APPE Homework Guidelines
Here are some guidelines for homework.
Please remember that this is a 40-hour/week rotation. The purpose of the homework is:
- So that in addition to the group lecture time, you have the space to explore topics that are of interest to you, and to receive feedback on your studies and thoughts in those areas – allowing you to develop a knowledgebase that is directly relevant to your interests.
- So that you and we can demonstrate objectively to the OEE and the ACPE that your APPE requirements are met: remember, this is part of your grades for graduation!
Our live sessions account for 6-8 hours a week, which means you should be putting in 30+ hours of independent work. We opt to give you a significant portion of your time for independent study so that you are able to follow your own interests more closely – and we want you to really dig in!
Your independent work definitely includes things like being outdoors away from computer screens and cooking healthy meals! The reason it includes time for that is because if you are going to advise clients to start cooking their own healthy meals at home instead of eating take out, you have to have some experience in that area.
In the online course work, be aware that we are able to see both what content you accessed, as well as how long you spent viewing it. So, if you just click the “Complete & Continue” button and speed through the courses, instead of actually watching the videos and reading the texts – we will know. Do not attempt to get away with this, or you will jeopardize your evaluation grade, and we may need to refer you to the school administration for academic misconduct.
Herb of the Week Monographs
All monographs should cite at least three separate sources of information, as well as your own personal experience with the plant.
Monographs should be written in your own words. If you copy text from another source into your monograph, make sure to cite it (inline). Also, use formatting to distinguish such pasted text from your own writing: put it in quotes or a blockquote, put it in a different font or text color, etc.
- They are trying to study these plants with no education about herbs or herbalism.
- The studies almost always are done on extracted individual constituents of plants, and do not reflect the complexity or character of the plant as a whole.
If you are sourcing information about isolated constituents that you might want to include in a new drug, these studies might be useful. However, they are usually not helpful when you’re trying to figure out the effects of a whole herb prepared traditionally. When writing your monograph, the only reason that it is helpful to reference these databases is to make the comparison between the information they provide and that of experienced herbal practitioners, so that you can see for yourself the disparity of the information. Such sources should NOT be considered infallible references for information on the practical or clinical applications of herbs.
Just because these databases don’t typically contain useful information doesn’t mean that no scientific studies are useful! But typically the best studies are those done in countries other than the United States, where the research teams are staffed with professional herbalists as well as biologists, chemists, etc.
Instead of focusing on those databases, use sources from the recommended online resources list as your primary references. (And of course, your notes from our class lectures and herb walks, and your own personal experience!)
What To Include In Your Monograph
The following headings should be included in each monograph:
- common name
- botanical (Latin) name
- botanical family
- medicinal parts (root, leaf, flower, etc)
- tastes (sweet, bitter, pungent, sour, salty, mucilaginous, aromatic, acrid, etc)
- energetics (heating/cooling, moistening/drying, tonifying/relaxant)
- herbal actions (e.g. carminative, astringent, relaxant, nervine, adaptogen, etc)
- system/organ/tissue affinities
- notable constituents
- medicinal applications (“uses”)
- physiological mechanisms of action (if known)
- cautions & contraindications
- herb-drug interactions
- dosing & administration guidelines
- your personal experiences with the herb
Sample Student Monographs
Here are some example monographs, written by previous students:
- Example Herb of the Week monograph 1
- Example Herb of the Week monograph 2
- Example Herb of the Week monograph 3
Final Summary
This is an important part of rotation. You need to take some time in the last couple days to really sit and consider all you’ve done for six weeks. You will have accomplished a lot, and you may feel very different. It’s important to document this! Write down how you are feeling, what has changed since your initial health assessment, what you attribute the change to, and anything else you think is relevant to document your experience.
Most students say they want to continue to maintain the various lifestyle changes they make during rotation, but of course, when you’re back in the real world, it will be difficult. Having this final summary is not just a good way to show us what you’ve learned, but also a tool you can use for motivation to maintain your health in the future!
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