Great Basin College
PSY 101 – General Psychology
Spring 2015/3 credits
Section 1002, Online
Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Stephanie Davis
E-Mail:
stephanie.davis@gbcnv.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 11am-1pm, Wednesday 8am-12pm, Friday 11:30am-12:30pm
Office:
EIT 123, Elko Campus
Phone:
Office: (775) 753-4858
Cell/Text: (775) 235-8002
Web Page:
http://www2.gbcnv.edu/profiles/davis_stephanie.html
Course Text
Myers, David G. (2014). Exploring Psychology in Modules with Updates on DSM V (9th Edition).
Worth Publishers
ISBN-13: 9781464146763 This is a loose-leaf, 3-hole punched version of the textbook. You will need to
buy a binder to put it in. It also contains an access code for the eBook version of the text, and for
LaunchPad, an online study resource. You are required to have access to LaunchPad, as we will be using
it in required discussion posts and in homework assignments.
Alternate Option:
You can also purchase an access code card to the eBook and LaunchPad. This is the least expensive
option. It does not include a hard copy of the text. You can purchase the access code at:
http://courses.bfwpub.com/exploring9einmodules.php
Software Required: Please note that you will need to have access to Microsoft Word 2007 or higher.
All assignments (except discussion posts) must be submitted in Word format.
Course Description
GBC Catalog Description: “Survey of the discipline introducing psychological theories, research
methods, and principles of behavior.”
This course will cover basic principles of psychology, which is the study of behavior and mental
processes. Emphasis will be on understanding and applying psychological concepts and theories to
students’ everyday experiences in order to increase self-awareness and improve students’ personal and
professional interactions and relationships.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to do the following:
1. Given the need to gain a knowledge base in psychology, students will accurately define and
explain numerous psychological constructs.
2. Given information pertaining to psychological issues and behavior, students will critically
evaluate statistics, studies and research.
3. Given observable behavior, current events, or personal situations that pertain to psychology,
students will apply the psychological perspective to explain these phenomena.
Measurements: Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) will be assessed using the following
components:
1. Discussions – students will participate in weekly discussions by posting to the
discussions a minimum of 3 DAYS per week, with required posts on videos from
LaunchPad (CLO #1, 2, 3)
2. Bi-weekly Exams – multiple choice questions (CLO #1)
3. Current Events Paper – short paper evaluating current research in the field of
Psychology(CLO #2, 3)
4. Power Point Presentation – power point on a psychological disorder (CLO #2, 3)
Specific Chapter Outcomes (SCOs)
The following are learning outcomes that correspond to each chapter in the textbook, and each
week of instruction:
1. Given a topic in psychology, students will describe how psychologists study and predict
behavior, and will identify the five major viewpoints.
2. Given a description or diagram, students will label and recognize different structures of the
brain and list the functions of these structures.
3. Given descriptions of abnormal behavior, students will identify and describe the main types
of psychological disorders.
4. Given descriptions of psychological disorders, students will identify and discuss appropriate
treatments and therapy.
5. Given a situation involving an altered mental state, such as jet lag or drug use, students will
explain how various factors affect our states of consciousness.
6. Given an example of an age-appropriate behavior, students will identify instances of the four
main stages of life span development.
7. When an explanation of everyday behavior is required, students will describe how various
biological and environmental factors, including gender and sexuality, influence behavior.
8. Given a need to teach a skill or concept, students will apply learning theories to real-life
situations, and describe the theories of Pavlov, Skinner and others.
9. When required to remember information, students will apply memory models to help
improve retention and retrieval.
10. Given the need to make a decision or analyze information, students will describe the
concepts of cognition, language and intelligence and explain their influence on behavior.
11. Given the need to motivate self or others, and to understand emotion, students will apply
motivation and emotion theories to improve performance, behavior outcomes and interaction
with others.
12. Given the need for improvement in lifestyle management, students will explain the
connection between health and stress in order to effect positive personal change.
13. Given situations involving personality differences and conflict, students will define
personality and describe the four major personality theories including Freud and others.
14. Given a common social interaction, students will describe how psychological concepts apply
to social situations.
15. Given an interest in applying psychology, students will understand how to evaluate studies
and research presented in the media etc., and will understand how to apply psychology in the
workplace.
General Education Objectives
This is a GBC general education course, and the goal of the college is that these courses provide certain
educational opportunities:
1. “Communication Skills – communicate clearly and effectively in written and oral form,
embracing discussion, reading, listening, and accessing.” This course requires participating in
weekly online discussions, short paper, presenting a power point, and watching and discussing
pertinent videos through the LaunchPad.
2. “Critical Thinking – integrate creativity, logic, quantitative reasoning, and the hierarchy of
inquiry and knowing in social scientific understanding.” This course encourages the
development of these qualities through in-class discussion, testing, and a power point
presentation.
3. “Personal/Cultural Awareness – understand the roles of individuals in society, the development
of human societies, and the significance of creativity in the human experience.” This course
focuses on the application of psychological theories and principles to students’ personal lives in
order to increase self-awareness. This is done through discussions, virtual field trips, and selftests.
4. “Personal Wellness – develop knowledge, skills, and behaviors, which promote personal well
being.” The content in this class contains a considerable amount of information to help
students improve their personal wellness. Discussions and virtual field trips will help students
fulfill this objective.
5. “Technological Understanding - Function effectively in modern society through the use of
technology.” As an online class and through the power point presentation, this class inherently
allows students the opportunity to improve their computer and internet skills.
Method of Instruction
All course components will occur online through WebCampus. All exams, discussions and assignments
will be completed and submitted online through the WebCampus course. Students will be expected to
‘attend’ class 3 days a week via discussions. This is primarily where class interaction and instruction will
occur. Students will also complete a power point, exams and homework. Finally, students can access
supplementary material, including videos, flashcards, and practice tests, through an online resource
called LaunchPad.
STUDENT CONDUCT POLICY: Students are expected to interact with each other and their instructor
politely and respectfully. Please be courteous in discussions and in writing email; it is easy to misread
intent in electronic communication, so don’t over-analyze. Foul or hostile language is unacceptable as is
communication that is hostile to the instructor or other students. As well, “flaming” behavior (for
example, inciting discontent with the course, the instructor, or another student) is not tolerated. Such
misconduct will be reported to the Vice President of Student Services and/or the Director of Security,
and a student may be withdrawn from the course, fail the course, or be subject to other disciplinary
action. Please see the GBC catalog for information about student misconduct.
Course Schedule
Week, Learning
Outcomes, and Topics
Readings
Assignments
Week 1
SCO 1
Thinking Critically with
Psychological Science
Week 2
SCO 2
‘Time Management’ Module
Modules 1, 2
Modules 3, 4, 5
The Biology of Behavior
Week 3
SCO 3
Modules 39, 40, 41
Graded Discussion 15 points
Graded Discussion 15 points
Exam #1 60 points Weeks 1-2
Graded Discussion 15 points
Psychological Disorders
Week 4
SCO 4
Modules 42, 43
Therapy
Week 5
SCO 5
Consciousness and the
Two-Track Mind
Week 6
SCO 6
Developing Through the
Life Span
Week 7
SCO 7
Sensation and
Perception
Week 8
SCO 8
Modules 6, 8
Modules 9, 10, 11, 12
Modules 15, 17
Modules 18, 19, 20
Learning
Week 9
SCO 9
Modules 21, 22, 23
Memory
Spring Break!
Graded Discussion 15 points
Exam #2 60 points Weeks 3-4
Graded Discussion 15 points
Graded Discussion 15 points
Exam #3 60 points Weeks 5-6
Graded Discussion 15 points
Graded Discussion 15 points
Exam #4 60 points Weeks 7-8
Graded Discussion 15 points
‘Current Events’ Paper Due 100 pts
Graded Discussion 15 points
Week 10
SCO 10
Modules 24, 26
Exam #5 60 points Weeks 9-10
Thinking and Intelligence
Week 11
SCO 11
(Monday – Official Course Drop Deadline)
Modules 28, 30, 31
Graded Discussion 15 points
Motivation and Emotion
Week 12
SCO 12
Graded Discussion 15 points
Modules 32, 33
Stress, Health and
Human Flourishing
Week 13
SCO 13
Exam #6 60 points Weeks 11-12
Modules 34, 35
Graded Discussion 15 points
Power Point Presentation Due 195 pts
Personality
Week 14
SCO 14
Modules 36, 37, 38
Graded Discussion 15 points
Exam #7 60 points Weeks 13-14
Social Psychology
Week 15
SCO 15
Graded Discussion 15 points
Appendix A, Appendix B
Psychology at Work,
Statistical Reasoning in
Everyday Life
Exam #8 60 points, Week 15*
Week 16
No Final Exam
Please Note: Weeks begin on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. P.S.T., and end the following Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMS ARE DUE BY SUNDAY NIGHT.
(*Exam #8 will include an essay question in addition to the multiple choice items.)
Course Requirements and Grading Criteria
The maximum score in this class is 1000 points. The breakdown of points and weighting of assignments
is as follows:
Assignment
Discussions
(15 weeks x 15 pts)
Points
Weighting
225
22.5%
Power Point Presentation
195
19.5%
Current Events Paper
100
10
Exams
480
48%
1000
100%
(8 Exams x 60 pts)
Total Points
All course components are graded using points. At the end of the course, points will be converted to a
letter grade as shown:
Letter Grade
Points
Percentage
A
940 - 1000
94% to 100%
A-
900 - 939
90% to 93%
B+
870 - 899
87% to 89%
B
830 - 869
83% to 86%
B-
800 - 829
80% to 82%
C+
770 - 799
77% to 79%
C
730 - 769
73% to 76%
C-
700 - 729
70% to 72%
D+
670 - 699
67% to 69%
D
630 - 669
63% to 66%
D-
600 - 629
60% to 62%
F
599 and below
Below 60%
Incomplete (“I”) grades will be assigned when the following conditions are met:
1. Student has completed ¾ of the course with a C grade or above.
2. Student cannot complete the remainder of the course due to death of a family member or
hospitalization/illness.
3. Student makes arrangements with instructor.
The missing work must be made up by the middle of the following semester (October 15th or March
15th), or the “I” on the student’s record will revert to an ‘F.’
Withdrawal (“W”) grades will be assigned when the following conditions are met:
1.
Student notifies instructor regarding their intent to withdraw.
2. Student notifies Student Services and officially withdraws from the class.
Students must notify of their intent to withdraw by the Monday of Week 10; otherwise they will
receive a letter grade. Withdrawals will not be permitted after the Monday of Week 10. In addition,
the instructor reserves the right to withdraw any student who has missed 3 or more consecutive weeks
of class.
Grade Appeals or Professional Conduct
GBC has a standard procedure for dealing with grade appeals or concerns about professional conduct.
Information is given in detail in the GBC General Catalog. Please note that there are deadlines and steps
to take in this procedure, and that the first step is to contact your instructor.
Late Assignment Policy
Late work will be accepted under the following conditions:
1. Discussions cannot be made up. No exceptions.
2. 10% will be deducted per day for the first 7 days after an assignment is due.
3. Late points are deducted from the total points for the assignment (i.e. if the assignment is worth
100 points, 10 points per day will be deducted).
4. After 7 days, the assignment will not be accepted.
5. Students can make up one missed exam per semester. The above guidelines apply.
Please Note: Technical problems are not excuses for late assignments in this class. Please back up your
work in several places: your system, a jump drive, email the file to yourself at another e-mail account,
etc. There is nothing worse than losing hard work to a computer crash, and such an issue will not
constitute a valid excuse for late work in this class. Students are expected to take the necessary steps to
ensure the timeliness of their work. Also, make sure you have a back-up plan in case your computer or
internet connection does not work! Access a friend’s computer, go to the Library, or go to your Campus
Computer Lab.
Also make sure to take the exam early in the week, in case you encounter technical problems. If you
wait until Sunday night, it is difficult for me or the helpdesk to help resolve problems, and you may end
up with a “0” for the exam. Better to take it early in the week when there is still time before the
deadline to resolve the problem.
Academic Honesty Policy
GBC subscribes to the traditional policy of academic integrity: students are expected to be honest. That
means that students are expected to do their own work. In work that utilizes sources written by others,
those sources must be given credit for exact words and ideas. Students who plagiarize (copy the work of
others and pass it off as their own) are violating the standards of academic integrity and are subject to
punishments ranging from failing the assignment to dismissal from the institution. See GBC General
Catalog. For additional information, please go to the GBC Student Conduct Policy at
http://www2.gbcnv.edu/rights_responsibilities/conduct.html
APA Format
The paper and power point need to be in APA format. If you are unfamiliar with this format, please
check out the following web sites for information. The first is a great reference showing how to cite
various types of resources, from web sites to journals:
http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/citation/apa/
The second offers a tutorial on the basics of APA:
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx
The third is the most updated web site on APA style, and has a lot of specific information:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Here is a great little tool. You can plug in an ISBN and it spits out the reference in either MLA or APA
format, as well as the in-text citation:
http://citationmachine.net/index2.php
Finally, for more information on the basics of APA, go to the GBC Academic Success Center link and click
on the APA link on the left:
http://www.gbcnv.edu/asc/
CAMPUS SECURITY: GBC is committed to the safety of our students and has a duty to promote
awareness and prevention programs for violence on campus under the Jeanne Clery Act as well as the
Campus SaVE (Sexual Violence Elimination Act) and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), which are
amendments to Clery. Acts of violence include, but are not limited to, sexual assault, domestic violence,
dating violence, and stalking. Acts of violence can occur on the physical campus or centers of GBC in
addition to field placement sites, clinical practice settings, and other places where college or class
activities occur. As well, the online environment at GBC is considered a GBC site. If you experience any
incidence where your safety has been threatened or violated, or if you feel threatened or harassed,
immediately report this to me, any center director, faculty, or staff member, or directly to the Director
of Environmental Health, Safety & Security(775.753.2115) or the Vice President for Student
Services(775.753.2282).
Frequently Asked Questions
When are grades calculated, and how can I view my grades?

You must complete all assignments and exams, and/or post them to the assignment box by
Sunday, 11:59 p.m.

All grades will be completed by Wednesday morning, at the latest. I will post an announcement
letting you know when grades are completed.
What should I do if a discrepancy is found with my grade?

Double-check the error and try to determine what caused it.

Send me an email explaining your findings.

Trust that any error in grading will be corrected quickly.
What should I do if I have a technical problem?

Notify me immediately via e-mail or phone.

Contact the GBC helpdesk at http://www.gbcnv.edu/computing/helpdesk.html, or call them at
775.753.2167, Monday-Saturday 8 am- 5 pm
What should I do if I have a disability that requires accommodation?

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully
demonstrating his or her abilities should contact the instructor personally as soon as possible so
we can discuss accommodations necessary.

ADA STATEMENT: GBC supports providing equal access for students with disabilities.

Please contact the ADA Officer (Julie Byrnes) in Elko at 775.753.2271 at your earliest
convenience to request appropriate accommodations.
Where can I go if I need help with writing or with college life in general?

For tutoring assistance, GBC offers help through the Academic Success Center:
o

http://www.gbcnv.edu/asc/
For help with any questions or difficulties with any aspect of student life, GBC offers a great peer
mentor program, for both students or parents of students:
o
http://www.gbcnv.edu/retention/
How can I get extra credit?

Extra credit is not permitted in this course.