General Psychology: Psych 101 02

Cluster Requirement: 4A, Human Questions and Contexts

Fall 2012

M,W,F: 1:00-1:50

Dr. Ted Powers

Office: Rm. 391

Tel: 910-6906 E-mail:

Office Hours: Mon 12-1,Wed 12-1 & 2-3, Fri 10-11 or by appointment

Course Overview:

PSY 101 provides an introductory overview of the study of psychology. The course will explore the fundamental questions regarding human thought and behavior and provide an overview of the theories and research used in the study of psychology. The course will emphasize psychology as a science, including the relationship between data and theory. At the completion of this course, you should able to discuss the major questions and issues confronting psychologists and how psychology has contributed to human knowledge and understanding. The class structure will include some combination of lecture, discussion, in class or outside activities.

Learning Outcomes:

Course-Specific Learning Outcomes:

After completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Articulate the basic principles for several psychological perspectives for understanding human behavior and cognition.

2. Describe the research process and how it used in psychological research

3. Understand the relationship between psychological research and knowledge and everyday life experiences.

University Studies Learning Outcomes: Cluster 4A, Human Questions and Contexts.

After completing the course, students will be able to:

  1. Explain different perspectives on: a) what it means to be human and how the significance of human existence has been understood; b) the nature of human relationships and how these relationships are evidenced in regard to the broader world; or c) how knowledge is obtained, maintained and changed, as well as how individuals come to understand and think about the world around them.
  2. Recognize ethical issues in complex contexts and evaluate the ethical positions taken by themselves and others.
  3. Locate, analyze, summarize, paraphrase and synthesize material from a variety of sources.
  4. Evaluate arguments made in support of different perspectives on human questions and contexts.

Course Requirements

Students are responsible for:

  1. Their immortal souls
  2. All required reading and all material presented in class
  3. Four multiple-choice exams (each worth 70 points)
  4. 4 exercises/mini projects (5 pts. each for a total of 20 points)
  5. Participation in psychological research (TBD)(30pts)

There will be NO MAKE-UP EXAMS.

An optionalcumulative (i.e., covers the entire course) exam will be given on the day of the university scheduled final exam. This may be used to substitute for any of the other exams. This optional exam can only improve your grade, because I count the best 4/5.

Required Materials:

Myers, D.G. (2009). Psychology (Ninth Edition). New York: Worth Publishing(can get text bound, unbound, or electronic)

Supplemental reading: TBA

All course materials, including the syllabus, PowerPoints, review sheets, grade posting, and more can be found by visiting my faculty web page.

You can get to the page from the university homepage in the following manner:

  1. Click on Faculty & Staff, then under Faculty Resources click on Faculty & Staff Profiles
  2. Go to P for Powers and click on Powers
  3. Click on “Courses”
  4. Click on our course

Policies and Procedures

Grading

Final grades in this course will be based on the highest 4 exam grades, the 4 mini-projects, and the research point total. The optional cumulative final exam may be used to replace any of the other 4 exams given in class during the course.Course averages will be calculated from the exams, the 4 mini-projects, and the research points. The mini-projects will be a combination of in-class and out-of-class exercises. There will be approximately 6projects from which to choose throughout the semester. If a student is absent on the day of a project, there will be no make-up for that project.

Two credit-hours of research participation is required during the course of the semester.

The research pool requirement is worth approximately 10% of your final grade in PSY 101.

Grading of Research Pool requirement:

Complete 2 hours = earn 30 pts.

Complete 1 hour = earn 10 pts.

Complete 0 or fewer hours (it is possible to get a negative score if you miss appointments) = 0%

Staying enrolled in this class requires that you agree to this policy.

Please see Research Pool Policy online for completeinformation about the research requirement.

Each exam will contain 35 multiple choice questions for a total of 70 points. The tests will cover the lectures and the text. Any missed test, regardless of the reason for the student’s absence, will be registered as a 0. Bring a sharpened pencil, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener to all tests. Be sure to look over the syllabus and note the test dates. Inform your family not to schedule trips that will prevent you from taking tests. Do not schedule trips, work, or doctor appointments on these days. Absolutely no make-ups will be given for the tests and no exceptions to this policy will be made unless 2 or more tests are missed and ALL are documented by a medical doctor, court or relative’s death certificate. In other words, if a student fails to take a test for a non-medical/legal reason and misses another test for a medical/court-related reason, no make-up tests will be offered for either test. If documentation is provided, all but 1 test can be made up. One missed test will be dropped as the lowest grade. It is your responsibility to come to every test in case you have car trouble, are ill, are in court, etc. on the date of a later test. If a student lies to me about the reason for one or more missed tests or presents me with falsified documentation for one or more missed tests, ALL missed test grades will be entered into the final grade calculation as 0’s and the next highest grade will be dropped as the lowest grade.

Final grades will be calculated by adding the point totals from a student’s highest 4 exams, the mini-project point total, and the research point total, and then dividing by the number of possible points (i.e., (4 X 70) + 20+ 30 = 330 points divided by a possible 330= 100%).

Expectations for In-Class Behavior

Because of the large class size students are easily distracted by extraneous noise, movement, etc. The class conduct policy has been created to facilitate everyone’s ability to hear and focus on the material. Failing to observe these rules is disrespectful of your classmates and the professor. So please be a “good citizen” and adhere to the following rules:

  • Do not hold extraneous conversations during class.
  • Turn off cell phones, iPods, etc. before class.
  • Come to class on time and remain until the end.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to adhere to the University policy on academic honesty, which you will find in the course catalog and on the University website,

Anyone caught cheating (e.g., using notes, looking at another’s test, using an electronic device, falsifying a test version number, etc.) will be failed in this course and face the consequences explicated in the University policy.Although class members are encouraged to study together, everyone is expected to work alone on test days. The only allowed tools during tests are your brain, pencils, and an eraser. If a student lies to me about the reason for one or more missed tests or presents me with falsified documentation for one or more missed tests, ALL missed test grades will be entered into the final grade calculation as 0’s and the next highest grade will be dropped as the lowest grade AND the case will be sent to Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action.

Personal Responsibility

By enrolling and remaining in this class after add-drop period, you have agreed to the course policy stated in this document and explained on the first day of class. You are being given ample opportunity to succeed through a dropped test grade, the offer of tutoring, and item analyses for each test. For your part, you are expected to be responsible for your behavior and success in this class by studying, coming prepared to all classes and tests, living up to the University’s academic honesty policy, and being respectful of all class members. Please feel free to contact your professor or teaching assistant if you have any questions or concerns. However, please check this document first, as it answers most policy/grading questions.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS

No exceptions to the policy explained in this document will be made. Any student who is unable to meet his/her responsibilities in this class or is uncomfortable with the policy is encouraged to drop the course through add/drop or through a withdrawal.

BY REMAINING ENROLLED IN THIS CLASS, STUDENTS ARE AGREEING TO ALL POLICIES STATED IN THIS DOCUMENT.

Study Tips

A.

(a) Every day after class, rewrite your notes in full sentences and organize the information appropriately. Doing so will reveal points of confusion to you. Clarify these with the book or by asking questions in class or outside of class.

(b) Create detailed flashcards and use them to memorize information.

(c) Explain course information out loud, in your own words, to your room mate, parent, or bed post. Until you can explain it accurately and clearly, you don’t really know it.

(d) Try to integrate what you're studying with what you already know. Relate course material to your own personal experiences.

(e) Use the study guide. Study using the tips listed above, and then take a practice test. Note the questions you got wrong, and go back to re-study that material in the book and your notes. Repeat the process until you run out of practice tests.

(f) Use the student activities website to engage yourself with the materials.

  1. When you take the tests, take a deep breath and relax. Read the questions carefully. Be sure you understand exactly what the question is asking, and ask the proctor for clarification, if you do not. Imagine your flash cards that are relevant to the question. Try to come up with the answer on your own. If the answer you choose is one of the choices, it is likely to be the right one. If not, consider each choice within the context of your interpretation of the question and what you know about the topic, and eliminate those responses that are obviously incorrect.
  2. Get into the habit of actively studying each day. Studying 1 hour a day for 8 days is MUCH more effective than studying 8 hours the day before a test.
  3. Choose a quiet, non-distracting place to study. However, try to vary where you study rather than always being in the same place.
  4. Occasionally, study with a friend. Quiz each other, compare notes and discuss discrepancies.
  5. When you feel yourself losing focus, switch the type of task you are working on, the subject that you are studying, or the environment that you are in. Take a break.
  6. Study just before going to sleep.
  7. Get enough sleep each night. Talk and laugh with friends over a meal each day. Have a little fun on the weekends. Get some aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week.

Outline

WF 9/5-9/7 Introduction/Method Prologue&C1

MW 9/10-9/12 Method C1

FM 9/14-9/17 Bio Bases of Behavior C2

WFMW 9/19-9/26 Developmental Psych. C4&C5

F 9/28 Exam 1

M 10/1 Sensation/Perception C6

WFW 10/3-10/10 Learning C7

FMW 10/12-10/17 Memory C8

F 10/19 Cognition C9

M 10/22 Exam 2

W 10/24 Motivation C11

FM 10/26-29 Emotion/Health C12

WFMW 10/29-11/7 Personality C13

F 11/9 Exam 3

WFM 11/14-11/19 Psych. Disorders C14

WMW 11/21-11/28 Therapies C15

FMWF 11/30-12/7 Social Psych C16

M 12/10 Exam 4