General Psychology
3.0 credit hours
Semester: Fall 2011Office:
Instructor: Derek Eccles, Ed.SOffice Hours: open
Email Address: ffice Phone: 732-7555
Materials
- Required: Psychology (2nded.) (Ciccarelli & White, 2009)
- Recommended:Study Guide and Concept Notes (Ciccarelli, 2009)
Prerequisite Skills:
·LiteracyThis course requires a high reading demand.
·AssertivenessMr. Eccles is a psychologist, not a psychic; you must be active in your education.
·PersistenceThis course is demanding and rigorous (but not impossible) if offered and received properly.
·Open-mindednessIt is not required that you change your mind, but you must be willing to do so.
Policies and Procedures:
“Attendance”You will be awarded attendance points and are responsible for learning and retaining any material discussed during class times.
Behavior:Do not disrupt the educational experience of other students. Violations of CSI behavioral policies will result in appropriate disciplinary actions ranging from zero credit to disenrollment (see CSI catalog).
-Respect others ideas and comments even if you don’t agree
Late PolicyThe Late Policy for all courseworkis as follows:
- No coursework is accepted after the Final Exam.
- Late coursework can be submitted with a 30% late penalty. (unless I approve otherwise)
- No penalty applies if you miss a due date because of a documented Excused Absence.
Excused Absences:
- School-sanctioned and military-required absences if you provide advance written notice.
- Medical-, legal-, or family-related emergencies per my discretion.
Coursework: Your course grade will be determined by how well you Understand the Book, Participate in the
Classroom, and Go Beyond the Book:
Understanding the Book (420 points)There will be 5 Tests (T) and 1 Comprehensive Final Exam (CFE), each is multiple-choice format and assesses familiarity with textbook material.
- If you live in Twin Falls, you are required to complete your Tests during class.
- If you do not live in Twin Falls you will take your test during class time with the assigned proctor.
- Tests and the CFE must be taken in class.
- There are 60 questions on each Test, covering 3 chapters apiece.
- There are 120 questions on the CFE, covering all 15 chapters of the textbook.
Study Guides (150 points) There will be a study guidefor each chapter (15). Each study guide will be 10 questions.
- I will make practice quizzes available upon your request
- Study guide questions are drawn from the same test bank as the Tests and the CFE.
Participating in the Classroom (30 points)
You will receive 1 point for being in attendance each class period. There are 28 class sessions so I will spot you 2 points. I am such a nice guy!
Psychology Paper (50 points)
You will type a paper 1-2 pages long double-spaced concerning your opinion on what psychology is and how it affects you in your daily life.
Papers for each Unit (50 points per paper) At least 1 typed page
Unit#1 – Perception Paper: Your perception of the world/life and how you fit in it.
Unit#2- Dreams: Do they have meaning in your life?
OR Behaviorism: In what way does it exist in your life?
Unit#3 – Nature versus Nurture
Unit#4 – Your choice (chapters 10-12)
Unit#5 – Psychological Disorder
Observation Paper (100 points)
You will spend one hour at a public setting observing people. You will observe their behavior and their interactions with others. You will use your new found skills learned during this class to help you understand why they’re acting the way they are. You will typeat least 3 pages double-spaced describing your observation(s) (where you were, what you saw, and why those behaviors occurred). You will need to use your new psychological terms and ideas to help explain your observation and justify your opinion of what you observed.
Course Points and Grading Scale“Proficiency” is defined as averaging at least 70% on graded coursework.
Understanding the Book – Tests (5)300 points
Understanding the Book – CFE (1)120 points
Study Guides (15)150 points
Unit Papers (5)250 points
Observation Paper100 point
Psychology Paper 50 points
Participating in the Classroom 30 points
Total points available 1000 points
Extra CreditThere will be no opportunities for extra credit. You must concentrate on putting your best academic foot forward from the outset and keeping current on your coursework through to the end of the semester.
The grade of "I" (incomplete) will only be granted if1) more than half of all your semester’s coursework is received by me, 2) the reason for the incomplete is a documented and extensive Excused Absence, 3) it is my professional judgment that you can earn a grade higher as a result of the grade of “I”, and 4) you request the grade of “I” in writing before the Final Exam is due. You will then have 1 calendar year from the end of the current semester to complete your unfinished coursework, otherwise your earned grade will be posted to your transcript. You will not be allowed to submit coursework that is past due as of the date of your written request.
The College of Southern Idaho Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality educational, social, cultural economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives in a global society.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed to:
1.provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2.develop a discerning individual.
3.practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4.promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of mankind.
5.foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6.reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7.encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8.encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural opportunities which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science Department goals, which are to:
1.help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2.help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3.help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4.teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5.teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6.help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7.prepare students to transfer to a university.
Psychology Program Mission Statement
The mission of the PSYC Program is primarily to prepare graduates to transfer to 4-year universities.
Psychology Program Objectives: Students will…
1.gain mastery of a breadth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (breadth of knowledge).
2.gain mastery of a depth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (depth of knowledge).
3.be well practiced as a critical consumer of information (critical thought).
4.be well practiced in professional written communication (professional writing).
5.be well- prepared as a potential contributor to scientific discovery in psychology (scientific capability).
6.be well-prepared for upper-division coursework in psychology (career-focused education plan).
PSYC 101 Catalog Course Description: This survey course is an introduction to psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of thinking, emotion, and behavior. This course introduces students to the diverse research areas of psychology such as psychobiology, motivation, learning, cognitive and social processes, personality, and abnormality, emphasizing empirical findings of the discipline.
Course Outcomes Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), Social Science Goals (SS) and Program Objectives (PSYC):
Students will… / GE / SS / PSYC1. Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology / 1,4, 6, 7 / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 2, 4, 6
2. Understand basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation / 2, 3, 7, 8 / 2, 3, 4, 7 / 2, 3, 4, 5
3. Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes / 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
4. Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
5. Be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 5, 6
Course Outcomes Aligned with Course Assessment Activities:
Understanding the Book / Participating in the Classroom / Going Beyond the Book1 / Ψ / Ψ
2 / Ψ / Ψ
3 / Ψ / Ψ
4 / Ψ / Ψ / Ψ
5 / Ψ / Ψ
Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. If you have a documented disability and are on an IEP or 504 plan please let me know so that we can accommodate you appropriately.
Rubric for observation paper:
A (90-100 pts.):
This paper is well written with minor grammatical errors. It flows smoothly and expresses coherent thoughts. The paper also uses psychological ideas, theories, terms, etc…. to justify opinions and ideas to support the claims made in the paper. This paper is at least 3 typed pages in length.
B (80-89 pts.):
This paper has a few grammatical errors. It is easy to read but at times doesn’t completely express the justification for the psychological ideas used. This paper is at least 3 typed pages in length.
C (70-79 pts.):
This paper has grammatical errors and doesn’t flow smoothly. The opinions and the psychological ideas used don’t completely matchup well. Only a little justification and explanation is used to defend the paper. This paper is at least 3 typed pages in length.
D (60-69 pts.):
This paper is 2-3 typed pages in length and isn’t properly organized. There are opinions and psychological ideas but they lack explanation and justification of any type. This paper is hard to read and causes me great confusion while trying to analyze what the heck is going on.
F (0-59 pts.):
There was an attempt to write a paper but it completely came up short. It may be entertaining to read but lacks any sort of proper organization. Psychological ideas are briefly mentioned but not expressed with any opinions pertinent to the paper topic.
Tentative Schedule
This schedule is tentative and is susceptible to change. I will notify you of any changes made to this syllabus.
September:
7thIntroduction to class/ 1st chapter
12thPsychology Paper Due! Ch. 1 & 2
14thCh. 2 & 3
19th Ch. 3
21st Unit Test #1(ch. 1-3) Due- Study Guides (ch.1-3) & Unit #1 Paper
26thCh. 4
28thCh. 4 & 5
October:
3rdCh. 5 & 6
5thCh. 6
10thUnit Test #2 (ch. 4-6) Due- Study Guides (ch.4-6) & Unit #2 Paper
12thCh. 7
17thCh. 7 & 8
19thCh. 8 & 9
24thCh. 9
28thUnit Test #3 (ch. 7-9) Due- Study Guides (ch.7-9) & Unit #3 Paper
31stCh. 10
November:
2ndCh. 10 & 11
7thCh. 11 & 12
9thCh. 12
14thUnit Test #4 (ch. 10-12) Due- Study Guides (ch.10-12) & Unit #4 Paper
16thCh. 13
21stCh. 13 & 14
28thCh. 14 &15
30thCh. 15
December:
5thUnit Test #5 (ch. 13-15) Due- Study Guides (ch.13-15) & Unit #5 Paper
7th
12thObservation Paper Due!!!
14thComprehensive Final
*All work must be turned in by this day! Grades for this work may be altered based upon the late policy.