Introduction to Psychology - PSYX 100
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 1:00 – 1:50
Instructor Contact Information
XXXX
Main Hall XXX
XXXX@mtech.edu
Office Hours:
MWF 11-11:50 or by appointment
Course Pre-requisites:
None
Text:
Coon, B (2010+). Psychology: A Journey. Wadsworth, Belmont,
CA.
Course Description:
This course introduces students to the phenomena, research
principles, and theories of psychology. Psychologists study how
biological, cognitive, social, and cultural factors interact to
determine how we develop our amazing capacity for complex
behavior, emotions, and cognitions.
Course outcomes include:

Define scientific psychology and what psychologists do.

Identify the major fields of study and theoretical perspectives
within psychology and know their similarities and differences.

Define the scientific method and its application to psychology.

Differentiate between observational, correlational and
experimental research designs and articulate the advantages
and limitations of each.

Describe how the brain and biological factors influence our
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Describe how psychology is applied in real world situations.
Moodle
Moodle is a website designed to facilitate the flow of information
between professors and members of his or her class. Once you
are officially enrolled in this class, your name should automatically
be added to this class’ page on Moodle (within 48 hours). To log
into Moodle, visit any web browser and go to:
http://mymtech.mtech.edu/
Select Introduction to Psychology from the courses provided and
read any announcements. Throughout the semester, please refer
to Moodle for updates on the course. Please contact me if you are
not enrolled in this section of Introduction to Psychology. If you
have problems with the Moodle site, please call the support
number at 406-496-4244.
In addition to the syllabus and course grades, you will find the
following items below that will be pertinent for this course:
Calendar of Course Topics and Required Readings: This
section contains assigned chapters from the text and .pdf
documents. Students are expected to have readings completed by
the assigned date, independent of lecture topics. Dates for
individual topics are subject to change.
Gradebook: This section will display the scores of each of your
section tests, optional final, extra credit, and final average.
Grades and Exams
Grades for this course will be determined by the average of four
exam grades. Exams contain questions related to both class
lecture and assigned readings. Test forms will not be returned to
students, however students can (and should) attend office hours to
review their previous exams with the instructor.
If, because of a school-related absence, you plan to be absent
during a test day, you must notify the instructor prior to the test
period, and arrange an alternative exam. No make-up exams will
be given. If a student requires any accommodations for test
taking, he or she must make arrangements with the professor at
least one calendar week prior to exam dates. The following five
exams will be given throughout the semester:
PSYX 100 Spring 2014
Library Auditorium (CRN 30667)
Section Exams: Four section exams will be given, their tentative
dates can be found on Moodle. Each exam will cover material from
the preceding readings and lectures. These exams will be
somewhat cumulative, such that much of the course material will
build upon previous lectures and readings. No “makeup” exams
will be given. Groups for exams will be posted prior to the exam.
Optional Final Exam: One cumulative final exam will be given on
Tuesday, May 13th, at 11:30 a.m., in the Auditorium. This exam will
be scantron format, and will therefore require a pencil (not
provided by instructor).
Grading Policy: Grade distributions are as follows: 90-100% = A,
80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, and 60-69% = D. If you are concerned
about your grade, please see your instructor as soon as possible.
Grades and test scores are not rounded or curved in any way.
Bad Exam Question Clause: Occasionally a faulty question will
be given on an exam. If you feel you encounter a question like this
please let the instructor know immediately following the exam.
Introduction to Psychology Course Outline:
Section One
I.
Introduction to Psychology as Science
a. Scientific Method
b. Principles of Statistical Analyses
c. Historical Perspectives
II. The Nervous System
a. Communication at the Cellular Level
b. Macroneuroanatomy
III. Evolutionary Psychology
Section Two
IV. Sensation & Perception
a. Psychophysics
b. The Big Five
V. Attention
a. Measurement
b. Theories
c. States of Consciousness
Section Three
VI. Learning
a. Conditioning
b. Social Learning
VII. Memory
a. Measurement
b. Models
c. Variability
VIII. Language
IX. Intelligence
a. Models
b. Assessments
c. Variability
Section Four
X. Development
a. Cognitive
b. Social
XI. Personality
a. Psychodynamic theories
b. Trait theories
XII. Social Psychology
XIII. Psychopathology
NB: Due dates, course topics, and assignments are subject to
change.
Extra Credit: Students will have the opportunity to earn up to five
points of extra credit through research participation or research
analysis. All extra credit must be turned in by April 16th.
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Specific Policies and Regulations
Enrollment at Montana Tech is an optional and voluntary entrance
into an academic community. Therefore a student voluntarily
assumes obligations of academic performance and personal
behavior required by Montana Tech. These obligations are more
specific than those imposed on all citizens by civil and criminal
laws.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
The following will be considered acts of academic dishonesty or
cheating:
1) Plagiarism. A student will be considered guilty of academic
dishonesty, if: a student submits a term paper, essay, speech,
laboratory report, or other assignment, in which all or part of
the words or ideas are copied from the published or
unpublished work of another individual without giving the
original author proper credit for the words or ideas.
2) Copying from the paper of another student while taking an
examination. A student will be considered guilty of academic
dishonesty if he or she deliberately looks at and copies from
another individual’s examination paper during an
examination.
3) Using unlawful aids to pass an examination. A student will be
considered guilty of academic dishonesty if he or she brings
to class and uses crib notes, electronic devices, books, or any
other material to assist him or her in passing the examination
unless the instructor of the class has specifically given
permission to use such materials.
4) Aiding another student. A student will be considered guilty of
academic dishonesty if he or she willfully assists another
student in any act of academic dishonesty. Such a person is
equally guilty as the person plagiarizing or copying.
5) Unauthorized Signatures: The use of a person’s signature
without permission is a serious matter and the consequences
can be severe.
Possible consequences include:
•
Being dropped from the course by the instructor, department
chair, dean of the college, or the University.
•
Loss of tuition paid for the course.
•
University disciplinary action such as probation, suspension,
expulsion, and correction of all course grades.
•
Loss of priority for the course or courses during registration.
The above applies to all documents used by Montana Tech that
may require a signature.
Actions to be taken when cheating is discovered are as follows:
1) Instructors are responsible for taking reasonable precautions
to prevent and discourage cheating in their classes and must
report all cases to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Office.
2) If it is determined that a student is deliberately cheating on an
examination or a written or oral assignment, he or she should
receive a grade of “F” on that examination or assignment as a
minimum penalty. The instructor may drop the student from
the course with an “F” grade.
3) In reported cases of repeated cheating, the Academic
Standards Committee may consider applying additional
penalties beyond those imposed by the individual instructors,
including expulsion.
Any student who thinks that he or she has received unfair
treatment in regards to cheating should consult with the Vice
Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Chairman of the Academics
Standards Committee. Please refer to the policy on academic
dishonesty as described in the Montana Tech Catalog.
GRADE APPEALS
When a student believes a faculty member has improperly
recorded a final grade, the student needs to follow the procedural
steps for an informal and/or formal grade appeal. The “burden of
proof” in the grade appeals process shall rest with the student.
PSYX 100 Spring 2014
Informal Grade Appeal
1) Regardless of the circumstance, the student must attempt to
resolve the matter via a personal conference with the course
instructor within 14 days after receiving the semester grade.
2) If the student is unable to arrange a conference, or if the
student & the instructor cannot reach a mutually satisfactory
resolution to the problem, then the student may request in
writing that the Department Head convene a meeting with the
student and the course instructor within 14 days of the written
request. If a Department Head or Dean is the instructor
involved in the appeal, the student may request in writing that
the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs appoint another
Department Head or Dean to convene the informal meeting.
3) If the grade issue is not resolved at this meeting, the student
may request a formal grade appeal.
Formal Grade appeals initiated after the first 30 days of the start of
the next regular semester are not accepted.
Formal Grade Appeal - Committee Hearing
1) Students must submit an appeal for a formal grade review to
the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within 14 days after
the informal grade appeal process has failed. The request
must include a written explanation of the circumstances that
the student believes justifies an appeal to change a final
grade for a course, and a written statement describing the
informal attempt to resolve the issue.
2)
If the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs determines that
grounds for a formal grade appeal exist, he/she will request
the Academic Standards Committee to review the issues and
will request appropriate course materials and records from
the student and from the course instructor.
3) The Academic Standards Committee shall examine all
evidence (verbal and written) that the student and instructor
present and will determine whether to recommend a final
grade change. The Committee will not make a determination
based on the course content or teaching effectiveness. The
only consideration afforded the student will be whether or not
the student was dealt with fairly with respect to other students
in similar circumstances. By majority vote, the Committee
shall recommend whether to let the final grade remain
unchanged or shall recommend the assignment of a new
letter grade
4) If the Academic Standards Committee recommends a new
final grade, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will meet
with the involved faculty member to review the recommended
action.
5) The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will make a final
determination. The Committee will make every attempt to
complete the entire appeal process within 30 days of the
initiation of the formal appeal process. The review by the
Academic Standards Committee and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs shall be the final campus appeal for the
assignment of a grade.
ABSENCE FROM CLASSES
It is Montana Tech policy that faculty should make reasonable
accommodation for students to make-up work missed (or the
equivalent) because of an excused absence. Students expecting to
incur excused absences should consult with their instructors early
in the term to be sure that they understand the absence policies for
each of their courses. Excused absences include official Montana
Tech events or activities, or personal matters deemed appropriate
by the instructor. Official Montana Tech Events or activities for the
purposes of “excused absence”
•
NAIA sanctioned sporting events
•
Academic Team competitions
•
Travel for professional meetings related to major
•
Class field trips
•
Others as approved by the Chancellor
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities who believe they may need
accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact a
Montana Tech Disability Services Coordinator (DSC) at 496-4429.
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