Syllabus - PSYC 2301 – Second 8 Weeks Online Course
Fall, 2011
Raquel Henry, Ph.D.
Office: LRC 214a
Phone: 281.312.1611
Office hours: M: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM; T: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM; W: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM; TH:
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM or other dates and times by appointment, please email at
rhenry@lonestar.edu
Course Information:
Course Title:
General Psychology
Course number:
PSYC 2301 Section: 2021 (Reg.#6122), 8 week course
Course discipline: Psychology
Course
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: An introductory course dealing with the
description:
elementary principles of human behavior. Designed especially for those
students majoring in the social or biological sciences, pre-medicine or
education.
Course dates:
Monday, October 24, 2011 to Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 12:00
Noon. Class will be shut down at 12:00 Noon on 12/13/11. NO
EXCEPTIONS.
Prerequisite:
Take the online Angel orientation if this is your first Angel course.
Textbooks:
Required reading: Exploring Psychology (In Modules) by David G. Myers; 8th edition (2010)
Worth Publishers. ISBN-13(Paperback): 978-1-4292-1636-4
Required reading: Study Guide by Richard O. Straub;8th edition (2010) Worth Publishers.
(Paperback) ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-3200-5
Purchase:
Kingwood Campus Bookstore, located in the SFA Bldg.
Course Requirements:
Introduction:
TESTING: This is an online course. There are six sections. For each section
you will read the corresponding modules in the text. You will also work in the
corresponding chapters in the workbook. When you feel you are prepared, you
may take the online test. You may take the test 2 times and the highest grade
will count. You do not have to take the test twice, it is up to you. The second
test will be over the same material but it will be a different test. Note that
although you can go at your own pace, there are limits. You may take the tests
as early as you would like but there is an end date for each test. Please look
under the "Sections" part of this syllabus to see when you have to complete
each test. You may go as fast as you like, getting ahead, but you must take
each test by a certain date. Please note that although the test will be over the
same material it will not be the same test. The questions will be different.
Everyone gets different test questions so no two tests are alike. Please note
Requirements:
that you have 30 minutes to take each test. DO NOT GO OVER THE TIME
ALLOTTED as you will not get credit for that test if you do. I am strict about
the 30 minute limit. There is also a paper due. You may go as rapidly as you
would like but everything must be in and graded by December 13, 2011 at
12:00 Noon. I do not give "I"s (In completes). I will drop students who do
not take test 1. You also need to post on the discussion boards, failure to do
so will result in your paper not being graded and receiving a 0 for that
assignment.
There will be six (6) content tests and a written assignment. The 6 tests and
the paper will be averaged to give you the course grade. They all have the
same weight.
Please see the section on "WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT FOR PSYC 2301
ANGEL" below for the requirements of the paper. The paper is due NO
LATER than Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:00 Noon. Papers will
not be accepted after that time and WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO
(0). You may turn papers in early. All papers must be sent in as an attachment
through the email section of this class, which can be accessed using the
"Course Menu" on the left side of your screen, papers sent any other way will
not be accepted. I will then grade the papers and send them back to you in the
same manner.
Lone Star College System (LSCS) is committed to maintaining the safety of
the students, faculty, staff, and guests while visiting any of our campuses. See
http://www.lonestar.edu/oem for details. Register at
http://www.lonestar.edu/12803.htm to receive emergency notifications. In the
event of an emergency contact LSCS Police at (281) 290-5911 or X5911.
Grade Policy:
Sections:
Topics
Grades will be assigned in accordance with Lone Star grading policy which is
stated in the Lone Star Catalog and below:
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
D: 60-69
F: 59 and lower
Section 1:
Intro. to the History and Science of Psychology (Module.1)
Research Strategies (Module. 2)
Test 1 Over Section 1 must be taken by Sunday, October 30 at
9:00 PM
Section 2:
Behavior Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology (Mod.8)
Environmental Influences on Behavior (Mod.9)
Test 2 Over Section 2 must be taken by Monday, November 7 at 12:00 Noon
Section 3:
Classical Conditioning (Mod. 17)
Operant Conditioning (Mod. 18)
Learning by Observation (Mod. 19)
Test 3 Over Section 3 must be taken by Monday, November 14 at 12:00 Noon
Section 4:
Contemporary Research on Personality (Mod. 20)
Forgetting, memory Construction, and Improving Memory (Mod. 21)
Test 4 Over Section 4 must be taken by Monday, November 21 at 12:00 Noon
Section 5:
Basic Concepts and Mood Disorders (Mod.32)
Schizophrenia (Mod.33)
Other Disorders (Mod.34)
Test 5 Over Section 5 must be taken by Monday, November 28 at 12:00 Noon
Section 6:
Social Thinking (Mod.37)
Social Influence (Mod. 38)
Social Relations (Mod 39)
Test 6 Over Section 6 must be taken by Tuesday , December 13 at 12:00
Noon
Test Taking
Please do not leave tests till the very end. Things happen. If your system goes
down right before the end of the class date or something happens in your
personal life and you cannot take a test, you will not be given an extension as it
would not be fair to the other students.
Tech. Problems: You are responsible for your computers. I do not make provisions or
exceptions for you when your computer crashes or has technical
difficulties. You are always able to use the computers free of charge at all the
Lone Star campuses. These are usually located in the libraries and computer
labs. If you have technical problems with the ANGEL class please contact the
wonderfully patient folks at the help desk. Info on the help desk is located on
the course homepage among other places.
Assignments:
For each of the above sections, read the module in the text and then complete
the corresponding section in the workbook. You may also go to the publisher's
website which has flashcards, practice tests, etc. The website address is in your
text. When you feel that you know the material in the section well, take the test
online. If you are happy with your grade, go to the next section. If you are not,
look to see where you need work and redo that section before taking the test
over. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS. Contact me by email on the course homepage and I will get
back with you within 48 hours, Monday through Friday unless otherwise stated
on the comments/questions/discussion/announcements sections which can be
found on the class homepage. You are responsible for all the info on the
syllabus, on the class calendar, the announcement section and on the
Discussion Board. Many of your questions may be answered on the discussion
board so please read them each time you log on. When posting on the
discussion board or email section of the class you must write in complete and
correct English sentences. No texting language and spelling allowed as this is a
college class. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT IN
THIS CLASS.
Withdrawing:
If you need to withdraw from this class, please contact the
admissions/registration department at any of the campuses. The "W" date for
this semester is Friday, December 2, 2011. I will drop students who do not
take test 1 by the due date (Sunday, October 30 at 9:00 PM).
Suggestions:
Many students have found that studying with another classmate can help. You
may look for a study mate by posting a message on the discussion board. I
suggest that you read the modules assigned, answer questions in the text, work
in the workbook in the appropriate sections. Other students have told me that
being organized and keeping a calendar has helped so that one doesn't get to
the end of the semester with most of the class to do. Many students have found
it helpful to have a friend or family member quiz them before taking a test. Be
sure you have the correct text and the correct edition of the text. Several
students in the past have not and they did not do well.
Please note that this class is not for you if you are not self-motivated and
disciplined. It is easy to fall behind in this class as it is an online course. YOU
have to keep up on your own as there is no teacher telling you what and when
to do the work.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT FOR PSYC 2301 ANGEL ONLINE COLLEGE
Controversy is an important part of psychology, especially contemporary psychology. In my
traditional classes I cover these controversies in depth, bringing in current issues. This is a bit
more difficult to do in an online course. The assignment: Discuss both of the following
controversies from a psychological point of view on the discussion board. Then write a synopsis
of the controversies, writing about more than one side of the issue. Then write what your
opinion is and why, again from a psychological point of view. Your point of view needs to
come from thoughtful thinking, analysis and logic, NOT emotion and "beliefs".
Only those who have participated in the discussion on the discussion board can turn in a paper.
Papers turned in by those who have not participated in the discussion board will not be awarded
points. The paper needs to be at least 8 pages total, not including the cover page or the
Reference page, 12 point font and double-spaced. There must be a Cover page and a Reference
page or Works Cited page. Late papers will not be graded. Include both controversies below in
the one paper. You will write about both controversies on one paper. A big part of this
assignment is the research done on it, you need to go to many sources to find the “truth”. The
advantage of posting on the discussion board is so you can hear other people's ideas and
opinions, something that is common in the traditional classroom but not in many independent
study online classes. It is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for you to become more
engaged with the other students, something that is also common in a classroom setting but not
as common in an online class.
The controversies:
1. . “Tiger Moms” Amy Chua, Yale Law professor and self-professed “tiger mom” has caused
quite a stir not only with the public but also with professionals in education and child
psychology. There are a lot of articles out there on her and her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger
Mom. A good one to start with is the article in TIME Magazine (Jan. 31, 2011). For a better
understanding, get her book. Is this a good way to raise children? If not, why? If it is, why?
Note the comparison of our educational system and how our children are doing compared to
other countries. Do research on this topic, post on the discussion board and then write the
paper.
2. Therapy: When is it appropriate? Does it work? What are the different types of therapy?
Go to the website http://www.apa.org/topics/therapy/index.aspx to start your research on this
topic.
Please go to the individual discussion topic on the discussion board. In other words, there is a
discussion topic titled Abortion. Another will be labeled Therapy. Go to the correct discussion
board to discuss these topics. The paper will have both of these discussion topics in it. Do not
wait till the end to send the paper for if it isn’t sent correctly, the document does not attach or
the instructor cannot open it you may not get another chance to send it if it is past the turn in
time. It is best to turn it in the week before just in case there are problems with it that can be
corrected in time. Do not quote sources in your paper. Read the material, synthesize it and then
write it in your own words. Be careful of plagiarism.
Cheating Policy: Students caught cheating will be expelled from class, receive an F for the
class and reported to the administration. Please see the Academic Integrity Policy for the System
at http://northharris.lonestar.edu/31556/
DUE: The paper is due no later than Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:00 Noon. Papers
coming in after the above date and time will NOT be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS. You
may send the paper early. The paper must be sent to me via the email (as an attachment) in this
class section which can be accessed via the Course Menu column on the left side of the Angel
screen. Do not send files to me at my school (lonestar.edu) account. Please note that I put the
papers through the Turnitin system to check for plagiarism and cheating. If you are caught
plagiarizing or cheating you will be given an F in the class and your name turned into the
Administration.
Naming: You should include your name in the title of the paper. Your name should come first
in the title such as: "Vlad Drak, Leaving the darkside". You may call your paper whatever you
like after your name.
Computer Files: You can save your paper ONLY as a Microsoft Word (.doc) file or a Text
(.txt or .rtf) file. Documents saved to any other format will have to be resubmitted in one of
these formats. If the correct format is not submitted before the deadline, the student will receive
a "0" (zero) for the paper. Do not send files saved in "Word Perfect" format. I will not be
able to open them.
The paper will be graded on content and correct use of English.
What Students Have Said About This Course or How To Study For This Course:
• Self-discipline is KEY. Do not leave things to the end. Have a calendar where you plot
out the days you study, takes tests, etc.
• Do not wait till the last day to turn in the paper. If you send it in incorrectly (i.e. as a
.wps document) it will not be on time and the teacher does not accept late papers.
• Definitely go to the publisher's website and use the flash cards and other study materials.
Also good to use the practice quizzes,it helped me get better grades on the "real" tests.
• Check the discussion boards and email frequently. The teacher may post things that can
help she checks it often so it is a good way to communicate with her.
• Use the discussion board to hook up with other students. I got into a study group at the
beginning of the semester. Anyone can post a message on the discussion board. This
helped me with the class and made me feel less lonely. I also made some friends this
way!
• The best thing about this course is that it is at your own pace so that if something is
going on in your life, you can take a break from the class or you can go faster than
normal and finish before the end of the semester.
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement
Lone Star College-Kingwood is dedicated to providing the least restrictive environment for all
students. We promote equity in academic access through the implementation of reasonable
accommodations as required by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V, Section 504
and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) which will enable students with
disabilities to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary educational activities.
If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability,
please contact the Counseling Office to obtain the necessary information to request
accommodations. Upon completion of this process, please notify your instructor as soon as
possible and preferably before the end of the first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable
accommodations.
2011 - 2012 Learning Outcomes for PSYC 2301
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Identify factors in the historical development of the study of human behavior including
current theoretical perspectives prominent in the field of psychology.
Identify terminology unique to the study of psychology.
Identify research findings through the application of the scientific method.
Identify factors contributing to development and the human experience.
Identify accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human
behavior including those experiences which deviate from the mainstream of accepted
experience and behavior.
Department Contacts:
Nora Diaz Chair, Social Science - nora.diaz@lonestar.edu - phone 281-312-1627
Dr. Elizabeth Chapman, Dean, BTSS Division - echapman@lonestar.edu - phone 281-3121670
Sharon Kennemore Counselor BTSS Division skennemore@lonestar.edu - phone 281-3121574