2011-12

The Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology is designed for students seeking careers in psychology or related fields.
The degree requirements include a well-balanced general education curriculum. Specific curriculum provides students with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings in psychology. In addition, students will come to understand and apply basic research methods in psychology. This course of study is designed as a university transfer program that substantially meets the requirements for the first two years of study for the B.A. in Psychology at UNR.
In addition, students have the possibility to begin work on a minor in Addiction Treatment Services that is available at
UNR. Students wishing to transfer to any other baccalaureate program should work closely with TMCC advisors and advisors at the institution of transfer to obtain recommended courses for transfer.
Mission Statement
The Psychology discipline provides a breadth of quality introductory Psychology offerings. These offerings support a variety of student needs: general education, foundational coursework to pursue a degree in Psychology, core requirements for allied fields, and lifelong learning/personal interest needs. The Psychology discipline emphasizes quality instruction and a sound curriculum that will expose students to contemporary theories, research methods, and beginning skills used to interpret and use scientific psychological knowledge. The Psychology discipline serves to support the TMCC’s mission in terms of supporting general education, transfer degree programs , and occupational/technical degrees. In addition, the psychology faculty have been involved in supporting student services by providing consultation to College counselors, the Disability Resource Center, student tutoring centers, and have developed two student clubs (Psychology and Psi Beta, the honorary society in Psychology). Thus, the Psychology discipline is an important and integral part of the College and its mission.
Degrees, Certificates, and/or Non-Credit Courses offered
TMCC offers the following courses in the discipline of Psychology: PSY 101 – General Psychology, PSY 102 –
Psychology of Personal and Social Adjustment, PSY 109 – Learning Difficulties of the Student, PSY 130 – Human
Sexuality, PSY 207 – Psychology of the family, PSY 210 – Introduction to Statistical Methods, PSY 228 –
Psychology of Dreams, PSY 233 – Child Psychology, PSY 234 – Psychology of Adolescence, PSY 240 –
Introduction to Research Method, PSY 241 – Introduction to Abnormal Psychology, PSY 261 – Introduction to Social
Psychology, PSY 270 – Understanding Psychology through Film, PSY 275 – Undergraduate Research, PSY 276 –
Aging in Modern American Society, PSY 290 – Internship in Psychology, and PSY 299 – Special problems in
Psychology. Currently we also offer the Associate of Arts Degree: Psychology Emphasis
Primary Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the Psychology discipline is to provide a quality educational experience that promotes students ’ ability to understand, interpret, and use scientific psychological knowledge across a variety of areas within
Psychology. This goal is supported by introducing students to basic theories, principles, research methods, and concepts in Psychology through coursework. Students also have separate objectives for taking Psychology courses that impact the discipline. Students generally are either meeting a general education and/or diversity requirement, a core requirement for an allied field of study (e.g., Applied Anthropology, Mental Health Technician, Mental Health
Developmental Disabilities Technician, Substance Abuse Counselor, Early Childhood Education Teacher), requirement for entry into other programs (e.g., nursing program at UNR requires completion of Psychology 210,
Truckee Meadows Community College | Description of Program/Unit 1

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW statistics, for admittance), foundational coursework for a degree in Psychology, or personal interest/lifelong learning goals, thus the courses must meet these diverse objectives as well.
Factors Expected to Affect Future
The American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major suggested 10 goals and related learning outcomes for undergraduate education in Psychology programs. These goals were adopted by APA (August, 2006) and are grouped into two major categories: I. knowledge, skills, and values consistent with the science and application of psychology, and II. knowledge, skills, and values consistent with liberal arts education that are further developed in psychology. As mentioned in a previous report (2006), the TMCC Psychology discipline started its work on assessment with these goals in mind. In the past two years the Psychology discipline has reviewed and implemented the Master Course Outline with precise objectives and outcomes and measures to be adopted by each Psychology course offered at TMCC. A new assessment cycle plan was developed and collected data will be described later in this report. American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Undergraduate Education in
Psychology (May, 2003)
2 | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
Program/Unit Review Assessment Reports
List title(s) of past Program/Unit Reviews; indicate whether a program, discipline, or course review.
X
The last comprehensive Psychology Discipline Assessment Report was completed in 2006, and is attached and labeled in this report as Appendix D.
Course Assessment Report Summaries
Prefix Number
PSY 101
Title
General Psychology
Indicate date of assessment in the department assessment cycle
Every Semester
PSY 102
PSY 130
Psychology of Per & Soc
Adjustment
Human Sexuality 2011
PSY 210 Intro to Stat Methods 2013
PSY 228
PSY 233
PSY 240
Psychology Of Dreams
Child Psychology
2011
2012
Intro to Research Methods 2012
PSY 241 Abnormal
Psychology
PSY 261 Intro Social Psychology 2013
PSY 276 Aging/Modern
Society
PSY 299 Spec Problems/Psychology As needed
PDCAR
Date
2010-11*
Modifications
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
Under Review
The above table outlines the schedule of outcomes assessment for each Psychology class over the next three years. As the Psychology discipline’s outcomes assessment procedures are in the process of being implemented in a programmatic manner across the curricula, including data collection methodologies, no summary of data analysis and modifications made to classes is yet available.
Assessment Driven Improvements
As discussed in Appendix C, the outcomes assessment methodology is currently being implemented across the curricula following the established schedule discussed immediately above. A more standardized student learning outcomes assessment has been developed and piloted for Psychology 101 and the first valid data collection process is underway this Fall 2011 semester. Moreover, all full and part-time faculty members have been instructed by the
Dean of the School of Liberal Arts (SOLA) to conduct outcomes assessment data collection this Fall 2011 semester
(in accordance with the schedule above) and will be reporting their findings and discussions (including assessment driven implications of the analyses) in early Spring semester 2012. Given that the Psychology discipline is in the midst of establishing/implementing outcomes assessments standardized procedures in Psychology 101 starting in the
School of Liberal Arts | Curriculum 3

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW fall 2011 semester, and requiring all instructors to provide reports of individualized student learning outcomes assessment implications per the schedule above, no data is currently available about specific outcomes assessmentdriven improvements.
Evaluating Relevancy of Curriculum
Course Content
The course content is of high quality, rigorous, and appropriate. The course content is reviewed regularly by the faculty and the curriculum is updated as needed. Moreover, course content is modeled after the suggested ten goals as outlined in the American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major and related learning outcomes for undergraduate education in Psychology programs. Last, each Psychology course has clearly enunciated student learning outcomes statements on the master course outlines (on file with the
College).
Degree/Certificate Requirements
The Psychology discipline currently offers an Associates of Arts Degree with an emphasis in Psychology. For specific details regarding the requirements for the AA, Psychology Emphasis, see Appendix B.
Methods of Instruction
Traditional and online courses are regularly offered in Psychology every term. During the 2010/2011 academic year, one Psychology Professor offered hybrid sections of Psychology 101 (e.g., a course that has a combination of lecture and online modalities), but this was discontinued this 2011/2012 academic year given this teaching platform was the least desired by students.
Faculty Qualifications
In order to qualify as a part or full-time Psychology faculty member, the individual must hold a minimum of a
Masters Degree in Psychology. Currently, the Psychology discipline has four full-time and fifteen part-time faculty members. Three of the 4 full-time Psychology faculty have earned doctoral degrees. Six of the 15 part-time
Psychology faculty members have earned doctoral degrees. There are two additional Psychology faculty defined as part-time that are employed full-time at TMCC; Maria Teirumniks, Ph.D. of the Sociology Department (teaching online Social Psychology) and Armida Fruzzetti, Ph.D., currently the Acting Dean of the School of Liberal Arts.
Post Completion Objectives (transfer, job placement, etc.)
Three of the TMCC mission statements/objectives are met within the Psychology discipline. First, students enroll in
Psychology classes to meet general education requirements and to complete lower division coursework in preparation to transfer to a university. This includes those transfer students interested in majoring in Psychology at a university who complete the applicable freshman and sophomore Psychology courses that will apply towards a Bachelor’s
Degree. Second, TMCC students pursuing various Associate of Applied Science Degrees take required Psychology courses, an example being that TMCC Nursing Students are required to complete Psychology 102. Third, some students take classes for life-long learning motivations, these individuals generally enrolling in more specifically focused courses such as Child Psychology.
Secondary Student Preparation Efforts
High School students who complete the Advanced Placement Psychology course in their respective high schools can earn credit for Psychology 101 at TMCC.
4 Curriculum | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
External Review
N/A
Non-credit Training Offered
N/A
Curriculum Development Strategies
Assessment Findings and Strategies
Programmatic outcomes assessment procedures intended to collect the first valid and reliable student learning outcomes data are currently being implemented this fall 2011 semester. For a detailed discussion of this methodology and progress to date, see Appendix C.
External Resource Recommendations and Implementation Plans
N/A
Anticipated Factors Affecting Curriculum and Strategies
Student interest in online instruction and online assisted coursework has increased significantly. For example, for the Fall 2011 semester, psychology course offerings are as follows:
Psychology 101, 30 total sections, 23 lecture and 7 online classes
Psychology 102, 4 total sections, 2 lecture and 2 online
Psychology 130, 3 total sections, 1 lecture and 2 online
Psychology 210, 1 lecture section
Psychology 233, 2 total sections, 1 lecture and 1 online
Psychology 240, 1 lecture section
Psychology 241, 3 total sections, 2 lecture and 1 online
Psychology 261, one online section
For the Spring 2012 semester, the following courses are planned:
Psychology 101, 30 total sections, 23 lecture and 7 online classes
Psychology 102, 4 total sections, 2 lecture and 2 online
Psychology 130, 3 total sections, 1 lecture and 2 online
Psychology 210, 1 lecture section
Psychology 233, 2 total sections, 1 lecture and 1 online
Psychology 240, 1 lecture section
School of Liberal Arts | Curriculum 5

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
Psychology 241, 3 total sections, 2 lecture and 1 online
Psychology 261, one online section
Online instruction accounts for 31% of the course offerings in Psychology during the 2011/2012 academic year.
Additionally, regardless of instructional platform, Psychology 101 courses generally fill to capacity, and it is rarely observed that any of the Psychology course offerings are cancelled due to low enrollments.
Moreover, of the 45 Psychology courses offered during the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2011/2012 academic year, 20 are scheduled to be taught by full-time faculty members. This translates into 56% of psychology courses being taught by part-time faculty. When comparing the need for adding full-time faculty to the Psychology discipline to other areas of the campus, the data based argument that Psychology has access to a highly qualified part-time faculty pool has been asserted as a reason to assign new full-time faculty positions to other disciplines and/or areas within TMCC that does not have the luxury of access to a highly qualified part-time pool. Although this may be a valid argument, this does not detract from the high percentage of Psychology courses offered by parttime faculty, nor weaken the argument that having a greater percentage of courses within the discipline taught by full-time faculty would strengthen the curricula.
Currently, the Psychology discipline is effectively meeting its mission of offering a variety of courses addressing the TMCC missions of transfer education, general education for TMCC AAS candidates, and the lifelong learning interests of members of our community.
6 Curriculum | Truckee Meadows Community College

General Student Demographics
Age
2 -year Average Headcount
Psychology TMCC
66%
54%
Psychology 2011-12
22%
25%
11%
13%
0%
2%
Under 18 yrs.
1%
6%
50+ yrs.
18-24 yrs.
25-34 yrs.
35-49 yrs.
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spr 11
%
N
%
Psych. Avg %
TMCC Avg %
N
%
N
%
N
Under 18 yrs.
18-24 yrs.
25-34 yrs.
35-49 yrs.
0 36 6 6
0% 75% 13% 13%
0
0%
1
0%
1
0%
<1%
2%
65
63%
171
68%
171
62%
66%
54%
22
21%
48
19%
70
26%
22%
25%
14
14%
26
10%
29
11%
11%
13%
50+ yrs.
0
0%
2
2%
5
2%
3
1%
1%
6%
Total
48
100%
103
100%
251
100%
274
100%
100%
100%
The number of students enrolled in Psychology courses who declare Psychology as their academic major grew to
274 in Spring of 2011 after the new emphasis was implemented in Fall of 2009. Improvement in enrollment occurred for each semester-to-semester studied. The group of students 18-24 years old is the main group that enrolled in Psychology for the period. Increase in enrollment in this age group increased 475%. Psychology majors reveal age demographics significantly younger than TMCC as a whole. This may reflect that more students enrolled in Psychology are doing so to fulfill the baccalaureate requirements for transfer as opposed to taking the courses for personal interest. Almost half of this difference is offset by the lower 50+ year olds. All age groups, however, showed highly significant increases in enrollment.
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 7

Gender
2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
2-year Average Headcount
Psychology TMCC
71%
56%
44%
29%
15
17
Female Male Total
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spr 11
N
%
Psych. Avg %
TMCC Avg %
N
%
N
%
N
%
35
73%
73
71%
179
71%
196
72%
71%
56%
13
27%
30
29%
72
29%
78
28%
29%
44%
48
100%
103
100%
251
100%
274
100%
100%
100%
As illustrated in the above graph, female enrollment outnumbers male enrollment for Psychology majors, as well as the college as a whole. These ratios held steady during the duration of the period studied, varying just 1percentage point from the averages. The difference is more pronounced when comparing males to the college demographic.
8 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
Ethnicity
2-year Average Headcount
Psychology TMCC
61%
67%
4% 3%
African
American
4% 5%
Asian
16%
18%
0% 1% 3% 2%
Hawaiian or
Pacific
Islander
Hispanic Native
American
0%
3%
0% 1%
12%
1%
White Two or more races
International
Students
Unreported
Fall N
09 %
Spr N
10 %
African
American Asian
1
2%
4
4%
4
8%
4
4%
Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander Hispanic
7
15%
16
16%
Native
American White
0
0%
2
2%
34
71%
70
68%
Two or more races
International
S tudents
0
0%
0
0%
Unreported Total
2
4%
7
7%
48
100%
103
100%
Fall N
10 %
Spr N
11 %
Psych. Avg
TMCC Avg
11
4%
9
3%
4%
3%
10
4%
8
3%
4%
5%
0
0%
0
0%
<1%
1%
44
18%
43
16%
16%
18%
7
3%
8
3%
3%
2%
163
65%
146
53%
61%
67%
0
0%
0
0%
<1%
3%
1
0%
0
0%
<1%
1%
15
6%
60
22%
12%
1%
251
100%
274
100%
100%
100%
Note: Ethnicity categories were changed in Fall 2009 to align with new IPEDS and NSHE reporting requirements
Similar to the college as a whole, the “white” enrollment headcount far exceeds the numbers found in other ethnicities. Psychology also shows consistency with the other ethnicities found in the college as a whole. The exception to this ethnic consistency is found in those remaining “Unreported.” Psychology contains 12% of unreported ethnicities compare to just 1% in the college. During the period under study, the number of unreported students climbed from 2 to 60.
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 9

2011-12
Student Status
Educational Goals
PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
5-year Average Headcount
PSY TMCC
86%
75%
6%
12%
3%
5%
0%
2%
Earn a Degree Earn a Certificate Improve Job Skills Personal
Enrichment
2% 3%
Transfer
2%
3%
Undecided
Fall 06
Spr 07
Fall 07
Spr 08
Fall 08
Spr 09
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spr 11
%
N
%
N
%
PSY Avg %
TMCC Avg %
%
N
%
N
%
N
%
N
N
%
N
N
%
N
%
Earn a
Degree
886
82%
843
83%
930
83%
946
83%
1,079
85%
1,032
84%
1,201
86%
1,348
Earn a
Certificate
34
3%
32
3%
41
4%
30
3%
30
2%
46
4%
41
3%
35
86%
1,379
94%
1,386
92%
86%
75%
2%
26
2%
40
3%
3%
5%
Improve
Job Skills
7
1%
3
0%
6
1%
9
1%
Personal
Enrichment
92
8%
85
8%
76
7%
57
6%
1
0%
6
0%
3
0%
0
108
8%
102
8%
110
8%
126
0%
2
0%
0
0%
0%
2%
8%
35
2%
40
3%
6%
12%
Transfer Undecided
2%
27
2%
35
2%
2%
3%
34
3%
23
2%
26
2%
27
39
3%
39
3%
19
2%
18
2%
2%
2
0%
1
0%
2%
3%
21
2%
20
2%
18
1%
25
23
2%
28
2%
54
5%
62
6%
Total
1,273
100%
1,229
100%
1,399
100%
1,561
1,082
100%
1,019
100%
1,125
100%
1,133
100%
100%
1,471
100%
1,502
100%
100%
100%
More students have declared a degree emphasis in Psychology as their educational goal and this has been a growing trend over the five years covered. Fewer students declare personal enrichment for a goal in psychology classes and this was the case for all 5 years. The enrichment numbers peaked in Spring of 2010 and then plummeted to 3% in 2010-11.
10 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
Educational Status
2-year Average Headcount
Psychology TMCC
67%
77%
24%
9% 10%
13%
Continuing Students New Transfers New Students
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spr 11
N
%
N
%
N
%
N
%
Psych. Avg %
TMCC Avg %
Continuing Students
26
54%
61
59%
124
49%
239
87%
67%
77%
New Transfers
7
15%
18
17%
25
10%
13
5%
9%
10%
New Students
15
31%
24
23%
102
41%
22
8%
24%
13%
Total
48
100%
103
100%
251
100%
274
100%
100%
100%
Psychology has fewer continuing students and more new students than TMCC as a whole. New transfer students parallel the whole college.
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 11

2011-12
Enrollment Status
PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
2-year Average Headcount
Psychology TMCC
47%
30%
29%
25%
24%
20%
17%
8%
12+ 9-11.9 6-8.9
Less than 6 credits
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spr 11
%
N
%
Psych. Avg %
TMCC Avg %
N
%
N
%
N
12+
30
63%
52
50%
128
51%
111
41%
47%
30%
Credits Earned
9-11.9 6-8.9
9
19%
11
11%
50
20%
63
23%
20%
17%
9
19%
27
26%
58
23%
75
27%
25%
24%
Less than 6
0
0%
13
13%
15
6%
25
9%
8%
29%
Total
48
100%
103
100%
251
100%
274
100%
100%
100%
Psychology majors taking 12+ credits per semester is significantly higher than the college as a whole. In addition, there are far fewer majors taking less than 6 credits. This finding is consistent with the number of all students taking credits at all workloads increasing rapidly over the last four semesters. For instance, full-time student majors grew from 30 students to 111 students over those four semesters.
Student Recruitment Activities
Psychology faculty participate in each “Welcome Back Faire” held in the student center. It should be noted that the student needs for Psychology curricula exceeds the ability of the department to offer classes, in particular for
Psychology 101. To date, given the high interest/enrollment patterns in our university transfer courses, actively recruiting students for Psychology courses has not been necessary.
Underserved Student Populations
There is no formal process by which the Psychology discipline is actively recruiting underserved populations, although faculty do participate in student information and recruitment activities as requested. The Psychology discipline is ethnically diverse in comparison to the College, but this is not due to active recruitment efforts.
12 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
Enrollment Patterns
Number of Sections
Number of Sections: Fall Semesters
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
38
36
40
44 44
Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09
Number of Sections: Spring Semesters
Fall 10
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
38
37
39
48
46
Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09 Spr 10 Spr 11
Academic Years
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
PSY (5 yr Avg)
SOLA (5 yr Avg)
40
710
TMCC (5 yr Avg)
*SOLA = School of Liberal Arts
1629
Fall
38
36
40
44
44
% Change Spring
-38
-5%
11%
37
39
10%
0%
48
46
4%
1%
0%
42
717
1623
% Change
--
-3%
5%
23%
-4%
5%
1%
0%
The above graphs show the changing number of sections offered in all psychology classes from Fall to Fall and
Spring to Spring. While the number of students taking psychology coursework has increased each semester (see full-time equivalent enrollment), our number of sections available for students has been less consistent. In the Fall of 06, TMCC offered 38 sections of psychology coursework, then cut back 2 sections to 36 sections in the Fall 07.
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 13

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
Fall 08 saw an increase of 4 sections from the previous fall to a total of 40. In Fall 09 and Fall 10 there were an additional 4 sections added with a total of 44 sections offered in each. Spring sections followed this mixed growth pattern, with 38 sections available in Spring 07 and a slight cut back to 37 sections in Spring 08. An additional 2 sections were added in Spring 09 bringing the total to 39. Spring 10 saw the most dramatic change and increase in sections for fall or spring, with an increase of 9 sections from Spring 09 to Spring 10 (a 23% increase).
Spring 10 ended with a slight downturn from the high of 48 in Spring 10 to 46 sections. While the number of sections offered to students varied from year to year and semester to semester, the five year average growth in psychology sections was 4%. This increase outpaced both the Division (SOLA) which increased its sections by 1% and the college as a whole, which did not grow in offered sections.
14 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment
FTE: Fall Semesters
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
227
236
267
292
311
Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09 Fall 10
FTE: Spring Semesters
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
215
239
260
328
316
Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09 Spr 10 Spr 11
Academic Years
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
PSY (5 yr Avg)
SOLA (5 yr Avg)
267
3260
TMCC (5 yr Avg)
*SOLA = School of Liberal Arts
6809
Fall
227
236
267
292
311
% Change
--
4%
13%
9%
7%
8%
6%
4%
Spring
215
239
260
328
316
271
3168
6692
% Change
--
11%
9%
26%
-4%
11%
7%
4%
The above graphs show the number of FTE students enrolled in psychology coursework from Fall to Fall and
Spring to Spring. Except for Spring 2011, Fall to Fall growth and Spring to Spring growth has been continuous.
Fall FTE began at 227 in Fall 06 and increased each Fall ending with 311 FTE in Fall 10. Spring FTE also increased continuously from Spring 07 with an FTE of 215, through Spring 10 with 328. Spring 11 FTE did fall, however, to 316. Psychology FTE grew faster in both Fall and Spring than SOLA or TMCC. The five year
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 15

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW average Fall FTE growth for psychology was 8%, SOLA 6%, and TMCC 4%. Spring FTE growth was even more dramatic, with a five year average of 11% in comparison to SOLA, 7% and TMCC 4%.
Retention Rates
Fall 2010 Retention Rates
PSY SOSC TMCC
76%
72%
70%
Retention Rate
Term
Fall 06
Spr 07
Fall 07
Spr 08
Fall 08
Spr 09
Fall 09
Spr 10
Fall 10
Spring 11
Total Enrollments
PSY (5 year Avg)
SOLA Fall 10
TMCC Fall 10
*SOLA = School of Liberal Arts
1,130
1,068
1,179
1,189
1,329
1,292
1,453
1,630
1,545
1,569
1,338
18,213
36,505
Number Retained
776
687
800
784
933
929
957
1,115
1,078
1,038
910
13,787
26,346
Retention Rate
69%
64%
68%
66%
70%
72%
66%
68%
70%
66%
68%
76%
72%
The above chart outlines the retention rates of enrolled psychology students from Fall 06 until Spring 11. During this cycle, retention rates in psychology have varied from a low of 64% in Spring 07 to a high of 72% in Spring 09.
When comparing the average five year retention rates of students enrolled in psychology coursework to the
Division and TMCC, we see that psychology retains 68%, the division 72%, and TMCC 76%.
16 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology
Student to Faculty Ratios
Student to Faculty Ratio: Fall Semesters
2011-12
46.0
41.0
36.0
31.0
26.0
21.0
16.0
11.0
6.0
1.0
30.2
32.8
33.2
32.9
35.1
Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09 Fall 10
Student to Faculty Ratio: Spring Semesters
46.0
41.0
36.0
31.0
26.0
21.0
16.0
11.0
6.0
1.0
28.1
32.0
33.0
33.9
34.1
Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09 Spr 10 Spr 11
Academic Years
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
PSY (5 yr Avg)
SOLA (5 yr Avg)
32.8
23.5
TMCC (5 yr Avg)
*SOLA = School of Liberal Arts
20.7
Fall
30.2
32.8
33.2
32.9
35.1
% Change
--
9%
1%
-1%
7%
4%
4%
4%
Spring
28.1
32.0
33.0
33.9
34.1
32.2
22.6
20.4
% Change
--
14%
3%
3%
0%
5%
5%
5%
The SFR at TMCC is calculated by taking the number of students enrolled and dividing by the number of sections offered. So SFR at TMCC is roughly the same as “average class size”. The above graph shows the relatively consistent increase in SFR Fall to Fall and Spring to Spring. SFR for Fall 06 was 30.2 and increased each semester except Fall 09 in which it fell from 33.2 (Fall 08) to 32.9. Fall SFR increased in Fall 10 again to 35.1. Spring SFR has steadily grown with a low of 28.1 in Spring 07 and a high of 34.1 in Spring 11. We can see that SFR in
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 17

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW psychology has grown on an average 4% in Fall semesters and 5% in Spring semesters. The increase in five year average class size is matched by a 4% increase in Fall and 5% increase in Spring in both the division SOLA, and in the college as a whole.
Number of Declared Degree/Emphasis Seekers
In the Fall of 2009, TMCC offered our AA degree with an emphasis in psychology for the first time. Since then, over 676 students have declared this degree/emphasis.
Student Success Rates
Number of Students Earning a Degree
2009-2011
2
0
2009-10 2010-11
Year
2009-10
2010-11
# of Graduates
0
2
Acadplan
AA Psychology
Number of Declared Degree/Emphasis Seekers
Fall 2009 - Spring 2011
Number of Students
676
%
100%
# of Grads
2
The new major delivered its first graduates in Fall 11 with 2 students. Given how new the major is at TMCC it is unclear what this means in terms of future graduates in the AA with the emphasis in psychology.
Enrollment Development Strategies
Demographic Findings and Strategies
The TMCC catalog presented the Psychology Emphasis within the Associates of Arts degree for the first time in
2009. This may help explain the rapid increase in the number of Psychology-declared students since the
Psychology Emphasis was instituted. The fact that Psychology majors are younger than the college as a whole may be due to the nature of the field itself. Psychology is a field with graduate education as the main gateway to practice, although many other bachelor-level careers recruit Psychology, as well. Thus, the length of study required may account for students beginning the study of this field at earlier ages than other fields. The American
Psychological Association published, “The changing gender composition of psychology,” in which it reports the gender composition of the field rising from 20% female to 72%. This trend is evident in the TMCC Psychology
18 Demographics and Enrollment | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12 demographics, as well. Further study may be warranted to determine reasons for Psychology majors reporting
“Unreported” in greater numbers than is evident in the college as a whole.
Student Status Findings and Strategies
The combined major and non-major student enrollment in Psychology courses demonstrates the effect of the Core
Curriculum-Social Sciences requirement upon Psychology enrollments. The marked drop for enrolling for personal interest most likely reflects the severe economic conditions found in Nevada. The populace is more likely to seek employment qualifications in such times and to have fewer resources for personal enrichment, as well. The TMCC
Personal Enrichment data dropped from 5% to 4%. Since the Psychology Dept. dropped substantially more, the department may want to consider marketing the personal enrichment factor of studying Psychology.
The data revealing students continuing their educations in lower percentages than the college as a whole is probably explained by the higher percentage in new students. As the new major emphasis was discovered by more students over the period studied, the “New Students” category would naturally be higher statistically.
Enrollment Patterns and Strategies
Spring 2007
Full-time Part-
Spring 2008
Full-time Part-
Faculty and Staff FTE
Spring 2009
Full-time Part-
Spring 2010
Full-time Part-
Spring 2011
Full-time Parttime time time time time
25 90 33 79 21 97 39 106 66 73
Program
Psychology
Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall
Data
Sections
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
38 36 40 44 44
Student 227 236 267 292 311
The first chart entitled “Faculty and Staff FTE” compares Spring Full time Faculty FTE to Part-time FTE . The proportion varied greatly during the five year period, from 21% Full Time in Fall 07 and 09 to 90% Full Time in
Fall 2011. Spring 10 had 36% Full time FTE.
The second chart entitled shows growth of psychology sections and student FTE as well as retention rates from each Fall semester. From Fall 2008 until Fall 2010, Fall sections increased from 38 to 44 (15% increase in sections). At the same time, student FTE went from 227 in Fall 05 to 311 in Fall 2010 (37% increase in student
FTE). The chart also shows Retention rates vary with a low of 66% in Fall 08 to a high of 70% in Fall 2010.
Student Success Rates and Strategies
Ninety-three percent of all Psychology majors that list educational goals are pursuing a degree in Spring 2011.
Only 26 of these 274 majors, however, are reporting their educational goals. This would suggest a need for the department to intervene directly with its majors in order to stimulate more self-reports in this category.
Furthermore, 2% reported pursuing a certificate in the field, when no such certificate exists. The difference in the
“Personal Enrichment” category may reflect a non-degree nature of the category. Perhaps, most TMCC psychology students pursuing personal enrichment meet their enrichment needs without pursuing an entire degree.
The data revealing Psychology students continuing their educations in lower percentages than the college as a whole is probably explained by the higher percentage in new students. As the new major emphasis was discovered by more students over the period studied, the “New Students” category would naturally be higher statistically.
School of Liberal Arts | Demographics and Enrollment 19

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
Faculty and Staff
Required Faculty Credentials
TMCC instructional mission is to hire the most qualified individuals for teaching positions. A master degree in the field of Psychology or closely related areas is the minimum requirement for faculty teaching Psychology courses.
To maintain academic excellence, every semester the coordinator scrutinizes TMCC’s Psychology pool to ensure that faculty members are capable of providing high quality instruction. Currently, the discipline of Psychology has
4 tenured full-time faculty members (one serving as Acting Dean of School of Liberal Arts); one full-time faculty under temporary, non-tenure track, annual contract; and 14 part-time faculty. The entire Psychology faculty consists of qualified instructors that possess required credentials. Forty-three percent of our part-time instructors have Psychology Ph.D. degrees, and 57% have Master in Arts or Science.
Name
John Coles
Kevin Dugan
Bob Fletcher
Paula Frioli-Peters
FTE
Degree(s), Certificates
List conferring institutions
1 Ph.D., Counseling,
Oregon State University
M.A., Counseling,
Arizona State University
B.S., Business Finance,
Arizona State University
1 Ph.D., Counseling
Psychology, University of
Nevada, Reno
M.A., Counseling
Psychology, CSU, Chico
B.A., Psychology, CSU,
Stanislaus
1 M.A., Counseling
Psychology California
State University, Chico
B.A., Philosophy
California State
University, Chico
1 Ph.D., Experimental
Psychology, University of
Sao Paulo – Brazil
M.S., Experimental
Psychology, University of
Sao Paulo – Brazil
B.S., Biological Sciences,
Sao Paulo State University
(UNESP) – Brazil
Professional Certification
List agency/organization
Nationally Certified
Counselor by The
National Board of
Certified Counselors
Licensed Psychologist –
Board of Psychology
Years at
TMCC
27
Total
Years
27
22 28
20 Resources | Truckee Meadows Community College

Armida Fruzzetti
Maria Teirumniks
Nicole Ballardini
Thomas Wade Brown
Karen Murphy Erikson
Valerie Fisher Haskin
.2 Ph.D., Clinical
Psychology, University of
Nevada, Reno
M.A., Psychology,
College of William and
Mary
B.S., Psychology, Radford
University
.2 Ph.D., Sociology, State
University of New York at
Albany
M.A., Sociology, Indiana
University
B.A., Economics, Indiana
University
.47 Ph.D., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
M.A. Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.A. Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
.2 M.A., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.A., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
.4 Ph.D., Clinical
Psychology, University of
Nevada, Reno
M.A. Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.S. Psychology, Drake
University, Des Moines,
IA
.4 Ph.D., Psychology,
Claremont Graduate
University, Claremont,
CA
B.A., Psychology,
Swarthmore College,
Swarthmore, PA
Psychology 2011-12
School of Liberal Arts | Resources 21

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
Jennifer Rea Highsmith
Sheri Hixon
Cindy Lynn Owings
Carrie Paras
Dwight James Peterson
Janice R. Russell
Matthew Todd Sewell
22
.4 M.A., Psychology:
Cognitive and Brain
Sciences program
B.A., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
.4 Ph.D., Clinical
Psychology, Saybrook
Graduate School, San
Francisco, CA
M.A., Clinical
Psychology, Saybrook
Graduate School, San
Francisco, CA
B.A., Psychology, Union
Institute and University,
Sacramento, CA
.4 M.A., Secondary School
Counseling, University of
Northern Colorado,
Greeley, CO
B.A., Theatre Arts,
University of Denver, CO
.4 Ph.D., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
M.A. Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.A., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.S., Biology, University of Nevada, Reno
.2 M.A., Psychology,
University of Northern
Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
B.A., Psychology,
University of Northern
Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
.4 M.S. Psychology, Western
Washington University,
Bellingham, WA
B.A. Psychology,
Whitman College, Walla
Walla, WA
.2 M.A., Clinical
Psychology, Northern
Arizona University,
Flagstaff, AZ
Nevada School
Counselors License
Teaching Strategies
Improvement, Nevada
Board of Education
Resources | Truckee Meadows Community College
19.5 22

Mirit Sloves
Gregory Scott Smith
Alicia Summers
.6 Ph.D., Clinical
Hypnotherapy, Pebble Hill
University
M.S., Counseling,
University of Phoenix
B.A., Hebrew literature –
Gratz College
.4 M.A., Psychology,
University of Nevada,
Reno
B.S., Psychology, Florida
State University,
Tallahassee, FL
.4 M.S., Counseling
Psychology, Radford
University, Radford, VA
B.S., Psychology, Radford
University, Radford, VA
Psychology 2011-12
School of Liberal Arts | Resources 23

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
Full-Time to Part-Time Faculty Ratio
Percentage of Credit Hours Taught by Part-time Faculty
Fall Semesters
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
77%
69%
83%
68%
Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09
48%
Fall 10
Percentage of Credit Hours Taught by Part-time Faculty
Spring Semesters
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
78%
71%
82%
73%
53%
24
Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09
Academic Years
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
PSY (5 yr Avg)
SOLA (5 yr Avg)
69%
46%
TMCC (5 yr Avg)
*SOLA = School of Liberal Arts
48%
Fall
77%
69%
83%
68%
48%
% Change
--
-8%
13%
-14%
-20%
-7%
1%
1%
Spring
78%
71%
82%
73%
53%
71%
45%
47%
% Change
--
-8%
12%
-9%
-21%
-6%
0%
0%
These graphs show the percentage of credit hours taught by part-time faculty from Fall to Fall and from Spring to
Spring during the past five years. During Fall semester of 2006 part-time faculty was responsible for teaching 77% of credit hours in psychology courses, in Fall 2007 the percentage was 69%. During Fall semester of 2008 one full-time faculty was in sabbatical, thus part-time faculty was responsible for teaching 83% of the total credit hours. In Fall
2009 one part-time faculty was hired in a temporary, non-tenure track, annual full-time position and there was a decrease in the number of credit hours taught by part-time faculty – 68% of total credit hours. In Fall semester of 2010
Resources | Truckee Meadows Community College
Spr 10 Spr 11

Psychology 2011-12 the Psychology discipline hired a new full-time faculty, and then the percentage of credit hours taught by part-time faculty decreased to 48%.
During Spring semesters the percentage of credit hours taught by part-time faculty was 78% in 2007, 71% in 2008,
82% in 2009, 73% in 2010 and 53% in 2011.
During the past five years, on average, part-time faculty was responsible for teaching 69% of the total credit hours during Fall semesters, while this average was 46% for SOLA and 48% for TMCC as a whole. For Spring semesters the average of credit hours taught by part-time faculty was 71% for Psychology, but only 45% for SOLA and 47% for
TMCC.
Required Classified Credentials
High school degree is the minimum required to an Administrative Assistant at Social Sciences.
Classified FTE
The Social Sciences Department has one Administrative Assistant that works full time. The assistant is responsible to assist Anthropology, Education, Psychology, Sociology and Social Work. Psychology alone represents 2% of TMCC students, this may be a reason to assign a new assistant position to the discipline of Psychology.
Facilities
All psychology courses use smart classrooms. Lately , scheduling new courses, or adding sections has been difficult due to the lack of rooms in specific time slots. The TMCC Admissions and Records Office is working with the Social
Sciences Department to develop scheduling strategies to mitigate this problem.
Technology
As mentioned above all psychology courses use smart classrooms. There is a need to replace and maintain computers, projectors, and software in order to be able to provide high-level, quality education to our students. Associated with classroom technology the discipline offers several online sections, creating a high demand to the WebCollege.
Funding Sources
N/A
Resource Development Strategies
Staffing Issues and Strategies
The Social Sciences department has only one Administrative Assistant (FTE = 1) to take care of Anthropology,
Early Childhood Education, Child Care, Psychology, and Sociology. As discussed before, the number of students interested in psychology has had a steady increase since 2006, indicating a strong need for faculty (full-time, tenure track) and staff (Administrative Assistant) to meet this demand.
Facilities and Desired Capital Improvements
N/A
Funding Allocations and Development Strategies
N/A
School of Liberal Arts | Resources 25

Psychology 2011-12
Analysis of Funding Resources
Permanent Empolyee FTE (1)
2010
Account Expense Analysis Trend
Psychology
Actual
7.00
2011
7.00
Budget
2012
7.00
2013
-
Projected
2014
-
2015
-
Expense Type
Letters of Appointment
Salaries & Wages
Fringe Benefits
Operating Expense
Total Expenses
Student FTE (annual)
Expense/Student FTE
$ 115,886
368,207
105,497
9,760
$ 599,350
$ 231,410
611,872
170,577
11,928
$ 1,025,787
$ -
505,455
153,270
11,600
$ 670,325
$ -
-
-
-
$ -
310.00
$ 1,933
313.50
$ 3,272
-
$ -
-
-
-
$ -
-
$ -
-
-
-
$ -
-
Notes:
(1) Amounts shown are budget for the respective period.
The operating expense budget amount is not solely designated for Psychology it is a shared budget with the following disciplines; Anthropology, Sociology, Mental Health, CEP/EPY (Counseling, Ed. Psychology), and CPD (Counseling and Personal Development).
State-Supported Operating Budgets
As indicated above, the Psychology discipline has a shared budget within the Social Sciences department.
However, the majority of its funds go to making copies (i.e., syllabi, handouts, exams, quizzes) the remainder of the funds, which is a small amount, go to cover the expenses that the department needs (i.e., postage, long distance, instructional supplies, etc.) which is shared with the other five disciplines.
Lab Fees
N/A
Special Fees
N/A
Grants
N/A
Non-Credit Training Income
N/A
Donations
N/A
School of Liberal Arts | APPENDIX A

Degree and Certificate Worksheets
Psychology 2011-12
School of Liberal Arts | APPENDIX B

Psychology 2011-12
Program, Discipline, and Course Assessment Reports
Description of Outcomes Assessment Methodologies and Progress to Date
The Psychology outcomes assessment and student learning outcomes assessment methodology, data collection and analysis, and application of results to curriculum development/teaching effectiveness is well under way. We have a clear schedule of student learning outcomes assessment for each class taught within the Psychology discipline (this schedule was presented in the Curriculum section of this report), the most poignant being the focus on Psychology 101, General Psychology, the class with the most enrollment in any given semester. For all classes other than Psychology 101, starting Fall 2011 semester, full- and part-time instructors have been instructed by the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts (SLOA) to conduct student learning outcomes assessments in each of their classes in accordance with the schedule listed on page three of this report, examining the student learning outcomes statements for each course as defined in the applicable Master Course Outline(s) which are on file with the College. These procedures are currently underway with summaries of these results to be submitted by February 15, 2012 for the data collected and analyzed during the Fall 2011 semester.
The more difficult student learning outcomes assessment task pertains to the operational definitions and methodologies for assessing student learning outcomes (SLOs) in the General Psychology curriculum
(e.g., Psychology 101) given the large overall enrollment in this class, the number of sections taught each semester (e.g., about 30 Psychology 101 sections in any given semester), and the many different faculty that teach this curriculum every term. This difficulty lies not only in establishing procedures that allow individual faculty members to conduct outcomes assessment procedures as s/he sees fit in any given class, but also to establish some uniform procedures of data collection, analysis, and application of results of the
Psychology 101 curriculum across instructors and semesters, allowing for a broader discipline-focus on
SLOs. In Fall 2010, Kevin Dugan, Psychology Professor within the Social Sciences Department at TMCC, proposed developing a SLOs method that can be used by all full- and part-time Psychology 101 instructors allowing for this broader data collection and analysis. This proposal was approved by the Dean of SOLA.
The following bulleted summary outlines the progress to date in developing and applying this broader SLOs Psychology 101 methodology: a.
The remainder of Fall 2010 semester was spent developing/refining the operational definitions of SLOs within Psychology 101 (based on and incorporating in part the definitions as discussed in the 2006 Psychology Discipline Review), b.
As a start, instruments were developed to be used in the assessment of two chapters of the
Psychology 101 course, Chapter 5 (Developing Through the Life Span) and Chapter 11
(Emotions, Stress and Health). Two different chapters within the Psychology 101 curriculum will be assessed every semester, culminating in a method that assesses SLOs in all content areas within Psychology 101 approximately every 3.5 years. c.
The methodology was developed that requires students to access and complete the two SLOs instruments for each of the two chapters via ANGEL (regardless of whether the class was lecture, online, or hybrid) with the goal of establishing uniform procedures across instructors and classes to control for test administration effects,
School of Liberal Arts | APPENDIX C

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW d.
A pilot data collection process was completed in Spring 2011 with the involvement at that time of only full-time Psychology faculty (Robert Fletcher, John Coles, Paula Frioli, Kevin Dugan).
The main goal was to use the pilot study as a “practice” effort to identify methodological flaws prior to involving all part-time faculty as well as full-time faculty during the Fall 2011 semester. e.
The first formal administration of this broader SLOs methodology is underway this Fall 2011 semester utilizing all Psychology 101 classes for all full- and part-time faculty, with the data summaries due to Kevin Dugan by February 15, 2012.
In addition, all Psychology faculty are being asked to provide a brief summary of any individualized/unique SLOs procedures they used in their individual classes, the data collected, findings, and applications of findings towards teaching effectiveness and/or curriculum development starting with
Fall 2012 semester. These reports are requested to be provided to Kevin Dugan by February 15, 2012.
Due to unanticipated flaws in the SLOs methodologies during the pilot study completed in Spring
2011, and inconsistent application of the procedure, these data were deemed to have limited validity and reliability. The involved faculty met and unanimously decided to use the Spring 2011 pilot study as intended; a medium to further revise and refine the SLOs method to be formally run the first time during
Fall 2011, which is currently underway. Specifically, the problems identified were as follows: inconsistent amount of time allowed for students to complete the instruments and inconsistent date parameters for students to access instruments.
Regarding the instruments themselves, each chapter in Psychology will be assessed by two online
ANGEL quizzes, one focusing on the conceptual understanding of course content, the other focusing on the application of course content. This methodology is in accordance with the approved SLOs statements on the Psychology 101 Master Course File. In fact, of the two instruments developed thus far, one is titled
“conceptual” and the other “application.” Conceptual instruments focus on a student’s abilities at defining and identifying concepts covered in any given chapter, while the application instrument, without providing conceptual definitions, asks students to apply a concept in any given chapter, such as choosing the correct answer in hypothetical examples provided. This dichotomous approach (e.g., conceptual and application) is modeled after the standards for undergraduate psychology curricula adopted by the American Psychological
Association (APA) in 2006.
On any given SLOs outcomes assessment instrument, each consisting of fifteen (15) separately administered multiple choice questions, students will be deemed to: a.
Exceed expectations if they earn 12 out of 15 points b.
Meet expectations of they earn 10 out of 15 points c.
Not meet expectations if they earn below 10 points
Moreover, quiz results will be run through an item analysis within ANGEL to compile data regarding overall student performance on any given question, each item representing a different concept, or different application of a concept, to assess for needed curricular and/or teaching effectiveness improvement.
Three other outcomes assessment procedures will be followed every semester across the Psychology curricula as well. First, all psychology students will be asked to complete a student satisfaction survey
(included at the end of this narrative) sometime within the last three to four weeks of the semester. These surveys will be administered and the results collected by the instructor of each class. Second, as stated on
32 Appendix C | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12 the Master Course Outline for Psychology 101, instructors will develop an assignment that requires students to demonstrate their abilities in evaluating research articles in Psychology. Third, the Institutional Research
Department at the University of Nevada, Reno will be asked to provide data regarding the student success of
TMCC students who transferred into the Psychology Department at UNR.
The Psychology Satisfaction Survey and an example of a research article review assignment/rubric are provided below.
Student Satisfaction Survey
The Psychology discipline is currently undergoing a self-study and your responses as students are extremely important. We appreciate the few minutes that it will take you to complete this survey. Your responses are anonymous and will be used so that we can learn how to better improve this discipline.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Kevin Dugan, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology 775-673-7283; kdugan@tmcc.edu
Thank you!
Psychology Discipline Survey
1.
How many Psychology courses have you taken at TMCC? ______
2.
Including this course, how many of the Psychology courses have been part of a requirement for your current field of study? _____
3.
Including this course, how would you rate all of the instructor’s knowledge of the course content?
Not at all Very little Somewhat Average Very knowledgeable
Extremely
0 1 2 3 4 5
4.
Including this course, were the courses you have taken so far relevant to your career goals?
Yes No
5.
How many times have you made an appointment with an advisor (either a TMCC advisor, or a
Psychology faculty)? _____
6.
Including this course, how would you rate your overall satisfaction with the Psychology courses you have taken?
Not at all satisfied
Very little Somewhat satisfied
0 1 2 3 4 5
School of Liberal Arts | APPENDIX C

2011-12 PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW
7.
Please rate your interest in pursuing a associates degree with an emphasis (major) in Psychology at
TMCC?
Not at all Very little Somewhat Average Very Extremely
0 1 2 3 4 5
8.
Please list any courses that you would like to see offered through the Psychology Discipline that you feel would be directly relevant to your field of study:
9.
Please list what you feel are the strengths of the Psychology courses you have taken so far:
10.
Please list what you feel are the weaknesses of the Psychology courses you have taken so far:
Example of Research Article Evaluation Assignment
Journal Article Review Paper
Psychology 101
Kevin Dugan, Ph.D.
DIRECTIONS: This assignment is to assist you in learning to evaluate psychological research and any information/conclusions presented by the research. This assignment will require you to find a journal article in Psychology. Our TMCC Library has many fine Psychology journals available both on-line in full-text, and in hard copy. Please choose an article that has personal and/or professional (or educational) meaning for you. Regardless of your interests, you can find research articles that will be meaningful in some fashion.
For assistance, please ask one of our reference librarians. They are very knowledgeable and love to help!
The article you choose has to be a data-based article. As discussed in class, research articles in Psychology typically have four components: introduction, method, results, and discussion. Usually, these components are entitled with these names in the text of the article. A research article will always involve the collection and analysis of data (e.g., numbers), and usually presents their results using tables and/or graphs in addition to the narrative.
If you have any doubt about whether the article you choose is a data-based, research article, please bring it to class before writing your paper. I’ll be happy to evaluate your article on the spot, and doing so will help your student colleagues evaluate their own choices as well.
After you have chosen a suitable research article in Psychology, please write a paper addressing the following:
34 Appendix C | Truckee Meadows Community College

Psychology 2011-12
1) What is/are the research questions of the study? You typically find this information in the last paragraph of the introduction.
2) What type of research method was used (e.g., case study, naturalistic observation, survey, correlation, experiment)? How do you know?
3) Remembering back to the more common problems with psychological research, what problems can you see in this study? (Common problems: sampling bias, experimenter bias, validity, reliability, generalizability) Why do you think these problems exist in your study?
4) Who were the subjects (participants) that constituted the sample in the study? Gender, age, ethnicity, number of subjects, etc.? How would this influence the generalizability of the results to the populations of interest? Why?
5) What conclusions did the authors draw from the results of the study? Give your opinion about the authors’ assertions. What do you agree with, not agree with? What is useful, or not useful?
And most important, WHY?
Grading: This paper is worth 50 points. Grading will be broken down as follows: a) 25 points: Quality of answers to items 1 through 4 above. b) 15 points: Writing Quality. c) 10 points: Quality of answer to #5 above.
Total point value of assignment = 50 points.
DUE DATE: Consult your syllabus or student calendar within ANGEL for the specific due date
Any questions, please ask in class, come by my office hours in Sierra 203J, email me at kdugan@tmcc.edu, or call me at 673-7283.
Happy researching!!!
School of Liberal Arts | APPENDIX C