Course Syllabus
Psychology 1010-01
CRN 30002
General Psychology
Fall 2013
Tuesday & Thursday 8:30-9:45
GC 107
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, rather a flame to be kindled"
-Ancient Greek Philosophy
“An idea, once stretched, never returns to its original shape”
-Professor Jim Harrison
“Education, if it takes, changes a person from the inside out”
-Author Unknown
_______________________________________________________________________
Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring
academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the:
Southern Utah University
Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)
Room 205C
Sharwan Smith Center
(435) 865-8022
SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these services.
Instructor:
Dr. Steve Barney
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday 10:00-11:00, Tuesday, Thursday 10:00-11:30 or by
Appointment
GC-308H
You can reach me at 586-7955 or Barney@SUU.EDU
________________________________________________________________________
Textbook:
Required Cacioppo & Freberg: Discovering Psychology: The Science of the Mind,
Briefer Version. Cengage Publisher, ISBN: 978-1-111-83774-7
________________________________________________________________________
Resources:
Much of the information you will need for this class is available through the Canvas, electronic learning
system accessed through your SUU Portal. On this site, I will post a copy of the course syllabus,
presentations, and learning objectives (study guides) for each chapter. I will also post other documents that
will relate to this course as the semester progresses, so remember to check the site periodically. You will
take weekly output exercises, and submit your chapter assignments through this medium.
General Education
This course is offered as a General Education offering within the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Knowledge Area. In this class, we explore the social science known as Psychology. Emphasis will be
placed on understanding the terms, constructs, major theories, schools of thought, and practical applicability
of psychology in broad and diverse settings. An emphasis will be placed on the manner in which
knowledge is obtained, including the scientific method, critical thinking, and statistical analysis of data.
Upon completion of this course, the student will possess a basic knowledge of the psychological principles
that help understand, explain, and predict human behavior; and will be a more informed consumer of
information.
Expectations for the Instructor
It is my responsibility as the instructor of the course to present a comprehensive review of psychology in a
manner that makes learning challenging and exciting at the same time. I will present information in lecture
format, show videos, and use in class examples to help clarify the topics we will cover. I will make an
attempt to involve as many students in classroom discussion and examples as are willing and comfortable.
Part of my responsibility is to come to class each session prepared and willing to answer questions. My job
is not to simply lecture about information you are able to find in the book. My job is to help clarify
questions you may have about the material and facilitate your understanding.
Student Expectations
It is your responsibility to come prepared to learn and willing to challenge yourself in new and unique ways.
Although I do not expect to change opinions or values, I hope that you will be willing to explore
alternatives to traditional understanding and consensus and make informed choices about things. I expect
that you will all have access to a copy of the textbook, and make the effort to read the chapters as we
discuss them. Reading ahead and coming to class prepared for what we are discussing is BY FAR the best
way to learn class material. You cannot expect to have a decent educational experience if you are not here.
I expect you will attend class as frequently as possible. I encourage you to plan your schedule to include
time for class. If lack of attendance becomes a problem, I reserve the right to establish an attendance policy
at some point in the semester. Such a policy might include points for attendance, pop quizzes that cannot be
made up, etc.
Class participation is paramount in my teaching style. Feel free to ask questions, bring up issues, disagree
with my positions, etc. As you involve yourself in what goes on, your learning will increase, and I will be
able to judge my effectiveness as we go. If you have an aversion to speaking in class, let me know and I
will do what I can to accommodate your questions or concerns in private (however, if you have a question,
chances are that others in the class have the same one, and might benefit from your asking it).
Southern Utah University, Essential Student Learning Outcomes: This course addresses the
following SUU Essential Student Learning Outcomes. At the conclusion of this course, students
should be able to:
Knowledge
1. Students should develop an understanding of the myriad influences on human
behavior, thoughts, and feelings, including physiological, social and cultural.
Critical Thinking
1. Students should understand the steps to critical thinking, and be able to apply
those steps in evaluating the quality and accuracy of information.
Communication
1. Students will be able to effectively communicate thoughts and ideas through
written assignments
Lifelong Learning
1. Students will demonstrate the capacity to apply leaned material in a variety of
personal, academic, and social settings
Testing, Grading, and Evaluation
Grades in the class will be given according to university policy and using standard grade cutoff scores.
Incompletes and/or Unofficial Withdrawals will be assessed as per university policy. Add-Drop and
Withdrawal dates are listed in the Year-Round Class Schedule and it is your responsibility to know the
deadlines and take what action you feel is best for you. If you have questions or concerns, please stop by
whenever I am in my office.
Examinations:
There will be 3 examinations in the class. While they are not entirely "cumulative" in nature, information
learned in previous sections will be helpful in future ones. Don't think you can learn and forget after the test
is over. Each test will contain multiple-choice, true/false, and fill in the blank questions. A SCAN-TRON
WILL BE NEEDED FOR ALL EXAMS. They may be purchased in the bookstore or in the psychology
office. Those with 50 answers per side are required. Make-up exams will not be given. If you know you
will be out when an exam is scheduled, please arrange with me to take the test before you leave. If you miss
an exam, an optional comprehensive final exam will be given to replace the missed exam score. Exams are
worth 100 points each. Material will be taken equally from lecture and from the book (stuff we might not
cover in class) so be sure to keep up on your reading. Learning Objectives for each chapter are available.
All exams will be given in the University Testing Center (ELC 113). They are available at 10:00 a.m.
the day they are announced, and must be completed by closing time the following day. Students must
be aware of all Testing Center Policies regarding test administration. http://suu.edu/ss/acdc/testingcenter.html
No late exams will be given for any reason. The 100-question final exam is comprehensive, but it is
optional. You may take the exam and replace the lowest of your other 3 exam scores (if you score higher
on the final). Past exams will be available through the library circulation desk for review 2 weeks prior to
the end of the semester.
SQ4R Personal Relevance Chapter Assignments: Beginning with the first chapter we cover in class, You
will be required to do a writing assignment for each chapter that we cover in class. All Chapter
Assignments will be turned in via Canvas. Chapter assignments will be based on the SQ4R learning
method, which include the following steps:
Survey –get a general overview of the chapter and the contents. Read the headings and the photo
captions, along with a concept map if available.
Question –from your scan, begin to formulate questions you are interested in learning about from
each major section of the chapter
Read –read with a purpose…to answer your questions
Relate –relate or apply the content of the chapter to something relevant to you, your experiences,
your professional aspirations, your other classes, etc.
Recite –verbalize and articulate what you have discovered through your learning…instruct
someone else what you have learned
Review- review your chapter one more time to help solidify your learning
To help facilitate you using this learning method, your chapter assignments will consist of the following
components:
Step 1). Once we begin discussing a new chapter, I expect you will have done the chapter Survey, and have
developed at least 4 questions about the content of the chapter that are of interest to you. At least one of
these questions will have to do with one other course you are currently taking, your academic major, or your
career path. You will submit the question list on Canvas. The list of questions is worth 10 points. I will
post a general announcement in Canvas when we complete a chapter and are ready to move on to the next.
Step 2). By the beginning of the class period after we finish covering a chapter in lecture, you will submit a
paper (3-page minimum, double spaced, 12 CPI maximum, 1” top, side, and bottom margins maximum)
covering the “Relate” part of the SQ4R. In this paper, you will answer the questions you asked in Step 1,
and discuss how the concepts or principles you are writing about relate to your life and/or academic
pursuits. I expect you will use your own words and not simply copy material from the book. This is worth
15 points.
Instead of Chapter Assignments, you may do a Service Learning Project. I will provide details if
there is interest, but this will need to be planned and done by December 1st. The Service-Learning
Assignment will require at least 25 documented hours of service, and a comprehensive report that
links what we learned in class with your service experience. I expect students to include information
from each chapter in their final report. Students who chose this option should expect a significant
amount of work, but will have earned 3 credit hours of service-learning coursework that will count towards
a Service-Learning Scholar designation. You must notify me of your intention for this type of project by
Tuesday September 11.
Research Participation Summaries: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. To
more fully grasp the scientific nature of psychology and learn more about what psychologists do, you will
participate in at least 4 research projects as a member of our Psychology Participant Pool. At least two of
the projects will be face-to-face laboratory experiments. The remainder can be either face-to-face
experiments, or on-line, survey-type experiments. Dr. Steve Barney, the Department Research Pool
Coordinator will provide us details. For each project in which you volunteer, you will write a paragraph
describing your experience (i.e., what you did as a participant). You will be expected to articulate the I.V.
and D.V. of the study. If the researcher does not tell you what these variables are, please speculate based on
your experience. Based on your experience, please list any potential research confounds. Your participation
summaries are worth 40 points, (10 points per experiment).
Low-Stakes Output Exercises- Each week you will be required to complete a Low Stakes Output Exercise
(LSOE), consisting of 5 multiple choice questions based on material we cover in class that week. The
LSOE will be available on Canvas beginning Thursday Afternoon by 4:00, and will be open until Sunday at
10:00 p.m. According to memory experts, these types of activities are powerful learning tools and serve to
enhance retention and recall far better than reading only. The LSOE’s are worth 5 points each, for a total of
70 points for the semester. They are open-note, open-book, and you may take them up to 3 times.
Extra Credit Opportunities:
Since there are many book chapters we will not cover in class, I will allow up to 20 extra credit points (5
points per assignment) for students willing to do comprehensive SQ4R chapter assignments covering those
chapters you submit for extra credit.
You may complete extra Research Participation Summaries as well. These are worth 2 points each for OnLine, and 5 points each for face-to-face study in which you participate.
Classroom Conduct: To make this an enjoyable learning experience for everyone, here are some
simple guidelines of classroom conduct I expect from students in the class. Violation of these may result in
your name being reported to the Vice President of Student Services and you being asked to withdraw from
the course (or we’ll make you bring cookies for the entire class).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Be respectful of others’ thoughts, ideas, and opinions
Attend to class discussion and do not engage in “side conversations” either in class or via “texting”
Turn off all electronic devices upon entering the classroom
Arrive to class on time
If you must leave early, please take a seat by the door
SANS- If your attendance or academic performance shows deficiencies you will receive a notification
from me through the Student Assessment Notification System (SANS). Please respond to the support
offered as appropriate. I may also send a SANS report for exceptional work.
Grades: Grades will be based on points received on each of the above:
Tests
300 points
3 @ 100 points each
Chapter Assignments
10@25 points each
250 points
Research Participation
40 Points
4@10 points each
LSOE’s
14@ 5 points each
70 Points
TOTAL
660 points
Final grades will be calculated as per standard policy:
A
93-100%
C70-72%
A90-92%
D+
67-69%
B+
87-89%
D
63-66%
B
83-86%
D60-62%
B80-82%
FAIL 00-59%
C+
77-79%
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Assessment/Evaluation Table
Student
Learning
Outcome
Knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Communication
Lifelong
Learning
Exams
x
x
x
Course Assessment/Evaluation
LSOE’s
SQ4R Chapter
Assignments
x
x
x
x
x
x
Research
Participation
Summaries
x
x
x
Tentative Schedule:
Below is a tentative schedule (As the instructor, I reserve the right to make changes in the following as I see
fit. I will give as much notice as possible regarding any changes):
Tuesday, August 27
Thursday, August 29
Tuesday, September 3
Thursday, September 5
Tuesday, September 10
Thursday, September 12
Tuesday, September 17
Thursday, September 19
Tuesday, September 24
Thursday, September 26
Tuesday, October 1
Thursday, October 3
Tuesday, October 8
Thursday, October 10
Tuesday, October 15
Thursday, October 17
Tuesday, October 22
Thursday, October 24
Tuesday, October 29
Thursday, October 31
Intro/Syllabus
Syllabus/SQ4R, Chapter 1 LSOE #1
Chapter 1(Chapter 1 Questions Due)
Chapter 1 LSOE #2
Chapter 11 (Chapter 1 Assignment Due)
Chapter 11 LSOE #3 (Chapter 11 Questions Due)
Chapter 11
Chapter 2 (Chapter 11 Assignment Due) LSOE #4
Chapter 2 (Chapter 2 Questions Due)
Chapter 2 EXAM #1 Begins Friday September 27, Ends Monday
September 30, LSOE #5
No Class: Conference Training
Chapter 3 LSOE #6 (Chapter 2 Assignment Due)
Chapter 3 (Chapter 3 Questions Due)
Chapter 3 LSOE #7
Chapter 4 (Chapter 3 Assignment Due,
Chapter 4 LSOE #8 (Chapter 4 Questions Due)
No Class: Fall Break
Chapter 4 LSOE #9
Chapter 6 (Chapter 4 Assignment Due)
Chapter 6 LSOE #10 (Chapter 6 Questions Due)
Tuesday, November 5
Thursday, November 7
Tuesday, November 12
Thursday, November 14
Tuesday, November 19
Thursday, November 21
Tuesday, November 26
Thursday, November 28
Tuesday, December 3
Thursday, December 5
Tuesday December 11 9:0010:50
Chapter 6 Exam #2 Begins Wednesday November 6, Ends Thursday
November 7
Chapter 7 LSOE #11 (Chapter 6 Assignment Due)
Chapter 7 (Chapter 7 Questions Due)
Chapter 7 LSOE #12
Chapter 8 (Chapter 7 Assignment Due)
Chapter 8 LSOE #13 (Chapter 8 Questions Due)
Chapter 8
Thanksgiving Break: No Class
Chapter 9 (Chapter 8 Assignment Due)
Chapter 9 LSOE #14 (Chapter 9 Questions Due)
Chapter 9 Assignment, Extra Credit Assignments Due by Monday,
December 10; Exam 3 Begins 11:00, Ends Friday Closing
Optional Final Exam
NOTE: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and
attendance policies, may be subject to change with advanced notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor
Course Evaluations: All students are asked to evaluate their face to face courses using the IDEA Course
Evaluation System. Your feedback is valued and incorporated into each future section of this course that I
teach.
Academic Integrity: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest
extent. You are expected to have read and understood the current issue of the student handbook (published
by Student Services) regarding student responsibilities and rights, and the intellectual property policy, for
information about procedures and about what constitutes acceptable on-campus behavior. Do your own
work. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE to work on an assignment together and turn in nearly identical
versions of the work. You will each receive a zero for the assignment and you may be asked to
withdraw from the class. It is also not acceptable to allow someone to use your work to copy.
Plagiarism is taking someone’s written work and/or ideas without proper citations.
All written work will be submitted through CANVAS, and will be submitted to a Turnitin for an Originality
Assessment. This assessment compares your submitted work with their immense data base of published
material and student work for plagiarism. If you submit a paper with a high score on the Similarity Index, I
will notify you that your work is not acceptable. If a second paper with high Similarity Index score is
submitted by the same student, the student will fail the course, and I will submit a plagiarism report to the
Dean of Students.
HEOA Compliance statement: The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file
sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law. Detailed information can be
found at http://www.suu.edu/it/p2p-student-notice.html."
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: In case of emergency, the University’s Emergency Notification
System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information
using the link on the homepage of mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize
themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information
about the University’s emergency management system plan can be found at
http://www.suu.edu/ad/facilities/emergency-procedures.html
SUU Writing Center: The SUU Writing Center is available to all students. Student tutors can read over
papers for grammar, punctuation, content, and organization. They are also trained to help students better
understand the writing process. They are located in BC 204 and can be reached at (435) 865-8176 or by
email writingcenter@suu.edu
Course Objectives
In addition to individual Chapter Learning Objectives, after completing this course,
students should be able to:
Use cognitive science to understand ways to improve their memory for information
Improve their writing quality through practice and feedback
Better understand how to prepare for taking multiple choice exams
Better understand how to take multiple choice exams
Better understand the types of mistakes they typically make on multiple choice exams
Be able to critically think about information, especially information presented in the
media
Be able to relate psychology to their chosen academic major and/or life path
Be aware of the types of courses offered in the psychology department
Your Psychology 1010 class has been given the opportunity to have tutoring from the Psi
Chi and Psychology Clubs. These clubs hold some of the most proficient academic
students who are willing to volunteer their time in this endeavor. This program can be
very beneficial for those looking to succeed in college and life, not only are the tutors
proficient in the field, but many can also be a help for studying techniques and other
various skills required for success. An email for general questions is set up for all
students. It is 1010psychtutors@gmail.com. Included in this email should be your name,
question or meeting request and topic, professor, and class section number (listed at the
top of this syllabus). This email is for general quick questions, and they may be answered
by any of tutors. The time period for an answer will hopefully be quick, but may take a
while depending on how busy the tutors are. If the question is thought to be too long or on
a subject that needs more explaining, the student will be directed to set up a meeting.
Meetings can be set up through email or the canvas shell. Meetings must be scheduled to
see the tutor as the tutor will not have office hours and have appointment only tutor
sessions. The canvas shell will include all the times your tutors are available as well as
general discussions and announcements. If none of the hours meet a student’s need, an
email should be sent to inquire of an appointment of a different time. Study sessions for
tests will also be available before every test except the first, and will be announced within
your canvas section. It is recommended you make use of these opportunities because as
they can may help improve your course grade and your grades in general within this class
and others.