-year references: "Supplemental studies (Johnson
1999a, 1999b, 2000) have shown. . ."
· Use a semicolon followed by a space to separate citations to
different authors: "Supplemental studies (Smith 1999; Barfield
1989, 1997; Barfield and Smith 1998; Wallace 2000) have
shown . . ."

9. Using Name and Year with Bibliography Entries
Alphabetize the reference list and label it "Cited References."
Double space the entries and use the hanging indentation. When
there are two to ten authors, all should be named in the
reference list. When there are eleven or more authors, the first
ten are listed, followed by "and others." If the author is
anonymous, insert "[Anonymous]." Place the year immediately
after the author's name.
Book. List the author, year, and title, place of publication,
publisher, and total number of pages.
Gershuny, G. and J. Smillie. 1999. The soul of soil: A soil-
building guide for master gardeners and farmers. White River
Junction, VT: Chelsea Green. 173 pp.
Sauer, J.D. 1993. Historical geography of crop plants - a select
roster. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. 425 pp.
Journal article. List the author, year, article title, journal title
(no abbreviations), volume number, and inclusive pages. Add an
issue number for any journal that is paged anew with each issue.
Ball, T. B., J.S. Gardner and N. Anderson. 1999. Identifying
inflorescence phytoliths from selected species of wheat
(Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccon, T. dicoccoides, and T.
aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare and H. spontaneum)
(Gramineae). American Journal of Botany86: 1615-1623.
Lyons-Johnson, D. 1998. Deep-rooted safflower cuts fertilizer
losses. Agricultural Research 46: 17.
Magazine and newspaper article. Add a specific date and, if
listed, a section letter or number.
Haag, E. 1997 March. Farewell to fallow. Farm Journal 121:E-4.

10. Cowen, R.C. 1996 June 11. No-till farming can reduce nitrogen
pollution. Christian Science Monitor 88:14.
Internet articles and other electronic publications. At the end of
the citation give the URL as well as the date you accessed the
material. When you cite these in the text, give the author and
year, just like printed references. Do not copy and paste the
internet address into the body of the text. The author would be
the owner of the site or writer or contributor of the specific
page, if that information is given; otherwise use anonymous or
the name of the site.
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2016. Safflower. Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-
9064715>. Accessed Sept. 20, 2016Lamb, R.J. 2005. Wheat
germplasm resistant to cereal aphids for incorporation in
Manitoba wheats.
<http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/research/ardi/projects/99-
252.html> Accessed Sep. 19, 2015
LeGuillou, G. and A. Scharpe. 2005. Organic Farming: Guide to
Community Rules.Office for Official Publications of the
European Communities. <www.europa.eu.int/comm/
agriculture/qual/organic>. Accessed October 17, 2017
Wikipedia. 2017. Safflower.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safflower. Accessed Sept. 20, 2017
Possible Topics
BIO Medicinal plants Spring 2019
Regional usage of plants: plants used as medicines in a country,
culture, or time period. Here are some possibilities: Korea,
Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Middle East, Thailand,
Polynesia, Caribbean, Mexico, West Africa, Brazil, southern
U.S., Medieval or Renaissance Europe, Colonial America, or a
Native American tribe or culture

11. Coffee, tea, and chocolate are excluded because these are
covered in detail in lecture. Cannabis (including medical
marijuana and hemp), ginkgo, poppy (opium), and coconut are
also excluded.
Algae as medicine
Anti-oxidants
Aromatherapy
Australian Tea Tree
Bamboo
Blueberries and Cranberries
Breadfruit and jackfruit
Coca Tree
Garlic and Onions
Genetically modified medicinal plants
Grain and Baking
Grains and brewing
Grapes and health benefits
Health-care products from plants
Home vegetable Gardens as sources of medicinal plants
Mediterranean Diet and health benefit
Mistletoe
Mushrooms for medicine and health
Olives
Opium poppy
Organic Farming of medicinal plants
Plants and pets: health concerns

12. Pumpkins, Gourds, & Squash
Rain Forest and new medicines
Soybeans and legumes as medicines
Starfruit
Sunflower
Walnuts and other nuts