ABSTRACT
The idiographic approach, typified by case studies, is useful to explicate rare phenomena or procedures or to raise etiological hypotheses. This chapter investigates the effectiveness of writing assignments in an abnormal psychology course. The participants were 26 undergraduates enrolled in abnormal psychology course. Theoretical perspectives, or paradigms, have received increased attention in psychology courses at all levels over the past 20 years. This trend has been especially prominent in undergraduate courses in abnormal psychology, for which most of the texts are organized explicitly in terms of theoretical perspectives. A case-study assignment addresses the significant interest some students have in applying concepts from abnormal psychology to specific individuals. Some perspectives are available in the current literature regarding assignment components that might improve students' writing skills. Descriptions of the writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) movement also have emphasized that good writing is a process and that feedback and revision should be integrated into writing assignments.
