Allegany College of Maryland
Psychology 101
– General Psychology
Syllabus
General Psychology 101
Syllabus
on the web
*The syllabus is subject to change due to any unforeseen circumstances and at the discretion of the instructor.
Instructor: Kurt Hoffman, M.A.
Chair-Social and Behavioral Sciences
Office Location: Humanities Building Room 15
Office Hours: virtual online through Skype
Meeting time/date: Web course
Phone: Office Phone: 301-784-5113
301-784-5289 (Brenda Mathews, Faculty Secretary)
E-mail: khoffman@allegany.edu
Course Description
Course Prerequisite
Technical Requirements
Course Outcomes
Blackboard Software
Course Textbook
Submission of assignments as
electronic files
How the course is
conducted
Accommodating Disabilities
Course Content
Student Conduct and Plagiarism
Grading and Testing
Late Assignments
Rules of conduct for
participating in the Discussion
Board
E-mail Policy
Getting Started
Course calendar
Copyright
Contacting the
instructor
Office of Distance Learning
Tutoring and Extra Help
Course Description:
“A foundation course in Psychology. Overview of the nature and purpose
of psychology, the dynamics of adjustment, sensory development,
psychometry, and the application of psychological knowledge to practical
problems.”
Academic Prerequisites:
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None
Technical requirements for the course:
If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for
you. Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet,
therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. You must
have reliable Internet access (you must provide your own ISP), a student email
account through the college, and a browser (Google Chrome or Internet Explorer
6.0 or higher).
 A fast internet connection will make your success easier in this class.
 You must have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This
includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive
email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify
documents in MS Word. You will also need a Blackboard login
account, which will be provided to you by ACM.
 You must have Flash by Adobe installed on your computer. Most
newer computers have Flash pre-installed. If not this is a free
download at www.adobe.com and will allow you to view the lectures.
If you are having problems viewing the lectures after downloading
Flash, then it maybe a browser issue. You may have to try IE, or
Mozilla, or Google Chrome to find one that works. If you do all of
this and it still does not work…contact me.
 You also must have working speakers.
 You must have MS Word, or word processing software that allows
you to create MS Word compatible documents.
You may also want to:


Take the online quiz to see if distance learning is for you.
Take the online quiz to see if you have the technical skills to succeed at
distance learning.
Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However,
technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments
Resources:
Textbook and “MyPsychLab” student access key (packaged with only a new
textbook)
Other Resource Materials:
Recorded lectures posted on BlackBoard– provided by the instructor.
The library, internet web sites, the instructor, and each other!
Your primary resource is the textbook. If you don't want to come
tocampus to pick up the book, you can either order it from the Allegany
College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-7845348, there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from
www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.efollet.com, or
www.half.com. I have recently been sent a link that is basically a search
engine for where you can get these book for the cheapest price. For this
check out: http://www.campusi.com/.
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The new textbooks we have on campus contain passwords for
www.mypsychlab.com. The only downside to this is that the passwords
are only good for one semester. You could also buy a used book without
these passwords, but then you would be missing what is in essence an
“online study guide”. “mypsychlab” is NOT required, but it does assist
you and if completed can be converted into bonus points at the end of
the semester. There are numerous options:

Buy new text at ACM that comes with mypsychlab

Buy used text and then purchase mypsychlab through
Pearson Publishers for an additional $33

Buy an e-text with mypsychlab from Pearson for about $75

Buy used book and don’t buy the mypsychlab.
You may start reading the text as soon as you get it, as it has a lot of
content.
SMART START - If you are ordering the text from an online source, be sure to
order it well in advance of the start of classes. Falling behind at the beginning of
class makes the course much harder.
Course Objectives:
This course will present the major concepts of the field of Psychology – providing an
introductory background in preparation for academic transfer AND applicable to
contemporary life and work. Learners will develop an enhanced understanding of
human identify, learning, development, behavior, motivation, as well as a historical
perspective of the field of psychology. By the completion of the course, students will
be able to:
 Describe/define all of the components of the Scientific Method.
 Describe/define the “Four Forces of Psychology”.
 Describe/define “Freud’s Iceberg Model” and “defense mechanisms.”
 Describe/define “Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs.”
 Describe/define the physiology of “sensation” as well as the psychology of
“perception”.
 Describe/define Gestalt “grouping principles.”
 Describe/define the various theories of personality development.
 Describe/define human biorhythms and the stages of sleep.
 Describe/define the various aspects of Operant and Classical Conditioning.
 Describe/define the different types of memory.
 Describe/define the three aspects of problem-solving.
 Describe/define Critical Thinking and obstacles to critical thinking.
 Describe various models of intelligence and wellness.
 Describe/define various models of human development.
 Describe/define various psychological disorders from the DSM-IV-TR.
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Course Content:
“You are a universe, a collection of worlds within worlds. Your brain
is possibly the most complicated and amazing device in existence.
Through its action you are capable of art, music, science, philosophy,
and war. Your capacities for love, compassion, and dedication coexist
with your potential for aggression, hatred, and...even murder? You are the
most frustrating riddle ever written, a mystery at times even to yourself.
You are at one and the same time a unique event in human history and
like everyone who has ever lived.
Look around you. Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television abound
with psychological information. Psychology is discussed in homes,
schools, businesses, and bars. Psychology is an explosive, exciting, and
ever-changing panorama of people and ideas. You can hardly consider
yourself "educated" without knowing something about it. There is another
reason for studying psychology. Socrates said, "Know thyself," and
although we must envy those who have set foot on the moon, looked into
an atom, or cruised the dreamlike landscapes of the ocean's depths, the
ultimate frontier still lies close to home. Psychologist D. O. Hebb put it
this way: "What is psychology all about? Psychology is about the mind:
the central issue, the great mystery, the toughest problem of all" (Hebb,
1974).
In this exploration of our own psychology as well as the field of
Psychology; our psychological journey will take us to various topics. We
will explore how the Scientific Method is conducted in psychological
research, we will look at the brain and the part it plays in who we are. We
will examine how perception works, how we sleep, and what this thing
called “consciousness” is all about. We will also look at how memory,
intelligence and problem-solving works. We will learn about emotions
and health, and the part that stress plays in both. We will understand
personality in psychological terms, and then examine what personality is
in personal terms. We will end with how we act in the social world and
how we help (and don’t help) those in need. Personally, I think it will be
an educational voyage and one that is also personally rewarding. Bon
voyage!
Course Policies

FORM OF ASSIGNMENTS
 Reading - Students are responsible for assigned readings in the textbook,
articles, and on the web.
 Pre and Post-Tests for each chapter under “Study Plan” on
“MyPsychLab”.
 Internet Homework Journal.
 Quizzes and exams.
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STUDENT CONDUCT AND PLAGRIARISM
Refer to the ACM Student Handbook.
The college has a strict policy on academic dishonesty. You are expected
to understand and abide by the policy as defined in the student handbook.
The ACM student handbook defines plagiarism as:
a. “the submission, as your own work, of papers or parts of
papers actually written by another;
b. including in your own work a passage written by another
person without giving due credit; i.e., quoting or paraphrasing
without proper citation of source.”
Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your
current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may
misinterpret their origins. To receive credit for quantitative assignments,
please show all calculations. It is also suggested that you keep a record
and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your
final grade.
For additional information on plagiarism, and how to avoid it, go to
http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ewts/wts/plagiarism.html . For information on
plagiarism and writing bibliographies and citations, go to
www.allegany.edu/plagiarism/ .
The ACM student handbook defines cheating as “an act of conscious
deception done in order to obtain an undeserved grade; or the aiding or
abetting of deception in order to obtain an undeserved grade”. See the student
handbook for more information about cheating and penalties.
 EXAMS
o Complete 15 weekly chapter quizzes which can be taken over the internet
from home. There is a 10 minute time limit to these quizzes.
o Complete 5 unit exams during the semester. Exams will be given and
proctored in the Student Support Services Testing Center, or testing center
of the campus you are registered at. These exams are NOT timed.
 ASSIGNMENT DEADLINES
Due dates are posted in the course calendar. Please see the course calendar
for a week-by-week list. Sunday at midnight is the deadline for each weeks
assignments. I will NOT remind you when assignments are due. You are
expected to complete all assignments on time.
 ATTENDANCE” – Failure to complete the required assignments in the first
2 weeks of class indicates “non-attendance”. Non-attendance may result in
you being dropped from the course at my discretion. If at any point you
choose not to continue with this class any longer, DO NOT assume I have
dropped you from the class. Take responsibility of dropping yourself.
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How the course is conducted
Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are
conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined. While the course is flexible in
terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same
amount of time as a normal lecture course -- about three hours that you would
have spent in lecture plus the time to read the chapter, and complete the
homework. This comes out to nine to 12 hours per week. You should work on
the class during the week, for if you wait until Saturday and Sunday to complete
all of your work, it could be overwhelming. Note also that the course is NOT
self-paced. Assignments are due by specific dates. You may work ahead if you
like, but you may not “work behind”.
A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar. I
will not remind you of when assignments are due. You are expected to refer to
the calendar and to complete all assignments on time. If you have difficulty with
the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to
assist you.
You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course.
You are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email,
by use of the discussion board or by phone. Interacting with other students in the
course will enhance your learning experience.
What you get out of this class will depend on how much you put into it. Each one
of you will be helping to create the class. The more effort and participation you
devote to the learning environment, the more you will derive from it. This is your
education, you are paying for it, so get the most for your money!
Getting Started
.
You may start on the course on the first day of classes by logging into
Blackboard. You may also want to email me. Please be sure to send me the
email from the account you will be using throughout the course.
Blackboard will be the primary method for conducting the course. Be sure your
email address is correct in Blackboard (see link above for information) and be
sure that you change your password periodically. You are responsible for keeping
your password secure.
To get started in the course, login to Blackboard, choose the course title and then
read the announcement on the first page of the course. The announcement will
give you instructions about how to get started in the course.
The Distance Learning Department holds “Blackboard Jumpstart” sessions at the
start of each semester in order to help students orient themselves to Blackboard.
Contact them for the schedule.
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GRADING AND TESTING
Grades are based on exams, quizzes, internet homework journals and discussion
board participation. The “pre” and “post-tests” for each textbook chapter on
“MyPsychLab” are not required, but are highly recommended as they are an
important resource to your success. If your semester grade is on the borderline of
a higher grade, having done ALL of these pre/post-tests will raise your grade.
A total of 810 points are attainable.
Students will not receive mid-term grades in the US postal mail. However, all
grades will be posted on the blackboard site, so students will always have the
opportunity to review grades as soon as I have completed grading of the
assignments/exams.
I will complete grading of written assignments within 1to 2 weeks.
Unit Exams will be proctored at the respective testing centers, depending at
which campus you are registered; weekly quizzes can be taken from home
and are timed.
o If using an ACM testing center, please contact the testing centers in advance
to verify hours of operation. If you would like to take an exam in advance of
the scheduled week please contact me to make arrangements. The exams
may not be taken after the scheduled dates.
TESTING CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION
Cumberland campus: swilson@allegany.edu
Shirley Wilson, phone (301) 784-5551
Bedford campus: mclark@allegany.edu
Mary Ann Clark, phone 814-652-9319
Somerset campus: tboone@allegany.edu
Tiffany Boone, phone 814-445-9848, extension 6104
Makeup exams:
You must take the exams when they are scheduled. If an emergency does arise,
you must have an official excuse and either call the faculty secretary or leave a
message on my voicemail. You will need to contact me to make arrangements for
a makeup exam with the approved absence.
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The student’s final grade will be comprised of:
Assignment
Points
5 Exams at 100 points each
500
15 chapter quizzes
150
1 Internet Homework journal
110
Discussion Board Participation
50
Total Points
810
810-729=A
728-648=B
647-567=C
566-486=D
485 and below=F
GRADING CRITERIA
A= 90-100 B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69%
F = Less than 60%
HOMEWORK JOURNAL:
You will be required to access and study 11 assigned web sites. These websites
will provide further introduction into a topic, or will provide a unique interactive
experiential to deepen your understanding. Your assignment will consist of
exploring the web site and then typing your reflections addressing the questions:
1. What did you learn from this website?
2. How did this connect with what you learned in this chapter or lecture?
3. What did you learn about yourself and your own psychology?
4. How are you going to apply what you have learned to your life?
You will need to write only a couple of well thought-out analytical pages per
homework assignment (which is comparable to at least 3-4 paragraphs) and
submit them on the “discussion board” on Blackboard. This will allow for your
colleagues to read your thoughts, offer commentary and feedback, and provide
examples for one another concerning length and depth of the assignments. Your
grade will be based on the DEPTH and DETAIL to the post.
INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE TIME
I do my best to be as prompt in my response to your work as I am able.
1) Turn-around time for most papers and tests is 1 week.
2) Email response- If your question requires a lengthy explanation/response from
me, I will respond within 24-48 hours. If your e-mail is a quick question or
comment, I will respond as soon as I read it. Make sure you follow the email
policy below.
3) Grade posting is 1 week to 2 weeks; depending on how quickly all papers are
received.
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Late assignments
No late assignments will be accepted. Any assignment that is not handed in on
time will receive a grade of zero unless there are extenuating circumstances that
can be documented.
You will have at least a one week period in which to take each exam. This should
allow everyone the flexibility to schedule the exam at a convenient time.
The exception to the “no late assignment” rule is the orientation assignments.
Since these are learning assignments designed to help you prepare for success in
the class, there will be a grace period for these assignments. However, students
must contact me if they are having problems completing these assignments so that
they don’t fall behind.
Contacting me
If you need to speak to me by phone you can call my office number. If this is not
convenient for you please send me an email and we can arrange a phone meeting
at a mutually convenient time. You may contact me by email at
khoffman@allegany.edu .
Blackboard
This course will be conducted using Blackboard software. You do not need to
purchase software to use Blackboard, however, you will need a login and
password to access it.
You should immediately familiarize yourself with Blackboard by logging into
your Blackboard account and viewing the online orientation. You should be able
to perform the following functions in blackboard by the end of the first week of
class:
Log into your blackboard account (remember to log
out when finished!)
Find and read announcements
Find and read course assignments
Find and read course documents
Send email
Find the discussion board
Find the grades area
You will also need to take the online orientation quiz.
E-Mail Policy
Always use the following guidelines when sending e-mail to me.
In the subject area, enter “Psychology” and clearly identify the topic of your email:
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Example:
Psychology – Question about …
Psychology – Comments about….
Psychology – Homework Assignment ….
I receive a lot of email. If you fail to put the word “Psychology” in your subject
line it is possible that I may overlook your email, or that it may be deleted as
spam. I check my email on weekdays.
Send me e-mail from the account that you will use for this course. I strongly
suggest that you create a student email account through the college. Go to
http://student.allegany.edu to obtain your student email address. Emails
from this account are guaranteed not to get caught in the spam filters and I
will receive them.
You can also create a “gmail” account, which is a free email account through
“google”, as this does not get stuck in the college spam filters. If you email
from “hotmail” or “yahoo” or other servers you run the risk that I will not
get your email.
Submission of assignments as electronic files
Unless otherwise stated, all assignments that are submitted to me MUST be in the
format of a word document file or directly pasted in the discussion board
itself. If you send them as a “works” file I will be unable to read them.
IMPORTANT: Every document should have a header within the document that
includes your name, course name, page number, and number of total pages in the
document.
Rules of conduct for participation in the Discussion Board
Students are encouraged to communicate with each other using the discussion
board feature of Blackboard. Just because you cannot physically be in the same
room as your classmates doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them! The
discussion board is provided so that students can get to know each other and
discuss topics that are related to the course content. It can be a valuable source of
information and support. However, please note that all messages are “public”, i.e.
available for everyone in the class to view. When posting messages on the
discussion board please keep comments on a positive note and avoid “flaming”
(verbally attacking someone else). Please provide feedback to other students in a
kind and constructive manner.
Also refer to OnlineNetiquette.com for general netiquette guidelines.
Accommodating Disabilities
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from
fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as
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possible, so I can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation
and facilitate your educational opportunity.
Tutoring or Extra Help Sessions
A student who finds him/herself in difficulty with the class work should
seek immediate help.
1. A tutoring service is available. The instructor or the student
may initiate the tutoring service. See Mr. Devlin in H-58.
2. Please feel free to see the instructor during office hours or by
making an appointment for additional assistance.
Copyright
Students are expected to respect copyright ownership of all course content, other
students work, or any information presented to them throughout the course.
Students shall not copy, publish or distribute copies of course content, other
students work, or other course information, or retain copies past the end of the
completion of the course.
Office of Distance Learning and Special Programs
In the event that you experience an emergency and you are unable to contact me
please contact Ms. Janet Murray, Coordinator of Distance Learning. Examples of
emergencies would be errors in the official final grade report that would affect
your graduation status or being accidentally dropped from the course and having
that affect your financial aid. In every case please try to contact me first, but if
you cannot contact me and feel it is a situation that must be resolved immediately
Ms. Murray will be able to assist you.
Pam Deering
Director of Distance Learning and Media Services
(301) 784-5314
pdeering@allegany.edu
Or my secretary Brenda Mathews at 301-784-5289.
If you are having a blackboard or other technical problems call the student
help desk at 301-784-4357 or email them at studenthelpdesk@allegany.edu.
If you are having mypsychlab problems, please contact their customer
service. I suggest using their “live chat” option as you will get immediate
assistance.
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