PSYC 101- C01 General Psychology
3 credit hours
M,W,F (8:00-8:50 a.m.) Shields 109
Semester/year: Fall 2008
Instructor: Shilo L. Smith
E-Mail Address: ssmith@csi.edu
Office Phone: 732-6869
Required Textbook:
· Course Text
Office Location: Aspen 130
Office Hours:
MWF: 10:00-10:50
TTh: 1:00-1:50
or by appointment
Psychology (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-183959-4).
∙ Additional required readings (five research articles) will be posted on Blackboard.
Recommended Textbook:
· Study Guide
Psychology: Concept Notes (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-228335-2).
∙ American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual (5th Ed.). Washington, DC:
Author
Course Objective:
The goal of this course is to provide students with a basic understanding of
psychological science. This course will introduce basic principles, concepts, and theories that are
fundamental to the science of psychology, and will serve as a foundation for upper level courses
in other areas of psychology.
Course Format:
· Class
Class will consist of lecture on relevant topics (in line with the text), and during this time
I will gladly answer questions or clarify any concepts you may have. We will also be discussing five
research articles throughout the semester. It is important that you come to class prepared and participate
in discussing these articles (there may be questions on the exam regarding the articles).
· Exams
There will be four in-class exams worth 100 pts each. Exams will cover material from
the text, lectures, required readings, and any in-class discussions. Exams will be comprised of multiple
choice and short answer questions. Tentative exam dates are listed on the course outline.
There are no scheduled make-ups for exams. Make-up exams will be
scheduled only if you contact me prior to the exam and if you have a written medical excuse,
a college-approved activity or documentation of extenuating circumstances. Make-up exams
will cover the same material but will consist of different questions and formatting than inclass exams.
Make-up exams
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· Critical Review
You will be required to find a peer-reviewed , empirical journal article on a topic
of your choice (with my approval). Prior to writing the critique you will submit a Prospectus that will
include; a brief description of the topic that you have selected, a copy of the journal article to be critiqued,
and a citation of the source for the journal article, in APA format. Your paper will be 1-3 pages typed
double-spaced in APA format. The prospectus is worth 30 pts, and the critique is worth 70 pts. We will
discuss these paper requirements further in class. No Late Papers will be accepted.
You may earn extra credit simply by attending class. Every student
begins the semester with 10 extra credit points. On days that you arrive on time, attend class,
and sign the roll (which will be distributed on randomly selected days), you keep your points.
Each day that you miss, you lose two points. If you miss greater than 5 days, you will simply
receive 0 attendance bonus points for the session. It is your responsibility to sign the roll on days
that you attend class. (In other words, approaching me after class is over to sign the roll in no
way obligates me to allow you to maintain your points.)
· Extra Credit
Attendance:
Attendance is very important for your learning and development throughout the
course. Material will be presented during lecture that is not in the text, and we will also discuss
the research articles during class.
Late arrival/early departure: Make every effort to be on time for class. Arriving late and
leaving early is disruptive to everyone in class. If you know that you need to leave before the
end of scheduled lecture time, please inform me before class and sit near an aisle and exit to
minimize class disruption. Otherwise, plan to remain in class for the entire 50 minutes.
Respect:
When you are in my class, you must show respect to me and your classmates.
Rude behavior, including talking in class that is disruptive to your classmates, will not be
tolerated. I also ask everyone to be respectful to people with opinions that are different from their
own, so that we may have a comfortable class atmosphere that is conducive to lively discussions.
There will be no MP3, I-pods or other listening devices allowed in class, unless they are
preapproved by me. Turn your cell-phones off during class!! Failure to comply with these
rules may result in removal from the class.
Plagiarism and cheating:
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Any cheating or
plagiarism will result in an automatic “0” for that portion of your grade. For explanations and
examples of what qualifies as plagiarism I encourage you to take a few minutes and look through
the website www.plagiarism.org (there is an additional link under “Citation Styles” for the APA
website).
If you need help:
If you are struggling in this class, please seek help from me. I encourage visits to
my office for clarification of material and discussions of theoretical and empirical claims covered in class
or beyond the classroom. If my office hours are at a time that is inconvenient for you, please contact me
and we will set up an appointment to meet. I will do my best to help you do well in the class, but it is up
to you to ask for it. That is, help in this class only goes as far as your willingness to seek help when you
need it.
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Total Points possible for the course:
Exam I
100
Exam II
100
Exam III
100
Exam IV
100
Prospectus
30
Critical Review
70
Total
500
All grades will be based upon the following scale:
450-500 =
400-449 =
350-399 =
300-349 =
299=
A
B
C
D
F
*I do not give Incompletes (I) unless serious circumstances can be shown with appropriate
documentation. I do not drop people from my course under the same rule after the last day to drop (See
course catalogue). Pay close attention to the semester’s Drop Date if you are having academic trouble.
Be sure to see me prior to dropping the course to evaluate your decision. I may be able to advise you in
the proper direction.
The CSI Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality educational, social,
cultural, economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the
communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives in a
global society.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed
to:
1. provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2. develop a discerning individual.
3. practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4. promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of
mankind.
5. foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6. reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7. encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8. encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural opportunities
which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to
understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
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Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science Department
goals:
1. help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2. help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3. help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4. teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5. teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6. help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7. prepare students to transfer to a university.
Psychology Program Mission Statement
The mission of the CSI Psychology Program is primarily to prepare graduates to transfer as Junior-level
students to 4-year universities.
Psychology Program Objectives: Students will…
1. gain mastery of a breadth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (breadth of knowledge).
2. gain mastery of a depth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (depth of knowledge).
3. be well practiced as a critical consumer of information (critical thought).
4. be well practiced in professional written communication (professional writing).
5. be well- prepared as a potential contributor to scientific discovery in psychology (scientific
capability).
6. be well-prepared for upper-division coursework in psychology (career-focused education plan).
PSYC 101 Catalog Course Description: This survey course is an introduction to psychology. Psychology
is the scientific study of thinking, emotion, and behavior. This course introduces students to the diverse
research areas of psychology such as psychobiology, motivation, learning, cognitive and social processes,
personality, and abnormality, emphasizing empirical findings of the discipline.
Required Textbook:
· Course Text
Psychology (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-183959-4).
Recommended Textbook:
· Study Guide
Psychology: Concept Notes (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-228335-2).
Course Outcomes* Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), Social Science Goals (SS) and Program
Objectives (PSYC):
*Outcomes derived from guidelines of the APA Education Directorate
Students will…
1. Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives,
empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology
2. Understand basic research methods in psychology, including research
design, data analysis, and interpretation
3. Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the
scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental
processes
4. Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and
organizational issues
5. Be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect
other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline
http://www.apa.org/ed/pcue/taskforcereport2.pdf
GE
1, 4, 6, 7
SS
1, 4, 6, 7
PSYC
1, 2, 4, 6
2, 3, 7, 8
2, 3, 4, 7
2, 3, 4, 5
2, 3, 6, 7, 8
All but 1 and 2
2, 3, 6
All but 6
All but 1 and 2
2, 3, 6
All but 6
All but 1 and 2
2, 3, 5, 6
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Course Outcomes Aligned with Course Assessment Activities:
Exams
In Class Articles
Critical Review
1
X
X
X
2
X
X
X
3
X
X
X
4
X
X
X
5
X
X
X
Extra Credit
X
X
X
X
Tentative Course Outline: Tentative suggests that these dates are flexible. The content may
be adjusted based on student needs and course pace. Therefore, the contents of this particular
syllabus are subject to change. All changes will be announced, of course, but it is your
responsibility to double-check on important dates if you miss class and the announcement of
such changes.
Date
Topic
Reading
Exams/Assignments
Week 1
M, Aug. 25 Course Introduction
W, Aug. 27 The Science of Psychology
Ch. 1 &
Appendix A
F, Aug. 29
“
“
“ “
Week 2
M, Sep. 1
W, Sep. 3
F, Sep. 5
No Class (Labor Day)
The Biological Perspective
“
“
Ch. 2
“ “
Week 3
M, Sep. 8
W, Sep. 10
F, Sep. 12
Discussion of Article
Sensation & Perception
“
“
Article # 1
Ch. 3
“
“
Week 4
M, Sep. 15
W, Sep. 17
F, Sep. 19
Development
“
Discussion of Article
Week 5
M, Sep. 22
W, Sep. 24
F, Sep. 26
Exam I
Learning
“
Week 6
M, Sep. 29
Discussion of Article
W, Oct. 1
F, Oct. 3
Memory
“
“
Ch. 7
“ “
Article # 2
“
Ch. 5
“ “
“
Articles 3 &
4
Ch. 6
“ “
Ch. 1-3, & 7
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Date
Week 7
M, Oct. 6
W, Oct. 8
F, Oct. 10
Week 8
M, Oct. 13
W, Oct. 15
F, Oct. 17
Week 9
M, Oct. 20
W, Oct. 22
F, Oct. 24
Week 10
M, Oct. 27
W, Oct. 29
F, Oct. 31
Topic
Reading
Exams/Assignments
Cognition
“
“
Prospectus due
“
“
Ch. 8
“ “
“ “
No Class (Columbus Day)
Motivation & Emotion
“
“
Ch. 9
“ “
Exam II
Social Psychology
“
Ch. 13
“ “
Ch. 5,6,8 & 9
“
Discussion of Article
Sexuality & Gender
Article #5
Ch. 10
Week 11
M, Nov. 3
W, Nov. 5
F, Nov. 7
Theories of Personality
“
“
“
“
Ch. 12
“ “
“ “
Week 12
M, Nov. 10
W, Nov. 12
F, Nov. 14
Consciousness
“
“
“
“
Ch. 4
“ “
“ “
Week 13
M, Nov. 17
W, Nov. 19
F, Nov. 21
Exam III
Stress & Health
“
Week 14
M, Nov. 24
W, Nov. 26
F, Nov. 28
Stress & Health (cont.)
No Class (Thanksgiving)
“
“
“
“
“
“
Week 15
M, Dec. 1
W, Dec. 3
F, Dec. 5
Psychological Disorders
“
“
Ch. 14
“ “
“ “
Ch. 4, 10, 12 & 13
“
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“
Ch. 11
“ “
Critical Review due
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Date
Week 16
M, Dec. 8
W, Dec. 10
F, Dec. 12
Week 17
Final Exam
Topic
Reading
Exams/Assignments
Psychological Therapies
Ch. 15
“
“
“ “
Applied Psychology & Careers Appendix B
Monday 8:00 am
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Students automatically get a CSI e-mail account when they register for courses.
Messages from instructors and various offices such as Admission and Records,
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missing important messages and deadlines. Students can check their CSI e-mail
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accounts.
On-line course evaluation statement:
Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of the
course. Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually
improve the course. Evaluations are available online at: http://evaluation.csi.edu.
Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to
complete an evaluation is the last day of the course. During the time the
evaluations are open, students can complete the course evaluations at their
convenience from any computer with Internet access, including in the open lab in
the Library and in the SUB. When students log in they should see the evaluations
for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are anonymous. Filling
out the evaluation should only take a few minutes. Your honest feedback is greatly
appreciated!
Disabilities:
Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related
accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should
contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their first opportunity after
registration for a class. Student Disability Services is located on the second floor
of the Taylor Building on the Twin Falls Campus. 208.732.6250 (voice) or
208.734.9929 (TTY), or e-mail aflannery@csi.edu .
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