HDFS 145: Individuals, Couples, and Families
Family Analysis Paper
DUE: Thursday, April 28th via D2L Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. EST *Extra Credit Turn-In: Thursday, April 21st via D2L Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. EST*
Our semester paper will be broken into three parts. All three parts relate to our course content which at the end of the day is…you, your relationships, and your family! The paper will be a total of five pages including three pages of content, an APA title page, and APA reference page for a total of five.
The paper is due (for a chance for full credit) Thursday, April 28th by 11:59 p.m. However, we are offering 5 points of extra credit for an early turn-in. This extra credit turn- in date is Thursday, April 21st by 11:59 p.m.
Papers must be well written, using good grammar, in a collegiate-level paper format (do not simply state your responses to the prompts). Papers should be no shorter than five pages (title page, reference page, and three pages of content). Papers should be formatted as follows: 1-inch margins, 11-point font, and double spaced.
Each section (your family, the strengths of diverse family forms, and the challenges families confront) should be one full page (at minimum) and contain an answer to all prompts. You will need to format your paper with APA section headers for each of the three sections (e.g., your family, the strengths of diverse family forms, and the challenges families confront). See below for a resource from the Purdue OWL that outlines the way to use headings according to the APA style guide.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_gui de/apa_headings_and_seriation.html
To write your paper, read the set-ups for each of the four sections and respond to the questions posed.
Section One:
Your Family
We spent the beginning of this class defining families personally and professionally. Once the family was defined, we moved to thinking about the function of the family. The function of the family is how the family works to meet needs (e.g., safety and security, socialization, identity and belonging). These needs may be located at the individual, group, or societal levels. These functions can change as the family adapts to variables at the micro (e.g., members entering or existing) and macro (e.g., historical events, economic swings) levels. Respond to the following to draft the first page of your paper (1 page, 3-4 paragraphs).
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• Given what has happened in our world with COVID-19 and the massive changes we have endured, how has your family life changed?
• Think about what life was like prior to COVID-19 and what has changed since. Link your answer to at least 2-3 course concepts and provide your description of the function of your family in your answer.
• During this historic time, how can people stay connected? What are ways you have used to continue to maintain your important relationships? Provide one strength and one challenge to relationship building and maintenance during this time.
Section Two:
The Strengths of Diverse Family Forms
Over the course of the semester, we have surveyed topics that included the definition and function of the family, diverse family forms and their inherent strengths and challenges, relationship and family formation, sexual responsibility and reproduction, and development across the life course. For this section of your paper, you will consider one of the many diverse family forms that have been reviewed across the semester. This diversity could be from the lens of race and ethnicity, the family formation (e.g., single parent family, blended family), or from the lens of gender or sexuality, etc. After you have identified the area that youwishtohighlightreflectonthestrengthandresiliencydisplayed. Respondtothe following to draft the second page of your paper (1 page, 3-4 paragraphs).
• Describe the diverse family form that you are choosing to highlight. Describe how strength and/or resiliency is displayed.
• Highlight one lesson learned from our course around the topic you are highlighting. Cite the text or lecture that you are referencing.
• Think about what you have highlighted and find one point of application with your own life, relationships, or family system.
Section Three: Challenges Families Confront
For this section of your paper, you will consider one of the many challenges’ families face including but not limited to relationship violence, infertility, divorce, single parenting, and child custody. After you have identified the area that you wish to highlight reflect on what this challenge looks like, how it is felt by the family system, and the response by the system. Respond to the following to draft the third page of your paper (1 page, 3-4 paragraphs).
• Describe the challenge that you are choosing to highlight. Describe why this is a challenge, how family systems may struggle with this, and the response to this challenge.
• Highlight one lesson learned from our course around the topic you are highlighting. Cite the text or lecture that you are referencing.
• Think about what you have highlighted and find one point of application with your own life, relationships, or family system.
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Paper Format:
• Submit as a PDF or Word document
• Include an APA formatted title page with your name
• Include an APA formatted reference page
• Paper should be 5 pages in length (title page, reference page, and three pages of
content)
• Times New Roman, 11pt front, double spaced, 1-inch margins
• Papers must include APA style headings for each of the three sections (e.g., your
family, the strengths of diverse family forms, and challenges families confront). Turn all documents in via D2L by Thursday, April 28th via D2L Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. *Extra Credit Turn-In: Thursday, April 21st via D2L Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. EST*
Assignment Rubric:
Your Family
Change that Occurred
Change in Functioning Connection
The Strengths of Diverse Family Forms Describing Strength
Lesson Learned Point of Application
Challenges Families Confront Describing Challenge
Lesson Learned Point of Application
6 pts Total for the semester paper 30 pts
Assignment completed as directed
(e.g., Times New Roman, 11pt font, 1-inch margins, APA format)
2 pts
3 pts
3 pts
2 pts
3 pts
3 pts
2 pts
3 pts
3 pts
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