Sacramento City College
Spring 2013 Semester
Psychology 300 – General Principles, (3 units)
Class Days and Times: ONLINE
Instructor: M. Regalado, Ph.D.
Office: Main Campus, Rodda South 285
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 12:00-12:50; Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30-10:20
Phone: (916) 650-2734
Email: regalam@scc.losrios.edu
Required Text:
Mastering the World of Psychology, Fourth Edition
by Wood
Published by Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
ISBN # 978-0-205-00331-0
Prerequisite: None
Advisory: Eligibility for ENGRD 110, ENGWR 100, and/or LIBR 318
General Education: AA/AS Area B2.
Course Transferable to UC/CSU
Hours: 54 hours LEC
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the scientific study of human behavior.
Students will be introduced to foundation principles and current trends in the field of
psychology. Concepts that are explored include methods of psychological inquiry, the biological
basis of behavior, sensation, perception, states of consciousness, learning, memory, cognition,
motivation, emotion, stress and health, personality, developmental psychology, psychological
disorders, psychotherapy, and social psychology. This course is designed for psychology majors,
behavioral and social science majors, and other students who desire a broad overview of the
field.
Online Course Components: The Desire2Learn online learning management system will be
used throughout this course. All students must have access to a computer that supports this
system. The computers at the learning center will support this system. Instructions regarding
the use of Desire2Learn will be given during class at the beginning of the session.
Contacting Your Professor: In addition to meeting with me during my office hours, you may
also contact me through email.
Email Messages: All email messages must have the words “Psyc 300”, “ONLINE,” and your
first and last names as the SUBJECT line. Failure to write “Psyc 300”, “ONLINE,” and
your first and last names as the SUBJECT line of your email message may result in your
message not being read as you cannot be identified by your email address only.
Learning Outcomes and Objectives:
1. Utilize critical thinking strategies to differentiate between scientifically derived
knowledge and popular beliefs about psychological topics.
2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the various psychological research methods and
their applications.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the various subject areas of psychology.
4. Evaluate the various theoretical and research perspectives in psychology.
5. Examine applications of psychological concepts, theories, and research findings to
personal, interpersonal, occupational, and social/community contexts.
6. Utilize the basic elements of APA style in writing papers and citing references.
7. Examine the role that culture and diversity plays in the various aspects of human
behavior.
8. Evaluate the relative influences of biological and environmental factors on behavior and
mental processes.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Class Attendance and Participation: According to Sacramento City College attendance
policy, “Students are expected to attend all sessions of classes in which they are enrolled.
Excessive absence may result in the student being dropped from class by the instructor.
Excessive absences are defined as 6% of the total hours of class time.” For this online
course, excessive absence means 2 missed discussion forums or one missed face-to-face
orientation or exam session. Students with two missed discussion forums or one
missed face-to-face orientation or exam session before the “Drop” deadline will be
dropped from the course. Attendance at the final exam session and discussion
forums after the “Drop” deadline are worth twice the amount of points as before the
“Drop” deadline. Missed discussions after the “Drop” deadline or missing the final
exam therefore result in a loss of 40 points per missed discussion and 40 points for
the final exam.
Participation in the discussion forums is critical as we will be moving very rapidly
through the course material. Participation in discussion forums is required and the
participation of each student in each discussion forum will be recorded. Students who do
not participate in a discussion forum will be marked as absent.
Students are required to participate in the mandatory orientation, class activities,
face-to-face midterm, and face-to-face final exam sessions. Any student who does
not fully participate in the mandatory orientation or the face-to-face midterm
session will be dropped from the course. Full participation includes attending the
entire orientation or exam session—any student who leaves early or arrives late for
the orientation will be marked as absent and dropped from the course.
Any student who does not fully participate in the class activities or the face-to-face
final exam session will be marked as absent. Class activities include any written
work assigned during the course. Class activities also include semester projects and
papers that are assigned. The absence will be counted when the deadline for turning
in the written assignment, project, or paper arrives. Full participation also includes
completing the weekly online quizzes by the deadline for each quiz. Quizzes not
completed by the assigned deadlines will be counted as one absence for every quiz
not completed by the deadline assigned for it. The absence will be counted when the
deadline for completing the quiz arrives.
Students are responsible for enrollment and voluntary withdrawal from the course.
The deadline to drop classes for this course is April 21.
2. Online Discussion Forums: There are 14 weekly online discussion forums. Each
discussion is based on a chapter in the course textbook. Each discussion will open at 6:00
AM on Monday and the deadline for your posting is 11:59 PM the following Sunday.
Each of your discussion postings must be supported with material from the assigned
chapter and must be a full 10 lines long in the posting area of the discussion forum in
order to receive the full amount of points possible (20 points) for your contribution
to each discussion.
3. Quizzes: There are 11 quizzes based on the assigned chapters. The quizzes consist of
questions formatted in a variety of ways and will be administered via the D2L online
learning management system during the scheduled time frames.
4. Midterm Examination: There is one midterm examination based on assigned
readings, lectures, class discussions, and other course materials. The examination consists
of questions formatted in a variety of ways and will be administered in the classroom at
the scheduled time and date.
5. Final Examination: There is a final examination based on assigned readings, lectures,
class discussions, and other course materials. The final exam consists of questions
formatted in a variety of ways and will be administered in the classroom at the
scheduled time and date.
6. Service Learning Project: A service learning project will be assigned. The project will
include volunteer community service and a reflection/analysis journal. The project is
worth 300 points toward the course grade. Instructions for completing this assignment
will be given at the beginning of the semester. This assignment will be due in the
Dropbox in D2L on April 1st.
7. Course Grade: The course grade is based on 1360 points: 1 midterm examination (200
points); 14 discussion forums (20 points per forum before the Drop deadline x 12 = 240
points; 40 points per forum after the Drop deadline x 3 = 120 points); 11 quizzes (varying
points = 300 points); the final exam (200 points); and the service learning project (300
points). The percentage of the total points will be the course grade: 90%-100% = A, 80%89% = B, 70%-79% = C, 60%-69% = D, and 59% or less = F.
8. Make-up Exams: The midterm exam may be made up when the instructor is personally
notified before the exam and an alternate time and date is set. Students must provide
verifiable, written documentation regarding the reason for missing the midterm in
order to make up the exam. Due to time constraints, the final exam cannot be made up.
9. Classroom Etiquette: Students are expected to communicate with courtesy and in
consideration of others who are taking the course. This requirement particularly applies
to any communication during the discussion forums as well as any other online class
activities and face-to-face sessions. Students are expected to remain for the entire face-toface class sessions. Appointments and other obligations should be made at a time other
than the scheduled orientation and face-to-face exam class sessions. Food may not be
brought to face-to-face class sessions. Children, pets, and activated cell phones, laptop
computers or other technology may not be brought to face-to-face class sessions under
any circumstance. Any behavior that is disruptive to the learning environment of the
online classroom will not be tolerated under ANY circumstance and will be subject
to the Los Rios Community College District Standards of Conduct R-2441.
Disruptive behaviors include inappropriate language during face-to-face sessions and
during all types of online communication.
Academic Honesty: It is a violation of Sacramento City College policy to plagiarize, to recycle
work, or to cheat or attempt to cheat on exams.
Examples of academic dishonesty include taking others’ thoughts or words without using
quotation marks; submitting work that has been written or revised in part or in whole by another
person; submitting work that you have submitted for another class; cheating or attempting to
cheat on a quiz or exam.
Cutting and pasting from other resources such as the internet or journal articles is considered
plagiarism.
Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of dishonest conduct will result in disciplinary actions
according to Sacramento City College policy.
Please see the web link “Understanding Plagiarism” made available on the college website under
Helpful Websites for more information on plagiarism.
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs: Students who have special needs (e.g.,
students who need additional time to complete exams due to a language barrier or learning
disability) should identify themselves at the Disability Resource Center before the semester
begins in order for appropriate arrangements to be made. Please contact:
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
Phone: (916) 558-2087
Learning Resources Division
Phone: (916) 558-2253
If you have already identified yourself as a student with special needs at the DRC, please bring
verification of the DRC specialist’s recommendation for accommodating your needs.
Incomplete Grades: Based on the Sacramento City College Catalog, an “incomplete grade (I)
may be assigned by the instructor when, in the judgment of the instructor, the student is unable to
complete the requirements of a course before the end of the semester because of unforeseeable
emergency or other justifiable reasons.” Furthermore, at least 70% of the course work must be
completed for an incomplete to be granted. No exceptions will be made.
If you are experiencing difficulty with any of the course requirements, please do not hesitate to
contact me as soon as possible. The sooner you contact me, the sooner we can work together to
help you work through any difficulties.
Promoting a Positive Learning Environment: Finally, creating a positive learning experience
is the responsibility of both the instructor and the students. This involves respect for the learning
environment by adhering to the course requirements and avoiding any behaviors that will
interfere with your own learning and with the learning of others. Following these guidelines will
help to ensure a positive and memorable learning experience.
ASSIGNED TEXTBOOK READINGS
Psychology 300
(Online)
DATE
1/22
1/22
2/4
2/11
2/18
2/25
3/4
3/19
3/25-3/29
4/1
4/1
4/8
4/15
4/22
4/29
5/21
CHAPTER
TOPIC
MANDATORY ORIENTATION
12:00–1:20 PM, Room Lillard Hall 101
1
2
3
4
5
6
Introduction to Psychology
Biology and Behavior
Sensation and Perception
States of Consciousness
Learning
Memory
MIDTERM (CHAPTERS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6)
12:00–1:20 PM, Room Lillard Hall 101
Spring Recess
Service Learning Project is Due in D2L Dropbox by 11:59 PM
8
9
11
12
14
Human Development
Motivation and Emotion
Personality Theory and Assessment
Psychological Disorders
Social Psychology
FINAL EXAM (CHAPTERS 8, 9, 11, 12, and 14)
12:30–1:50 PM, Room Lillard Hall 101
***NOTE: THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ANY COURSE
REQUIREMENT OR PROCEDURE. STUDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY
CHANGES.