Midterm Exam

You will sit for an exam during the September 22 class meeting time. The exam will consist of your choice of a subset of short essay questions from a list based on the readings to that point. These questions may ask you to critique studies; analyze strengths and weaknesses of a theory; integrate or apply ideas from several readings; or propose a new study to test a specific hypothesis raised by the readings. In short, the questions are designed to elicit creative, independent thought rather than a demonstration of your ability to remember facts. As such, the exam will be "open book"; you may bring all the readings as well as any notes you may have prepared beforehand. In preparation for the exam, you should read for comprehension and understanding rather than memorizing specifics from the readings. If you carefully and thoughtfully do the readings and actively participate in discussions, you should not need to do extra preparation for the exam.