WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON
CANADA
Department of Psychology
2013-2014
Psychology 3285F Section 001
Research in Behavioural Neuroscience
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
An introduction to techniques used to investigate the neural and endocrine bases of behaviour.
Prerequisites: Psychology 2800E, 2810, and one of Psychology 2220A/B, 2221A/B or Neuroscience
2000, plus registration in third or fourth year Honors Specialization in Psychology or Honors
Specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Honors Specialization in Neuroscience,
Honors Specialization in Physiology/Psychology or Honors Specialization in Animal Behavior.
Third or fourth year Psychology Majors and Psychology Special Students who receive 70% or
higher in Psychology 2820E (or 60% or higher in Psychology 2800E and 2810), plus 60% or higher
in one of Psychology 2220A/B, 2221A/B or Neuroscience 2000 also may enroll in this course.
1 lecture hour, 3 laboratory hours, 0.5 course
Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean
to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This
decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you
are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor:
Dr. Shelley Cross-Mellor
Office: 8210 SSC (locked area)
Office Hours: please email for appointment
Email: scrossmellor@gmail.com
Teaching Assistant: TBA
Office: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: TBA
Time and Location of Lectures & Labs: Mondays 1:30-4:30pm; Fridays 11:30am-12:30pm; 8440 SSC
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to
assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these
resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any
other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services
for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an
accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Vanderwolf, C.H. and Cooley, R.K. (1990) The sheep brain: A photographic series (2nd edition).
London, ON: A.J. Kirby.
- it is also recommended that you purchase a dissection kit from the bookstore to aid in the sheep
brain dissections.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course is an introduction to research methods in behavioral neuroscience. Students will be
expected to be familiar with the materials presented in lecture and during the laboratory sessions.
This is a hands-on lab course whereby students will learn neuroanatomy through actual mammalian
brain dissections as well as how to design, conduct and analyze experiments in behavioural
neuroscience (using rodents).
5.0 EVALUATION
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to
conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the
following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2100-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as
follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+
A
B
C
D
F
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
50-59
below 50
One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
Superior work that is clearly above average
Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
Competent work, meeting requirements
Fair work, minimally acceptable
Fail
Your mark for this course will be based on a neuroanatomy practical exam (Sept. 29), three research
reports, a class presentation, and class participation. Attendance at laboratory meetings is mandatory.
Failure to attend a laboratory meeting without valid (documented medical or compassionate) reason will
lead to the loss of 1 mark from Participation for each meeting missed. Please note that the Participation
mark is also for active participation, it is not based just on attendance. Participation at both the Monday
lab meeting and the Friday class is considered for the Class Participation mark.
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Evaluation Summary:
Lab Reports (3)
Class Presentation
Neuroanatomy Practical Exam
Participation
Lab Reports
Lab Report #1 – LPS & Locomotor Activity
- Methods and Results Only
Lab Report #2 – LPS & Morris Water Maze
- Full Lab Report
Lab Report #3 – LPS & Conditioned Taste Aversion
- Full Lab Report
Class Presentations
Neuroanatomy Exam
55%
20%
20%
5%
Due Date
Monday November 3 - 15%
Monday November 17 - 20%
Wednesday December 3 - 20%
November 3, 7, 10, 21, 28 - 20%
Monday September 29 – 20%
Laboratory Projects:
In the 3285 lab sessions you will carry out three research projects and become familiar with
neuroanatomy by dissecting and studying the sheep brain. Experience with scientific writing will be
gained by writing reports on each of the research projects. Your research projects will explore a variety
of behaviours following pharmacological manipulation of the immune system in male Long Evans rats.
Your initial research project will be to observe the effects of immune stimulation on locomotor activity.
Your data will be compared to that obtained by other observers to assess reliability. In your second and
third projects you will assess the effects of immune stimulation on different types of learning (spatial
and taste aversion). More details about each of the lab projects will be provided prior to each of the
labs. Please note attendance at the animal ethics lecture and participation in the handling
workshop is absolutely MANDATORY in order to participate in any of the animal labs. If you
are not in attendance it will be your responsibility to arrange with ACVS the proper training (and
incur any costs associated).
The data that you obtain from each of the lab projects will be pooled with the data obtained from the rest
of the class. The pooled data will be available to you within a few days after completing the project on
the course website. You are encouraged to discuss data analysis, data interpretation, theoretical issues,
etc., with your classmates. However, each student must write and submit their own written report.
The report that you submit needs to be your work, not a paraphrase of a common group report, or a
collection of shared passages linked by a few brief bridge passages that you write. A lab report that is
substantially the same as one submitted by another member of the class is plagiarism. Plagiarism will
be dealt with according to University Regulations (the penalty for plagiarism ranges from an automatic
grade of F in the course to expulsion from the university).
Note: Lab reports are due at the start of the class. Reports submitted after the start of the class session will
be marked as late and the late penalty will be applied. If you do not submit your lab report at the lab/class
meeting, you must make arrangements with myself or the TA to hand it in. No late final lab reports can be
accepted unless the student has permission of their Dean for an INC. A grade of INC (Incomplete) can
only be assigned if the student has prior approval from their Dean's office.
Late reports will be penalized 5% for each day late.
Class Presentations
During the class/lab session on November 3, 7, 10, 21, and 28 students will give a 30 minute
presentation (in pairs) on a technique used in behavioral neuroscience. Students will be provided with a
marking scheme early in the course as well as various topics to choose from.
7.0 LECTURE SCHEDULE – FRIDAYS (Tentative)
Date
Sept. 5
12
19
26
Oct.3
10
17
24
31
Nov. 7
14
21
28
Dec. 3
Topic
Introduction to Course
Lecture - Neuroanatomy
Lecture - Neuroanatomy
Neuroanatomy: Sheep Brain Dissection - REVIEW
no class scheduled
no class scheduled
How to Write a Lab Report
Lab 1 - Review
Fall Study Break – no class
Class Presentation
Lab 2 Review
Class Presentation
Class Presentation
Lab 3 Hand-In
LAB SCHEDULE – MONDAYS (Tentative)
Date
Topic
Sept. 8
Neuroanatomy: Sheep Brain Dissection
15
Neuroanatomy: Sheep Brain Dissection
22
Neuroanatomy: Sheep Brain Dissection
29
NEUROANATOMY PRACTICAL EXAM
Oct. 6
ANIMAL ETHICS AND HANDLING - MANDATORY
13
Thanksgiving (no class)
20
Lab #1: LPS and Locomotor Activity
27/28
Lab #2: LPS and Morris Water Maze
Nov. 3
Class Presentations
10
17
24
Dec. 1
Class Presentations
Lab #3:LPS and Conditioned Taste Avoidance – Day 1
Lab #3:LPS and Conditioned Taste Avoidance – Day 2
Lab 3 Review
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and
other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they
undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are
described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholoff.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic
offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses
using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All
written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by
comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s
databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference
database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of
the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario
and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course,
suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergradresponsibilities.htm
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2014 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams