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Tulsa Community College
Northeast Campus
Spring 2013
Introduction to Psychology
Syllabus
Days:
Time:
Room:
Call
Monday and Wednesday (March 11, 2013- April 14, 2013)
5:00pm – 10:20pm
#2324
#206
Contacting Your Instructor
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Message Phone:
Email:
Valyncia Thompson MS, CRC
By appointment only
918-814-5637
valyncia_thompson@tulsacc.edu
Contacting the Division Office
Division: Liberal Arts
Office: NE 2425
Division Associate Dean: Earnest Evans
Phone: 918-595-7089
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A survey of the major areas of study in psychology such as motivation, learning,
physiology, personality theories and treatment, social psychology, psychological
disorders, perception, memory, and cognition thought. This course will introduce you to
the academic discipline of Psychology.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Introduce psychology as a scientific discipline and examine some of the key
research areas and issues that psychologists investigate.
2. Increase understanding of the scientific method and how it is used to answer
questions about behavior and mental processes.
3. Show how many psychological findings have practical application and can be
used to improve and enhance life, including your own.
TEXTBOOK AND OTHER MATERIALS:
 Required text: Discovering Psychology, 5th Edition, by Don & Sandra
Hockenbury (Worth Publishers), 2010, ISBN: 978-1429216500
 Not required but available: Study Guide to Accompany Discovering Psychology
5e by Cornelius Rea, (Worth Publishers), 2010: ISBN: 978-1429217484
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CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: Open and mutually respectful communication of varied
opinions, beliefs, and perspectives during classroom or online discussion encourages
the free exchange of ideas that is essential to higher learning and to the ability to learn
from each other. Students are expected to turn off or place on silent all electronic
devices during class. This also includes turning off I-Pods and refraining from texting
during class.
ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION: Since this is 4 week course attendance is very
important. It is the responsibility of the student to attend class with appropriate
materials and be punctual. The student is encouraged to avoid excessive absences
and tardiness. Poor attendance does have an adverse effect on the students’ grade as
attendance points are built into the final point calculation. If excessive absences
become a problem an excessive absence notice may be initiated. Participation points
will be given for class participation in discussions. Please feel free to speak in class
during open discussions.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS & MAKE UP WORK: Late assignments may be accepted at the
beginning of the next class period for a 10% reduction in grade. After that no late
assignments will be accepted.
MAKE-UP EXAMS
Make-up exams will only be given in the case of an excused absence. Make- up exams
may differ from the original exam in terms of content and format. If there is no written
documentation to support an excused absence, a make-up exam will not be given.
However, exams may be taken prior to the exam date, but are only given with instructor
approval.
SYLLABUS CHANGES: Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary.
Students will be notified of any changes to the syllabus in writing and/or on blackboard.
EVALUATION TECHNIQUES:
Exams will be drawn from lectures, class discussions, as well as reading assignments.
Course work will be measured in terms of quality of content, precise use of the English
language & overall participation as a member of the class. ALL assignments done
outside of class should be proofread & MUST BE TYPED or they will not be accepted.
Grading Scale
Final grades will be assigned on the basis of the total number of points accumulated during the semester,
using the following scale:
Point Total
Percentage
Letter Grade
600-540 points
100%-90%
A
539-480 points
89%-80%
B
479-420 points
79%-70%
C
419-360 points
69%-60%
D
Below 359 points
59% or below
F
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Assignments
Quizzes –
Final Exam –
AttendanceGroup Presentation
100 points each (3)
100 points
*This will be comprehensive
100 points
100 points
*Class (groups) will make presentation on topics in regards
to chapter 13& 14. Topics will be given out in class. There
will be class time designated in order to adequately prepare
for presentation. Presentations will be in PowerPoint format.
Each participant of the group will type a one (1) page
summary of the ‘group experience’.
FORMAT FOR PAPERS:
Out of class assignments should be typed. Font size should be no more than 12 (Times
New Roman) and one-inch margins should be used. See the instructor if additional help
is needed.
COURSE WITHDRAWAL The deadline to withdraw from a course shall not exceed 3/4
the duration of any class. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for the deadline that
applies to the course(s). Begin the process with a discussion with the faculty member
assigned to the course. Contact the Advisement Office at any TCC campus to initiate
withdrawal from the course (‘W” grade) or to change from Credit to Audit. Withdrawal
and/or change to an audit from a course after the drop/add period can alter the financial
aid award for the current and future semesters. Students may receive an outstanding
bill from TCC if the recalculation leaves a balance due to TCC. Students who stop
participating in the course and fail to withdraw may receive a course grade of “F,” which
may have financial aid consequences for the student.
COMMUNICATION
 TCC Alerts: Subscribe to TCC alerts on the TCC Website. You will receive
information related to a crisis, emergency, school closings, etc.
 Email: All communications regarding this course will be sent to students’ MyTCC
email accounts; likewise, students should use MyTCC email to send email to the
instructor regarding this course.
 Inclement Weather: If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise,
information is posted on the TCC website, available through text message alerts,
and is provided to local media outlets.
GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS
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General Education courses at TCC ensure that our graduates gain skills, knowledge,
and abilities that comprise a common foundation for their higher education and a
backdrop for their work and personal lives. TCC’s General Education goals are: Critical
Thinking, Effective Communication, Engaged Learning, and Technological Proficiency.
DISABILITY RESOURCES
It is the policy and practice of Tulsa Community College to create inclusive learning
environments. Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and section 504 of the rehabilitation act are
available. To request accommodations, contact the Education Access Center (EAC) at
eac@tulsacc.edu or call (918) 595-7115 (voice). Deaf and hard of hearing students may
text (918) 809-1864.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty (cheating) is defined as the deception of others about one’s own
work or about the work of another. Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not
condoned or tolerated at campuses within the Tulsa Community College system. Tulsa
Community College adopts a policy delegating certain forms of authority for disciplinary
action to the faculty. Such disciplinary actions delegated to the faculty include, but are
not limited to, the dismissal of disrespectful or disorderly students from classes. In the
case of academic dishonesty a faculty member may:
 Require the student to redo an assignment or test, or require the student to
complete a substitute assignment or test;
 Record a "zero" for the assignment or test in question;
 Recommend to the student that the student withdraw from the class, or
administratively withdraw the student from the class;
 Record a grade of "F" for the student at the end of the semester.
 Faculty may request that disciplinary action be taken against a student at the
administrative level by submitting such a request to the Dean of Student
Services.
TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT
Tulsa Community College actively promotes the health and well-being of its students,
faculty, staff, and administrators. Numerous Federal studies demonstrate a correlation
between tobacco use and health concerns. Therefore, in compliance with Executive
Order 2012-01 by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma, Tulsa Community College
prohibits the use of any tobacco products on all college-owned, leased, or contracted
property, including but not limited to all buildings, land and vehicles owned, leased or
contracted for use by Tulsa Community College. The President and Chief Executive
Officer of Tulsa Community College or his/her designee is directed to develop, maintain,
and facilitate procedures that will provide for the health and safety of its students,
faculty, staff, and administrators on all property owned, leased, or contracted by the
College as it relates to prohibiting the use of any tobacco products and developing
appropriate sanctions.
Legal Reference: Oklahoma State Statute, Title 21, Section 1247
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Oklahoma Governor Executive Order 2012-01
Oklahoma State Statute, Title 63, Section 1-1523
Institutional Statement: Each student is responsible for being aware of the information
contained in the TCC Catalog, the TCC Student Policies & Resources Handbook, and
semester information listed in the class schedule. All information may be viewed on the
TCC website: www.tulsacc.edu
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Tentative Class Schedule
March 11
Review Syllabus
Chapter 1- Introduction to Research Methods
Chapter 2- Neuroscience and Behavior
March 13
Chapter 4-
Consciousness and Its Variations
Group project information & Take home quiz #1
March 18 & 20
NO CLASS/ SPRING BREAK
March 25
Chapter 5Chapter 6-
Learning
Memory
March 27
Chapter 9-
Lifespan Development
Group project time & Take home quiz # 2
April 1
Chapter 10- Personality
Chapter 11- Social Psychology
April 3
Chapter 13- Psychological Disorders
Chapter 14- Therapies
Group project time & Take home quiz #3
April 8
Group presentations / review for final exam
April 10
Final Exam