Select and complete two of the four assignments listed below. Each assignment is worth 25 per cent of your final grade (for a total of 50 per cent). The first assignment you select is due after you have completed Unit 12; your second selected assignment is due after you have completed Unit 18 and before you write the final examination.

Before you begin the assignments, take time to review the “Plagiarism and Academic Honesty” section of the Student Manual.

Each assignment should be seven to ten type-written or word-processed pages in length (size 12 font, double-spaced lines, 8 1/2 × 11 paper). Send your completed paper along with a tutor-marked exercise form to your tutor for marking.

Should you have difficulty understanding what you need to do for either assignment please call your tutor. Mail or e-mail each completed assignment, along with a tutor-marked exercise form, to your tutor. Your tutor will evaluate your assignment for accuracy and completeness, then return it to you with comments and your mark. We strongly advise you to keep a copy of your work, in case the original gets lost.

Please complete only two of the following four assignment choices.

Assignment 1

If you choose to complete Assignment 1, write a critical appraisal of a book that you have recently read concerning one or more particular alternative medical therapies currently practised in Canada. The book you review should be at least 100 pages in length.

Your assignment should contain the following sections:

1. Author(s). Provide information about the author(s), including credentials and academic, organizational, or institutional affiliation. Does the author have a bias or vested interest?
2. Introduction. What is the book about?
3. Claims. Does the book make any claims about treatment?
4. Supporting evidence. What scientific evidence does the author present to support his or her claims? Assess the literature in detail.
5. Risks or benefits. Discuss and critically assess the risks or benefits associated with the particular therapy presented in the book.
6. Conclusion.
7. References. Please reference all sources of scientific literature that you used to write this assignment.

Assignment 2

If you choose to complete Assignment 2, write a paper on the ways in which various alternative medical therapies can be blended with conventional medicine to treat one of these conditions: arthritis, menopause, migraine, obesity, insomnia, depression, back pain, or irritable bowel syndrome.

Your paper should include the following items:

1. Condition. Define and describe the condition.
2. Conventional treatment. Describe the current conventional medical treatment.
3. Alternative treatment. Discuss and critically assess the alternative medical therapies proposed to treat the condition.
4. Combined treatment. Suggest how conventional and alternative medical therapies could be blended.
5. Risks or benefits. Assess the risks or benefits of combining conventional and alternative medical therapies.
6. Conclusions. Write your conclusions.
7. References. List all references and cite literature that you used to write this assignment.

Assignment 3

If you choose to complete Assignment 3, write a paper on a herb or dietary supplement that is not included in the Study Guide commentary, and that is used as a form of alternative medical therapy.

Your paper should include the following items:

1. Background. Describe the background and historical use of the herb or dietary supplement.
2. Dosage. Describe the dosage, methods of use, and form of the herb or dietary supplement.
3. Benefits. Discuss the proponent’s claims of benefits of the herb or dietary supplement.
4. Contraindications. Discuss the contraindications for particular individuals and for particular conditions.
5. Research. Describe the research that evaluated the effectiveness of the herb or dietary supplement.
6. Recommendations. Write your recommendations for use of the herb or dietary supplement.
7. References. List all references and cite literature that you used to write this assignment.

Assignment 4

If you choose to complete Assignment 4, write a paper on an alternative medical therapy that is not included in the Study Guide commentary.

Your paper should include the following items:

1. Background. Describe the background and historical use of the alternative medical therapy.
2. Methods and training. Describe the methods of the alternative medical therapy and the training of the practitioners of this therapy.
3. Benefits. Discuss the proponents’ claims of benefits of this alternative medical therapy.
4. Contraindications. Discuss the contraindications for particular individuals and for particular conditions.
5. Research. Describe the research that evaluated the effectiveness of this alternative medical therapy.
6. Recommendations. Write your recommendations for use of this alternative medical therapy.
7. References. List all references and cite literature that you used to write this assignment.