General Psychology (PSY101)
Spring 2008
MWF 1:00-1:50, Fine Arts (G6) room 153
INSTRUCTOR
Name: Dr. Shapiro
Office: Liberal Arts (G1) room 389
Phone: 910-6907
email: ashapiro@umassd.edu
Office Hours:
M & F, 9:45-10:45
W, 8:45-10:45
or by appointment
Homepage:
http://www.faculty.umassd.edu/amy.shapiro/
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Name: Jacqueline Durant
TA Office Hours: M-Tu-Ths 2-4
TA Office: Liberal Arts 391
TA Email: twinmom17@aol.com
Required Materials:
1. Hockenbury and Hockenbury. Discovering Psychology, 4th edition. New York, NY: Worth
Publishers.
2. iClicker wireless response device (do not purchase another brand).
Date
January
Topic/Test
Text Chapter
28 Introduction to the Course: The Science of Psychology
30 Biology & Behavior
2
February
1, 4
6, 8 Sensation & Perception
3
11, 13, 15 States of Consciousness
4
19 Learning & Behaviorism
5
20
TEST 1 (chapters 2-4)
22, 25 Learning & Behaviorism (continued)
5
27, 29 Memory
6
March
3
5, 7, 10, 12 Development
9, infant and child
sections only
14
TEST 2 (chapters 5, 6 & 9)
24, 26, 28, 31 Personality
10
April
2, 4, 7, 9 Psychological Disorders
13
11
TEST 3 (chapters 10&13)
14, 16, 18, 21 Therapy
14
23, 25, 28, 30 Social Psychology
11
May
2, 5, 7, 9 Stress and Health
12
12
TEST 4 (Chapters 11, 12 & 14)
General Psychology (PSY101), Spring 2008
Course Policy, Procedures, Requirements and Grades
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS
No exceptions to the policy explained in this document will be made.
Any student who is unable to meet his/her responsibilities in this class
or is uncomfortable with the policy is encouraged to drop the course
through add/drop by February 1 or through a withdrawal by April
11. BY REMAINING ENROLLED IN THIS CLASS, STUDENTS
ARE AGREEING TO THE TEST AND GRADING POLICY
STATED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
This document contains information about:
1. Course requirements and policies
2. iClicker Questions, Tests and Final Grades
3. How to Register Your iClicker
4. Study Guides, Tutoring, Office Hours and Help
5. The experiment participation requirement
6. Expectations for in-class behavior
7. Academic honesty
8. Your responsibilities in this class
9. Study tips
1. Course Requirements and Policies
Final grades in this course will be based on 4 tests and the iClicker comprehension questions
given in class each day. Two credit-hours of experiment participation is also required. Experiment
participation is not formally graded but failure to complete this requirement will result in a grade of I
(incomplete) for the course, which can be made up by participating in the next semester. There is no
cumulative final exam in this class. Course averages will be calculated from the tests and iClicker
questions. Students are required come to class every day with their iClicker. Any missed iClicker
question, regardless of the reason, will be registered as a 0. Absolutely no make-ups will be given for
the iClicker questions and no exceptions to this policy will be made, even with a doctor’s note or other
documentation. Attendance is a requirement in this class.
Any missed test, regardless of the reason for the student’s absence, will be registered as a 0.
Bring a sharpened pencil, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener to all tests. Be sure to look over the syllabus
and note the test dates. Inform your family not to schedule trips that will prevent you from taking tests.
Do not schedule trips, work, or doctor appointments on these days. Absolutely no make-ups will be
given for the tests and no exceptions to this policy will be made unless 2 or more tests are missed
and ALL are documented by a medical doctor, court or relative’s death certificate. In other words,
if a student fails to take a test for a non-medical/legal reason and misses another test for a medical/courtrelated reason, no make-up tests will be offered for either test. If documentation is provided, all but 1
test can be made up. One missed test will be dropped as the lowest grade. It is your responsibility to
come to every test in case you have car trouble, are ill, are in court, etc. on the date of a later test. If a
student lies to me about the reason for one or more missed tests or presents me with falsified
documentation for one or more missed tests, ALL missed test grades will be entered into the final
grade calculation as 0’s and the next highest grade will be dropped as the lowest grade.
Any student who arrives late will not be granted additional time to finish a test or exam and will
be graded on the amount of work completed during the scheduled test period. Any student who leaves a
-2-
test will be graded on the work completed prior to exiting the room. He or she may not return to finish
the test. If a student misses an iClicker question due to a late arrival or early departure from class, no
make-up will be offered.
2. iClicker Questions, Tests and Final Grades
Each test is worth 100 points and the iClicker percent correct is calculated into the final grade as
a proportion correct out of 50 (in other words, it’s equal to half a test grade or 50 points). The lowest
test grade will be dropped so only the three highest test grades will be used in your final grade
calculation.
Each iClicker question is worth 1 point and the cumulative iClicker score will be converted to a
proportion correct out of 50 at the end of the semester. The number of iClicker questions given over the
semester is at the discretion of your professor, but there should be a minimum of 1 question each class.
The scheduled tests are not cumulative; each will address only the material covered since the previous
test. Each test will contain 50 multiple choice questions. The tests will cover the lectures and the text.
The study guide and companion website come free with your textbook. I strongly encourage you to use
at least one of these. It will help you to know which topics you understand and which you don't.
I do not scale or curve grades. This is my way of assuring that you are not in competition with
one another. It is to your benefit, then, to help one another and study together. To be sure my tests are
fair, I do an item analysis after each test to be sure that there were no "bad" questions. A bad question is
one that less than 25% of the class was able to answer correctly. If a question is bad, everyone in the
class has its point value added to their test grade, even those who correctly answered it. This is my way
of assuring that you are not penalized by an unfair test item.
Final grades will be calculated by:
(1) dropping the lowest test score
(2) converting the iClicker points to a mean score out of 50 points
(3) adding the iClicker score to the 3 remaining test scores
(4) dividing by 350.
Here are 3 examples of how grades are calculated:
Example 1: If there are 60 iClicker questions during the semester, a student who earns 30 iClicker
points and TAKES ALL THE TESTS, scoring 90, 82, 88 and 85, will have a class average of 82.3,
which is a B-. It is calculated as follows:
(1) The low test score of 82 is dropped.
(2) The iClicker score is (30/60) x 50 = 25
(3) The mean score is: 90+88+85+25 =288
(4) 288  350 = .822 = B- (82.3%)
Example 2: If there are 70 iClicker questions during the semester, a student who MISSES 1 TEST,
scores 84, 86 and 88 on the other tests, and earns 68 iClicker points will have a class average of 87.5,
which is a B+. It is calculated as follows:
(1) The low score of 0 for the missed test is dropped.
(2) The iClicker score is (68/70) x 50 = 48.5
(3) 84+86+88+48.5 =306.5
(4) 306.5  350 = .875 = B+ (87.5%)
Example 3: If there are 70 iClicker questions during the semester, a student who MISSES 2 TESTS,
scores 84 and 86 on the other 2 tests, and earns 50 iClicker points will have a class average of 68.7,
which is an F. It is calculated as follows:
-3-
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
The low score of 0 for 1 of the missed tests is dropped.
The iClicker score is (50/70) x 50 = 35.7
0+84+86+35.7 =205.7
205.7  350 = .587 = F (58.7%)
Final grades will be awarded as follows:
MEAN
100-96.5
96.4-92.5
92.4-89.5
89.4-86.5
86.4-82.5
82.4-79.5
79.4-76.5
FINAL GRADE
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
MEAN
76.4-72.5
72.4-69.5
69.4-66.5
66.4-62.5
62.4-59.5
59.4-0
FINAL GRADE
C
CD+
D
DF
3. How to Register Your iClicker
 Before class on January 30, go to www.iclicker.com/registration
 Enter in the information asked for in each box. Be sure you have no typos! Most
importantly, be sure to enter your student ID# accurately and completely with all the 0’s.
There should be 8 digits (e.g., 00012345).
 After entering your first name, last name, student ID# and iClicker ID (serial) number you
will be asked to type in a verification number/word printed on the page. This is a security
measure. After entering that click the “Enter” button.
 Bring your iClicker to class on January 30 (and every day thereafter). You will be asked to
use the iClicker to answer a registration question. After that is done, you will be able to use
the iClicker to answer questions in class for credit toward your final grade.
4. Study Guides, Tutoring, Office Hours and Help
I believe there are some used copies of the text in the book store. The publisher has packaged
new copies with a study guide at no additional cost. The study guide has chapter summaries and a
number of practice tests to help you study. The CD/website has a number of activities that will help you
study. The CD may be used alone or you may log in to the web site listed in your book.
Please take full advantage of office hours and come see me or your teaching assistant (TA) if you
have any problems, concerns, comments, or questions concerning the class. Your TA’s hours will be
announced in class. Anyone receiving a grade lower than "C" on any test should come see me or the TA
as soon as possible. If office hours are inconvenient, you may make an appointment or reach me
through email. My office hours, email address, etc. are provided on the syllabus. There are also tutors
in the Writing and Reading Center on the second floor of the Group I building available at no cost to
you. All of us are here to help you to get the most out of the material and the semester. The course is
certain to be challenging and we are here to help make it enriching, as well.
5. Experiment Participation Requirement
All members of this class are required to participate in 2 credit-hours of psychology experiments
during the semester. Anyone who has not fulfilled this requirement will receive a grade of I
(incomplete) for the course until the requirement is met. Although an incomplete can be made up
through participation the following semester, I strongly encourage you to complete this portion of the
course in a timely manner. An Incomplete in this course may jeopardize your student loan,
-4-
scholarship or financial aid. It is YOUR responsibility to be sure you complete the subject pool
requirement and meet your financial obligations. No exceptions to this policy will be made, even if
you are in danger of losing your aid or scholarship. Details about participation and how to meet the
requirements are provided on a separate sheet, which you received with this one. An electronic copy is
also available on Dr. Shapiro’s website. You can see what experiments are available and sign up for
experiments on the subject pool web site: https://psyresearchpool.umassd.edu/
6. Expectations for In-Class Behavior
Because of the class size, students are easily distracted by extraneous noise, movement, etc. The
class conduct policy has been created to facilitate everyone’s ability to hear and focus on the material.
Failing to observe these rules is disrespectful of your classmates and the professor. So please be a “good
citizen” and adhere to the following rules:
 Do not hold conversations during class.
 Turn off cell phones and beepers before class. Anyone whose communication device sounds off
during class will be asked to leave.
 If you are more than 5 minutes late for class, do not come.
 Do not leave class early. If you can’t stay for the entire 50 minutes, do not come.
 Do not leave class and then come back. Be sure to eat, go potty, get tissues, make phone calls,
etc. before class.
Anyone in violation of these expectations will be asked to leave the classroom.
7. Academic Honesty
Students are expected to adhere to the University policy on academic honesty, which you will
find in the course catalog and on the University website. Anyone caught cheating (e.g., using notes,
looking at another’s test, using an electronic device, etc.) will be failed in this course and brought up on
University charges, even if the process jeopardizes graduation. If I find a student holding or in
possession of more than 1 iClicker, I will assume the student is entering responses on behalf of a
classmate. All iClickers in the suspected student’s possession will be confiscated to record the serial
numbers and identify the students involved. The owners all the implicated iClickers will have all of
their iClicker points erased for the semester and will have a score of 0 iClicker points entered into their
final grade calculation. Although class members are encouraged to study together, everyone is expected
to work alone on test days. The only allowed tools during tests are your brain, pencils, and an eraser. If
a student lies to me about the reason for one or more missed tests or presents me with falsified
documentation for one or more missed tests, ALL missed test grades will be entered into the final
grade calculation as 0’s and the next highest grade will be dropped as the lowest grade
8. Personal Responsibility
By enrolling and remaining in this class after add-drop period, you have agreed to the course
policy stated in this document and explained on the first day of class. You are being given ample
opportunity to succeed through a dropped test grade, the offer of tutoring, and item analyses for each
test. For your part, you are expected to be responsible for your behavior and success in this class by
studying, coming prepared to all classes and tests, living up to the University’s academic honesty policy,
and being respectful of all class members. Please feel free to contact your professor or teaching assistant
if you have any questions or concerns. However, please check this document first, as it answers most
policy/grading questions.
-5-
9. Study Tips
A. There is s difference between understanding the material and KNOWING the material. You
must know the material to do well on the tests, so you must spend time creating robust memories
for the information covered in class and the text. To do so, I suggest that you vary the conditions
of practice. In other words, don’t study by doing just one activity. Try doing all of the following
before each test:
(a) Every day after class, rewrite your notes in full sentences and organize the information
appropriately. Doing so will revel points of confusion to you. Clarify these with the book or
by asking questions in class or outside of class.
(b) Create detailed flashcards and use them to memorize information.
(c) Explain course information out loud, in your own words, to your room mate, parent, or bed
post. Until you can explain it accurately and clearly, you don’t really know it.
(d) Try to integrate what you're studying with what you already know. Relate course material to
your own personal experiences.
(e) Use the study guide. Study using the tips listed above then take one practice test. Note the
questions you got wrong and go back to re-study that material in the book and your notes.
Repeat the process until you run out of practice tests.
(f) Use the student activities website/CD to engage yourself with the materials.
B. When you take the tests, cover the possible choices and just read the question. Be sure you
understand exactly what the question is asking for. Imagine your flash cards that are relevant to
the question. Try to come up with the answer on your own. If the answer you choose is one of
the choices, it is likely to be the right one. If not, consider each choice within the context of your
interpretation of the question and what you know about the topic.
C. Get into the habit of actively studying each day. Studying 1 hour a day for 8 days is MUCH
more effective than studying 8 hours the day before a test.
D. Choose a quiet, non-distracting place to study. However, try to vary where you study rather than
always being in the same place.
E. Occasionally, study with a friend. Quiz each other, compare notes and discuss discrepancies.
F. When you feel yourself losing focus, switch the type of task you are working on, the subject that
you are studying, or the environment that you are in. Take a break.
G. Study just before going to sleep.
H. Get enough sleep each night. Talk and laugh with friends over a meal each day. Have a little
fun on the weekends. Get some aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week.
-6-