Text and Supplementary Materials:
COURSE CONTENT & OBJECTIVES
Psychology 100 is an introductory class which covers a large and diverse range of topics over the very short period of one quarter. Psychology is a field which many people find interesting on a personal level as it can be applied to just about any aspect of living, working, playing or just being on this planet. This course offers you opportunities to learn new material as well as to look at the ways you think about yourself, those around you, and the world in which you live. I encourage you to take these opportunities for self-growth and enrichment.
It is my intent to present the material in this course in a way which is interesting, enlightening and applicable to you on a personal level. I encourage class discussion and participation and I encourage you to challenge or refute my ideas and opinions as you may see fit. I hope for an atmosphere of mutual learning, interest, and respect as we work together during the quarter. This syllabus is intended to help guide you through the quarter so that you will know what I expect of you, and what you can expect of me. If, at any time, you have questions, please ask.
Learning Objectives & Website:
The publisher’s web site contains lists of learning objectives for each chapter. You should use these objectives as guides when reading the text, organizing your notes from the lecture material, and in preparing for exams. You will be responsible for knowing and understanding the material from the text. The website also contains practice quizzes, demonstrations and activities to assist you in learning and understanding the material. It is expected that you will take advantage of these materials. Note, that some units will contain more than one chapter in the text and we will not cover all of the chapters in the text.
Course Calendar:
You will find a course calendar in the “Course Information” section. This calendar outlines the units of study as well as the due dates for assignments, exams and your final paper. It is your responsibility to keep track of due dates.
Technical Requirements:
It is your responsibility to have a properly working computer. I can not assist you with technical problems. If you are having problems with BlackBoard, use the technical support options by clicking on the “?” at the top of each page. Make sure that you have a back up plan in place in case your computer crashes.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Paper:
You are required to write one major paper for this class. For this paper you will be required to apply any psychological concept from this course to your own experience. You are to demonstrate that you fully understand the topic which you choose and that you can apply this understanding to your own life experience. This paper is to be based on your learning from the course. It is not an opinion paper. If you do state opinions in this paper, you must demonstrate critical thinking skills in justifying these opinions.
This paper is based, in part, on your own life experience, however you are also required to find at least three additional scholarly resources (two besides your text) to explain your concept and support the application of the concept. Refer to the web link for the research tutorial listed in the “External links” section. Remember, when using outside sources, you must cite and reference these in your paper. Also, make sure that any outside sources are appropriate to a college-level research paper. (If you don’t understand what this means, ask me.) The paper must be 1750 – 2000 words in length, typed, and double-spaced. Include the word count at the end of your paper. NOTE: Papers which fall short of the minimum length requirement will receive 0 credit.
Use the following format to write this paper: 1) Identify the concept which you are writing about. 2) Define, in your own words, and in depth, the concept (approximately one-third of the paper). 3) Exemplify through narration how you have observed this concept in real life, either through your own experience, or the experience of others. Refer to the course calendar for the due date. IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED LATE. The paper is worth 100 points.
FNOTES ON THE PAPERS: Refer to my web site for general writing guidelines for this course. Make sure you read the Cheating and Plagiarism section of the web site as well. All papers must be typewritten. When handing in papers for this class: ·Follow the length requirements, you will lose points for papers that are less than the minimum requirement. ·Use normal 1” margins, and normal-sized, common fonts. In other words don’t make up space by using oversized fonts or big margins. ·Simply staple the pages together. You will be allowed to submit a draft of your paper for review and critique. ·I strongly advise that you don't wait until the last minute to write your paper. ·If your paper is too short, poorly written, or does not follow the guidelines from the syllabus you will not receive full credit. ·It is to your advantage to either use a spell-checker or invest in a dictionary, and have someone proofread for you. You WILL be graded on spelling, grammar and organization as well as content.
Tests and Grades:
There will be four major exams. Each exam is multiple choice and is worth 100 points. You will have a three day window during which to take the exams. You will have only one opportunity to take each exam and you will also have a 90 minute time limit, so make sure that you are well prepared! There will be NO final exam in this class.
You have the responsibility for taking the tests at the scheduled time. DO NOT MISS A TEST; THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP TESTS. If, for technical reasons, an exam does not submit properly, you must let me know immediately. In this case, arrangements will be made for you to take a make-up exam on campus.
Grades for the course will be assigned on a decimal grading scale. The scale is based upon your earned percentage of the total possible points. The grading scale for my classes can be found on my website.
Note: *Grades below 0.7 do not satisfy the minimum requirement for course credit.
Academic Honesty & Class Discipline:
Read the Cheating and Plagiarism section of my web site. Cases of cheating, plagiarism or other types of academic dishonesty are unacceptable in this course and are subject to disciplinary action. If any section of your paper is plagiarized you will receive no credit for the paper.
Regarding respect: language, comments or actions which are racist or sexist (or otherwise in bad taste) will not be tolerated. In accordance with WAC 1321-120-420, all disciplinary proceedings will be initiated by the Dean of Students office and/or by the Director of Counseling. For your edification there is a Student Rights and Responsibility Code pamphlet available in the counseling office, Building 6.
· Read this syllabus more than once to be sure that you understand the assignments and what is expected of you. Read your book, using the objectives as a guide. Underline or highlight key words and phrases, but don't overdo it. Take notes when you read. Take advantage of the opportunities to discuss the material in class, it makes remembering the information much easier.
· Organize, digest and understand the material in a way which makes sense to you. You will retain the material much longer if you understand it, as opposed to just memorizing disconnected words and ideas.
Have Fun with the course!