Description
PAPER:NEFF ANDMCMINNREVIEWASSIGNMENTINSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
For this Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Assignment you will interact with the Neff &
McMinn (2020) text and the issues that are raised in each chapter. Based on the idea that
integration is conversation from Neff & McMinn (2020), you will incorporate other concepts and
ideas you have encountered in this course, in your faith journey, in your work experience, and in
other areas of your life. The goal here is that you will not merely regurgitate issues in a book
report form, but that you will think deeply about how what you are reading in Neff & McMinn
(2020) relates to other ideas you can bring to the conversation. Consider reflecting on ideas from
Scripture, the ACA Code of Ethics, previous textbooks and courses, other materials in this course
(such as the Hawkins & Clinton text) and from your personal and work experience.
INSTRUCTIONS
This Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Assignment will have 2 parts (Part A in Module 5,
and Part B in Module 7). Please note that your instructions for Part A and Part B are the exact
same directions. The only thing that changes is the topics for each set of instructions. In Part A,
you will be covering Chapters 1-3, and in Part B, you will be writing about Chapters 4-6.
Therefore, the actual writing of your chapter summary and reflection will look different in each
part. Total length of text for Parts A and B: Roughly 5-7 pages. Use the following criteria to
format your Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Assignment:
1. Provide a title page according to current APA standards. Please include an abstract
on page 2 about what the paper (Part A or B) covers.
2. Part A: Chapters 1-3 Summary (or Part B: Chapters 4-6 & Final Conversation
Summary): (Major Heading. Summary should be bold and centered). After briefly
introducing the name of the book (remember, the titles of books and journals in APA
formatting are in italics), the book chapters, and the authors, summarize the three
chapters in at least 2 pages. Be appropriately concise but also be adequately complete in
your ideas. Prove that you comprehend the main ideas by writing a clear and succinct
summary. The summary is not a commentary or listing of topics but rather a discussion of
the core ideas (main ideas) in the chapters. If you miss the main ideas, you lack an
understanding of the complete message of the book. Cite the book in-text (Neff &
McMinn, 2020) at least once per paragraph “and include page numbers for direct
quotations” (Neff & McMinn, 2020, p. 123). As a general rule of thumb, if using direct
quotations, please limit them to no more than three short quotations per written page. As
a graduate student, you are encouraged to use your own voice and tell your reader what
the authors said, rather than using lengthy quotes. Your professor wants to read what
your summary description of the text is.
3. Reflection: (Major Heading, bold and centered) This section is a 2-4 page critique or
evaluation of the authors’ main ideas. If you agree with Neff & McMinn, please
communicate that and give coherent reasons. The same goes for anything you may
disagree with. You should also consider new questions that arose for you in response to
what you have read and explore concerns, implications, etc. Consider also some of the
theological implications of what you are reading, and how it relates to your current or
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future work in the counseling room. Perhaps you have a personal experience that relates
to something that Neff & McMinn wrote about that is appropriate to share. For example,
based on your reading of Chapter 1, you may choose to share about a time in your life
where you grieved the loss of a loved one yourself. In Chapter 3, you may need to
consider any faulty views of what you might think the role of a counselor is. Also,
consider other sources that you have encountered in your life up to this point that relate to
this book, such as other textbooks, journal articles, Scripture passages, and even ethical
codes such as those in the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) or the AACC Code of Ethics
(2014). You should also consider issues that Hawkins and Clinton (2015) have to say as
you consider the issues of Neff & McMinn (2020). Please also address how you will
apply some of the ideas of Neff & McMinn in your future counseling practice.
While your first-level headings (centered and bold) for this paper will be the chapter
summary, reflections, and spiritual formation, consider some second-level
headings (left justify and bold) in this section of the paper. Some of these second-
level heading could potentially include example, such as: Theological Issues,
Theological Questions, Ethical Issues, New Ideas, Integration Thoughts, Dealing with
Grief, I am not my Clients’ Savior, Implications for Counseling, and/or Unanswered
Questions. Please allow these second-level headings to come out of your own
interaction of what you have read, rather than the examples you were just given.
Make this your own paper and your own quest for what integration can look like for
you.
4. Spiritual Formation: (major heading – bold and centered). Take some time and in at
least one page, preferably more, please describe how these three chapters have impacted
you spiritually. Honesty and vulnerability are encouraged, but not required. You may
choose to address questions that impact your own personal spiritual formation, such as:
how have these chapters helped you focus more on your relationship with God? How
have these chapters emotionally impacted you, inspired you, put things together for you,
or frustrated you theologically? If appropriate, please use Scripture passages or other
quotes from people outside of what you have read in class. The ultimate goal for this
section of the paper is for you to think about your own spiritual formation and how that
impacts your chosen career of path of counseling. A simple definition of spiritual
formation is the process of being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ for the glory
of God and for the sake of others (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). So a simple way to encourage
you in this section is: how have you become more like Jesus by reading these chapters?
To be clear, in APA formatting, pronouns should generally be written in third
person (He, she, it, they, etc.). But for the sake of this paper, especially in the
Reflection and Spiritual Formation sections, it is also appropriate to use first
person pronouns (I, me, my, etc.) since you are being asked about your own
personal views. Please do NOT use second person pronouns (you, your,
you’re) anywhere in this assignment.
Please remember to include a Reference Page at the end of each paper (Parts A
and B). You are required to have a minimum of five references in this section.
You are encouraged to use Neff & McMinn (2020), the Bible (cited properly in
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APA formatting), Hawkins & Clinton (2015), and other sources such as Entwistle
(2015) and others.
Please note that proper APA formatting for this Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Assignment
will be APA Professional Paper and NOT APA Student Paper form.
Be sure to review the Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Grading Rubric before beginning the
Paper: Neff and McMinn Review Assignment.
Note: Your submissions will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
