Select an attitudes and persuasion topic that hold some interest for you, ideally a topic that interfaces with a current research interest that you have yet to purse. Your paper topic should not be redundant with your thesis, dissertation, or previous course papers. Take this opportunity to stretch yourself. To help determine the appropriateness and feasibility of the topic, I strongly would encourage your discussing your paper topics with me (by mid- to late February).
Although a review paper obviously summarizes existing work to some extent, it also should critically evaluate the existing literature. If this idea strikes you as alien, glance at articles in Psychological Review or Psychological Bulletin. Such papers often identity findings in the literature that may be confounded with paradigm, similarities among divergent findings that point toward previously-unposited conclusions, and gaps in the existing literature. Ideally, your paper will be leading up to something rather than providing an encyclopedia of findings and issues. I am not suggesting that you propose a groundbreaking meta-theoretical model nor do I expect a paper as comprehensive as papers in Psychological Bulletin. However, your review should involve a critical evaluation of the literature not just a summary. 'Nuf said.
My grade assignments for written graduate work are based on three equally-weighted criteria. 1.) Appropriate, adequate, and accurate use of material. 2.) Evidence of critical thought, evaluation of the literature, and synthesis of ideas. 3.) Organization and general writing style. For undergraduate students and in the introductory graduate courses, an additional criterion includes appropriate grammar, spelling, proofreading et cetera. Papers for an advanced graduate seminar are assumed to be beyond this criterion, but I admittedly will be...annoyed...if your paper is a mess.
The body of the paper should be about 10-12 pages, which is roughly equivalent to the introduction to a JPSP article. My last paper of this length had 22270 characterss, if that helps anyone with the length issue. If you have chosen a topic that can be treated thoroughly in five pages, your topic probably is too narrow. By the same token, if the topic needs 20-30 pages, your topic probably is too broad. The profession will hold you to length limitations (e.g., chapters, tech reports, empirical pieces), so I believe the length restriction is appropriate.
Students' work must be their own. You may not solicit help from other people (e.g., classmates, professors, other students, romantic partners, fruit-bats, internet companions) in outlining or writing your paper, nor should you solicit critiques or read-throughs from these persons. I know that in some other graduate courses, soliciting reviews from such persons is required, so I want to make my stance on this practice in my course very clear. While I'm on the topic, be advised that substantial paraphrasing and borrowing of ideas without appropriate citation can be construed as plagiarism,so be sure that you understand what constitutes a breech of the honor code. Finally, submitting versions of papers from previous courses is prohibited. Growth as a social scientist includes breadth as well as depth.
The primary purpose of the presentation is to expose the class to a topic with which we have not dealt or to provide a more in-depth examination of some topic that has been covered in the course. The secondary purpose is to provide students with an opportunity to deliver a miniature lecture rather than a research presentation; feedback on the process will be available to students who desire it. The tertiary and final purpose is to help assure that projects are nearing completion as the deadline arrives (i.e., I don't want to hear sob stories regarding late papers. 'Nuf said).
No particular format is required for your presentation. You are free to choose among more interactive or formal styles of presentation. Providing a written or oral outline of where you'll be going may help everyone follow the presentation. You are encouraged to avoid sweeping generalizations and to support your argument with empirical research. "Support" does not mean getting bogged down in the minute details of particular studies.
Each person receives approximately 25 minutes to complete her or his presentation. Leave time for questions at the end or for questions throughout the presentation. You are encouraged to ask one classmate to take notes regarding questions. The questions that arise may provide useful information for the final version of your paper.
FYI: I have a habit of scribbling notes to myself during presentations. I often do not look directly at the speaker, either. If you know that my habits will bother you, select two or three individuals toward whom you will direct your comments and avoid looking at me. I will not take this decision personally and I may not even notice. Notes will allow me to provide you with feedback and to make a more attribute-based assessment of your presentation. I also wish to avoid smiling and nodding at some individuals but frowning and eye-rolling at other individuals, especially if those feedback cues derive from factors other than your presentation. I am most interested in your thorough treatment of the topic, organization and presentation, and readiness to answer questions.
Someone inevitably asks how the presentation is weighted. I consider it 10% of the total grade, and as part of the total class participation grade.