Psychology 2301: General Psychology
Blinn College, Spring 2011
Course Syllabus
Section N4
Instructor: Barbara Corbisier, M.A., M.S.
Office Hours: A238 T/TH 10-noon or by appt.
Office Phone: 209-7314
email: barb.corbisier@blinn.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is an introductory course presenting elementary principles of human
behavior, development, and mental processes. Course material includes an
overview of the basics of psychological research, biological bases of behavior,
perception, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation, individual development,
psychological disorders, methods of treatment, and an introduction to social
psychology. Semester credits: Three.
This is an online course using eCampus. Students are expected to keep up
with distance education assignments throughout the week. Class activities
will relate to both material in the book, as well as out of book content.
Students who do not read the text, view the lecture content, and complete
quizzes, assignments and discussions will not do well in this class. You
should expect to have at least one assignment (if not more) due each week
in class. If you will not be able to access a reliable internet connection
consistently throughout the semester, you will have difficulty completing
course assignments.
To see if an online class is the best option for you as a student, all students are
encouraged to complete the Readiness for Education at a Distance Indicator
(READI) here.
PREREQUISITES:
There are no prerequisites. Good reading skills are required for success.
CORE COURSE:
This is a course in the 42 hour core of Blinn College. As such, students will
develop proficiency in the appropriate intellectual competencies, exemplary
educational objectives, and perspectives. For details see:
www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum.htm.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Those who successfully complete this course will be able to satisfy the following
requirements:
1. Discuss the goals of psychology.
2. Assess the use of scientific method in psychology.
3. Distinguish the central features of major psychological theories.
4.
5.
6.
Examine basic psychological terms and concepts.
Utilize key psychological terms and concepts in real life examples.
Characterize the work of leading contributors to the field of
psychology.
7. Evaluate how psychological, biological, and social factors can affect
behavior and mental processes.
8. Demonstrate the ability to use critical thinking skills to analyze
research and reports of human behavior,
9. Assess real-life situations that may require professional psychological
help and compare various treatment options.
10. Differentiate the various parts of the nervous system and summarize
their role in behavior.
This course will require students to use library and internet resources and
become familiar with psychological research and review journals. It will also
foster an ongoing awareness and critical appraisal of current research and
applications in psychology.
TEXTBOOKS, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS:
1. Psychology, 5th edition by Hockenbury & Hockenbury (one copy on
reserve in library)
2. Student Study Guide for Hockenbury & Hockenbury (one copy on
reserve in library)
3. Companion Website: http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/hockenbury5e/
(study aids)
4. Course website: http://www.blinn.edu/ Click on the eCampus link and
sign in to access the site. eCampus is required for this class.
Assignments, reviews, and lecture materials will only be available via
eCampus. There is an orientation to using the program once you access
the site.
COURSE OUTLINE:
We will cover the following topics: experimental design, neurology, development,
sensation & perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language,
intelligence, motivation & emotion, gender & sexuality, personality, social
psychology, abnormal psychology, and clinical interventions. See the weekly
calendar at the end for estimated dates.
CIVILITY STATEMENT:
Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff and
students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus
life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words.
Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that
recognizes personal respect, and demonstrates concern for the personal dignity,
rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community, including
respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others.
CIVILITY NOTIFICATION STATEMENT:
If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the
student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with
the instructor: it is the student's responsibility to arrange for this conference.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Reading: This class requires you to keep up with the readings; for the most part
there is a chapter per week. Lectures and readings will complement each other.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking if you look at the lecture files you don’t have to
do the readings, or vice-versa!
Written assignments: There will be four opinion assignments (50 points each).
There will be three short worksheets (100 points total). There will also be extra
credit opportunities throughout the semester. All papers and discussion posts
must be turned into eCampus by 11:55 p.m. on their due date. Late written
assignments will be penalized 10% for every day late, up to 40%, i.e., if it’s
two days late, your points will be reduced by 20% for that assignment.
Tests: First, the bad news. This course will have five tests throughout the
semester. The first four tests will be worth 100 points (50 questions, 2 points
each) and will cover ~3 chapters worth of material. The final will be 75 questions,
25 of which will be cumulative. Now, the good news: The lowest score of the first
four tests will be dropped! Students will have 60 minutes to complete the first four
tests, and 2 hours to complete the final. All exams and quizzes will be taken
online and will be timed. There will be no makeup for missed exams and
quizzes.
Chapter Quizzes: There will be a chapter quiz for each chapter on eCampus.
These quizzes will assess students' knowledge of book material. Students will be
required to complete these quizzes each week. Quiz due dates for each chapter
will be clearly posted on eCampus. Quizzes become available at 9:00 a.m. on
the day they are assigned. Students will have 30 minutes to complete these
quizzes. Each quiz is worth 15 points and the top 10 quiz scores will be kept. It is
the responsibility of the student to keep track of quiz due dates. There are
no-make ups for chapter quizzes. All quizzes will be due on eCampus by
11:55 p.m. on their due date.
Class Discussions: Throughout the semester, there will be a series of class
discussions. Students are responsible for keeping track of the discussion due
dates and completing them on time. Discussion posts must be posted by
11:59 p.m. on their due date. Late participation assignments will be
penalized 10% for every day late, up to 40%.
CALENDAR FOR MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMS:
See the chart at the end of the syllabus.
CRITERIA FOR GRADING:
Please note that I will calculate your grade based on total points, not on
percentages.
Class discussions: 100 points possible
Written assignments: 200 points possible
Worksheets: 100 points possible
1st 4 tests: 300 points possible (lowest grade dropped)
Quizzes: 100 points possible
Final: 150 points possible
A
B
C
D
F
855-950 points
760-854 points
665-759 points
570-664 points
569 points or lower
Late written assignments will be penalized 10% for every day late, up to a
maximum of 40%, i.e., you turn in something two days late, you’ll get 20% fewer
points than if you had turned it in on time.
Extra Credit: If you ask me a question related to psychology and I don’t know
the answer, you can earn up to five points per question by looking up the answer
and sharing it with me and your fellow students. More points will be given for
scholarly research articles that answer the question, and fewer points for an
answer that comes from a random website. If you find a particularly good video
clip or online demo for a psychological concept, send me the link and you’ll get
extra credit if I haven’t seen it before. Other opportunities for extra credit will be
announced during the semester.
BLINN COLLEGE POLICIES:
Class Attendance: The College District believes that class attendance is
essential for student success; therefore, students are required to promptly and
regularly attend all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for
subsequent class meetings. Without full participation and regular class
attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe disadvantage for
achieving success in college. Class participation shall constitute at least ten
percent of the final course grade. It is the responsibility of each faculty member,
in consultation with the division chair, to determine how participation is achieved
in his or her class. Faculty will require students to regularly attend class and will
keep a record of attendance from the first day of class and/or the first day the
student’s name appears on the roster through final examinations. If a student has
one week’s worth of unexcused absences during the semester, he/she will be
sent an e-mail by the College requiring the student to contact his/her instructor
and schedule a conference immediately to discuss his/her attendance issues.
Should the student accumulate two weeks’ worth of unexcused absences, he/she
will be administratively withdrawn from class.
There are four forms of excused absences recognized by the institution:
1. Observation of religious holy days.
2. Representing the College District at an official institutional function.
3. A high school student representing the independent school district at an
official institutional function.
4. Military service.
Other absences may be excused at the discretion of the faculty member, with
proper documentation.
Students who arrive to class after attendance has been taken are responsible for
requesting their instructor mark them present.
If a student chooses to drop the course, it is the student’s responsibility to do so
at the Office of Admissions and Records. If done by the "W" date, the student will
get a W. After that day, the student will get a grade of WF, unless the instructor
specifies a WP in writing to the Office of Admissions and Records. Failure to drop
may result in a grade of “F” for the course.
Absences in this class are counted as follows:
This is a distance education course and, as such, students are expected to work
diligently at course material throughout the semester. Assignments will be posted
continually in this course and it is the students' responsibility to keep up with
course material via eCampus.
Once a student has been inactive for one week in an internet course, meaning no
assignments completed within that time [the equivalent of two absences], his/her
name will be submitted to the college. Once the student has reached two weeks
of inactivity, the student will be removed from the course. Please note, it is NOT
enough to just log in to class, substantive work must be completed or submitted
for you to be counted as attending class.
You have a Blinn student e-mail account that will be used for all official Blinn
correspondence, including attendance notices. Information is at
http://www.blinn.edu/acadtech/studentemail/. Be sure to regularly check this
account. ALL COMMUNCIATIONS REGARDING THIS CLASS WILL BE
CONDUCTED VIA eCAMPUS OR BLINN E-MAIL.
Make Up Examinations
A student who misses a major or final examination may ask his/her instructor for
permission to make up the examination. If a student is absent while officially
representing Blinn College or excused on the basis of “a religious holy day,”
he/she will be permitted to make up the examination. The major examination
must be made up within two weeks after he/she returns to class or at the
discretion of the instructor. Final examinations must be made up within a
reasonable time to allow the instructor to submit the final grade(s) on the day and
time defined by the Admissions and Records Office. If a student cannot complete
the final examination in that time frame, an Incomplete (I) may be considered:
consult further the Incomplete Policy. Short tests may or may not be made up,
depending upon the instructor’s discretion.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor regarding missed exams
in a timely manner.
Students with Disabilities
Reasonable accommodations will be made for documented disabilities. Students
must present documentation as soon as possible for the instructor to arrange
accommodation. Information regarding procedures for documenting disabilities
can be obtained from the Counseling Office.
OTHER POLICIES:
No food and drinks in the classroom. Appropriate dress is required. Cellular
phones and pagers must be turned off before entering the classroom. Blinn
College does not tolerate cheating, plagiarism, or collusion. Procedures for
dealing with these acts are outlined in the Scholastic Dishonesty Policy in the
Student Handbook.
OTHER ESSENTIAL INFORMATION:
All dates subject to change; announcements will be made in class and on
the website.
Week
1
Jan. 21-last day to
register
1st opinion assign.
Worksheet 1
2
Worksheet 2
3
Dates
Jan. 18-21
Topic
Overview &
Research Methods
Reading
Chapter 1
Jan. 24-28
Neuroscience
Chapter 2
Jan. 31-Feb. 4
Chapter 3
4
TEST 1 THIS WEEK
Feb. 7-11
Sensation &
Perception
Consciousness
5
Worksheet 3
6
7
TEST 2 THIS
WEEK
2nd opinion
assign.
Feb. 14-18
Learning
Feb. 21-25
Feb. 28-Mar. 4
Memory
Thinking, Language,
& Intelligence
8
SPRING BREAK
9
3rd opinion assign.
10
TEST 3 THIS
WEEK
Mar. 7-11
Mar. 14-18
Mar. 21-25
Motivation & Emotion
WOO HOO
Development
Mar. 28-Apr. 1
Gender & Sexuality
11
12
4th opinion assign.
Apr. 15-last day to
drop with a W
TEST 4 THIS
WEEK
Apr. 4-8
Apr. 11-15
Personality
Social
Chapter 4
TEST 1: Over
chapters 1, 2, & 3
opens at 9 am,
Feb.11 and closes
at 11:55 pm Feb. 13
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
TEST 2: Over
chapters 4, 5, & 6
opens at 9 am,
Mar. 4 and closes
at 11:55 pm Mar. 6
Chapter 8
YAY
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
TEST 3: over
chapters 7, 8, & 9
opens at 9 am Apr.
1 and closes at
11:55 pm Apr. 3
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
TEST 4: over
chapters 10, 11, &
12 opens at 9 am
Apr. 15 and closes
at 11:55 pm Apr. 17
21
14
15
FINAL
Apr. 18-22
Apr. 25-29
May 2-4
Chapters 13,
14, & 15 +
cumulative
Stress
Abnormal
Clinical
Opens at 9 am
May 7
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Closes 11:55 pm
May 10