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Conflict Self-Assessment Paper Learning Objectives

At the end of this assignment, the students will be able to


1. Articulate the relationship between conflict theories and improving one’s skills

2. Describe how their conflicts move through constructive or destructive cycles

3. Assess their own conflict skills and determine levels of improvement


4. Articulate the changes they would like to make in their future behavior

At the beginning of the semester, you completed a self-assessment (action plan paper) of your conflict

abilities and shortcomings, specified some areas in which you thought you needed improvement, and

generated goals for improvement. Throughout the course of the semester, you have kept track of the

conflicts you experienced, using the conflict worksheet to record them.

Directions: For your Conflict Self-Assessment paper, you will analyze the various conflicts you

experienced this semester and use the information you have created as data for analyzing your

behavior. This paper is to be a personal reflection, coupled with analysis and reference to outside

readings, which demonstrates the growth of your knowledge this semester.

Include clean copies of all your worksheets (refer to action plan directions) submitted this semester. In

the skills assessment section, for example, if your goal was to delay your emotional reactions to others

in conflict, do the conflicts you have analyzed reflect increased ability, or are you still working on this

skill?

Minimum Expectations At the minimum, you must use and cite the required reading (your text). Minimum means an average, C

grade. The above average or excellent paper makes use of library resources, from a variety of types

(communication yearbooks, journals, and books), as well as accurately and skillfully applying concepts

from classroom discussion. The outstanding (“A”) paper will utilize more than 4 primary library sources.

In order for your paper to be evaluated quickly (particularly since your papers come in at the end of the

semester), YOU MUST divide your paper into sections that address the following issues, label each

section, and follow the indicated order. Within each section, address the issues in essay form.

NOTE: The paper length should not exceed 7 pages, but is required to be a minimum of 5 pages. Page

lengths following Section labels are for 12-point Times New Roman with 1” margins.

Sections Required in the Paper
 Section One: Introduction—Thesis and Overview (approximately 1 page)

This section should create reader interest, giving the reader some idea of your attitudes toward conflict

as you began the semester and your attitudes toward conflict today. In addition, it should contain a

thesis statement and a forecasting statement that lets the reader know where you are headed in the

entire paper.

Section Two: Skills Assessment (approximately 1-2 pages)

Were the skills you chose to assess the most pressing ones for you to improve? As you have recorded

your conflicts this semester, have other skills for improvement become apparent? Are you more aware

of the kinds of things you do which aren’t beneficial in conflict situations?

Have your conflict skills actually improved this semester? It’s okay if they haven’t. It may be that this

semester has created a greater awareness of behavior, so that you are thinking more about your conflict

skills. The next step after awareness is improved behavior—don’t worry if you haven’t made giant

behavioral strides. Understanding is the most important.

Are you more aware of the way you typically respond to conflicts? Have you found that conflicts with

some people are more “controllable” than with other people? How do the conflicts from your journal

indicate this awareness? How can you put this awareness to use?

Section Three: Theoretical Connections (approximately 1-2 pages)

How does understanding different types of conflicts and the existence of conflict cycles increase your

understanding of your own behavior?

Do you understand the connection between conflict theories/concepts and skills? Explain your

understanding of the between theories and skills, and indicate which theory of conflict was most useful

for understanding your behavior.

Why is the best theory one that is useful?


Section Four: Analyzing Your Behavior (approximately 1 page)

What has recording your conflicts using the questions provided done for your understanding of conflict

behavior?

How have you been able to implement the S-TLC approach? What are its advantages and

disadvantages?

Section Five: Your Overall Learning (approximately 1 page)

Overall, how far have you come this semester? What has changed? What hasn’t changed?

How do you assess your learning in the class?

How do you see yourself engaging in a lifetime of learning about this issue?

Please, DO NOT SIMPLY ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN ORDER TO WRITE YOUR PAPER. You are

writing a position paper, an argument concerning your skills and their improvement during this class.

Within sections, I expect a good thesis sentence, transitions, use of journal entries as data, etc. I highly

recommend thinking about this paper for at least two hours before you write it.