This guide is for COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview, start to submission. A 3 to 5-page report of an intake interview with yourself or a fictional character, answering one of three referral questions.
COUC 521 is Assessment Techniques in Counseling, 3 credit hours, in Liberty University's MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Canvas and the course guide file print the code as COUC521; it is the same course.
| Course | COUC 521 Assessment Techniques in Counseling |
|---|---|
| Module/Week | 2 |
| Points | 100 points |
| Length | 3 to 5 pages, double-spaced |
| Sources | Drummond's initial intake structure |
| Faith integration | Not required by the guide |
| Format | Word document, double-spaced |
What COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview asks for
You use yourself or a fictional character as the subject of an interview that seeks to answer one of three referral questions. The interview gathers the information in the text's initial intake: identifying information, reason for referral, current situation and functioning, relevant medical history, psychiatric treatment history, family history, social and developmental history, educational and occupational history, and cultural influences. You report it in a 3 to 5-page double-spaced Word document. It is due in Module/Week 2 with Drummond chapters 3 and 4. Worth 100 points.
Where it fits in COUC 521
In the published schedule, Project 1: Initial Interview is one of 9 graded written assignments in COUC 521. It follows Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1 and comes before Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 2.
How COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview is graded
Liberty grades Project 1: Initial Interview with the rubric attached to the assignment in Canvas, worth 100 points in the published guide. That is about 10% of the course's 1,010 points. Open the rubric before you draft and read across each row: the top column describes what full credit looks like, and the gap between columns tells you what costs points.
Course grades in COUC 521 use Liberty's point scale: an A is 940 to 1010 points of the course total. Missing the length or source minimum usually costs points on several rows at once, which is why the checklist below starts with them.
Timing in the published guide: Each course module/week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Check the due dates in your Canvas section, which govern.
The COUC 521 Week 2 method, step by step
Set up the data before the write-up
Do the calculations first and check them. Interpretation built on a wrong figure loses more points than a missing paragraph.
Show the method
Say which method, formula or test you used and why it fits the question. Graders want to see that the choice was deliberate.
Report the results plainly
Give the key figures in a labeled table and mention each in the text.
Interpret in the context of the question
Translate the numbers into a conclusion about the question. Say what decision they support and how confident you can be.
Name the limits
Name the assumptions and limits. A result with its limits stated reads as professional.
Submit the files the guide asks for
Submit every file requested and check that formulas, output and the write-up agree (3 to 5 pages, double-spaced).
Use each intake area as a heading, write in objective clinical language (reported, denied, described), and keep the referral question in view throughout.
A structure for COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview
Word targets are planning numbers for about 1,300 words of body text, set by the length in the guide; the rubric decides where to spend more.
| Section | What it must do | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Referral question | Stated and kept in focus. | ~180 words |
| Intake sections | All required areas covered. | ~650 words |
| Clinical writing | Objective, organized, professional. | ~310 words |
| Format | Length and layout. | ~160 words |
A topic angle that works
This subject and referral question carry through the mental status exam and psychological report, so choose a fictional character or a version of yourself with enough history to fill every intake area.
Model paragraph with notes
An original paragraph written by our desk to show the register that earns full rubric credit. It is study material: learn the moves, then write your own.
Reason for referral: Ms. J., a 34-year-old teacher, was referred by her primary care physician to assess whether persistent fatigue and low mood since a job change six months ago reflect a depressive disorder. Current functioning: she reports sleeping nine to ten hours, missing two workdays a month, and withdrawing from friends. She denies thoughts of self-harm.
- Referral reason.
- Current functioning.
- Risk noted.
Mistakes that cost points on COUC 521 Week 2
- Missing intake areas.
- Subjective language.
- Losing the referral question.
Checklist before you submit
- Length: 3 to 5 pages, double-spaced
- Sources: Drummond's initial intake structure
- Calculations checked and output saved
- Every table and figure referred to in the text
- Each rubric row read against the section that answers it
Questions students ask
Can COUC 521 students interview a fictional character?
Yes. The subject can be yourself or a fictional character.
How many points is COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview worth?
100 points in Liberty's published course guide for COUC 521, out of a course total of 1,010 points (about 10% of the grade). The rubric attached to the assignment in Canvas shows how those points are divided.
Is COUC 521 Week 2 the same in every section of COUC 521?
This guide follows Liberty's published course guide for COUC 521. Liberty notes that course content can change from term to term, so if your Canvas section shows different instructions, a different week or different points, follow Canvas and your instructor.
Want a tutor to look at your draft?
Send the instructions and what you have so far. A Liberty tutor replies with what to fix first, usually within the hour.