Relationship Term Paper Ideas

Hmmm what can I write about???? Sometimes the hardest thing is to think of a topic. I suggest that first pick a relationship. Who would you like to write about? Which relationship?

Remember it can be ANY relationship - it does not have to be a romantic relationship for example you can choose a relationship you have with:

1. Mother or Father

2. Brother or Sister

3. Cousin

4. Aunt or Uncle

5. Grandmother or Grandfather

6. Best Friend

7. Boss

8. Co-worker

9. Boyfriend or Girlfriend

10. Husband or Wife

11. Daughter or Son

After you select the relationship - then think about your relationship - just like when you watched the movie. Flip through your textbook and decide which concept you see in this relationship. For example:

Conflict Management Styles

Listening - good or bad skills

Self Concept

Identity Management

Non Verbal Communication

Language Choices

Communication Climate

Self Disclosure

Relationship Maintenance

Social Exchange Theory

Perception

Culture

Emotion Management

Dialectical Tensions

Compliance Gaining

Intimacy

Gender

Uncertainty Avoidance

These are just a few to select from - feel free to expand on the concept or narrow it for your use. Once you have your relationship and your concept you are ready to write your paper!!

Here is the process:

• Remember always start with the body!
• Define your concept - use four sources - GOOD sources with authors and keep in mind I do not like Wikipedia!!
• The second portion of your body is your relationship - tell me about it - who are they? where did you meet? what do you do? how is the relationship? Tell me the "plot" or story of your relationship - just like a summary of a movie.
• The last section in your paper is how the concept shows up in the relationship. Tell me and give me examples of times when the concept shows up in this relationship.
• Great - now you are ready to do an introduction and a conclusion. In your introduction you will use the four elements we discussed in class:

        1. Gain and Maintain (Attention getting device)

        2. Thesis statement (in one sentence what is your paper all about)

        3. Preview of main points (Concept, Relationship and how they come together)

        4. Relation statement (how does this relate to the class?)

In your conclusion I want you to think about what you have learned.... now that you know this information about the concept, you know about the relationship, and how the two come together what have you learned??? How will this change your future behavior? Does it help you understand the relationship any better?
Conclude with the two elements we learned in class:

        1. Recap of main points

        2. Gain and Maintain

Best of Luck!! Keep in mind I do not accept papers late or emailed to me - they must be TURNED in typed and ready to go. You will give me 6 pages!!! The first page is a cover page, the next four are "Four FULL Pages of TEXT" and the last page is your Reference page.