Department of Psychology Trent University PSYC 101 WEB: Introduction to Psychology Fall/Winter 2008-9 Instructor: Tonya Bauermann, M.Sc., RPSGT Course Consultant: Prof. James D. A. Parker Trent email: tbauermann@trentu.ca Trent email: jparker@trentu.ca Telephone: 613-767-1912 Telephone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7644 Psychology Dept. OC144, 705-748-1011 ext. 7535 Your primary contact is the course instructor, via email. Phone consultations can also be arranged with the course instructor by appointment. Email the course instructor to schedule a phone consultation. Course Description: Course Format: Required Texts: PSYC 101 is a survey of the major areas of psychology, including its historical development, the methods of the science, biological and perceptual processes, altered states of consciousness, learning, memory, language development, intelligence, personality, abnormal behaviour, and social determinants of behaviour. The course is completely online using Trent University s mylearningsystem (WebCT). You may proceed at your own speed and log on to the course at any time, but there are scheduled activities on specific days and due dates for assignments that should be noted. This course requires the same time commitment as a traditional course. You are responsible for all material covered in the textbook and in the online materials. Santrock, J. W., & Mitterer, J. O. (2006). Psychology (3rd Canadian ed.). Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson. Mitchell, M. L., Jolley, J. M., & O Shea, R. P. (2007). Writing for psychology. A guide for students. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Required Readings on Plagiarism: Pp. 4-6, 113-117, 138 in Mitchell, M. L., Jolley, J. M., & O Shea, R. P. (2007). Writing for Psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Evaluation: Quizzes Written Assignments Midterm Exam Final Exam Discussion Participation 30% 25% 15% 20% 10% Explanation of Evaluative Components Quizzes There will be 6 quizzes consisting of multiple-choice questions based on lectures and readings (more details and instructions will be provided by the course instructor at the start of the term). There will be 6 quizzes available to complete and your mark will be based on your best 5 quizzes.
Written Assignments Two written assignments will be focused on psychology as a science, the scientific method and writing a research report in APA style. The American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines are provided in the Mitchell et al. (2007) text. In the first term the written assignment, due on November 29 th, will involve critically reviewing empirical research and generating testable hypothesis (10%). In the second term, the written assignment, due on March 18 th, will focus on analyzing data and reporting research findings in APA style (15%). The course instructor will provide additional instructions and directives. Class assignments must be submitted online and written in clear, concise, grammatically well-constructed English. Marks will be deducted for sloppy or poorly written work. While all students in the class will use the same data, a student's report must represent only his/her own work. A mark of zero will be assigned if a student submits work that is clearly not his/her own. Midterm & Final Exams The exams will consist of a mixture of multiple choice and written answer questions based on all lectures and assigned readings. The exams are to be completed online (details will be provided by the course instructor). Dates: Midterm: Dec. 8 th, 2008; Final: Apr. 9 th, 2009. Discussions Discussion topics will be posted (~bi-weekly) by the course instructor on the discussion board and marks will be given for participation. Students are expected to provide thoughtful contributions to each of the discussion topics. Course Policy on Late Submissions Assignments must be uploaded and submitted online using WebCT (instructions for submission will be provided by the course instructor). Assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the date due. The penalty for late assignments is 5% per day. Course Policy on quizzes Quizzes are available only on the dates scheduled. You have the flexibility to complete your quizzes anytime between 12:00am and 11:59pm on the scheduled dates (additional guidelines will be provided by the course instructor).
PSYC 101 Web: Schedule (Fall/Winter, 2008-9) Week of Sept 8 Topic/Readings Get organized! Sept 15 Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology (Readings: chapter 1; lecture 1) Sept 22 Introduction to Statistics (Readings: chapter 2; lecture 2) Sept 29 Research Methods (Continued) & Biological Basis of Behaviour (readings: chapter 3; lecture 3) Oct 2 QUIZ 1 (covering chapters 1 & 2; lectures 1, 2 and first part of 3) Oct 6 Biological Basis of Behaviour (Continued)(readings: chapter 3; lectures 3 (part 2) & 4) Oct 13 Sensation and Perception; (Readings: chapter 5; lecture 5) Oct 20 READING WEEK (Readings: Mitchell et al. Chapters 1, 3 & 4 ) Oct 27 Consciousness; (Readings: chapter 6; lecture 6) Oct 30 QUIZ 2 (covering chapters 3 & 5; lectures 3-5) Nov 3 Consciousness (Continued) (Readings: chapter 6; lecture 7) Nov 10 Learning (Readings: chapter 7; lecture 8) Nov 17 Learning (Continued) (Readings: chapter 7; lecture 9) Nov 24 Memory (Readings: chapter 8; lecture 10) Nov 27 QUIZ 3 (covering chapters 6-8; lectures 6-10) Nov 29 Written Assignment Due Dec 8 Midterm Exam (Covering material of Quiz 1, 2 & 3) Happy Holidays! Jan 5 Cognition; (Readings: chapter 9; lecture 11) Jan 12 Human Development The Childhood Years (Readings: chapter 4; lecture 12) Jan 19 Human Development: Adolescence & Adulthood (Readings: chapter 4; lecture 13 Jan 26 Intelligence (readings: chapter 10; lecture 14) Jan 29 QUIZ 4 (covering chapters 4, 9 & 10; lectures 11-14) Feb 2 Motivation & Emotion, (Readings: chapter 11; lecture 15) Feb 9 Personality (Readings: chapters 12; lecture 16) Feb 16 READING WEEK (Readings: Mitchell et al. Chapters 5 & 6) Feb 23 Health Psychology; (Readings: chapter 15; lectures 17) Feb 26 QUIZ 5 (covering chapters 11, 12 & 15; lectures 15-17) Mar 2 Psychological Disorders; (Readings: chapter 13; lectures 18 & 19) Mar 9 Psychological Disorders (Continued) (Readings: chapter 14; lecture 20) Mar 16 Social Psychology; (Readings: chapter 16; lecture 21) Mar 18 Written Assignment Due Mar 26 QUIZ 6 (covering chapter 13, 14, 16; lectures 18-21) Apr 9 FINAL EXAM (Covering material of Quiz 4, 5 & 6)
Departmental Policy on Tests, Exams, and Assignments A. MIDTERMS & FINAL EXAMINATIONS Midterm examinations for half courses within the Psychology Department are scheduled by the instructor of the course. Midterm examinations for full courses and final examination for all courses are scheduled by the Registrar s Office. Students are strongly urged NOT to make any commitments (i.e., vacation, job related, or other travel plans) during either the term as a whole or the final examination period. Students are required to be available for all examinations during the periods for which they are scheduled (as published in course syllabi). B. DEFERRAL OF MIDTERM / FINAL EXAMINATIONS and/or TERM WORK Extensions of deadlines for completion of assignments or writing of midterms/final examinations may be granted to students on the basis of illness, accident, or other extreme and legitimate circumstances beyond their control. Consideration for deferrals will not normally be granted on the basis of vacation/travel plans or job-related obligations. C. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Students should expect that supporting documentation will be required and must be submitted before a deferral is approved. For illness or accident, supporting documentation will take the form of: (1) the Trent University Medical Certificate from Health Services: (http://www.trentu.ca/healthservices/medical.html), or (2) a certificate or letter from the attending physician clearly indicating the start and end dates of the illness and the student s inability to write an examination, complete assignments, and/or attend classes, as relevant to the particular request. For other circumstances, students should consult the individual Psychology faculty member about acceptable forms of documentation. Special Note: Written assignments will not be accepted by staff in the Trent in Oshawa office. They must be submitted directly to the course instructor. Marked assignments will not be left in the Trent in Oshawa Office for pick up; they will be returned to students in class or by mail if a stamped, self addressed envelope is provided. D. Access to Instruction Statement: It is Trent University's intent to create an inclusive learning environment. If a student has a disability and/or health consideration and feels that he/she may need accommodations to succeed in this course, the student should contact the Disability Services Office (BL Suite 109, 748-1281, disabilityservices@trentu.ca) as soon as possible. Complete text can be found under Access to Instruction in the Academic Calendar. E. Clickers (Personal Response Systems) if a requirement of course. As clicker records are used in this course to compute a portion of course grades, the use of a clicker other than your own is an academic offence. In lecture or tutorial, possession of more than one clicker, or that of another student, may be interpreted as intent to commit an academic offence. Notes 1. Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty, which includes plagiarism and cheating, is an extremely serious academic offense and carries penalties varying from failure in an assignment to suspension from the University. Definitions, penalties, and procedures for dealing with plagiarism and cheating are set out in Trent University's Academic Dishonesty Policy which is printed in the University Calendar and on the university website at: http://www.trentu.ca/deansoffice/policies_dishonesty.php. For the purpose of interpreting and applying the University policy on academic dishonesty, the Department of Psychology has adopted the following: When a student submits a piece of written work in fulfillment of an assignment, he/she implicitly acknowledges the following: a) that she/he is the sole author of the work; b) that the wording and organization of the work, apart from acknowledged quotations, is her/his own; and c) that she/he has not and
will not submit this work, either as a whole or in part, to satisfy another course requirement. These basic assumptions will be reasonably interpreted. They do not preclude collaboration between students upon a single project, by prior arrangement with the instructor, for shared academic credit (either for written or oral presentation). For an elaboration of the Department s policy on, and for specific examples of, plagiarism, students should consult the sections on academic honesty (pp. 4-6), and appropriate citing and referencing (pp. 113-117, 138) in Mitchell et al. (2007). Students who have doubts about what might be considered academic dishonesty are urged to consult the instructor of the course. Ignorance of the University or Department policy does not excuse academic dishonesty. Submissions that fail to meet one or more of these considerations will be subject to procedures laid down in the policy on academic dishonesty as stated in the University calendar. 2. It is the policy of the Department NOT to accept faxed assignments. 3. The same assignment cannot be submitted in more than one course without the prior written permission of all instructors concerned. The written approval must be attached to the work when it is submitted. 4. Students are required to use American Psychological Association style (5 th edition), as described in Mitchell et al. (2007), for all written assignments.