Write a 2 page single-spaced paper that explains how you see yourself, another person, or members of an organization/institution with respect to gender.  Keep in mind that stronger papers will exceed the 600 word minimum requirement.  The grading rubric at the bottom of this page provides clarity for the expectations for this assignment.  

The paper should focus on gender as expressed and experienced through a person’s life events. You may discuss any or all of the following: family dynamics (i.e., birth order, family expectations, religious values,  other influential institutions, etc.), and culture (how a person learns to act as a gendered person), have formed a worldview (“…the way in which we perceive the world –and our behavior” Gamble & Gamble, 2003, p. 59) and ultimately influenced communication.  You are not required to write about your personal gender; you may choose to write about a family member, friend, religious figure, secular public figure, or member of a specific institution, industry, or organization. If you are unsure of your approach, feel free to e-mail your instructor for guidance. While there is no expectation that you reveal your own personal information, the intent of the paper is for you to write from a personal perspective, not solely from online references.  If a person described is not a publicly known figure, be sure to refer to them by a pseudonym. 

Submit: Assignment 1 – Personal
Reflec!on Essay on

Gender and

Communica!on ~ Due Sunday, Week 1
(Jan 19, 2020)

Instruc!ons

Personal Reflec!on Essay on Gender and Communica!on (10%)

Write a 1-2 page single-spaced paper (600-1,200 words) that explains

how you see yourself, another person, or members of an

organiza!on/ins!tu!on with respect to gender. Keep in mind that

stronger papers will exceed the 600 word minimum requirement.

The

grading rubric at the bo”om of this page provides clarity for the

expecta!ons for this assignment.

The paper should focus on gender as expressed and experienced

through a person’s life events. You may discuss any or all of the

following: family dynamics (i.e., birth order, family expecta!ons,

religious values, other influen!al ins!tu!ons, etc.), and culture (how a

person learns to act as a gendered person), have formed a

worldview (“…the way in which we perceive the world –and our

behavior” Gamble & Gamble, 2003, p. 59) and ul!mately

influenced communica!on. You are not required to write about your

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/441848/navigateContent/303/Previous?pId=16912426

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/441848/navigateContent/303/Next?pId=16912426

personal gender; you may choose to write about a family member,

friend, religious figure, secular public figure, or member of a specific

ins!tu!on, industry, or organiza!on. If you are unsure of

your

approach, feel free to e-mail your instructor for guidance. While there

is no expecta!on that you reveal your own personal informa!on, the

intent of the paper is for you to write from a personal perspec!ve, not

solely from online references. If a person described is not a publicly

known figure, be sure to refer to them by a pseudonym.

You may include any or all

of the following:

your feelings

about gender,

how your (or the person’s) family or ins!tu!on in

which they are a

member views gender; the impact of peers (past and/or

present) on

gender development; how you or your subject has been

privileged,

marginalized (or neither) as a result of your/their gender;

media

influences on your/their gender; how your/their communica!on is

influenced by gender; and any other relevant

issues regarding

gender.

The theme of communica!on and gender should be woven throughout

the paper.

Submissions should provide ample explana!ons and be

descrip!ve.

Include references (APA format, in-text and reference list) as

appropriate (e.g., the paper sources content about a public person or

ins!tu!on).

This paper will remain private between you and the instructor, unless

content is included that is unlawful or suggests the possibility of harm

to you or to others. You will not be asked to share its contents online

or in a classroom.

This is the ONLY paper this semester that may be wri”en from the first

person (I, me, my, etc.).

It is important to know the difference between sex and gender as you

write your reflec!on. According to module one commentary:

“Sex refers to a person’s biological or physiological makeup (Ivy &

Blacklund, 2004), and it is determined primarily by one’s internal sexual

organs and external genitalia (Wood, 2007). Sex is innate, not learned.”

In contrast, gender is socially constructed and iden!fies what is

considered feminine and masculine in a culture (Stewart et al., 2003). It

is learned through observa!on and interac!on with others. Gender

deals with how you are socialized to act in rela!on to your sex (Perry &

Ballard-Reisch, 2004). Neuliep (2000) asserts that gender comprises

behavioral, cultural, and psychological characteris!cs a”ached to a

person’s sex.”

Further Clarifica!on

Introduc!on: A brief but crea!ve paragraph that introduces the

topic. The paragraph begins with a memorable a”en!on-ge”er,

provides a clearly stated purpose, and ends with

an explicit

preview of what your paper will cover.

Body: Consists of 3-6 descrip!ve paragraphs that explicitly

explores the role of gender in you, a selected person, or member of

an organiza!on, and its effect on communica!on. Reveals how

gender is expressed or experienced through life events, family

dynamics (e.g., birth order, family expecta!ons, etc.), culture (how

you/they learned to act as a male or a female),

and/or

worldview (“…the way in which we perceive the world –and our

behavior” Gamble & Gamble, 2003, p.59) and how it has ul!mately

influenced communica!on.

If you choose to take an autobiographical approach to this paper,

you may include any of the following: your feelings about gender,

how your or other family sees gender, cultural influences

on

gender

development, how you or other person(s) described have been

privileged or marginalized as a result of your gender, how sexual

orienta!on has influenced gender, how media

influences on

gender, how communica!on is influenced by gender, and

any other

relevant issues regarding gender (i.e. religion, worldview, etc.).

Submissions should provide ample explana!ons and be

descrip!ve. Breath of topics addressed

regarding

gender/communica!on is encouraged.

Conclusion: a brief paragraph that gives closure to your

reflec!on.

Be sure to adhere to the following criteria:

600-1,200 words. The word count does not include

!tle page,

reference page/bibliography, etc. Keep in mind 600 words is the

minimum and stronger papers will greatly exceed the minimum.

If you have access to a word count feature on your so$ware

program (Word –review tab), note the word count at the end of

the paper.

12-point Times New Roman font. Space the document (without

unnecessary spaces in the document -nothing should be double-

spaced).

One-inch margins on all sides.

Title page contains only the !tle, student’s name, and UMUC.

The !tle page is numbered page 1.

American Psychological Associa!on (APA) format for cita!ons

(both in-text and reference page) if cita!ons are provided.

However, this par!cular assignment does NOT require outside

sources unless wri!ng about a publicly known person,

organiza!on or ins!tu!on. You may NOT use Wikipedia for

this paper or any other assignments this semester.

Submit the paper by the due date. Late work will result in a 20-

point deduc!on. Late papers are only accepted 7 days a$er the

due date.

Grading Rubric

Exemplary Accomplished Adequate Underdeveloped

Introduc!on/

Format

14-15 points

Offers an

engaging,

original

introductory

paragraph with

a crea!ve

a”en!on

ge”er, a clear,

well-wri”en

purpose

statement, and

an explicit

preview

Fully adheres

to

format

requirements

(e.g., font, word

count, spacing,

13-1

2 points

Provides a

sound

introductory
paragraph with

a good

a”en!on

ge”er, a clear

purpose
statement, and

a preview.

Mostly adheres

to format
requirements

(e.g., font,

word count,

spacing, !tle

page, margins,

proper APA

11-10 points

Provides an

adequate

introductory
paragraph with

an a”en!on

ge”er, a

purpose
statement, and

a preview. One

element of the

preview may be

in

adequate.

Somewhat

adheres to

format
requirements
(e.g., font, word
count, spacing,

9-8 points

The

introduc!on

lacks one or

more of the

following: an

a”en!on ge”er,

a purpose

statement,

and/or

preview or all

elements are

provided, but

they are not

adequate.

Frequently does

not adhere to

format
requirements

!tle page,

margins, proper

APA

cita!ons if

needed).

cita!ons if
needed).
!tle page,
margins, proper

APA cita!ons if

needed).

(e.g., font, word
count, spacing,
!tle page,
margins, proper
APA cita!ons if

needed).

Body Content:

Themes of

Gender and

Communica!on

30-27 points

Eloquently and

coherently

weaves the

themes of

gender and

communica!on

throughout the

submission

26-2

4 points

Successfully

weaves the
themes of
gender and
communica!on
throughout the

submission.

23-21 points

The themes of

gender and
communica!on

are adequately

addressed in

your
submission.

20-18 points

The themes of
gender and
communica!on

are not woven

throughout the

en!re

submission.

Body: Breadth

and Depth of

the Reflec!on

& Use of

Examples

40-36 points

Addresses most

of the the

35-32 points

Addresses

much of the

31-28 points

Addresses some

of the of the

27-24 points

Addresses few

of the following:

following in a

detailed,

excellent

manner: Your,

or

their feelings

about gender,

how your (or

the

person’s)

family or

ins!tu!on in

which they are

a member

views gender;

the impact of

peers (past

and/or present)

on gender

development;

how you or

your subject

have been

privileged,

marginalized (or

neither) as a

result of your

or

their gender;

media
influences on

your

or their

gender; how

you or their

following in a

sa!sfactory

manner: Your

or their

feelings about

gender, how

your (or the

person’s)
family or
ins!tu!on in
which they are
a member
views gender;
the impact of
peers (past
and/or
present) on
gender

development;

how you or

your subject
have been
privileged,

marginalized

(or neither) as

a result of you

or their

gender; media

influences on

your or their

gender; how

following in an

adequate but

not overly

descrip!ve

manner: Your or

their feelings
about gender,

how your (or

the person’s)

family or
ins!tu!on in
which they are
a member
views gender;
the impact of
peers (past
and/or present)
on gender
development;
how you or
your subject
have been
privileged,
marginalized (or
neither) as a

result of your or

their gender;
media
influences on
your or their
gender; how

Your or their

feelings about
gender, how

your or the

person’s family

or ins!tu!on in

which they are a

member views

gender; the

impact of peers

(past and/or

present) on
gender
development;
how you or

your subject has

been privileged,

marginalized (or
neither) as a
result of your or
their gender;
media
influences on
your or their

gender; how

your or their
communica!on

is influenced by

gender; and any

other relevant

issues regarding

communica!on
is influenced by

gender; and

any other

relevant issues

regarding
gender.
your or their
communica!on

is influenced

by gender; and

any other
relevant issues
regarding
gender.
your or their
communica!on
is influenced by
gender; and any
other relevant
issues regarding
gender.
gender.

However,

examples were

not specific to

the author or

other persons

described, nor

were not clearly

relevant, and/or

not sufficient to

provide

adequate

support.

Conclusion 5 points

The conclusion

(final

paragraph) is

insigh&ul and

provides the

reader with

closure.

4 points

The conclusion
(final
paragraph) is

sound and

provides the
reader with
closure.

3 points

The conclusion

is adequate and

provides the
reader with

some closure.

2 points

The conclusion

is abrupt and

does not

provide closure.

Wri!ng

Abili!es/Style

10-9 points 8 points 7 points 6 points

Submissions

No submissions yet. Drag and drop to upload your

assignment below.

Very well –

wri”en collete

level paper,

cap!vates the

reader, and is

insigh&ully

introspec!ve.

Has no

errors.

Well-wri”en

college level

paper, engages

the

reader, and

is self-

reflec!ve.

May have 1-3

errors.

Adequately

wri”en,

interests the

reader, and

demonstrates

some self-

reflec!on.

May have 4-6

errors.

Poorly wri”en,

generates li”le

interest for the

reader, and
demonstrates

very limited

self-reflec!on.

May have 7-10

errors.

©2019 University of Maryland Global Campus