GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 105
Syllabus – Fall 2012
revised 08/16/12
DRAFT
Professor:
Dr. Gordon Hodge
Office Hours: 1:30-3:00PM
Monday and Wednesday
and by appointment
Office: Logan Hall Room 176
Phone: 277-3019
Email: ghodge@unm.edu
Research Credits Coordinators:
Mike Trumbo, Graduate TA
Phone: 277-5306
email: psych105@unm.edu
To Email Us:
If you have questions or need assistance, the TAs can provide you with fairly quick answers through
email.
In order for us to respond to your email, you must follow the guidelines listed below (click here to go to
email Rules)
PSY 105 COURSE INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES
QUICK INDEX (click on a heading)
Course Description
Required Materials
Internet
Email Rules
Lectures: Face-to-Face and Online
Attendance and Class Participation
How to Succeed in Psychology 105
Quizzes, Tests, Exams, Participation Points, and Research Credits
Quizzes
Mastery Quizzes
Lecture & Review Quizzes
Chapter Tests
Exams
Participation Points
Research Credits
How Do I Determine My Course Grade?
Extra-Credit (XC) Opportunities
TA Office Hours
Make-Up Work
Academic Dishonesty and Class Conduct
Students With Disabilities
Course Calendar (Assignments & Exam Dates)
(click on Course Calendar Icon on WebCT Homepage)
Course Description
General Psychology 105 is an introduction to the subjects of the scientific method, neuroscience, human
development, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning and memory, thought and
language, motivation and emotion, personality, abnormal behavior, therapy, and social behavior. In other
words, Psych 105 covers about everything relating to you and me and everyone; it's about what we're
made of and how we function; it's about all our similarities and differences; it's about neurons and
muscles and hopes and dreams. In short, Psych 105 covers most everything about our lives. That's a lot of
ground to cover in one semester; and, in fact, we're not going to cover everything--at least not in the
lectures. However, between the lectures and the textbook and the quizzes, we will cover the most
important findings and ideas of psychology. These are the three general objectives of the course:
1. You will learn factual knowledge and develop a conceptual understanding of important behavioral
principles, theories, and applications.
2. You will understand principles of scientific and critical thinking.
3. You will see how you can apply this information in real life.
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Required Materials
You need to make two purchases for this course if you’re taking it in a classroom:
1. A version of the textbook that comes with a PSY105 WebCT Access Code
2. An iClicker Student Response System
1. Textbook and Access Code
You must have a PSY105 WebCT Access Code to take this course. The Access Code is included
with either the Paperback book or the eBook. To my knowledge, the UNM Bookstore is the only
supplier of the Access Code used in this course.)
Your should choose EITHER:
A. Psych 105 Package Paperback Version (from UNM Bookstore): David G. Myers (2013).
Psychology, 10th edition [Paper Cover]. New York: Worth.
Plus
The WebCT Access Code (Included in the package).
OR
B. Psych 105 Package e-Book Version (from UNM Bookstore): David G. Myers (2013).
Psychology, 10th edition [e-book]. New York: Worth.
Plus
The WebCT Access Code (Included in the package).
NOTE: If you choose the e-Book option, you may be able to receive the e-Book authorization and
WebCT Access Codes from the UNM Bookstore by email. If you choose this option,
however, you should be aware that once your order is placed, you will not be able to get a
refund.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Textbook and Access Code:
1.
Where else can I purchase the Textbook and Access Code?
Although you can purchase the textbook from many places, the UNM Bookstore is the only
place you can purchase both the Textbook and Access Code.
2.
I already have the textbook, where can I get just the Access Code?
The UNM Bookstore is the only place you can purchase the Access Code. If you do not
want to purchase the paperback version of the text (which comes with an Access Code),
you can purchase the package that includes the Access Code + the eBook version of the
textbook. Because the Access Code alone costs the same as the Access Code + eBook, the
UNM Bookstore only carries the Access Code + eBook package.
3.
I've seen ads for WebCT access codes on the Internet. Are they the same thing?
No. The UNM Bookstore is the only place you can purchase the Access Code.
4.
I've seen ads for the textbook on the Internet. Can I purchase one of these books or borrow one
from a friend?
Yes. BUT the UNM Bookstore is the only place you can purchase the Access Code (which
comes with either a paperback version or an e-book version of the textbook).
5.
I’m taking the course online. Do I need an Access Code?
Yes. Everyone who takes PSY105 needs an Access Code for WebCT. If you haven't had a
chance to purchase it yet, click on the "Grace Period" button after logging onto WebCT,
which will give you 2 weeks of access.
6.
I haven't yet had a chance to get the Access Code, but I want to get started right away. What
can I do?
If you haven't had a chance to purchase it yet, click on the "Grace Period" button after
logging onto WebCT, which will give you 2 weeks of access.
2. iClicker Student Response System
If you're in classroom section (in person or face-to-face) you must have an iClicker.
In order to receive in-class Participation points, you must:
1. Obtain an iClicker device and
2. Register your iClicker at http://www.iclicker.com/support/registeryourclicker/ (see below) and
3. Bring it to every class period.
Many courses at UNM require the iClicker device, which is used by you to respond to in-class
questions. In PSY105, your responses count toward your total grade. You can purchase it at the UNM
Bookstore (new and used) or from online sources or you can borrow one from a friend (who is not
enrolled in the same section of 105). BUT, regardless of how you obtain your iClicker, you will need
to register it in order to earn points.
How do I register my iClicker?
1. You can register your iClicker by going to
http://www.iclicker.com/support/registeryourclicker/ .
2. Enter your First Name and Last Name.
3. BUT, in the space where it says Student ID, DO NOT enter your 9-digit UNM Student ID! (It
sounds crazy, I know.)
4. Instead of entering your 9-digit Student ID, enter your Net ID. Your Net ID is the part of your
UNM email address that comes before the @ sign; but don't enter your whole email address;
just the part before the @ sign.
5. For a slide on how to register your iClicker, click on the Learning Modules bar (under
"Course Tools" on the WebCT Home Page) and then select "How to Register Your iClicker."
Frequently Asked Questions about the iClicker:
1. Can I use the iClicker my friend/brother/sister/etc. used before?
YES! BUT, you must register it in your name, using your Net ID, if you want to receive
Participation Points in PSY105.
2. If I used an iClicker last semester, do I need to register it again?
YES! You must register it using the above directions and your Net ID, if you want to
receive Participation Points in PSY105.
3. If I'm using it for two or more classes this semester, do I have to register it for each class?
YES! Each class may use different codes for the Student ID. if you want to receive
Participation Points in PSY105, you must register it using your Net ID.
4. How do I know that I've registered it correctly?
Beginning around the second week of class, you can check under My Grades on WebCT
and look up your Participation score for each day of class. If you have a score, you're set;
if not, you'll need to make an appointment with a TA to get your iClicker registered
properly.
5. If my friend isn't attending the lecture, can I bring his or her iClicker and participate for them?
No, such behavior is a clear form of academic dishonesty; you cannot cheat for your
friend or anyone else. See the section on Academic Dishonesty, below (Academic
Dishonesty and Class Conduct).
6. How can I get help on this whole iClicker thing?
Make an appointment to see a TA (see above). They'll be able to answer your questions
and help you get registered. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to earn 5 Extra-Credit
(XC) points.
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Internet
In order to take this course, you will need to have:
1. A UNM NetID for contacting us by email and for accessing your WebCT account. If you do not
have a UNM NetID, you need to set one up by going to https://netid.unm.edu/. You should check
your UNM email and WebCT accounts frequently to keep updated on important course
announcements and other information.
2. A WebCT Access Code, which you can obtain from the Bookstore (http://bookstore.unm.edu)
bundled with either version of the textbook (see above).
Haven't used WebCT before? If you need assistance with WebCT (or any other aspect of the course), you
should contact a TA or me. We will be happy to assist you. Whenever you contact any of us, however,
you will need to follow the email procedure described below.
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Email Rules
We typically receive and respond to between 5,000 and 10,000 emails each semester! With so many
email messages going back and forth it is necessary that we all abide by a few rules. In order for us to
answer your messages as soon as possible, you will need to follow these rules:
•
Use only your UNM email account. For security and identification, you must use only your
UNM email account to email us (it looks like this: yourname@unm.edu). We will not answer
email from non-UNM accounts (for example, we will not answer email from hotmail or AOL,
MSN, Comcast, or Google accounts or any other non-UNM account). You can use any service
provider, including Google and Comcast, but you must use your UNM account when emailing us.
If you have a UNM Net ID, then you have a UNM email account. A good way to learn about your
UNM email account is to go to UNM's FastInfo site (http://fastinfo.unm.edu/prod/index.php) and
enter "email" in the Search field. You'll see a number of useful answers to commonly asked
questions about UNM email. You cannot take the course without a UNM email account.
•
Required Subject Field: When you email us, be sure to include in the Subject field the following
information:
Subject: Your First Name & Last Name/Your Course & Section #/Question Topic
For example, if your name was Sigmund Freud and you were enrolled in Section 001 and you
had a problem with Mastery Quiz 01A, you would enter the following into the Subject field of
your email:
Subject: Siggy Freud/105-001/problem with 01A_MasteryQz
Not sure which section you're in? Go to your Schedule of Classes on MyUNM. Look up
PSY105; the three digits after 105 (e.g., 105-001) indicate your section number.
We cannot respond to email without this information in the subject line.
Also, we respond very slowly, if at all, to email that has all caps or exclamation marks in the
subject field (e.g., SIGGY FREUD NEEDS HELP!!!!). All email is important to us, but all
caps or exclamation marks is like shouting and is annoying.
•
Do not email more than one TA at a time. All email from you is important to us, but if you send
multiple copies of a message to more than one TA, they will not respond and you may lose your
email privileges for PSY105. By emailing more than one person at a time, you waste the time of
TAs because more than one will likely respond to your email--that means that they may not be
able to get to another person's question. If more than 24 hours have passed since you emailed a
TA (not including weekends or holidays), you should contact your PSY105 Course TA whose
name and email address appears at the top of the Syllabus.
Once you've set up your UNM email account, you can use UNM's email client
(https://webmail.unm.edu/) to send and receive email. You can use any email program as long as you
email us from within your UNM account (i.e., yourname@unm.edu). To learn more about how to do
this, go to UNM's FastInfo site (http://fastinfo.unm.edu/prod/index.php) and enter "email" in the
Search field. If you are not sure how to do this, then you can still email us by getting onto the
Internet, going to https://webmail.unm.edu/, and using UNM's email client.
If you are responding to email we have sent you, please use the "include a copy of the message in
your response" option (or similar option) in your email program when responding back to us; that
way, we will all have a copy of the correspondence.
Email messages almost always get saved by someone. To avoid embarrassing replicas of your email
posted on Internet sites or the like, please take care to follow normal rules of English (i.e., spelling,
punctuation, grammar).
If you follow these guidelines, we will respond as quickly as possible to your email. If you do not follow
the guidelines, our response, if any, will probably be slow. If you email us and do not get a response
within 24 hours, check to make sure you have used your UNM email account (yourname@unm.edu) and
have followed the instructions above; if you have, you should then email the PSY105 Course TA (see
above).
Frequently Asked Questions about Email:
1. Do I have to format my email Subject line as indicated above?
YES. We cannot respond to email that does not contain a correctly formatted Subject
Line.
2. Why don’t I get a response to my email?
Check to make sure you’re following the above listed Email Rules (e.g., you’re using
your UNM email account; your Subject Line is correctly formatted; you’ve avoided using
ALL CAPs)
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Lectures: Face-to-Face and Online:
During lectures I will help you focus on elements of greatest significance--with respect to psychology in
general and to the tests and exams in particular. Part of your course grade is determined by Lecture
Quizzes, which are based on material I will cover in class. In fact, I will also cover in lectures much of
the material you will be tested on during Chapter Tests and Quarterly Exams. Although most questions
for the tests and exams will come from material covered both on the Quizzes and in lectures, I sometimes
will also include questions straight from the lectures. Additionally, you can receive Participation points
during lectures.
Attending and participating in the lectures are important for passing the course and getting a good
grade.
In order to attend lectures, you need to arrive on time and remain until we finish. You must not use cell
phones, computers or other electronic devices, and you must refrain from talking or bothering others or
engaging in other disruptive behaviors. You must bring your UNM Student ID to all lectures and have it
displayed on your desktop.
In preparing for lectures, you should read the pertinent text assignments before I lecture on the material.
It would also be useful for you to complete the weekly Quizzes prior to their topics being presented in
class.
Face-to-Face Lectures:
For face-to-face lectures we will be using the iClicker response system during class. I will discuss in class
(and in the lecture videos) how we will use the clickers, and you should bring your iClicker to every
lecture in order to earn required class Participation points.
Online Lectures:
Lectures are streamed live for fall and spring semesters and they are archived for later use.
If you need to make up Participation points, you should only watch lectures recorded for your section. If
you're in Sec 001 you should use the MWF Sec 001 lectures online (click on the folder named PSY 105
Hodge F12); if you're in Sec 002, you should use the TuTh Sec 002 lectures online (PSYCH 105 Jackson
F12).
To watch lecture videos (VOD = Videos on Demand):
1. Click on the Link to Lecture Videos icon on the WebCT Home Page (or go to:
http://mts.unm.edu/vod.htm)
2. Read the information then click on "Click here for Video on Demand."
3. Provide your NetID and Password information
4. In the left column, scroll down and select the "Psychology" folder.
5. Then select the folder appropriate for your section:
a. If you are in Sec 001 or Sec 003 or an online section, select the folder entitled:
"PSY105 Hodge F12"
b. Only if you are in Sec 002, select the folder entitled:
" PSY105 Jackson F12"
6. Select the lecture you're interested in viewing (they are listed by Lecture # and by date in reverse
chronological order; two dates per row)
7. The first time you use the site (and possibly later in the semester, as well), you will need to
download the SilverLight application to your computer when asked to do so; it works on both PCs
and Macs and is free to UNM students. You will not have to download it again after doing so the
first time (unless you’re asked to do so for an update).
If you're in a face-to-face sections (e.g., Sec 001) and you miss a lecture or forgot your iClicker, you may
be able to make up Participation Points by discussing why you were absent with a TA or Instructor. You
will need to have an acceptable excuse in order to make up Participation points.
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Attendance and Class Participation
Attendance is recorded as part of:
1. Participating in class
2. Completion of quizzes in a timely manner
3. Taking tests and exams in a timely manner
4. Meetings with TAs or with me
The UNM Student Handbook details attendance policies; attendance, as enumerated above, is required
and failure to attend may result in you being dropped from the course.
Please arrive on time and pay attention. Do not annoy others by talking or by using cell phones or
computers or engaging in other disruptive behaviors.
Use of computers or other electronic devices or talking or other disruptive behavior is not allowed in
class. When you go to the movies, you cannot talk or use cell phones. Similarly, you cannot talk with
friends or use cell phones (voice or text) during class. If you are observed talking or if you have a cell
phone out (or any electronic device), you may be asked to leave and you may be dropped from the
course.
Class Participation.
During lectures, I will ask you questions that you will answer by using an iClicker device. You will earn
Participation points for providing iClicker responses. Participation questions and topics often appear in
the text or on quizzes or exams, but these points primarily represent your participation (and learning)
during class lectures. Participation points are worth over 500 points toward your grade, approximately the
equivalent of 10 Chapter Tests.
For fall and spring semesters, lectures for Sec 001 will be streamed live on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays; for Section 002, lectures will be streamed live on Tuesdays and Thursdays (check your class
schedule for times). Lectures from Sections 001 and 002 will also be archived for your later use. See the
above section entitled, Lectures: Face-to-Face and Online, for directions.
Participation points usually will be posted on WebCT "My Grades" two or so school days after
participation was recorded (you must be in class on time and participate in most if not all iClicker
activities if you want to earn the most points). If you believe an error was made in posting your points,
you will have one week after scores were posted to meet with us to discuss the problem. It is your
responsibility to review your scores and to email and make an appointment with us to discuss any
problems.
University and PSY105 policy is that instructors should drop students before 21 days if there is no or
little indication of attendance or progress. Students dropped (or who drop themselves) before this 21-day
deadline receive refunds and no harm is done to their GPAs. In addition, PSY105 instructors, in
accordance with UNM policy, may drop students at any time after 21 days if their attendance (measured
by Participation points and performance on quizzes, chapter tests, and exams) is poor (i.e., C- grade or
below). So, if your quiz and exam performance in the course fall below a C or your Participation points
fall below 70%, you should make an appointment with us to discuss the ways of improving your
performance.
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How to Succeed in Psych 105
Studying by taking low-stakes quizzes is the key to succeeding in PSY105.
When I was an undergraduate, there was an apocryphal story going around about a professor who gave
only one final exam--no other quizzes or tests or assignments at all. The good news was there was only
one exam! The bad news was that there was a lot of pressure to do well on that one and only exam.
In this course, we'll take a different approach. Instead of having one or two exams, where the stakes are
pretty high (that is, when all of your studying comes down to a couple of exams), you'll earn your grade
from your performance on many low-stakes quizzes, tests, and exams. Your grade will be based on how
well you perform on a lot of assessments that, by themselves, aren't worth that many points out of the
total points possible BUT which all add up. That's what we call "low stakes"--there's not a lot at stake on
any one individual assessment; instead, your grade is based on the sum of all of these relatively low-stake
opportunities. And that usually means there's a bit less stress associated with each assessment. Do pretty
well on all of them and you'll do pretty well in Psych 105. Of course, to get a good grade (and to learn
about psychology), you'll need to get good scores on the low-stakes assessments.
Although there is more to psychology than what you'll find in any textbook, the textbook chosen for this
course is contemporary, comprehensive, and interesting. The lectures provide elaboration and expansion
of textbook material. It is important to read the textbook and attend lectures, but hardly anyone is able to
learn this kind and amount of information just by reading the book or listening to lectures. It takes more
than reading and attending lectures to do well in PSY105.
Few of us would expect to be able to play a musical instrument or to excel at a sport or perform brain
surgery just by reading a book and listening to someone tell us about it. Mastering practically anything
takes attention, work, and practice.
Learning is also a skill, and as with other skills, to learn psychology you'll have to pay attention, work at
it, and practice what you’ve learned. Participating in lectures helps you pay attention and allows you to
actively work on learning the material. Memorizing key terms and concepts, taking quizzes, outlining
chapters, and so on requires a lot more effort than simply reading the book (even multiple times!) or
attending lectures. But the potential reward is high: you will learn about psychology, you will better
remember what you've learned, and you will probably do better on exams. A key to success for most
endeavors is practice, and learning psychology is no exception. To do well, you must practice.
Practice does not equal just reading the book over and over--even if you've highlighted all the important
points (although highlighting may help you learn to draw really straight lines). Reading, highlighting,
even listening are essentially passive in nature; reading, underlining, and listening do not require much
effort or commitment from you. It's like watching hang gliders on TV and believing that you'll then be
able to compete in hang gliding competitions because you've spent lots of time watching it on TV. Just as
you shouldn't expect to do well in an athletic event by simply watching others perform, you shouldn't
expect to learn a lot about psychology just by reading or listening. Reading and listening are important,
but not as useful or practical as practice and active learning.
To practice what you've learned means finding ways of actively using the new information. For example,
using flashcards is active because you are either able to recall the term or concept or you are not;
recalling information is an active process. Practice and active learning take more time, effort, and work
than just reading and attending lectures, but virtually anything new we want to acquire and master is
demanding, and learning is no different. The catch with active learning methods is that a lot of us don't
have time to complete all of the organization (e.g., making flash cards) these methods traditionally
require. Happily, we provide you with proven ways of actively learning psychology! In addition to your
participation in lectures, you will learn the material by taking many Mastery and Lecture Quizzes.
You are required to complete two Mastery Quizzes and one Lecture Quiz for each Chapter Test. Each
Chapter Test is based on a fixed number of quiz questions, which are very similar to the questions you’ll
find on the Mastery and Lecture Quizzes. If you take the quizzes multiple times until you get a series of
perfect scores, you will know most of the types of questions on the tests—and, of course, the correct
answers. Each time you take a quiz, WebCT creates a new one drawn from the fixed number of possible
questions for that chapter. The more times you take a quiz, the more likely you will see all of the types of
questions on the Chapter Test. Plus, the more times you take the quizzes, the higher your quiz score, and
the more likely you will get a high score on the Chapter Test. Quizzes are like higher-order flash cards:
Quizzes help you practice and learn the material, with the additional advantage of having already been
prepared for you.
Each Mastery and Lecture Quiz is randomly generated from a pool of questions that are very similar to
(but not identical with) questions found on the tests and exams (the number of questions in a quiz's pool
is indicated in its title in parentheses). By taking the quizzes again and again, you can become
increasingly familiar with possible Chapter Test and Exam questions. Quizzes do more than help you
review, they are instrumental in helping you learn the material in the first place.
A good strategy for studying for the tests and exams is to read a chapter and then keep taking the quizzes
over and over until:
ü You've seen all of the questions in that particular quiz set, and
ü You've gotten perfect or near perfect (maybe you miss one question) scores several times in
a row, and
ü You finish a quiz in 4 or 5 minutes or less.
If you follow this plan, you'll know you have seen and learned most of the test material. (If you keep
coming across questions you don't understand, then you should check back with the textbook.)
As you continue to take a particular quiz over and over (remember, it's really a new quiz each time), you
will find that the amount of time it takes you to complete it decreases from the 15 minutes it might have
taken when you started out. Many students spend only 5 minutes or less on a quiz once they've taken it a
number of times—that’s because they can answer questions correctly that they’ve already seen and
remembered. And as the time required for completion declines, your quiz score should increase. That's
because every time you take a quiz, you learn and remember more and more about the material. So, while
it may seem to take a long time at the beginning--and you may not get many answers correct right away-with practice the time it takes to complete a quiz will decline and your score will get higher and higher. If
you do not experience this progression, you should make an appointment with us to discuss ways of
improving your quiz performance.
If you’ve taken the quizzes many times and you perform well on them (i.e., getting perfect or near perfect
scores in under 5 minutes or so), you should do well on tests and exams. But if you are dissatisfied with
your quiz or test or exam performance, I encourage you to discuss with us the ways available to you for
improving your performance.
Quizzes help you study better than simply reading because reading a question that you
then think about before providing the answer is a more powerful way of learning than
simply reading a statement.
Frequently Asked Questions about Succeeding in PSY105:
1. Do I have to read the textbook at all?
Most students find it useful to read a textbook chapter once before taking its quizzes and to
then spend the remainder of your time studying by taking quizzes. But, if you run into a
question repeatedly that you cannot get correct, it's a good idea to refer back to the text.
Many students find that after reading the chapter once, the best use of their time is to take
the quizzes repeatedly.
2. Do I have to attend lectures?
It's probably a good idea. Most students report that they like various aspects of the
lectures even more than the quizzes (see #10, below). We make the lectures interactive by
including Participation Questions, which count toward your grade. Students who attend
lectures are more likely to do well in the course (better test and exam scores and better
grades) than people who do not attend.
3. How many times do I have to take a particular quiz?
Each time you take a quiz, WebCT randomly generates a new version by drawing from a
set number of questions. Each quiz, therefore, will be different from any other. You should
continue to take a quiz repeatedly until you don't find any new questions—and you have
learned the material. In other words, when you take a quiz multiple times, eventually you
will have seen all of the questions in that set. In addition to taking a quiz repeatedly, you
should be getting perfect or near perfect scores AND you should be able to finish the quiz
several times in 5 minutes or less per quiz (if you know the material, it won’t take much
time to select the correct answers).
4. How can I take a quiz 10 or more times when it takes me sooo looong to complete it the first
time I take it?
As you continue to take the quizzes, you will find that you recognize particular questions
you’ve answered before, and you'll begin remembering the correct answers, so as you get
better and better at knowing and understanding the questions, it will take you less and less
time to complete each quiz.
5. I've taken a quiz several times and it still takes me the full 15 minutes, and even then
sometimes I don't finish! What's going on?
It is not unusual for students to take the quizzes 10 or more times before getting a perfect
or very high score in a short amount of time, so don't get discouraged if it's a bit rough at
the outset. When you take the quizzes, make sure you won't be disturbed so you can
concentrate on reading the questions, deciding on the best answers, and remembering
your answers (or the correct answers) when you look at your results.
6. Should I just memorize the quiz questions and their answers?
Memorizing a quiz question and its answer may sometimes interfere with getting a good
score on the Chapter Test. Test questions are similar but not identical with quiz questions.
If you memorize the questions, and the test question is a little different, it may cause you to
miss it. Instead, as you read the question, think about what it's asking, then choose the best
answer. If you get it correct, pat yourself on the back. If you miss it, read the question
again and concentrate on remembering the correct answer.
7. Why can't I just skip questions that I've already seen and gotten correct?
Don't do that! That would be the worst thing you could do! You'll learn the material best
when you come across a question in a new quiz that you've already answered correctly;
answer it correctly again and it will help you remember the material for the Chapter Test.
It's similar to sinking a basket or making a perfect move or striking just the right chord or
note: you want to do it again, which is what we mean by "practice." Practice pays off
when we're able to repeatedly perform our best.
8. Can I look up the answers while I take a quiz?
You could, but it wouldn't be a very good use of your time (note: Tests and Exams are
closed book). Instead, read the questions, try your best to remember the correct answers,
and then check your answers. WebCT will show you the ones you got correct, as well as
the correct answers to questions you missed. Knowing the correct answer to a question is
very reinforcing; missing a question you know you’ve seen before motivates you to
remember—this time for sure!—the correct answer. Review the questions and their correct
answers, and take the quiz again!
9. Is it useful to print out a quiz and study from that?
Probably not, and besides, WebCT keeps a record of all of your quizzes automatically.
Printing quizzes takes time (and wastes paper); and just reading questions isn't as useful
as answering questions. Although it is essential that you review your quiz questions and
answers after you've completed a quiz, just reading them again won't help you as much as
taking another quiz. The benefits of PSY105 quizzing have all to do with how our minds
record information when we ask ourselves questions (which is what happens when you
take a quiz), but less to do with simply reading. Reading a question that you then think
about before providing the answer is a more powerful way of learning than simply reading
a statement.
10. What do students who've taken the course previously think about quizzes?
At the end of the course, when students are asked, "What was the best use of your time in
getting points?," 86% have responded "Taking quizzes." When asked, "What did you like
most about the course?," 44% liked the quizzes most, 48% liked the lectures and lecturerelated activities most, and 8% liked reading the textbook most.
(return to Quick Index)
Quizzes, Tests, Exams, Participation Points, and Research Credits
Your course grade will be determined as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
28% from Quizzes (850 points)
28% from Chapter Tests (850 points)
20% from Quarterly Exams and the Final Exam (600 points)
19% from Participation (540 points)
5% from Research Credits (160 points)
(return to Quick Index)
Quizzes (850 points total)
Approximately every week and for every Chapter Test, you will complete two Mastery Quizzes
(abbreviated on the WebCT Assessments page as "MasteryQz") and one Lecture and Review Quiz
("LectureRvwQz").
Completing quizzes with perfect or near perfect scores before tests and exams is the best way to study.
You need to get at least 90% of MasteryQzA questions correct (a score of 13.5 points or better) before
you can progress to QuizB; you need to get at least 90% of MasteryQzB questions correct (a score of
13.5 points or better) before you can take the LectureRvwQz. And you need a score of at least 90% (18
points or better) on the LectureRvwQz in order to take a Chapter Test.
These are minimal requirements. Your best strategy is to get 100% correct on all of the quizzes (Quiz A,
Quiz B, and the LectureRvw Quiz) before taking a Chapter Test.
You have a limited amount of time to complete the quizzes and the Chapter Test for a particular book
chapter. You need to complete the quizzes in sequence (A, B, LectureRvw), attaining the necessary
percentage of correct answers, before you can take the Chapter Tests. Check the Course Calendar for
dates and deadlines.
Syllabus Exam. You will not be able to take any Chapter Quizzes or Tests until you have taken the
Syllabus Quizzes and the Syllabus Exam (worth a combined total of 100 points toward your grade).
(return to Quick Index)
Mastery Quizzes
For each Chapter Test, you will complete two Mastery Quizzes (MasteryQzA, MasteryQzB). For each
Mastery Quiz, 20 or so multiple-choice questions are randomly generated from a chapter pool of 100-200
possible questions. You will have 15 minutes to complete each quiz. Each quiz is different. The more you
take the quizzes, the more likely you will see all of the possible exam material. Because each quiz is
different, you should take each quiz 10 – 20 times; by preparing for the Chapter Tests by using the
quizzes, you'll have the best chance of learning the material and doing well on the Chapter Tests.
You need to get at least a score of 10 points on MasteryQzA before you can progress to QuizB (and you'll
need to get at least 12 correct on QuizB before you can take the LectureRvwQz).
Your best strategy, however, is to get 100% correct on all quizzes before taking a Chapter Test AND once
you've gotten 100% correct, to continue taking the quiz several more times. Why? Because you want to
see and remember all of the types of questions—and the answers!--that will appear on the Chapter Test,
Quarterly Exams, and the Final before you actually take them!
You may repeat the Mastery Quizzes as many times as you like from the time the Quiz opens until the its
end date and time (see the WebCT Learning Modules and Assessments Page and the Course Calendar for
deadlines). Only your highest score will be counted toward your grade.
The usefulness of the Quizzes is that they help you study for the Chapter Tests. If you don't complete the
quizzes on time (i.e., before the exams), you will miss out on much of their value.
You should keep taking the quizzes until you receive perfect (or near perfect) scores several times in a
row. However, because almost all material for questions on Chapter Tests comes from Mastery Quizzes
(and Lecture Quizzes), it is to your advantage to continue taking the quizzes even after you receive a
perfect score on any particular quiz. The more Mastery (and Lecture) Quizzes you complete, the more
chances you have of seeing similar questions on the Chapter Tests.
Deadlines for completing Mastery Quizzes (MasteryQz) are posted on the WebCT Assessments page, the
Learning Modules, and on the Course Calendar.
Facts about Mastery Quizzes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
32 sets of Mastery Quizzes are required
20 questions per quiz
15 points per quiz
quizzes are timed (15 minutes per quiz)
unlimited repeats allowed, until the quiz's end date and time
highest score counts
in order to take MasteryQzB, you need get a score of 13.5 or better on MasteryQzA
in order to take the LectureRvwQz, you need get a score of 13.5 or better on MasteryQzB
the more quizzes you take, the better you will do on the Chapter Tests and Exams (if you don't
experience this relationship, you should make an appointment with a TA so you can figure out
how to improve your exam performance)
Lecture & Review Quizzes
For each Chapter Test, you will complete one Lecture and Review Quiz (LectureRvwQz). A Lecture and
Review Quiz will be due approximately every week of the semester.
Lecture & Review Quiz questions stress material from the lectures and the textbook that have a high
probability of being covered on the tests and exams. Your best bet for completing the Lecture & Review
Quizzes in the shortest amount of time is to attend all of the lectures and to complete both Mastery
Quizzes associated with a particular Lecture & Review Quiz.
You need to get at least a score of 13.5 on MasteryQzB before you can take the LectureRvwQz. And in
order to take a Chapter Test, you must have a score of 18 on the LectureRvwQz.
Your best strategy is to get 100% correct on all quizzes before taking a Chapter Test.
Deadlines for completing the LectureRvwQzs are posted on the WebCT Assessments page, the Learning
Modules, and on the Course Calendar.
Facts about Lecture & Review Quizzes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
16 Lecture quizzes Required
20 or so questions per quiz
20 points per quiz
quizzes are timed (20 minutes per quiz)
unlimited repeats allowed, until the quiz's end date and time
highest score counts
in order to take the LectureRvwQz, you need get a score of 13.5 or better on MasteryQzB
in order to take the Chapter Test, you need get a score of 18 or better on the LectureRvwQz
the more quizzes you take, the better you will do on the Chapter Tests (if you don't experience this
relationship, you should make an appointment with a TA so you can figure out how to improve
your exam performance)
Feedback on Quiz Mastery
By using WebCT quizzes, you will receive very rapid feedback on your Quiz performance (the results are
posted almost immediately on WebCT). Most students who get a C or above in this course typically get
perfect or very high scores on the quizzes.
If your work suggests that you will not get at least a C for the class, you may be notified by email to
contact us, we’ll assist you in improving your performance. If you do not respond to the TA's request for
an appointment, you may be dropped from the course. Remember to use your UNM email account when
corresponding with us.
(return to Quick Index)
For Both Mastery and Lecture/Review Quizzes:
If you score below a mastery level of 73% (73% corresponds to a letter grade of C), you may be notified
by email to contact a TA, who will assist you in improving your performance. Remember to use your
UNM email account when corresponding with us.
During the semester, some of your quiz responses will be included in research evaluating the
effectiveness of different modes of presenting information, including comparing online versus traditional
presentations of psychological knowledge. The effectiveness of different modes of presenting
information will be compared in aggregate across groups of students (sections of the course). These
comparisons of how different groups of students perform on specific quizzes after viewing teaching
material in various formats will be done without tracking individual student performance and will not in
any way affect any student's course grade. Your identity and your personal quiz performance will not be
known to the research team.
(return to Quick Index)
Chapter Tests (850 points total)
The 16 Online Chapter Tests cover all of the textbook's chapters plus the Syllabus. There will be a
Chapter Test due approximately every week. Each Chapter Test has 50 questions. You will take the
Chapter Tests online.
Chapter Tests are closed book; you are not allowed to use your textbook or notes or other assistance to
complete the tests.
In order to do well on the Chapter Tests, you will need to complete each of a chapter's three quizzes
(MasteryQzA, MasteryQzB, and LectureRvwQz).
Online Chapter Tests are created from questions randomly selected from questions similar to--but not
identical with--quiz questions. No one will receive the same Chapter Test--each will be different--but
they will all cover similar material.
In order to take a Chapter Test, you must complete all three of its quiz sets with an appropriate score.
Steps to be completed in order to take a Chapter Test:
•
Complete MasteryQzA with a score of 13.5 or better
Note: MasteryQzB will not be available or even visible until you have met this criterion.
•
Complete MasteryQzB with a score of 13.5 or better
Note: the LectureRvwQz will not be available or even visible until you have met this criterion.
•
Complete the LectureRvwQz with a score of 18 or better
Note: the Chapter Test will not be available or even visible until you have met this criterion.
You can then take the Chapter Test
Note: Chapter Tests will not be available or even visible until you have met all of the above
criteria.
•
•
These are minimal requirements. The more quizzes you take, the better you will do on the Chapter
Tests (if you don't experience this relationship, you should make an appointment with a TA so you
can figure out how to improve your exam performance)
Chapter Test Retakes:
If you miss a Chapter Test or if you scored poorly on a Chapter Test, you should take a Chapter Test
Retake. Chapter Test Retakes are worth 90% of the regular Chapter Tests. You must meet the minimum
quiz requirements described above to complete a Retake. We do not offer make-up exams; you should
schedule times for taking regular exams that fit into your schedule.
(return to Quick Index)
Exams (600 points total)
There are five Exams: Four Quarterly Exams and the one Final Exam that are worth 150 points each.
Each Quarterly Exam covers the previously covered four Chapter Tests. The Final Exam is worth 150
points and covers all 15 Chapter Tests. (See the Course Calendar on the WebCT Home Page for dates and
times.) As is the case with Chapter Tests, Quarterly Exams and the Final Exam are given online.
Quarterly Exams 1-4 consist of 80 multiple-choice questions; the Final Exam consists of 160 multiplechoice questions. Exams 1-4 will emphasize material covered in the major sections of the course; the
Final Exam will be cumulative. Questions for the exams are similar to those from the pools of questions
that make up the Mastery and Lecture Quizzes. Occasionally, some of the exam questions are drawn
directly from lectures. So, to do your best on Exams, you should get perfect or near perfect scores on all
of the quizzes and attend lectures.
As with Chapter Tests, you may retake (once) the Quarterly Exams (but not the Final Exam).
If you take all 5 Exams, your lowest Exam score, including your Final Exam score, will be dropped. In
other words, if you miss an Exam or perform poorly on an Exam, I will drop that score. If you are
satisfied with your scores on your first four Quarterly Exams, and with your projected grade, then you
may choose not to take the Final Exam (which will then be dropped). However, as an incentive to take all
5 Exams, if you take all 5 Exams, instead of dropping your lowest score, I will count it as extra credit.
Exam scores will be posted on the WebCT "My Grades" page soon after you have completed the exam. If
you believe an error was made in posting your Exam score (or any score), you will have one week after
scores were posted to meet with a TA to discuss the problem. After one week, Exam scores (or any score)
become permanent. It is your responsibility to review your scores and to make an appointment with a TA
to discuss any problems.
Your approximate letter grade for each of the Exams and Chapter Tests and, in fact, all work in PSY105
is as follows:
PERCENTAGE
CORRECT
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
59 or below
GRADE
A
B
C
D
F
(return to Quick Index)
Participation Points (540 points)
During most lecture days, you will be awarded points for class participation. Participation points count
540 points toward your grade. This is almost equivalent to six Chapter Test scores (300 points) or three
Quarterly Exam scores (300 points). The number of points awarded any given day is variable, but will
total 540 points by the end of the semester. Your best strategy for getting the most Participation points is
to watch every online lecture.
Your instructor may allow some Participation Points to be made up with a documented excuse. Lectures
will be streamed live (see above) and they will also be archived for your later use. To watch videos, click
on the Learning Modules bar (under "Course Tools" on the WebCT Home Page) or click on the icon
labeled "Link to Lecture Videos," and then select the module you're interested in viewing. Or you can
access the lectures, by going to: http://mts.unm.edu/psych_courses.html, entering your NetID and
Password, and then clicking on PSY105. (see detailed instructions above). Your best strategy for earning
the most Participation Points outside of class is to select your answers when completing the Participation
Quizzes while you listen to the lecture (either streamed live or from an archived video). To make up
Participation Points by taking a Participation Report quiz, you must make an appointment with a TA. For
more information, see the Instructions for Participation Reports on the Assessments Page.
Participation Points and Academic Dishonesty. You cannot bring another student's iClicker to class in
order to earn points for your missing friend; your absent friend(s) and you may receive a zero for the
entire semester's Participation points and your friend(s) and you may be dropped from the course.
(return to Quick Index)
Research Credits (160 points)
The Psychology Department requires each student in Psychology 105 to fulfill a research requirement by:
o
o
o
participating as a subject in psychological experiments or by
reading and reporting on published psychological experiments or by completing
some combination of both.
By participating in studies conducted by researchers in the Department of Psychology and by reading
psychological journal articles, you can gain firsthand experience in how psychological research can be
conducted and how it is written up for publication.
Each research credit is worth 40 points toward your total course grade. You can earn your four required
research credits by participating in four hours of experiments or by reporting on four psychological
journal articles or by some combination of the two.
As a bonus for completing your research credits, you can receive an additional fifth extra-credit worth 40
points. If you complete your credits by being in 4 Experiments or by successfully completing 4 Research
Reports, you will automatically receive a fifth credit (worth 40 points). In other words, attend all of your
appointments for Experiments without missing an appointment or successfully complete 4 Research
Reports or some combination of the two, earn 4 required research credits, and you'll receive a fifth credit
as a bonus. If you miss an appointment for an Experiment you can still earn an extra-credit fifth credit,
but you'll need to makeup an experiment (or complete another one) or write an additional Research
Report (if you only received credit for 3).
See the Video Tips movie "Research Reports," to learn how to complete these credits and read the
information from the Psychology Department, located on the WebCT Home Page under "Research
Credits."
(return to Quick Index)
How Do I Determine My Course Grade?
Your can earn a total of 3000 points for the course according to the following distribution:
Source
Points
Quizzes
850
Tests
850
Quarterly & Final Exams
600
Participation
540
Research Credits
160
TOTAL
3000
Running cumulated points grouped by Chapter Tests and Quarterly (Qtr) Exams:
Total
Points
The
Syllabus
Ch01
Ch02
Ch03
Ch04
Quizzes
850
50
100
150
200
ChapTests
850
50
100
150
200
QtrExams/Final
600
Participation
540
Research Credits
160
RUNNING
POINTS
Qtr
Exam
01
Ch05
Ch06
Ch07
Ch08
250
300
350
400
450
250
300
350
400
450
150
150
150
150
230
270
311
338
150
41
81
122
162
189
Qtr
Exam
02
300
Running Totals
3000
141
281
422
562
689
839
980
1120
1261
1388
1538
RUNNING
POINTS
Ch09
Pt 1
Ch09
Pt 2
Ch10
Ch11
Qtr
Exam
03
Ch12
Ch13
Ch14
Ch15
Qtr
Exam
04
Final
Total
Points
Quizzes
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
850
ChapTests
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
850
QtrExams/Final
300
300
300
300
450
450
450
450
Participation
365
500
527
554
392
419
450
446
473
600
750*
600
540
160
Research Credits
Running Totals
1665
1792
1919
2046
2196
2323
2450
2577
2704
2854
3000
*Your lowest Quarterly or Final Exam score will be dropped; so, the total possible points for Exams is 600 (not 750).
Course Grades, based on the above total cumulative points, will be determined as follows:
POINTS GRADE POINTS
GRADE
POINTS
GRADE
POINTS
GRADE
2910-3000
A+
2610-2699
B+
2310-2399
C+
2010-2099
D+
2790-2909
A
2490-2609
B
2190-2309
C
1890-2009
D
2700-2789
A2400-2489
B2100-2189
C1800-1889
D-1799
F
We want you to succeed in PSY 105, and we are available to help you attain that goal. But if your quiz
and exam performance in the course fall below a C or your attendance and participation fall below 70%,
you may be dropped from the course unless you make an appointment with a TA or with me to discuss
the reason(s) for your poor performance. We will be ready to work with you to improve your
performance, but you must contact and meet with us so we can help.
Grade or Score Discrepancies.
If you believe there is a problem with your grade or score for any item posted on WebCT's "My Grades"
page, you should contact a TA within one week of when the assignment or test was posted on My Grades.
It is your responsibility to regularly check your My Grades page on WebCT to ensure your points are
posted and to contact a TA or me if you have any questions or concerns. Check you grades often and let
us know when something looks wrong or you don't understand your score.
Withdrawing (Dropping)
Sometimes things don't work out or don't go according to plan. The University and I recognize that
students may need to withdraw or drop a course for various reasons. Here are your alternatives:
1. You have 3 weeks from the beginning of the semester to drop a course on your own; your GPA
will not be affected, no grade will appear on your transcript, and you should receive a refund
(check with the Registrars Office for details). No
2. After 3 weeks, you may drop a course on your own or your instructor may drop you for
cause. Your GPA will not be affected but the W will become a permanent part of your transcript.
Check with the Registrars Office regarding refunds after 3 weeks.
You can find additional information on Grades, Withdrawing, and other subjects by using UNM's Fast
Info, which you can access on the WebCT sign-in page.
(return to Quick Index)
Extra Credit Opportunities
I understand that sometimes iClickers get forgotten or do not work or you cannot attend class or you miss
an exam for some reason that cannot be excused or you fail to fill out the your exam answer sheet
correctly. Or maybe you just didn't have the time to study for a particular test or exam. For these and
other reasons, I will provide you with many extra credit opportunities to make up for occasions when you
cannot otherwise earn points.
For example, each Chapter Test counts 50 points toward your Total Point Score but each Chapter Test
also contains an additional 12 or so extra-credit points. In total, the Chapter Tests all together contain 200
extra-credit points, a number almost equivalent to two Quarterly Exams (200 points).
There are additional extra-credit opportunities, as well (e.g., the Pretest and Pych Department
Comprehensive Exams, the XC Diaries, TA Office Hours Assessments, the bonus points for Research
Credits), which will be announced from time to time.
I know it is alarming to miss points because you forgot a deadline or for some other reason. That's why I
provide you with a number of ways to earn extra credit: in part, these extra-credit opportunities allow you
to make up missed requirements.
(return to Quick Index)
Office Hours
Days and Times for Office Hours are posted near the top of the Syllabus (TA Office Hour Schedule). In
some cases, office hours are only by appointment. Everyone is encouraged to contact us. And if your
performance in the class is not satisfactory we may contact you.
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Make-up Work
PSY105 is structured in such a way that make-up work is usually unnecessary. But in extraordinary
circumstances (e.g., a medical emergency) you should contact us to see if you might be able to make up
some kinds of work (Participation Points). Otherwise, if you’re going to be gone, you should discuss with
us how you can work ahead in order to avoid missing points.
(return to Quick Index)
Academic Dishonesty and Class Conduct
As members of the university community, you are expected to adhere to general UNM rules and
principles, as well as to specific PSY105 rules. For example, cheating on quizzes, tests, exams,
plagiarism, disruptive or discourteous behavior in class on by email (e.g., coming late or leaving early,
talking during lectures, surfing the internet, reading a newspaper, rude email communications) or
dishonorable conduct (e.g., failing to follow or arguing with instructor or TA directions or requests or
harassment) in this course will not be tolerated. If such acts occur, consequences may include a zero
score, being dropped from the course or being dropped with a WF, and may include other actions, as
well.
When you attend lectures, please arrange your schedule so you will be at class on time and will not have
to leave early. Arriving late or leaving early is discourteous and disruptive.
During iClicker use, talking is sometimes allowed, but talking at other times is very much discouraged
because it is discourteous and disruptive.
Arriving late for lectures, leaving early, talking during lectures, failure to follow directions given you by
instructors or TAs, or other discourteous or disruptive behavior may result in your being dropped from
the course or being dropped with a WF.
You cannot bring another student's iClicker to class; such action is a clear case of cheating. Your absent
friend(s) and you may receive a zero for the entire semester's Participation points and your friend(s) and
you may be dropped from the course or dropped with a WF.
Work on quizzes, tests, exams, and participation must be yours alone. Plagiarism or collaboration with
others will result in a zero for that assessment and possible additional penalties, which may include being
dropped from the course or dropped with a WF.
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Students with Disabilities
If you meet the criteria set forth in the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), you may have special
needs that the UNM Accessibility Resource Center may be able to help you with. To learn more, please
contact the Accessibility Resource Center (277-3506) in Mesa Vista Hall (Room 2021) for additional
information or visit them http://as2.unm.edu/.
(return to Quick Index)
Course Calendar (Assignments & Exam Dates)
Lecture Topics, Quiz Due Dates and Dates of Exams
See Course Calendar icon on WebCT Homepage
(return to Quick Index)