Fall 2008

Contacting the instructor:

I will be holding office hours specifically to meet with students to discuss matters related to this course. If you would like to see me but are unable to come during office hours, I would be more than happy to make an appointment with you. In order to set up an appointment email me.

Required Text:          

Myers, D. G. (2007). Psychology: Myers in Modules 8/e. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Also, there will be additional reading which will be accessible on the world wide web. Please see schedule of course assignments for additional readings.

Purpose:

The purpose of this course is to provide a basic introduction to various topics in psychology and an optimal learning situation to assist students in knowing themselves and achieving their goals in school, work and life.

Goals of the course:

1.      Students will be expected to develop an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of psychology. To reach this goal, students are encouraged to define concepts in their own words rather than merely rote memorization of textbook definitions. Also, the course will emphasize answering the questions "Why?" and "How?" related to psychology rather than "Who?", "What?", "When?" and "Where?”

2.      As much as possible, students will be asked not just to memorize information but to understand how these psychological concepts and principles relate to their everyday life and the lives of those around them. In relation to this goal, it helps if students repeatedly ask themselves, "How can I use this information?" or "Where do I see this in my daily life?"

3.      Students should be able to communicate their understanding to others clearly and accurately both orally and in writing. This not only applies to communicating what they understand inside of class, but it also applies to communicating their knowledge to others outside of class.

4.      The course will promote a questioning, scientific attitude toward the information presented rather than uncritical acceptance of textbook and lecture material. Students are expected to develop and use critical thinking skills.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

1.      Describe the fundamental principles of the basic schools of thought in psychology, the sequence of their development, and the major persons responsible for these views.

2.      Describe the basic methods used for collecting data in the field of psychology, with some of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods,

3.      Describe the basic effects of heredity, maturation, and environmental factors on individuals throughout their lifespan, with discussion of some of the more common developmental problems and some possible remedies for these problems.

4.      Describe the basic principles of learning, especially as they relate to behavior modification and conditioning.

5.      Describe the basic processes underlying memory and understand various methods for improving memory.

6.      Describe the basic processes underlying perception.

7.      Describe some of the basic problems occurring with mental disorders, including those at a neurotic level, psychoses, and personality disorders, whether organic and/or psychogenic in origin.

8.      Be familiar with various types of therapy for treating psychopathology and describe the methods/techniques associated with those therapies.

9.      Describe the basic principles of individual and group social interaction, with some of the problems in this interaction, including topics of nonverbal communication, attitude formation, conformity, social influence, and prejudice.

Readings.  Class readings will be assigned to provide you with important background information necessary to understand the class lectures, and to facilitate your participation in the discussions and activities. Class reading assignments are listed in this syllabus. You will be expected to have studied the readings before each class and be prepared to actively participate.

Class Participation and Attendance.  Classes will be structured so that much of time will be devoted to the discussion of assigned readings and cooperative learning activities. You should come to each class prepared to discuss, raise questions, and answer questions concerning the assigned topic for that day.

Attendance –Students who do not attend class regularly will have a difficult time doing well on exams, as much of the information on the exams will come directly from class discussions! Additionally, if you miss class, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor to find out what information was covered, get any handouts or notes, and to hand in any material due. Missing class is not an excuse for missing assignments. Assignments not handed in at the beginning of class on the day it is due will be considered late. See policy on “late assignments” below.

Participation –How much you learn in this course depends upon how much you are willing to put into the course. I expect ALL students to participate in class. I will take attendance and grade your participation each day. Your participation points will be based not on quantity of participation, but on quality. I expect all students to be attentive in class. Any type of disruptive behavior will not be tolerated and will negatively effect your participation points. (80 points total)

Lesson Quizzes – There will be 12 graded quizzes throughout the semester. The purpose of these quizzes is to provide students with an opportunity to assess their learning frequently throughout the course. This should help students to better prepare for the larger examinations. Quizzes will be unannounced and may occur at any point during a given class period. A missed quiz cannot be made up, however there will be 14 quizzes administered and each student will only be graded for 12 of them. This allows for the two lowest quiz scores to be dropped (including any score of zero from a missed quiz). Material for the quizzes may come from the assigned readings, lectures or class activities. (10 points each)

Homework Assignments – There will be 5 homework assignments throughout the semester. The date each assignment is due is clearly indicated on the schedule of assignment at the end of the syllabus. A detailed description of the assignment will be handed out the class period before the assignment is due. (20 points each)

Late Assignments - All assignments must be turned in on the date it is due at the beginning of class.  Any assignments handed in after the specified date/time will be considered “late”. All late assignments will be given half-credit, that is, the total points earned on that assignment will be cut in half. The final day to hand in any late/missing work is Dec 2nd.

Examinations.  There will be three written examinations that will contain information discussed in lecture and described in the readings. Examination questions will be provided in multiple-choice, short answer, and essay format. (100 points each)

Comprehensive Final Exam – There will be an optional comprehensive final exam. This exam will be held during the scheduled final exam time for this course. This exam will cover material from the entire semester. Students are NOT required to take this exam. This exam can be used by students to replace a LOW or MISSING exam score.  Prior to taking the final exam, students must identify which exam score they would like to final to replace. This is the score that your final exam will replace, even if your final score is LOWER. (100 points)

Missed Exams Any student who misses an exam must contact the instructor within 24 hours after the scheduled exam time.  Students who miss an exam for any reason will be required to take the comprehensive final exam to replace the missed exam score. If more than one exam is missed you must meet with the instructor to determine a course of action.

Academic Dishonesty.  Any student who cheats or plagiarizes on any coursework will receive a grade of  “zero” on the work in question. In addition, a report regarding the academic dishonesty will be given to all appropriate college officials.

PLAGIARISM

The concept of plagiarism can be confusing, and there is a difference between deliberate and accidental plagiarism.  However, both will be treated the same in this course. 

Plagiarism defined:  "Plagiarism includes the copying of the language, structure, ideas, and/or thoughts of another and passing off same as one's own, original work, or attempts thereof."  (from Virginia Tech Honor System Constitution, February 1998). 

If plagiarized work is suspected and proven, the student will receive a 0 for the assignment and is subject to sanctions outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

The following web site offers an excellent definition of both deliberate and accidental plagiarism:  <http://www.millikin.edu/wcenter/plagiarism1.html>

Writing tutors are available in the Academic Support Center to help you with all aspects of your writing.

A Note on Classroom Behavior. I expect all students to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Students should be on time to class. If you need to come into class late, do so in a quiet and discreet manner and sit in the back of class. Cell phones should be turned off or placed on silent mode and put away during class time. Cell phones, iPods or other electronic devices are not permitted in the classroom during exams. Disruptive behavior of any sort will not be tolerated. If I believe that a student is acting in a way that disrupts my ability to teach or other student’s learning, I will not hesitate to have that student removed from the classroom. Please see attached sheet on classroom civility.

Grading Procedure:

            Homework Assignments                   (5 @ 20 points)                100 points

            Examinations                                    (3 @ 100 points)              300 points

            Lesson Quizzes                                (12 @ 10 points)              120 points                  

Participation                                                                                80 points

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Total Points Possible                                                                             600 points

Grades will be assigned based on a percentage of total points earned:

   A         90-100                        

   B          80-89                          

   C         70-79                          

   D         60-69              

F          £ 59                

Psyc 1110-05 Course Schedule of Assignments:

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By enrolling in this course, you have become a welcome member of a community of learners, an honor and a privilege for each one of us. Your membership in this community and your success in this course are dependent upon your ability to do the following:

Be Respectful. Respect your instructor as an expert in his or her subject area and as the person responsible for facilitating a productive course for everyone. Respect each of your classmate’s right to a valuable class experience, free of offensive language, intolerance, or harassment of any kind. Respect these facilities and our time together by eliminating all distractions, especially cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets, and by refraining from disruptions of any kind, including sleeping in class or talking when no formal class discussion is taking place. Finally, respect yourself by participating fully in each class session and making the most of this learning opportunity.

Be Responsible. As a student in this college course, you are entirely responsible for your own success. You are responsible for reading and following the syllabus. It’s expected that you arrive to each class session on-time, with assigned work completed, ready to participate fully. If you miss class, you are responsible for the consequences. You are also responsible for obtaining notes, assignments, and syllabus adjustments. Finally, you are responsible for being an active participant in this class rather than a passive observer.

Rise to the Challenge. College-level courses are demanding. They require deeper thinking, more effective writing, and greater personal involvement than many students realize. In order to succeed at this level, you must be willing to accept the challenges presented by the course material, your instructors, and a rigorous schedule. One of the rewards of this challenge can be the discovery that you are capable of much more than you imagined. Therefore, expect great things from yourself, work hard to achieve them, and seek help when you need it. The other members of this community of learners are here to support you, but it’s up to you to rise to the challenge.