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PSY 325- Sport Psychology (Online)
Summer 2014
Instructor:
Teri Ann Sartor, Ph.D., LPC, LPC-S, NCC, CHST
Phone: 903-223-3128
E-mail: teri.sartor@tamut.edu
Office hours: TBA
Class time: Online
Required Materials:
Cox, R. H. (2012). Sport psychology: Concepts and applications, 7th ed. NY: McGraw Hill.
Publication manual of the American psychological association, 6th ed. (2010). American
Psychological Association: Washington, DC.
Course Description:
This course will provide students with an overview of the theories and research related to sport
and exercise behavior. Topics to be covered include the history of sport psychology, behavioral
principles, anxiety, motivation, leadership, group dynamics, gender, and personality. This course
will also be designed to relate these principles to exercise and sport performance.
Purpose:
Through the text, face to face instruction, and leaning activities students will become aware of
how psychological theories can be applied to sport and exercise. This course does rely heavily
on psychological theory, memory, and concepts specifically related to sport and exercise
performance.
Prerequisites:
PSYC 2301
Student Learning Outcomes:
1) The student will be able to explain the role of research methods in exercise and sport
psychology;
2) The student will demonstrate how to use research findings and/or psychological theories to
reach logical conclusions;
3) The student will identify various psychological skills and mental training techniques,
including their application to sport and other competitive situations;
4) The student will be able to recognize, compare and contrast, and outline the theories,
principles and research studies that support the use of psychological skills by athletes to
enhance their performance and enjoyment of sport and exercise.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
This course will be presented entirely online. Students will NOT be required to physically attend
class meetings. However, one should note, the course is not intended to be a self-paced course;
we will all move through the course together on a day by day basis. While you will be able to see
previous course information, you will not be able to participate in past assignments once the
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availability period has passed. Because the course runs on a day by day basis (Sunday –
Sunday), all of your work is due at the closing time. Discussion threads are akin to being in
class, there will NOT be make-up discussions threads.
It is the student’s responsibility to consult the course calendar and associated links for all
quizzes, assignments, discussions, and exam availability dates so that he/she can plan to
complete the assignment before it goes offline. For a more detailed description of the course, see
the description of assignments below.
STUDENT / FACULTY INTERACTION:
It is my intention that you, I, and the other students in this course have a variety of ways to
interact. The ways interaction can be done includes:

24/7 discussion- I have created a discussion topic of 24/7. This is open for students to
use as needed to communicate with each other. It will be open all semester and is not
graded.
 Email- Students have the ability to email other classmates and myself
within Blackboard. ALWAYS email me through Blackboard. FYI – I am
not online 24/7. Emails and phone calls sent after 4 pm may not get a
response until the next day.
 Emails sent outside of Blackboard may not get answered.
 Questions that have already been answered in the syllabus, a previous
email, announcement, etc. will not be responded to.
 Emails that are not composed using proper grammar, capitalization;
spelling, etc. may not get a response. Students are not to use email (or
discussions, etc.) as a place to use a text messaging format. Use the
English language properly and appropriately, including punctuation and
capitalization. This is a formal educational setting and should be treated as
such.
 Unless authorized by your instructor, please allow a minimum of 24 hours
for a response to any message. Sending a blackboard message/email or
voicemail message asking for feedback about an assignment or
presentation the day before it is due does not give your instructor(s)
enough time to thoroughly review and respond to your request.

Questions- If a student has a question about the course or course requirement, they
should review their syllabi. If the question(s) is not answered in the syllabi, they
should always contact the instructor first. Relying on other students and professionals
other than the instructor may not yield the correct answer.
Course Requirements and Grading:
Grades earned will be dependent upon the total points earned reflecting the activities as listed
below. Assignments must be completed in a timely fashion in order to maximize the amount of
points rewarded. Because this course is fast paced, the instructor will make the best effort to have
the lecture materials for the week posted at the beginning of the week (Sunday or Monday).
REMEMBER- by taking an online class students are accepting the risk associated; a
student’s computer problems are not the problems of the instructor. To avoid difficulties,
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technical or otherwise, students should not wait until the last minute to complete assignments or
other course requirements. Course requirements are described in detail below.
Discussions: Students are required to respond to discussion board postings. Because this is a five
week course students are required to check the discussion board daily. The question/topic will
usually be related to the topics in the reading and/or assignment. Please note, you may not have
a new discussion topic every day! ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT TO BE USED IN THE
DISCUSSION BOARD AND WILL NOT BE EVALVUATED FOR CREDIT. Discussion posts
must be made on the discussion board (not as an attachment); students who make discussion
posts and responses made via blackboard messaging or university email will not receive points.
Student must respond fully and directly to the discussion prompt that is posted by the instructor.
Discussions will not be posted or due on the weekends unless technical difficulties are
experienced during the week.
Remember this is for a grade and everyone needs to participate adequately. Discussions
will require student to:

A student’s initial response (unless otherwise indicated by being related to an
assignment) should contain at least two paragraphs. Each paragraph must have
a minimum of three to five sentences. Not only should the student include their
personal opinion and thoughts but they should support answers with
information from outside sources and the text. If a student states something,
they should be able to back it up. Students may refer to the book or any other
scholarly source they find (Wikipedia, yahoo, google, newspaper articles, etc. are
not considered scholarly sources). The source(s) must be referenced via in text
citations with a full reference at the bottom of the post. APA referencing is
required. Please refer to an APA Manual (6th ed.) for appropriate format on
references and citations.

Then students are to respond to their classmates. Students must respond to at
least two classmates. It would be wise to respond more if possible. Responses
must have some substance to them. Responses of “good job”, “I agree”, “nice
point,” etc., will not be counted for a grade. Students must be able to support
and defend their responses. Put some thought into it!!! Remember that
responses should be thoughtful; reflect consideration of the discussion question,
and what has been learned in the course. Responses to others should also be a
minimum of three sentences. Responses to other students MUST NOT occur on
the last day of discussion. Students are who make ALL responses to their
classmates on the same day will not receive full credit. Responses to your
classmates must be done by the specified time and date.

Proper grammar, capitalization, and punctuation is expected. Text messaging
format is not a recognized language; therefore, it is not acceptable or to be used
on the discussion board or in emails. Posting not done properly will not receive a
grade.

Students will be graded on how much time and effort they spend reading
postings other than the ones they responded to. Students are expected to read at
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least half of all postings even if they choose not to respond. This will be checked
and monitored through the tracking system in Blackboard.
Students should check Blackboard for discussion availability as this will vary
depending on the topic.
Please keep in mind that this is an online class and some topics may be of a
sensitive nature. Students should be respectful to other students and their
culture, gender, religion, background, etc. Foul language, disrespectful posts,
and all forms of discrimination are not acceptable.
Individual discussions will not be graded individually. ALL discussion posts
combined will count toward an accumulative score at the end of the semester. In
short, all students should actively participate in discussions when they are
posted!
Journal Article Reviews: During the course the student will be asked to review (2) scholarly
journal articles. Scholarly journal articles can be found by utilizing the library database systems.
All journal article reviews must be typed in accordance with APA style (6th ed). It is strongly
suggested that these be related to the athlete chosen for the final project (you can use these as a
source). Article reviews should be 1.5 to 3 pages long (excluding title page and reference pages;
an abstract is not required), include a summary of the article, and your personal reaction to the
article at the very end. In your personal reaction you should include your thoughts and feelings
of the article and how the information can be applied. APA formatting must be used for the
journal article reviews! The only section that should include the word “I” is the personal
reaction. Late work will not be accepted.
Lecture Quiz: Students will have a quiz covering the lecture documents. Students are
encouraged to listen to the lecture (not just read the slides), as not all information in the lecture is
in the textbook. Quizzes will be worth 5 points each, totaling 90 points. Lectures or quizzes will
not be due on the weekends unless technical difficulties are experienced during the week.
Because of the voice feature on lecture documents and the quiz, students must utilize Mozilla
Firefox as their browser for blackboard.
Movie Project: Students will review a sport related movie and apply various concepts to the
team or individual players. An instruction handout will be provided for the purpose of movie
selection and specific concepts that should be applied. This assignment must utilize APA (6th
ed) formatting and level I and II headings!
Exams: Three exams will be given throughout the course of the semester. Exams will consist of
multiple choice questions, true/false and possible essays. Students must take the exams in one sitting
and will only be able to enter each exam one time. In efforts to avoid difficulties, technical or otherwise,
it is recommended for all exams to be taken on a campus or location where the internet connection will
not be interrupted. It is also recommended that students not wait until the last minute to take quizzes.
Each exam will have a time limit; thus, students should be prepared to work QUICKLY. The computer
log will be examined to verify that students have not used the online materials to assist them when
answering the exam questions. Students MUST complete all Exams on their own. There will be no
resetting or makeup for exams!
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*****If a student has an A in the class on July 9, 2013 at 11:59 pm then they do not have to
take the final exam*****!!!!!! This policy is subject to change at the discretion of the
instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the instructor if they are not sure
about their grade status.
Assignments, Due Dates, and Possible Points:
Assignment
Due Dates
Discussion Board/Participation
Journal Article Reviews (15 points
each)
Lecture Quiz (5 points each)
Movie Project
Exams (50 points each)
Total
Grading Scale:
Final Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Final Average
90% and above
80% - 89%
70% - 79%
60% - 69%
Below 60%
Possible Points
40 points
30 points
90 points
40 points
150 points
350 points
Points Needed
315-350
281-314
245-280
210-244
0-209
UNIVERSITY AND PERSONAL POLICIES:
Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations
through the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Disability Services Office by calling 903-2233062.
Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating
on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and
undocumented use of materials from any source, constitute academic dishonesty, and may be
grounds for a grade of "F" in the course and/or disciplinary actions." For additional information
see the university policy manual.
A&M-Texarkana Email Address: Upon application to Texas A&M University-Texarkana an
individual will be assigned an A&M-Texarkana email account. This email account will be used
to deliver official university correspondence. Each individual is responsible for information sent
and received via the university email account and is expected to check the official A&MTexarkana email account on a frequent and consistent basis. Faculty and students are required to
utilize the university email account when communicating about coursework. Because this course
is offered online, please use blackboard messaging.
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Drop Policy: To drop this course after the census date (see semester calendar), a student must
complete the Drop/Withdrawal Request Form, located on the University website
http://tamut.edu/Registrar/droppingwithdrawing-from-classes.html) or obtained in the Registrar’s
Office. The student must submit the signed and completed form to the instructor of each course
indicated on the form to be dropped for his/her signature. The signature is not an “approval” to
drop, but rather confirmation that the student has discussed the drop/withdrawal with the faculty
member. The form must be submitted to the Registrar’s office for processing in person, email
Registrar@tamut.edu, mail (7101 University Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503) or fax (903-2233140). Drop/withdraw forms missing any of the required information will not be accepted by the
Registrar’s Office for processing. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the form is
completed properly before submission. If a student stops participating in class (attending and
submitting assignments) but does not complete and submit the drop/withdrawal form, a final
grade based on work completed as outlined in the syllabus will be assigned.
Attendance, Conduct, and Late Assignment Policy: In web based classes attendance is noted
through participation in the discussion threads. For the purpose of this online course and because
this is a five week course, failure to participate for two days online is the same as missing two
weeks of classes. Students are expected to be prepared for class. Please plan and schedule your
personal, family, and social events accordingly to allow plenty of time to complete your school
work. Most of us have other commitments, families, and responsibilities, too. You can make it
work.
Because this course is online and statements may be misinterpreted, students should be mindful
of all posts. Students should be respectful to other students and their culture, gender, religion,
background, etc. Foul language, disrespectful posts, and all forms of discrimination are not
acceptable.
Remember due dates are due dates – there are very few acceptable reasons for which an
instructor will approve an extension. In the event of unforeseen circumstances (debilitating
illness, serious car accident, serious family-related responsibility, etc.), please correspond
directly with your instructor ASAP. Because this is an online course with 24/7 access, you are
able to work at any hour you choose; therefore, I strongly suggest you complete all of your
assignments on time. Discussion forums are not able to be made up. Remember to keep track of
the closing dates. Late assignments will not be accepted or reviewed for points; for this reason
students should not wait until the last minute to complete assignments. Assignments will not be
accepted via email.
Personal Policy: Academic work requires personal and professional commitment. That
commitment begins with continued participation in class. Students who show commitment to
coursework are showing commitment to their chosen profession. Students are expected to be
prepared to discuss reading assignments and participate in other learning activities. If a student
has questions, they are encouraged to contact the instructor. Notice that the instructor’s contact
information is listed on the syllabi. If the student chooses to contact the instructor via phone,
students should also be mindful of the time in which they are calling; if the instructor does not
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answer, the student may choose to leave a message. Phone messages will be returned during
regular office hours.
Disagreements about Grades: If a student believes that a grade reflects errors or is unfair,
please contact the instructor. While I may not agree with you, I will be happy to discuss your
concern(s). When a student wishes to express a concern or a grievance, they need to follow the
proper channels. Generally, this begins with direct, face-to-face/email/blackboard
communication with the instructor of the class, followed by communication with your advisor if
necessary, and the department chair, if necessary.
Technical Requirements for online courses:
Minimum System Requirements:
The following computer system requirements are recommended for an online course:
 OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista; Mac OSX 10.2 & above
 RAM: 256 MB, Processor: 2.0 GHz, Free space on HDD: 500MB
 Internet Connection: (Broadband/DSL preferred), Dial Up 56k minimum
 Browser: Internet Explorer 6 or 7, Mozilla Firefox 2.0, Safari 1.0
 Java: Version 6 Update 11 or later, Sound card and speakers
Software Requirements:
 Pop-up Blockers: All pop-up blockers installed on your computer must be set to allow
pop-ups from Blackboard
 Java Runtime Environment: You must have the Java Runtime Environment installed.
This is a free plug-in for your browser that can be obtained by going to
http://www.java.com
 Additional Plug-ins: You may need additional software based on the content that your
instructor posts in their course. Commonly needed applications are:
 Microsoft Office 2007/2003/XP Suite/Works (not free software)
 Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download)
 Windows Media Player (free download)
 Real Time Media Player (free download)
 Quick Time Media Player (free download)
 Macromedia/Adobe Flash (free download)
 Macromedia/Adobe Shockwave (free download)
 Mozilla Firefox (free download)
Student Technical Assistance:
If a student experiences technical difficulties with blackboard they are to immediately notify
blackboard. Please note blackboard personnel should only be contacted for technical
difficulties. Problems with Blackboard will be dealt with upon notification from Instruction
Technology. If a student experiences problems with blackboard during a quiz or exam, they can
choose to notify the instructor to ensure acknowledgement. For additional resources, see below:
 Solutions to common problems and FAQ’s for your web-enhanced and online courses are
found at this link: http://www.tamut.edu/webcourses/index.php?pageid=37
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If you cannot find your resolution there, you can send in a support request detailing your
specific problem here: http://www.tamut.edu/webcourses/gethelp2.php
Blackboard Helpdesk contacts:
Office hours are: Monday - Friday, 8:00a to 5:00p
Julia Allen
903-223-3154
Julia.allen@tamut.edu
Jay Ferguson (alternate)
903-223-3105
jayson.ferguson@tamut.edu
Nikki Thomson (alternate)
903-223-3083
nikki.thomson@tamut.edu
Flexible Schedule
(The syllabus is subject to change under the instructor’s discretion)
Day
Dates
1
July 8
2
3
July 9
July 10
4
July 13
July 14
5-6
8
9
10
July 15-17
July 18
July 21
July 22
11
July 23
12
13
12
13
14
15
July 24
July 25
July 28-29
July 30
July 31
August 1
16
August 4
13
14
15
16
August 5
August 6
August 7
August 8-11
Activities and Assignments
Introductions; Review of Syllabi; Review of APA folder; Chapter
1:Sport psychology: A discipline and profession
Chapter 2: Personality as a core characteristic of the individual
Chapter 3: Self-confidence and intrinsic motivation
Chapter 4: Goal perspective theory
Chapter 5: Youth sports
Chapter 6: Attention and concentration in sport and exercise
Journal Article 1 Due (Can be over Chapters 3, 4, or 6)
Exam I (Must be completed by 11:59 pm on July)
Chapter 16: Leadership and communication in sport
Chapter 17: Exercise psychology
Chapter 7: Anxiety, stress and mood relationships
Chapter 8: Alternatives to the Inverted-U theory
Journal Article 2 Due (Can be over Chapters 16, 7, or 8)
Chapter 9: Coping and intervention strategies in sport
Chapter 10: Goal setting in sport
Exam II ( Must be completed by 11:59 pm on July 29)
Chapter 11:Imagery and hypnosis in sport
Chapter 12: Psychological skills training
Chapter 13: Aggression and violence in sport
Chapter 14: Audience and self-presentation
Chapter 15: Team cohesion in sport
Movie Review due (must be submitted by 11:59 pm on August 5)
Chapter 18: Athletic injuries and career termination
Chapter19: Negative aspects of sport and exercise
STUDY DAY and Closing Discussions
Final Exam (Due by 12-NOON on August 11)
Note: Course syllabi are intended to provide students with basic information concerning the
course. The syllabus can be viewed as a 'blueprint' for the course; changes in the syllabus can be
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made and students will be informed of any substantive changes concerning examinations, the
grading or attendance policies and changes in project assignments.
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