PSY 326: Human Memory
(Summer Pre-session 2014)
Instructor: Molly Memel, B.A.
Office: Psychology Bldg., room 217G
Phone: 520-621-8792
Office Hours: Tuesday, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Email: memel@email.arizona.edu
I. Course Overview & Goals
What is memory? How does it change following injury or disease? Is memory decline an
inevitable consequence of the aging brain? What is considered normal versus abnormal?
Can memory abilities be improved? We will be exploring these questions and many more
throughout the course. The goal of this course is to provide a broad overview of human
memory from both cognitive and biological perspectives. We will also discuss relevant
examples of memory processes in our everyday lives. By making connections with reallife examples, we can see how important memory is in our day-to-day activities.
Textbook
Baddeley, A., Eysenck, M. W., Anderson, M. C. (2009). Memory (1st ed.). London.
Psychology Press.
II. Important Notes About Taking an Online Course
All materials including the syllabus and study guides will be posted on the D2L website.
Any announcements or changes to the syllabus will be posted on the D2L website. It is
the responsibility of each student to check the website regularly for announcements and
course information. Copies of the slides will be posted on the website.
It is your responsibility to make sure you have a reliable computer and Internet
connection. If you do not, you will not be able to fulfill the requirements of this course.
All communication between professor and students will take place electronically via
email or D2L, except for pre-arranged on-campus office visits during office hours.
All times and deadlines mentioned in course materials are based on the Arizona Time
Zone. If you are outside of Arizona while taking this course, please plan accordingly.
If you have any technical difficulty accessing lectures, using D2L or with any other
aspect of the course, please let me know IMMEDIATELY. The same goes if you are just
unfamiliar with how to use something or are unsure about how to complete a particular
task.
Please have your d2l email forwarded to your student email address to ensure that
messages are received.
III. Homework
Homework assignments will be posted in D2L. They will involve participating in
memory demonstrations and summarizing your findings, critically analyzing an empirical
research article, identifying types of memory processes in various video clips, and
completing study guides. Each assignment will be worth 5 points.
IV. Discussion Participation
1. Every week each student will be expected to participate in several brief thoughtsharing activities on D2L. This is to help ensure that each student is staying engaged
with material on a regular basis.
2. Each discussion forum will have a question for you to answer.
3. All of the discussion questions for each week must be completed during the allotted
time period.
4. Some discussions will involve two entries and some will involve one entry.
5. Two entry discussions: Your first entry should be at least 200 words and should be
a unique, individual reflection on the material. Do not simply recite definitions or
textbook explanations. In addition, you will be required to post a second entry
responding to at least one of your classmates’ entries. The second entry should be at
least 100 words. Each discussion question response is worth 5 points: 1 point for
each post, 3 points for thoughtful content and staying on topic.
6. Single entry discussions: Your entry should be at least 200 words long. Each
discussion question response is worth 5 points: 1 point for posting and 4 points for
thoughtful content and staying on topic.
V. Study Guides
Study guide templates will be posted for each exam in a tab titled “Study Guides” on the
Content page of D2L. Study Guides should be used as an opportunity to prepare for your
exams. Fill out each study guide thoroughly with information from the textbook, lectures,
and extra resources and readings provided. Study guides should be submitted to the
Dropbox by 11:59 pm the night before an exam, but may be completed in advance. Study
guides are worth 5 points: 2 points for completion, and 3 points for thorough, thoughtful
responses.
VI. Exams
All exams will be administered on D2L. There will be 3 non-cumulative exams, each
worth 20% of the final course grade. The first two exams will be available the first and
second Friday respectively, from 12:01 am until 11:59 pm. The final exam will be
available on Saturday, June 7 from 12:01 am until 11:59 pm. Exams will include
multiple-choice questions, definitions, and short answer questions. A practice quiz will be
posted on D2L to familiarize students with the test format. You will have 75 minutes to
complete each exam. Once you begin the exam, you CANNOT pause the exam and come
back to it later.
Students are expected to be available at the designated time for all exams. Pre-approved
absences by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean designee) will be honored. If possible, the
student must inform the professor of their absence prior to the exam by email or by
phone. Please provide verifying documentation to the instructor within one week of the
missed exam. If appropriate documentation is provided, a makeup exam will be modified
and must be completed within a week of notification by arrangement with the professor.
VII. Grading
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
59% and below = E
Final Grades – Final grade percentages will be rounded to the nearest tenth
and grades will be determined as follows. No additional rounding or
adjustments will be made.
GRADING
TASK
Homework
Daily Discussions
Study Guides
Exams
Total:
5 assignments x 5 points
each
10 discussions x 5 points
each
3 study guides x 5 points
each
3 exams x 45 points each
POINTS
25 points
50 points
15 points
135 points (60%)
225 points
VIII. Academic Integrity
Students are encouraged to share their views and discuss freely the principles and
applications of course materials. However, all assignments and exams must be the
product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed. Students are expected to adhere
to the UA Code of Academic Integrity as described in the UA General Catalog. See:
http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity
IX. Accessibility and Accommodations
It is the University’s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you
anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, please let me
know immediately so that we can discuss options. You are also welcome to contact
Disability Resources (520-621- 3268) to establish reasonable accommodations.
X. Confidentiality of Student Records:
http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/ferpa/default.htm
XI. Subject to Change Statement:
Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the absence policy, may be
subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor. Any
changes to the syllabus will be posted on the D2L website.
XII. Tentative Schedule
Day
Date
Topic(s)
Required Readings
Mon.
5/19
Course syllabus
What is memory?
Ch. 1
Tues.
5/20
Short-term memory
Ch. 2
Wed.
5/21
Working memory
Ch. 3
Thurs.
5/22
Learning
Review for Midterm 1
Ch. 4
Fri.
5/23
Exam 1
Ch. 1–4
Mon.
5/26
Memorial Day: No Class
Tues.
5/27
Wed.
5/28
Thurs.
5/29
Episodic memory: Organizing
and remembering
Semantic Memory and Stored
Knowledge
Ch. 5
Autobiographical Memory
Retrieval
Ch. 7
Ch. 8
Incidental forgetting
Motivated forgetting
Review for Midterm 2
Ch. 9
Ch. 10
Ch. 6
Fri.
5/30
Exam 2
Ch. 5-10
Mon.
6/2
Amnesia
Ch. 11
Tues.
6/3
Memory in childhood
Ch. 12
Wed.
6/4
Memory and aging
Ch. 13
Thurs.
6/5
Prospective Memory
Ch.15
Fri.
6/6
Improving Your Memory
Review for Exam 3
Ch. 16
Sat.
6/7
Exam 3
Ch. 11-16