Adavanced Human Memory Course Syllabus

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Cecilia Baldwin
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1 Adavanced Human Memory Course Syllabus Spring 2011 Dr. Cindi May Office: 55 Coming Street, Rm. 103 Phone: Office hours: Tues/Thurs 1:45-2:45 Required Texts: Memory (available in paperback) Baddeley, Eysenck, Anderson (BEA) Journal Articles on Oaks (see assigned readings below) Course Overview: This course provides an in-depth exploration of classic and current issues in human memory, examining both behavioral and neuropsychological approaches to data and theory. Topics will include working memory, long term learning, episodic and semantic memory, autobiographical and eyewitness memory, false memories, implicit memory, retrieval, memory updating and improvement, memory development, and prospective memory. Educational Goals: There are four educational goals for this course. (1) A primary goal in this course is to develop expertise in issues of human memory - to understand what factors influence memory functioning and performance, and the theories about how and why they do so. (2) In addition, you will gain experience in memory experimentation by participating in a number of classic memory studies. These studies are designed to provide insight into some of the questions addressed by memory researchers and the various methodologies they employ. (3) You will also develop skills for summarizing, evaluating, and critiquing research in the primary literature. (4) A final aim in this course is to enhance your ability to think critically and scientifically about everyday cognitive problems (e.g., how can I study more effectively so that I have greater comprehension and recall?) so that you can begin to generate solutions for these problems. Course Requirements: There are four general course requirements: (a) assigned readings, (b) research proposal, (c) tests/final exam (d) web experiments. (a) Readings Students should come to class FULLY PREPARED, having read the complete assignment in *advance* and ready to DISCUSS the readings in class. This class will be part lecture, part discussion, so student participation is mandatory. In the assignments listed below, you should read the text for each section before the first day that the section will be discussed in class. For example, Chapter 1 should be read by the time you come to class on January 13th. Please pay careful attention to the assignments, as you will not always read the chapters from a given book in sequential order, and most assignments include readings from multiple sources. Supportive material (e.g., activities, quizzes, research guides) for your main text (Memory) can be found at the following website: Note: You must register to use this site. See section D below. (b) Research Proposal. All students will learn how to research a topic using peer-reviewed journal articles, how to summarize that research, and how to construct logical, effective arguments about behavior on the basis of empirical research. Students will write a proposal for a new memory experiment. The proposal will be written in APA format, and will include a title page, abstract, introduction, proposed methods, and anticipated results. All papers are due April 14th at the start of class. Hard copies must be submitted; no electronic copies will be accepted. Further details for the paper will be discussed in class. Papers will be penalized ten points for each day they are late.

2 (c) Tests and the final exam There will be four tests in this course, plus a final cumulative exam. The dates for the tests are listed in the reading assignments below; the final exam will be held on the date and time designated by the college. Students are responsible for knowing test and exam dates, and for completing the tests on the assigned dates. If you miss a test because of an emergency (e.g., death, illness, etc.), you must have a written note from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies documenting the emergency. With a note from the Dean, you may take a makeup exam on reading day. Without a note from the Dean, you may receive an F for that exam. Note that all makeup exams will be given on reading day (April 26th) no exceptions. If you are an athlete and know that you will be out of town for an exam, you must notify me at LEAST ONE WEEK before the exam so that we can make appropriate arrangements for you to take it. If you are a student with special needs (e.g., documented learning disorder) and would like special arrangements (e.g., extra time or separate testing room), please see me at your earliest convenience so that we can make appropriate arrangements. I am happy to accommodate students in any way feasible, but you must provide documentation of your need and give me at least one week s notice prior to each exam. (d) Interactive Exercises. Each student must complete 15 web-based experiments in this course. The assigned experiments and their due dates are listed in the Assignment section of the syllabus. To get started, you must first create an account. Follow these steps: 1. Go to 2. At that site, create an account. 3. Go to your and confirm your account. When you do, you will be taken to the homepage for Psychology Press Textbook Resources ( 4. Once at the homepage, go to Cognitive Psychology, and click on your textbook (Baddeley, Eysenck & Anderson: Memory) 5. You will be taken to a registration page, and you must enroll in the course. The enrollment key you need is Charleston. Enter that key, and you will have access to all the resources. 6. The main site you want to visit once you have registered is: Once you are registered, you can complete a study. The studies are labeled interactive exercise within each chapter. Each study requires approximately 30 minutes of your time, and can be completed at any computer with web access. Each study must be completed before class, and we will discuss the study in class. The fact that these experiments are web-based means that students can participate in these studies at any hour, day or night. It is to your advantage to complete every experimental assignment because the content of the studies will be covered on your exams. OTHER THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Classroom Courtesy: Our aim this semester is to create an interactive learning environment in which each student feels welcome to express his or her views, and in which we show respect to each other through all of our behaviors. Treat others as you would like to be treated. You can disagree with a student (or with me!) but please do so politely comment on ideas rather than the person. Remember that electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, PDAs, computers) can be a great source of distraction. All cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players should be turned OFF during class and stowed out of view during class. Absolutely no texting during class. I reserve the right to confiscate phones or other devices. Laptops may be used ONLY for note taking. If you use your laptop for any other purpose during class you will not be permitted to bring it to class for the rest of the semester. Use of any electronic device during an exam will result in a zero score on the exam.

3 Office hours: It is my goal to provide each student with all of the assistance that s/he needs to succeed in this course. If you are having difficulties in the class, are struggling with any of the material, or are simply curious about human memory, do not hesitate to visit me during office hours. My regular hours are posted at the top of the syllabus, along with my office location and my . If you absolutely cannot make it to my office hours, me or phone me to set up another appointment. I will make every effort to meet with you at a mutually convenient time. PLEASE NOTE: If you are not doing well in the course - for any reason - please come and see me immediately. Many students struggle with intellectual, medical, and personal challenges, and the only way I can assist you is if you come and discuss your situation with me. Do not wait until the end of the semester to address a problem seek help while it can benefit you most. Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory on all test days. Furthermore, you are responsible for knowing the dates of each test, as they are clearly delineated on this syllabus. Class attendance is not mandatory for other class periods; however, class attendance is *highly* recommended. I will cover material in class (e.g., lecture notes, video) that is not available in your text, and you are responsible for that material. Furthermore, we will have class discussion based on journal articles and chapters from your text, and you will receive a participation grade for that class discussion. Those who choose to skip class in favor of sleep, recreation, or any other unexcused reason do so at their own risk, and are responsible for obtaining course notes from a classmate. If you are absent, you should: Go to the office of the Associate Dean of Students located at 67 George Street (white house next to Stern Center) to discuss absences and fill out the appropriate forms. Any questions should come directly to either Constance Nelson in my office or me. We do have the forms online at: and they also can be faxed to our office at Students will need documentation for health, personal or emergency situations. Athletic Teams and school sponsored trips will have documented lists of students participating on our letterhead as early in the semester as we get the information from the organization. All information on scheduled outings should reach the Dean of students at least two full weeks in advance. The students themselves are responsible for getting this to their individual faculty members. Optional Assistance: Please note that your online resources include multiple choice and fill in the blank questions for each chapter. Testing yourself is a highly effective way to study, as it gives you practice with the test format and allows you to evaluate your knowledge (what you do and do not know). I strongly recommend that every student complete every online quiz. These are optional, but participation should enhance course performance.

4 Topic Readings (Complete by date listed) Date SECTION I I. Introduction --- Jan 11 II. Overview and Review Chap 1 in BEA Jan 13 Oaks Reading: Jan 13 McDaniel, Howard, & Einstein (2009) III. Short term Chaps 2 and 3 (BEA) Jan 18 And Working Memory Interactive exercises 2 and 3 Jan 20 Oaks Reading Healey, Campbell, Hasher & Ossher (2010) Jan 25 III. Learning and Encoding Chap 4 & 5 in BEA Jan 27 Interactive exercises 4 and 5 Feb 1 Oaks Reading: Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork (2009) Feb 3 *****TEST 1 TEST 1 TUESDAY FEB 8TH**** SECTION II IV. Semantic memory Chap 6 BEA Feb 10 Interactive exercise 6 Feb 10 V. Autobiographical memory Chap 7 Feb 15 Eyewitness testimony Chap 14 Feb 17 False memories Interactive exercises 7 and 14 Feb 17 Oaks Readings Feb 24 Newman & Lindsay (2009) Nash, Wade, & Lindsay (2009) Nash and Wade (2009) ***********TEST 2 TEST 2 THURSDAY MAR 3***

5 SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK MARCH 7-11 SECTION III VI. Retrieval and Forgetting Chap 8 & 9 in BEA Mar 15 Interactive exercises 8 and 9 Mar 17 VII. Memory Updating Chap 10 BEA Mar 22 Interactive exercise 10 Mar 22 Oaks Readings: Mar 24 Joormann & Tran (2009) VIII. Memory Improvement Chap 16 BEA Mar 29 Interactive exercise 16 Mar 29 *****TEST 3 TEST 3 THURSDAY MAR 31******** SECTION IV IX. Memory Development Chap 12 & 13 BEA Apr 5 Interactive exercises 12, 13a, 13b Apr 7 Oaks Readings: Salthouse (2009) Apr 12 Shimamura et al (1995) Apr 12 X. Amnesia Chap 11 BEA Apr 14 Interactive exercise 11 Apr 14 RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE APRIL 14 TH XI. Prospective memory Chap 15 in BEA Apr 19 Interactive exercise 15 Apr 19 Oaks reading: Apr 19 Einstein & McDaniel (2005) ********TEST 4 TEST 4 THURSDAY, Apr 21******* CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM -- Please check CofC Website for Exam schedule

6 Grades: Your final grade will be determined by the total number of points you have earned at the end of the semester. The number of points for each assignment is listed below, along with the total number of points needed to earn each letter grade. Any extra credit points earned by students are added to their total during the calculation of their final grade. Assignment Total Possible Points In-class tests Test Test Test Test Total from all in-course tests 400 Interactive Exercises Grade for each study 10 Total from Studies 150 Research Proposal 100 Cumulative Final Exam 150 TOTAL POINTS FOR THE COURSE 800 Grading Scale: 92%-100% = A 90%-91.99% = A- 88%-89.9% = B+ 82%-87.9% = B 80%-81.9% = B- 78%-79.9% = C+ 72%-77.9% = C 70%-71.9% = C- 68%-69.9% = D+ 62%-67.9%= D 60%-61.9%= D- <60% = F

7 Guidelines for the Research Paper You are to write a research proposal in which you design a new memory experiment. Your paper will be written in APA style and will include a title page, abstract, introduction, method section, and anticipated results. The paper should also include a complete reference section, and any relevant tables or figures. The introduction should provide a literature review and a rationale for the proposed experiment. Enough detail should be provided in the methods section so that a reader could produce the experiment exactly. All variables must be operationally defined, and all necessary details for experimental execution should be included. The anticipated results should include tables/figures as relevant. The research, idea formulation, and experimental design must all be your own. Research proposals should be 8-15 pages in length, with one inch margins, 12 point font, and double spacing throughout. MSOffice 2010 users beware: Do NOT include an extra space in between paragraphs. Be sure to review my Top 10 List of Writing Issues on the next page before you start. It will help you prevent many errors in your paper. Also, consider the helpful tools listed below. Tools that may be useful in researching and writing: --PsychInfo (online database available at CofC Library website) --PsychArticles (online database available at CofC Library website) --Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (online database at CofC Library website) --Writing With Style: APA Style Made Easy, by Szuchman --The Psychology Student Writer s Manual put out by APA in paperback --handout from the Writing Lab at CofC Plagiarism Policy Any student who plagiarizes his/her paper will receive an automatic 0 for the assignment, and may face additional penalties. Students should be familiar with the College s policy on plagiarism and the Honor Code. Any suspected violations of the Honor Code may be brought before the Honor Board. You should summarize the research IN YOUR OWN WORDS, giving credit for other authors ideas, theories, paradigms, data, and terminology. DO NOT USE DIRECT QUOTES UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. You should summarize the research from other scientists, giving them credit for their work, but using your own words to describe their methodology and findings. Do not copy sentence structure, paragraph structure, or paper structure. Writing your paper means reading, understanding, and relaying back what you have learned in your own words. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following examples: Plagiarism includes the literal repetition without acknowledgment of the writings of another author. All significant phrases, clauses, or passages taken directly from source material with quotation marks and acknowledgement are instances of plagiarism. Plagiarism includes borrowing without acknowledgment another writer s general plan in the creation of one s own plan. Plagiarism includes borrowing another s ideas and representing them as one s own. To paraphrase the thought of another writer without acknowledgment is to plagiarize. Plagiarism includes allowing any other person or organization to prepare work which one then submits as his or her own.

8 My Top 10 List of Writing Issues (adapted from Green, 2009) APA C CAS K TS APA format: You need to follow APA format please check the manual. Clarify: The point that you are trying to make here needs to be developed and clarified better. I do not know what you are saying here. Casual Writing: Your writing style here is too casual. This does not read like professional writing. Awkward: Read this sentence out loud and think of a better way to say this that is less awkward. Check your grammar. Tense: Keep your verb tense consistent. Use past tense throughout the paper. SE T S DP Scientific Evidence: The claim you have made is not common knowledge, and needs to be supported with a citation to a scientific report. Transition: The transition here is not clear. Think about what you just said, the point you want to make next, and then use clear language to articulate the transition between these ideas. Be sure that there is a clear framework to the paper, and that the transition from paragraph to paragraph makes that framework clear. Structure: The structure of your paper is not clear at this point. I cannot tell where you are going. Develop a clear structure to you paper and make it explicit in the paper as you move through this structure. Different Place: This information belongs in a different section of the paper.

San José State University Department of Psychology PSYC , Human Learning, Spring 2017

San José State University Department of Psychology PSYC 155-03, Human Learning, Spring 2017 Instructor: Valerie Carr Office Location: Dudley Moorhead Hall (DMH), Room 318 Telephone: (408) 924-5630 Email: