PSYCH 100: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
Syllabus, Fall Quarter 2008

Instructor:      Ruth Frickle

Classes:                       M-Th, 11 a.m.- 12:03 p.m.

Location:      Building 21, Room 206

Telephone:    206 878-3710 ext. 3111

Email:             rfrickle@highline.edu

Web:               flightline.highline.edu/rfrickle

 

Office Hours:            Mon-Thurs at 1 p.m. , Friday at 11 a.m.

Or make an appointment with me for a time that works for you.

I’m located in Bldg. 11, Rm. 101

Y    I want to encourage all of you to make the most of the resources available for your success in this class.  Those resources are your textbook and the text web site and ME!  The text and the textbook website are chock full of practice tests and summaries and other resources. Finally, I am a resource!  Please make an effort to stop by and see me some time during the quarter.  If you are struggling with a concept or you aren’t doing as well as you’d like, then it’s really important that you make the time to sit down with me to see what you can change to improve your likelihood of success.  Even if you aren’t struggling, come by to say hello.

 

 

REQUIRED TEXT:     Hockenbury & Hockenbury. (2006). Psychology (4^th ed.) New York:Worth

 

 

 COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

Upon successful completion of this course you should:

1.          Understand and appreciate the value of the scientific principles and research methods which are the "tools of the psychologist's trade".

2.         Have a basic but comprehensive understanding of the terminology, concepts and general principles used in psychology.

3.         Be able to reason and think critically about the contributions and limitations of the theoretical perspectives, which are used to explain human behavior and the processes of the mind.

4.         Understand how the findings of psychological research apply to "real life", including some of your own behavior.

5.         Have an appreciation of individual differences and human complexity and have a tolerance for ambiguity.

 

 

Syllabus, pg. 2

Psych. 100

Frickle

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

TESTS:   You will take five tests.  Each test is worth approximately 40 points.  The lowest test score that you receive during the quarter will be dropped.  In general, you can expect that each test will cover the assigned reading for that unit and the lecture material I provide, which will elaborate on and supplement the information provided in the text.  You will need a Scantron sheet and a #2 pencil for each test.

 

PAPERS:   There are four written assignments.  The first assignment is a critical thinking paper about an article on psychology research.  The other three will be personal applications of your choice of concepts we study during the quarter.  The details of these assignments will be discussed in class and you will receive written instructions for each one.  Each assignment is worth 30 points.

 

BONUS POINTS:  To earn bonus points, you may do any or all of the bonus assignments located on the Psych 100 home page.   Each of those assignments has a specific deadline that must be met, and instructions that must be followed. I NEVER give individual students bonus point options.

 

FINAL EXAM:  There will be a comprehensive final exam worth 100 points.  You will need a Scantron sheet and a #2 pencil for the final exam.

 

 

COURSE POLICIES:

 

1.                   If you miss one test, it is automatically your lowest score and will be the score that is dropped.  If you miss a second test you must provide documentation that your absence was unavoidable and you must make arrangements with me in advance for a make-up.  This means that if you are ill or encounter an emergency, you must leave a message for me before the test begins.  If you do not meet these criteria, you will not be allowed a make-up exam.  Make-up tests are essay questions only. 

 

2.                  Cheating, plagiarism and/or other types of academic dishonesty are unacceptable in this course and are subject to disciplinary action.  At minimum you will receive a zero on the assignment or test and the incident will be reported to the office of Student Judicial Affairs. It is your responsibility to do your own work, and to avoid even the appearance of academic dishonesty.  If you are unclear about the meaning of plagiarism, or want more information about academic dishonesty please visit my web site and check out the links on this subject.

 

3.                 Assignments must be handed in on time.  'On time' means at the start of class on the due date.  Do your work and print it out well enough ahead of time that you don't have to deal with printer failures, disk errors and hard-drive crashes at the last minute.  You will lose 10% of the total possible points each day (and that means every day, not just class days) an assignment is late.  Due dates are shown in the attached course schedule. I will not accept any late submissions of the last assignment.

 

Syllabus, pg. 3

Frickle

Psych. 100

 

COURSE POLICIES cont.:

 

4.         GRADES

            Final grades will be based on the following point distribution:

            Tests                             160       42%

            Final exam                   100       26%

            Assignments                 120       32%

 

                        TOTAL             380     100%

 

The total number of points you earn will be converted to a percentage of the total points possible.  Your final grade will be assigned in accordance with Highline's decimal grading scale as shown below.

 

%                     Decimal             %         Decimal                         %         Decimal             %         Decimal

                        Grade                           Grade                                       Grade                           Grade

 

95-100%          4.0                   83        2.8                               69        1.8                    59        0.8

94                    3.9                   82        2.7                               68        1.7                    58        0.7      

                                                81         2.6                               67        1.6                   

93                    3.8                   80        2.5                               66        1.5                   

92                    3.7                                                      

91                     3.6                   79        2.4                               65        1.4

90                    3.5                   78        2.3                               64        1.3

                                                77        2.2                               63        1.2

89                    3.4                                                      

88                    3.3                   75        2.1                                62        1.1

87                    3.2                   73        2.0                               61         1.0

                                                71         1.9                                60        0.9

86                    3.1                                                       

85                    3.0                   Grades below 0.7

84                    2.9                   do not satisfy the minimum requirement for course credit.

                                                           

 

 

WITHDRAWAL

The last day to complete official withdrawal is November 26th. If you stop attending class, you will need to complete an official withdrawal or risk receiving a failing grade. 

 

CREDIT/NO CREDIT OPTION

The last day to request "CR" in lieu of a decimal grade is October 10.  This option is processed by the Registrar's Office in Building 6.

 

 

Syllabus, pg. 4

Frickle

Psych. 100

 

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Please provide me with the Letter of Accommodation you have received from the Office of Access Services if: you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability; you have emergency medical information to share with the instructor; or you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated.  The Office of Access Services is located in Building 99.

 

HONORS OPTION

This course may be taken as an honors class.  If you are interested in this option, see me before October 6^th to discuss an acceptable project and timeline.  You can find information about my expectations for honors projects at my website.  More information on the Highline Honors Program is available at:   flightline.highline.edu/honors/program_description.htm

 

 

CLASSROOM BASICS

Here are some basic courtesies you need to use in this class:

 

¬      Be on time and stay the entire period (no packing up 5 minutes before the class ends J).

Let me know before class begins if you must leave early or will be late for a future class.

 

¬      Turn all electronics OFF (phones, pagers, music portables) and keep them in your bag or pocket.  You may not use them inside the classroom at any time (that includes text-messaging!!).

Signals from electronics during class causes your mental equipment to malfunction (ok, you get distracted)!

 

¬      Listen carefully & respectfully to other student’s contributions and questions in class.

Side discussions and comments are disrespectful of everyone and distracting as well.

 

¬      Ask three before me.  If you have a question about an assignment, test, due date or any course policy ask three people in the class before you ask me.

This cuts out needless and booooooring repetition of basic information.  It also helps you network with other students.

 

 

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

 

&    Don’t just memorize—UNDERSTAND.  The following suggestions will help you do that!

 

&    Participate in class by asking questions, being active in group interactions and contributing to class discussions.  When you actively engage with the material, like writing or talking about it, it will help you understand and remember.

 

&    Pace yourself by distributing the reading and the work on your assignments.  Don't try to cram, it doesn’t work and it’s incredibly stressful (like we don’t have enough of that)!!

 

&    Use a dictionary when you are reading and when you write your assignments.  I expect you to use proper spelling and punctuation.  It can be very helpful to have someone proofread your assignments.

 

&    NETWORK with your classmates.  Make connections for study groups and class notes in case (tragically!) you have to miss class.