1) Describe the pathophysiology of the disease. If there is more then one cause for the condition discuss the most common cause.

2) Recommend a drug to treat the condition and support that recommendation. If there is more than one recomended therapy be sure and defend you choice.

3) Act as a script for you as you inform the patient or caregiver about the drug. Remember this is intended for a patient so do not use scientific terminology.

Grading and Assessment

The report should go through at least three stages or drafts. You are required to share your first draft with three other members of your class. Their assessment of your work will be a good way to assist in improving the document and give you all practice with evaluation of the work of others.  The check list below can help as you perform the assessments.   The table below can also act as a guide as you perform an assessment of your own work and that of your team members.

The meaning of each term is listed below with the questions you should be asking yourself as you evaluate the three sections of the paper.

Correctness This should be self-explanatory. Do not check all the references or do the report over yourself. Simply read it in terms of how it impresses you with its correctness. Look for obvious errors.

Completeness Does it contain all the information you would want to know about the condition or the drug?  Is there enough information to answer all the patient's questions and help that patient use the drug correctly?

Clarity It is easy to read? Are there any points left unexplained? Is it written in scientific terms or in everyday language that allows the patient to understand?

Brevity Is it short and to the point? Could a sentence be cut into two or shortened by the use of a better word or phrase?

IMPACT Will this cause the pharmacist or patient to act? Will it get the reader's interest fast enough to make sure your message gets through? Does it use active forms of the verb?

YOU MUST MEET WITH A TUTOR AT THE WRITING CENTER. As a second step in the preparation of your report, I will insist that you take a draft and visit the Wilkes University Writing Center. Some of you will not need much help, but some of you will, and none of us should avoid help if it is available. The Writing Center has a conference summary form which you must ask a tutor to fill out and return to me as proof that you did this important step.

YOU MUST PERFORM A SELF ASSESSMENT. As an additional step to improved writing it is often helpful to develop a checklist to help you review your own work and that of your fellow classmates. I have developed a Report Check List which you may use as a minimum review method. Please add to it as you see fit.

Organization
1. How many points did I make? Did I overlap or repeat? Did I leave any points out or add some that are not needed?
2. How many paragraphs did I use to discuss each point?
3. Why did I discuss the points in that order? Should I change the order?
4. How did I get from one point to another?

Paragraphing Ask these questions about every paragraph.
1. What job is the paragraph supposed to do? How does it relate to the other paragraphs?
2. What's the topic idea? Will my reader have trouble finding it?
3. How many sentences did it take to develop the topic idea? Can I substitute better examples, reasons, or details?
4. How well does the paragraph hold together? When I read it out loud, did it flow smoothly? Do I need transitions or to change the length of a sentence.

Sentences Ask these questions of every sentence.
1. Which sentence in the report do I like the most? The least?
2. Can my reader see what I am saying?
3. Is this sentence filled with clichés, showy words, jargon or padded phrases?
4. Can I combine the sentence with another one?
5. Can I add adjectives and adverbs or find a better verb?

Things to Check Last:
1. Spelling and punctuation
2. How does the paper end? Did I keep the promises I made to the reader at the beginning of the paper?
3. What do I like best about this paper and what do I like least? What will I do to change the next draft?

As a peer your assessment should be constructive and helpful. You will need to put some time into the process without letting it take on a life of its own. I suggest you use the criteria listed above as a starting point for your own evaluation. Make a table similar to the assessment/grading table above and comment on each criterion as it applies to each chapter or section.

The Grading

After you have done a self assessment and your team have done a peer assessment, the final report is ready for submission for a grade. You will submit the final report PLUS the two drafts together with the self assessment, peer assessments, and writing center assessment before the Thanksgiving break.

I will review it all and issue a grade based on the following criteria. Each section will be evaluated for correctness, completeness, clarity, brevity, impact or persuasiveness; and appropriate use of language or tone. Part three will be evaluated with an emphasis on clarity, tone and use of appropriate language. The final grade will not be based on any problem uncovered in the draft and reflected in the peer assessment or self assessment. The draft papers are required so the instructor can see if the problems in the final paper were reflected in the drafts and not addressed by the author in the final work.

The first draft should be produced and reviewed by you, your peers and the writing center by the first exam September 23th,
The second draft should be prepared and reviewed by the second exam October 28th,
and the final report plus should be turned in prior to the end of business (not later than 4:30 PM) on Monday, November 22nd.

Remember that to get full credit I must recieve the final report plus the drafts with the suggestions and corrections from peer and writing center.