SYLLABUS * PSYCHOLOGY 110 * SECTION #5 * FALL 2008

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                                                                                           Office Hours*

Professor:              James P. Buchanan, Ph.D.                    Mon.    9:00-9:50

Office:                    AMH 221                                            Wed.    9:00-9:50

Office Phone:         941-4267                                             Fri .      9:00-9:50

Home Phone:         347-3856                                             * or by appointment

E-mail:                   buchananj1@scranton.edu

 

Required Text:  Rathus, S.A. (2007).  Psychology: Concepts and Connections, 8th Ed. 
New York:  Harcourt-Brace

 

Description:

 

An introduction to the scientific study of behavior through a survey of psychology’s principal methods, content areas, and applications. Course requirements include participation in psychological research or preparation of a short article review.

 

Objectives:  Students will:

 

Gain factual knowledge of terminology, methods, and trends within this area.

 

Learn fundamental theories of psychology, and be able to critique them.

 

Learn how professionals in this field go about gathering data and altering theories.

 

Course Requirements

 

Examinations and Quizzes:

 

            Exams will consist of 45 multiple-choice questions.  There will be two midterm exams and a final exam.  Quizzes will consist of 5 multiple-choice questions.  There will be 11 quizzes (Chaps. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14).  Two quiz grades will be dropped.  Quizzes for chapters will be announced the meeting before the quiz.  Grades determined on a total points basis.

 

Exam, Quiz, & Class Participation Total Points Distribution

 

                        177-190  A                  158-164  B                  133-145  C                  114-120  D

                        171-176  A-                152-157  B-                 127-132  C-                0-113      F

                        165-170  B+                146-151  C+                121-126  D+   

 

Rounding policy is .5 or greater round up, less than .5 round down.  You must be in the point total range indicated above to receive a given grade.  One point below the cut-off is the lower grade!

 


Class Participation:

            You will be awarded up to 10 points for class participation.  Class participation points will be based on clicker participation.  Answering 100% of the clicker questions will get you the maximum of 10 points.  Answering 95% to 99% will get you 9 points, 90% to 94% will get you 8 points, etc.  Also, being correct on at least 90% of the questions will get you an additional 4 bonus class participation points, being correct on at least 80% of the questions will get you an additional 3 bonus points, being correct on at least 70% of the of the questions will get you an additional 2 bonus points, and being correct on at least 60% of the questions will get you an additional 1 bonus point.

 

Makeup Policy:

Makeup exams must be cleared with the instructor prior to exam.  Missed exams not cleared with instructor will be counted as an F.

 

Makeup exams must be taken as soon as possible after the missed exam. Failure to take makeup at scheduled time will result in an F.

 

No makeup quizzes will be given. The first two missed quizzes will count as dropped quizzes. Additional missed quizzes will be prorated on the basis of the exam covering that chapter (i.e., exam score/10) or counted as a zero with the fifth absence.  (See cut policy.)

 

Cut Policy:

A roll sheet will be passed out at the beginning of each class. If your name is not on the roll sheet, you have missed class!  You will be allowed 4 absences (excused or unexcused) without penalty. On the 5th absence (excused or unexcused) your final grade will be dropped to the next lowest grade (e.g. a final grade of B would drop to a B-). For each additional set of 2 absences (excused or unexcused) past the 4th absence, your final grade will be dropped an additional grade (e.g. for 7 cuts a final grade of B would drop to a C+). Students are responsible for making sure they sign the daily role sheet. Extraordinary circumstances will be taken into account in terms of this policy.

 

Extra Credit:

There will be opportunities to earn a maximum total of 9 extra credit points with a combination of extra credit quizzes and popular media reaction papers.  One opportunity will be with 3 bonus quizzes (each extra credit quiz will be worth up to 4 points): Chapter 5 covering consciousness (first midterm), Chapter 9 covering motivation and emotion (on the second midterm) and Chapter 10 covering health (on the final).  The other opportunity will be with up to three 2-point popular media papers.  Each paper is worth 2 points and will consist of a photocopy of a magazine or newspaper article (no journal articles allowed) published in the last six months along with a one-page synopsis of the article.  The synopsis should include: (1) the chapter the article relates to; (2) how the article relates to material presented in the chapter and lecture (e.g., is it consistent or inconsistent or does it add new information); and (3) your reactions to the article.

 

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Students are responsible for all announcements made in class (e.g., change of test dates, announced quizzes, etc.) and all materials passed out in class (e.g., handouts).

 

Student must meet the Psychology Department Research Requirement. (See separate handout)

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Daily Reading Assignments

 

DATE                                     TOPIC                                                READING ASSIGNMENT

 

Aug      26                     What is Psychology                                           Chap. 1

            28                     continued                                                          (Quiz Ch 1)

 

Sep       2                      continued

            4                      continued                                                          Appendix A

 

            9                      Biology and Behavior                                         Chap 2 (Quiz Ch 2)

            11                     continued

 

            16                     continued

            18                     Sensation and Perception                                   Chap 4 (Quiz Ch 4)

 

            23                     continued

            25                     Learning                                                           Chap 6 (Quiz Ch 6)

 

            30                     continued

Oct       2                      Memory                                                            Chap 7 (Quiz Ch 7)

 

            7                      MIDTERM 1                                      (Chaps. 1, 2, 4 & Appendix A --Chap 5 extra credit quiz)

            9                      Memory (continued)

 

            14                     FALL BREAK

            16                     Thinking/Language/Intelligence                          Chap 8 (Quiz Ch 8)

 

            21                     continued

            23                     Developmental                                                  Chap 3 (Quiz Ch 3)

 

            28                     continued

            30                     Personality                                                        Chap 11 (Quiz Ch 11)

 

Nov      4                      MIDTERM 2                                      (Chaps. 3, 6, 7, & 8 -- Chap 9 extra credit quiz)

            6                      Personality (continued)

 

            11                     Psychological Disorders                                     Chap 12 (Quiz Ch 12)

            13                     continued

 

            18                     Methods of Therapy                                          Chap 13 (Quiz Ch 13)

            20                     continued

 

            25                     Social Psychology                                              Chap 14 (Quiz Ch 14)

            27                     THANKSGIVING

 

 

Dec      2                      continued

            4                      continued

 

            TBA                FINAL EXAM                                    (Chaps 11, 12, 13, & 14 -- Chap 10 extra credit quiz)