PSY100 General Psychology
Section 6
Fall 2008 Syllabus
MWF 1-1:50
Clark A104
TEACHING TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact the teaching team using the emails listed below. Please note that you should contact different members of the teaching team based on your questions. Much of your email contact will be filtered through the TAs. The reason for this is so that you can receive prompt responses from the team. When emailing, please include PSY100 in the subject line.
Primary Instructor
Michele C. Baranczyk, M.S.
Email:
Phone: 491-6091
Office: Clark B-207
Office Hours: W 2-4 and by appointment
« If you stop by my regular office hours, you do not need to set an appointment—you can just come in. If you are not able to meet during scheduled office hours, we can arrange another time to meet.
Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
Name: Adam Zaleski
Email:
Office: Clark C-21
Office Hours: Monday 12:00-1:00
« Email the GTA with questions about grades, RamCT, course content, tests, or course procedures.
Writing Graduate Teaching Assistants (WGTA)
Name: Danielle Sitzman (will be grading papers with last name A-L)
Email:
Office hours: By appointment
Name: Molly McLaren(will be grading papers with last names M-Z)
Email:
Office hours: By appointment
« Email the WGTA with questions about writing assignments and grading of writing assignments.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA)
Amanda Hines
Email:
« Email the UTA for questions on course content, tests, or book/lecture questions.
Please note that you are responsible for all material on this syllabus. If you have a question that is clearly outlined in the syllabus, we will simply direct you to the syllabus.
TEXT
« Required
o Textbook: Meyers, D. G. (2008). Exploring Psychology: Seventh Edition in Modules.
o iClicker—available at the bookstore
§ Be sure to register your iclicker to receive credit in this course. To register, go to http://cliker.colostate.edu/ and click on “Clicker Registration.”
« Optional Text
o Study Guide to Accompany David G. Meyers Psychology Eighth Edition
o Video Toolkit
**There is a copy of the textbook and the study guide on reserve in the library**
COURSE OBJECTIVES
« Students will gain an appreciation for the breadth of topics, subfields, and occupations within the field of Psychology.
« Students will be exposed to an overview of major findings and current thinking about a broad range of topics in Psychology.
« Students will acquire a basic understanding of historically and currently important theories in our field, and an increased ability to think critically about them.
« Students will acquire a basic understanding of the use of the scientific method in historical and current psychological investigations.
« Students will acquire basic tools for becoming critical consumers of psychological research as well as psychological information presented in the popular media.
SPECIAL NEEDS
« If you have special needs, please contact me early in the semester so that I can accommodate you effectively. I am happy to work with Resources for Disabled Students if necessary. I want to make sure you have every possible opportunity to succeed in this course.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU
Student conduct
CSU students are expected to follow the guidelines for student conduct outlined in the Colorado State University Student Conduct Code (see http://www.conflictresolution.colostate.edu<http://www.conflictresolution.colostate.edu/>). Violations of this code, such as inappropriate, disruptive classroom behavior and any form of cheating (including plagiarism) will be reported to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services. A hearing may be required, and potential sanctions may include grade penalties, loss of course credit, or expulsion from the university. Please note that ignorance of what constitutes "plagiarism" or "cheating" will not be an acceptable defense.
In addition, to the university guidelines, I also expect the following.
Ø Please make every effort to arrive on time and remain for the entire session. If you do need to arrive late or leave early, please do so with as little disruption to the class as possible.
Ø Please turn off and put away cell phones, pagers, etc. upon the start of class time. This can be disruptive to me and the rest of the class.
Ø Refrain from talking, reading newspapers, or anything else that distracts you and others from the class content.
Attendance
I expect that as a student who takes your education seriously, you will make every effort to attend class. Attendance will be taken periodically via iClickers and in-class writings, and will contribute to your participation grade.
In the event you do miss class, ask a classmate, the UTA, or the GTA for notes. I will not give you notes or slides, though I am happy to discuss questions you might have during office hours.
Participation
You will get more out of the class if you actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and offer examples. I highly encourage you to participate in class discussions, as the literature indicates that those students who actively participate in class tend to learn more and perform better in class (i.e., receive higher grades).
Academic Honesty
While I encourage you to study collaboratively outside of class, each student is expected to work independently on all assignments and exams, and to use only his or her iClicker.
Plagiarism involves representing another's work or ideas as your own, and/or representing another's work or ideas as your own without full, clear, appropriate acknowledgement. Plagiarism may occur whether or not you know the person, have found materials on the Internet or another source, or have purchased them.
Students are cheating when they 1) plagiarize in any way, 2) look at another person’s exam or any assignment, or use any unauthorized material to answer questions on exams or any assignments, 3) allow another student to use their work on exams, papers, essays, or any other assignment, 4) use another student’s iClicker or allow another student to use theirs, or 5) use work that was prepared for another course without permission from the instructor. Any student who is judged to be cheating may receive a failing grade for the assignment and in the course (see CSU’s Policy on Academic Honesty in the General Catalog). Such students can also expect that the Office of Student Conduct Services will be notified and the appropriate actions will be taken.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
RESEARCH REQUIREMENT (9% of grade; 75 points)
Ø You will have the opportunity to participate in active research studies currently running at CSU. Information and further instructions on participating in research are located at the end of this document. Note that you must complete all research by December 12, 2008.
Ø If you have questions about a particular study, your attendance at a study, etc., please contact the RESEARCHER with your questions. Members of the teaching team do not have any information about the research being conducted.
Option B
Ø If you do not wish to participate in active research, you can choose to complete Option B to complete your research requirement. You must make your decision by Tuesday, September 2, 2008, and you must follow the instructions for “Option B” at the end of the syllabus. If you do not follow the instructions for Option B by the deadline, you will be defaulted to Option A. Note that all Option B papers must be submitted by November 21.
EXAMS (49% of grade; 400 points)
Ø There will be four exams. Each exam is worth 100 points and will consist of 50 multiple choice questions.
Ø All class content is fair game for test questions. This includes but is not limited to information covered in (a) lecture material, (b) material in assigned chapters not covered in class, (c) guest lectures, (d) videos, and (e) demonstrations.
Ø There is an optional cumulative exam at the end of the term. The questions on this exam are taken primarily from previous exams.
Ø If you take all 5 exams, your lowest exam score will be dropped. If you miss a test for any reason, you will need to take the cumulative final exam.
Ø Final exam date: Monday, December 15 7-9 AM.
Ø NO MAKE UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN. The ONLY exception to this is for university-sponsored events (i.e., athletics). If you will miss an exam due to a university function, it is your responsibility to contact the GTA and/or instructor at least two weeks in advance to make alternative arrangements.
WRITING (32% total; 265 points)
Papers (18% of total grade; 150 points)
Ø Three times this semester, you will write a paper 3-4 pages in length. Each paper will be worth 50 points. Detailed paper topics and grading criteria will be distributed throughout the semester.
Ø Papers must be turned in at the BEGINNING of class on the due date.
Ø Late papers will lose 5 points per day. This includes weekends. Thus, if a paper is due Friday, and you turn it in Monday, you will have 15 points deducted as a late penalty.
In-class writings (13% of total grade; 105 points)
Ø Throughout class, you will have 7 in-class writing assignments. These assignments are in-class written responses of one-half to one page in length. They will not be announced ahead of time. In-class writings will be worth 15 points each.
Ø There will be no make-ups for missed mini-writings. However, nine mini-writings will be offered through the course. Thus, if you’ve completed the first seven mini-writings, you do not need to complete the last two.
PARTICIPATION (11% of grade; 90 points)
Ø Participation in this class will be assessed with iclickers. Nearly every day, you will have the opportunity to answer in class questions using your iclicker. At the end of the semester, I will randomly select 10 days to check for participation. You will receive 9 points for each day that you participated in class by using your iclicker.
EXTRA CREDIT (47 points)
You may earn extra credit through your research participation in three ways:
Ø Completing ALL research as scheduled—i.e., you receive 0 no-shows (for Option B, you complete all papers on time) will result in 15 extra credit points
Ø Completing up to four additional hours of research (writing up to four extra papers for Option B) for up to 20 extra credit points (5 points per research hour/paper)
Ø You may complete additional mini-writings beyond the required 7. You will receive 6 extra credit points for each additional mini-writing (12 points total)
**Percentage totals may add up to slightly more that 100 due to rounding.
GRADING
A+(99-100%) 811 or more points
A (90-98%) 738-810 points
B (80-89%) 656-737 points
C (70-79%) 574-655 points
D (60-69%) 492-573 points
F (59% or less) 491 or fewer points
*Very Important Note: I do not give grades in this course; you earn them. Thus, your final grade will reflect the total number of points you earn. Averages will not be calculated, nor will grades be curved. For example, if your total points equal 736 at the end of the semester, you will have earned a B for the course.
Schedule
Date / Topic / Assigned ModulesAug 25 / Introduction
Aug 27 / Research Methods / 2
Aug 29 / Research Methods
Sept 1 / LABOR DAY—NO CLASS
Sept 3 / Neurology / 3
Sept 5 / Neurology / 4
Sept 8 / Nature/Nurture / 5
Sept 10 / Nature/Nurture / 6
Sept 12 / Sensation & Perception / 11
Sept 15 / Sensation & Perception / 13
Sept 17 / Sensation & Perception / 14
Sept 19 / EXAM 1
Sept 22 / Development / 7
Sept 24 / Development / 8
Sept 26 / Development / 9-10
Sept 29 / Consciousness & Dreaming / 15
Oct 1 / Consciousness & Dreaming / 17
Oct 3 / Conditioning / 18
Oct 6 / Conditioning
Paper 1 Due / 19
Oct 8 / Conditioning
Oct 10 / Learning by Observation / 20
Oct 13 / Memory / 21
Oct 15 / Memory / 22
Oct 17 / EXAM 2
Oct 20 / Thinking / 23
Oct 22 / Language / 24
Oct 24 / Intelligence / 25
Oct 27 / Intelligence / 25
Oct 29 / I/O psych / 28
Oct 31 / I/O Psych / 28
Nov 3 / Stress & Health
Nov 5 / Emotion
Paper 2 due / 29
Nov 7 / Emotion / 30
Nov 10 / Personality / 33
Nov12 / Personality / 34-35
Nov 14 / EXAM 3
Nov 17 / Disorders / 36
Nov 19 / Disorders / 37
Nov 21 / Disorders / 38-39
Nov 24-29 / FALL BREAK—NO CLASS
Dec 1 / Therapy / 40
Dec 3 / Therapy
Paper 3 Due / 41-42
Dec 5 / TBA
Dec 8 / Social Psychology / 43
Dec 10 / Social Psychology / 44
Dec 12 / Social Psychology / 45
DECEMBER 15
**EXAM 4 AND OPTIONAL CUMULATIVE EXAM 7-9 AM**
**Dates/topics subject to change by instructor. Changes will be announced in class and posted to RamCT.