WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON CANADA
Department of Psychology
2014-2015
Psychology 3138G Section 001
Memory
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
A review of the theories and data bearing on how people encode, store and retrieve information, both
from permanent and temporary memory stores. Emphasis will be given both to laboratory studies
and the study of memory in ecologically valid settings.
Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E or both Psychology 2800E and 2810, and one of Psychology
2115A/B, 2134A/B, 2135A/B. Minimum grade of 60% required in all prerequisite courses.
3 lecture/discussion hours, 0.5 course
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from
your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from
your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees
in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary
prerequisites.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor:
Office and Phone Number:
Office Hours:
Email:
Dr. Stefan Köhler
NSC 201
(519) 661-2111 ext. 86364
by appointment
stefank@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Ysabel Domingo
by appointment
by appointment
bdomingo@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Lectures:
Tues 2:30 – 5:30pm
TH-3154
Students are asked to use email to get in touch with the Course Instructor or TA about
course-related issues. Students are also required to check the OWL course website regularly
for any course related announcements.
Students’ use of laptops and tablets will be restricted during classes in order to minimize distraction
and create an optimal learning experience.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at W estern to
assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these
resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any
other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question
regarding an accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Schwartz, B.L. (2014). Memory. Foundations and applications (2
nd
ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Additional readings will be posted on OWL (see Schedule). These readings are mandatory and
will also be covered in the exams.
Reading Guidelines and Lecture Notes will be posted on OW L.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. To provide a comprehensive research-oriented overview of the history, methodology, theories,
and contentious issues in the study of human memory.
2. To encourage reading and writing about primary source material in memory research; to
encourage critical thinking about memory research; to explore and appreciate the limits of current
scientific knowledge in the field.
3. To provide training for public (in-class) presentations on a specific research question and its
empirical study; to encourage discussion of contentious issues in memory research.
Any course of this sort contains material that must be learned from both lectures and readings. Some
material from the text will not be covered in lectures; similarly, some material from the lectures will
not be covered in the readings. Therefore, it is imperative that students attend the lectures and
do the readings regularly for successful completion of the course.
An important component of the present course relates to the in-class discussion of the content
covered. Students will be asked to participate actively in this exchange of thoughts and ideas. The in
class-presentations will serve to stimulate this discussion.
For the in-class presentations, students are expected to work in groups of two individuals. It is the
responsibility of each group to obtain the reference for the primary research article to be presented
prior to starting any work on it. Students are required to request this information from the instructor at
least one week prior to the date of presentation.
To familiarize students with academic writing in this field of study, the course also requires several
mini-reviews of presentations and the completion of a scholarly essay on primary research.
Students are expected to choose their own topic (directly relevant to the course) for this essay.
5.0 EVALUATION
Course performance will be evaluated based on five different sources:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Midterm exam
Final exam
Original scholarly essay
Oral in-class presentation
3 Mini-Reviews
20% of total grade
25% of total grade
25% of total grade
15% of total grade
15% of total grade
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to
conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the
following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2100-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows W estern’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
A+ 90-100
A 80-89
B 70-79
C 60-69
D 50-59
F < 50
One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
Superior work that is clearly above average
Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
Competent work, meeting requirements
Fair work, minimally acceptable
Fail
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Midterm Exam: Tuesday March 10, 2015; 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm. This test will address the materials
from the lectures and readings covered up until that point. Mixed format: multiple choice and short
answers.
In-class presentation: Dates (one per student) will be determined in first two weeks of classes.
Mini-Reviews: Due in printed format in class one week (Tuesday 2:30 pm) after the reviewed
presentation. Dates (three per student) will be determined in first two weeks of classes. Late
submissions will not be accepted. Length per Mini-Review: 2 double-spaced pages, 12-point font
(i.e., roughly between 400 and 600 words).
Essay: Complete essay due April 7, 2015, 2:30 pm (last week of class) in hardcopy and electronic
submission to TurnItIn via OWL. There will be a penalty for late submissions. Length: 8 doublespaced pages, 12-point font (i.e., roughly between 1800 and 2300 words).
Final Exam: During final exam period. This test will cover the materials from the entire course; It is a
cumulative exam. Mixed format: multiple choice and short answers.
7.0 LECTURE SCHEDULE
Planned Lecture Schedule with Assigned Readings
Jan 6
Jan 13
Jan 20
Jan 27
Feb 3
Feb 10
Feb 17
Feb 24
March 3
Topic
Presentations
Assigned Readings
General course introduction
Historical overview and introduction
Memory and the brain
Working memory
Learning
Episodic memory
Reading week -- no class
Semantic memory
Anterograde amnesia and related memory
disorders
no
no
no
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
Textbook Ch. 1
Textbook Ch. 2
Textbook Ch. 3
Textbook Ch. 4, 13
Textbook Ch. 4
-Textbook Ch. 5
Textbook Ch. 10
March 10
March 17
no
yes
Textbook Ch. 7
March 24
Midterm
Autobiographical memory and retrograde
amnesia
Memory and emotion
yes
March 31
April 7
Memory distortions and illusions
To be selected by class
yes
yes
reading provided
online
Textbook Ch. 8
reading provided
online
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and
other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they
undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are
described at the following link:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic
offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses
using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All
written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by
comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s
databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference
database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of
the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between W estern and Turnitin.com
(http://www.turnitin.com).
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course,
suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergradresponsibilities.htm
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2014 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.