Introductory Psychology (Psy 301)
Summer Session II 2010
Unique # 87240
Monday-Friday 11:30am-1:00pm, NOA 1.116
Instructor: Jacqueline J. Evans (formerly Rivers)
Office: SEA 3.426E
Office Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:30-11:15am, and by
appointment. I hope to meet with you all this semester.
Email: jacqueline@mail.utexas.edu
Teaching Assistant: Nanci Argueta
Office: SEA 2.314
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1:30-3:00pm, and by appointment.
Email: nancia33@msn.com
Required Text
There is a required text for this course. I chose this book in particular because of how readable it
is and how well it has been updated with current research findings.
Title: Exploring Psychology (7th Ed.)
Author: David G. Myers
Publisher: Worth
ISBN: 9780716771418
Copyright: 2008
Course Objectives
The purpose of this class is to explore the science of psychology from multiple
perspectives (e.g., biological, developmental, social, clinical, etc.) with emphasis on the major
themes, theories and issues. In addition, you will learn to think critically about research in
psychology and to apply research findings to your observations about the behavior of individuals
and groups.
Assignments and Grading
The course grade will be based on three, 50-point, "hour" in-class examinations, each
covering about one-third of the course material. The final exam is optional and will be divided
into three, 50-point sections, each representing one-third of the course. Students who have taken
all hour exams may take only one of the three final exam sections in an attempt to raise their
score on that section. Students with excused absences from hour exams may take the
corresponding sections of the final exam as a make-up grade. If a student elects not to take the
final exam, their existing three hour exam scores will remain the same.
The three 50-point exams are worth 25% each, which means that your total exam grade
will count for 150 points, and 75% of your final course grade. There will also be several writing
assignments: one topic review paper (4 pages) that is worth 10 points, and 5% of your final
grade; and five thought papers over assigned readings (2 pages each) that are worth a total of 20
points, and 10% of your final course grade.
Participation in daily in-class discussions and activities is important to this course and
will help advance your understanding of psychological concepts. As such, your participation in
this course will be graded. For individual or group activities, you will turn in an activity sheet
(which I will provide). For class discussions, you will turn in a brief summary of your thoughts
or position on our discussion at the end of class (a notebook sheet with your name, the date, and
1-2 sentence description will do nicely).
Research Requirement:
In order to gain some familiarity with, and appreciate of, the aims, methods, problems,
and results of psychological research, students enrolled in PSY 301 are required to either (1)
participate in 5 hours of research, or (2) write a research paper. Failure to complete this
requirement at the end of the semester will result in an incomplete grade for the course. The
grade will be released when the requirement is fulfilled. If the requirement is left unfulfilled by
the end of the next long semester, the incomplete will automatically revert to an F. Information
regarding the experiment requirement can be found at:
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/UNDERGRAD/courses/info/301experiment.html
Overall Grading Summary:
Tests:
In-class exams 1, 2, and 3
Writing Assignments:
Thought Papers
Topic Review Paper
Participation:
In-Class Activities
Totals
Percentage of
Course Grade
Points (Percentage)
Per Assignment
Total Points
50 points
(25% of final grade)
each
50 points
x 3 tests = 150
75%
4 points (2%) each
10 (5%)
4 pts x 5 = 20
10 points
10%
5%
1 pts x 20 = 20
10%
1 point (0.5%) daily*
*non-exam days
200
100%
Extra Credit:
No extra credit will be offered in this course. There is no way to improve your grade
short of doing better on the next exam and writing good papers. Please see me or the TA if you
need to improve your performance in this course before it is too late. We can offer guidance that
will help you to do your best!
Final Grades:
Final grades will be based on the total number of points earned:
A
AB+
B
BC+
185-200
180-184
173-179
165-172
160-164
153-159
C
CD+
D
DF
145-152
140-144
133-139
125-133
120-124
119 or less
Class Policies
Assigned Readings:
This course is going to fly by, and it will be easy to fall behind on the readings if you are
not diligent. In order to get the most out of the lectures in class, I expect you to at least skim the
assigned reading before class and thoroughly read the assigned chapter ASAP after class on the
same day. This method will help cement what you learned in class, and the lecture will help you
understand the assigned reading.
Attendance:
You are expected to attend every class on time and participate in class activities and
discussions. If you must be tardy, please come in as quietly as possible to avoid disrupting other
students. If you are absent on an exam day for a legitimate reason, contact the instructor as soon
as possible to see if the absence can be excused. If your absence is excused, you can take the
makeup exam during the final exam period for full credit. If you have an unexcused absence on
an exam day, you will receive a zero on that exam.
Cheating and Plagiarism:
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. They not only undermine your ability to
grow intellectually and think for yourself but they can also lead to you being suspended or
expelled from the University for scholastic dishonesty. Cheating includes copying another
student’s answers on a test or assignment and using notes, books, cell phones, etc., to answer
questions on a test or assignment when such materials are not permitted. Plagiarism includes (1)
copying passages verbatim from another writer’s work and representing them as one’s own
work; (2) any use of another’s work that is submitted as one’s own work without giving the
original author sufficient credit; (3) submitting answers or papers written by another student; and
(4) reading someone else’s answers or paper, then copying the main ideas or parts of their
answers/writing into your own answers/writing. Cases of cheating and plagiarism will be
referred to the Dean of Students. You can find out more about scholastic dishonesty at:
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis.php
Disabilities:
I am committed to providing a level playing field for all students in this course. If you
need accommodations (or think you might) to perform your best, please talk with me at the
beginning of the semester. The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request
appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more
information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.
Course Schedule
Date
Monday, July 12
Tuesday, July 13
Wednesday, July 14
Thursday, July 15
In-Class Topic
What is Psychological Science?
Neurons and Nervous System
The Brain
Nature and Nurture of Behavior
Friday, July 16
Monday, July 19
Tuesday, July 20
How do our senses work?
Why do we sleep and dream?
Wrap up Section 1 Lectures;
Review for Exam 1
Exam 1
How do we develop across time?
How do we learn?
How does memory work?
What affects our memory?
How do we make decisions?
What shortcuts do we use?
What motivates our behavior?
Wrap up Section 2 Lectures;
Review for Exam 2
Exam 2
How do we experience and
express emotions?
Stress: Health and Coping
Freud and Personality
How do individuals differ?
Power of Social Situations on
our Behavior
Psychological Disorders
How do we treat disorders?
Wrap up Section 3 Lectures;
Review for Exam 3
Exam 3
My Research: Personality and
Social Influences on Stress
Review for Final Exam
Wednesday, July 21
Thursday, July 22
Friday, July 23
Monday, July 26
Tuesday, July 27
Wednesday, July 28
Thursday, July 29
Friday, July 30
Monday, August 2
Tuesday, August 3
Wednesday, August 4
Thursday, August 5
Friday, August 6
Monday, August 9
Tuesday, August 10
Wednesday, August 11
Thursday, July 12
Friday, July 13
Saturday, August 14
2:00-5:00pm
Final Exam (Optional)
*Students with excused absence
can make-up exams 1-3 at this
time only. Plan accordingly.
Reading
Note
Ch. 1
Ch. 1, 2
Ch. 2
Ch. 3
DUE: Response
Paper #1
Ch. 5
Ch. 6
DUE: Response
Paper #2
Ch. 4
Ch. 7
Ch. 8
DUE: Response
Paper #3
Ch. 9
Ch. 10
DUE: Response
Paper #4
Ch. 11
Ch. 11
Ch. 12
Ch. 15
DUE: Response
Paper #5
Ch. 13
Ch. 14
Tentative course
grades given out
DUE: Topic Review
Paper
Exam takes place in
regular classroom, but
note the start time is
2pm. Don’t be late!