Content Outline: Podcast on Writing in the Field of Psychology

How are you going to organize your project?

After investigating the writing that is mainly used in the field of Psychology, I have compiled my ideas for a podcast below. I move through the essay chronologically, focusing on the different ideas I have gathered from my interviews.

Here is an active link to the outline: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aRG2TDHwwotKz0v52OoUnRNJ22-tgxSEcBmi2rb2iTU/edit?usp=sharing

1. Opening
1. Psychology revolves around research, especially in the area of academia. Thus, the presentation of these results is much more formal. Beyond this there is some dissemination of information through online articles that are much more accessible to the average person.
1. Some ideas about how to grab the reader’s attention in the opening section (at least 2) [2 pt]
1. Talk about some theories in psychology that may be difficult to understand through a journal article but are made more accessible by an online article.
2. Talk about the excitement of discovery involved in research.
2. Some ideas about how to explain why the subject matters
1. The way the human brain works determines almost everything about the way the world works today
2. Understanding the brain allows us to understand people/the world
3. With anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders becoming so prevalent, psychology is a field of pressing interest
4. Writing in this area opens channels of communication between the public and the psychologists doing the research
2. Body Sections
1. Main idea for each section [3 pt]
1. Journal Articles
1. Counterfactual Thought  
1. example of the complexity of journal articles
1. shows the lack of accessibility of these journal articles
2. (mention in podcast that these are available to listeners through the website of their local university)
2. Idea from Cecile McKee: faster than a book
1. so the information is more relevant
1. people are always exploring and researching so information is always changing
2. giving the public the most relevant information allows for an informed audience
2. Online Articles
1. Decline of Play and Rise in Children’s Mental Disorders
1. example of a more simple presentation of information
1. shows the accessibility of online articles, giving the reader an idea of what is available to them
2. Idea from Cecile McKee: different form of writing that many psychologists are still adjusting to: shorter words, simpler descriptions, etc.
1. not quite as prevalent as journal articles although it is a growing field
1. the possibilities that could come from this are very positive as described in “Changes Over Time”
3. Changes Over Time
1. Less technology involved
1. Idea from Cecile McKee: before the internet, the only people who had access to journal articles were those that could afford subscriptions which were relatively expensive
1. few people read about research going on in Psychology
1. there was limited awareness and therefore limited room to make changes
2. More technology involved
1. Idea from Cecile McKee: now you can access journals through universities and online
1. the classist aspect of the dissemination of information is limited, if not nearly eliminated
1. an increased awareness could affect actual change
2. if people are aware of why people act the way they do, why certain emotions come up for themselves, etc. they can approach various situations in more mature and functional ways
3. Future possibilities
1. Idea from Cecile McKee: collaborative writing between students and teachers could yield valuable results
1. involving more students increases interest in the field
1. this ultimately increases the diversity of ideas present in psychology which opens up many possibilities and opportunities for future research, ideas, developments, etc.
3. Conclusion
1. Writing in psychology is separated by the degrees of accessibility. Journal articles are relatively inaccessible when compared to online articles.
2. The dissemination of psychology research is important because of its relevance to day to day life. The more people know about psychology, the more they can engage with people in an educated and functional manner.