How To Complete Psychology 1010-D Online General Psychology

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1 Psychology 1010-D Online General Psychology Instructor Information: Janelle Seegmiller University of Utah Department of Psychology Phone: Office Hours: contact me for an appointment You are highly encouraged to read, reread and understand this entire syllabus prior to beginning the first lesson. In addition, please explore and become familiar with the entire course site. Prerequisites: None Basic Requirements: Psychology General Psychology, consists of 16 lessons, 16 assignments, and self-study quizzes. There also are three equally weighted exams. This course carries four (4) semester units of credit through Continuing Education at the University of Utah. Course Description: This course offers students a comprehensive, integrated and up-to-date introduction to psychology. It surveys the field of psychology and covers topics ranging from biological bases of behavior to abnormality and social diversity. By emphasizing both fundamental principles and current developments, the course demonstrates how the issues, methods and applications of psychological research contribute to the body of knowledge that comprises the discipline of psychology. Therefore, upon completion of this course, students should have a broad base of knowledge about the field of psychology. In addition, students should gain insight into important phenomena of their everyday lives, feel a sense of wonder about seemingly ordinary human processes and see how psychology addresses issues that cross disciplines. The course and textbook follow five principles that incorporate the primary objectives of the course: 1. To exemplify the process of inquiry. That is, students will examine how the research process works in addition to learning about the outcome of research. 2. To teach critical thinking. Whether development, cognition or statistics are being discussed, students will be encouraged to become involved in an inquiring, analytical mindset. They will be encouraged to employ an empirical approach in order to evaluate competing ideas and claims for highly publicized phenomena ranging from subliminal persuasion, ESP and mother-infant bonding to astrology, basketball streak-shooting and hypnotic age regression. 3. To put facts in the service of concepts. That is, facts will be learned in the context of psychological concepts that can be used to understand their everyday lives rather than just for the regurgitation of facts. University of Utah 1

2 4. To integrate principles and applications. The relationship between basic research findings and their applications and implications will be emphasized by means of anecdotes, case histories and the posing of hypothetical situations. 5. To convey respect for human unity and diversity. Throughout this course students will see evidence for both the commonalities among humans and the many dimensions of human diversity. Specifically, students will be exposed to our shared biological heritage, our common mechanisms of seeing and learning, hungering and feeling, loving and hating, in addition to individual diversity in development and aptitudes, temperament and personality, and disorder and health; and cultural diversity in attitudes and expressive styles, child-rearing and care for the elderly, and life priorities. Required Course Materials: This course requires the following textbook: Myers, David E. Psychology (9th Edition) Worth Publishers (ISBN: ). This textbook may be obtained from Internet booksellers such as Amazon or Ebay. Make sure you get the correct version by noting the title, author, edition, and ISBN number. Course Format: This course consists of 16 lessons, 16 assignments, and three equally-weighted exams. In addition, each lesson contains a self-study quiz that is used to prepare you for the exams. Each lesson consists of Directions, Lesson Objectives, Reading Assignment, and Lesson Commentary. A detailed description of each is provided: Directions: Provides a step-by-step procedural guide to aid you in completing the lesson. It is recommended that you follow the steps outlined in the correct order to accomplish the assignment in the most efficient manner. Lesson Objectives: Focus your attention on specific material and/or points that are important in completing the lesson requirements and assignments, to prepare you for the exams. Reading Assignment: Lists the required reading for the lesson, suggests some questions to think about, points to look for in the reading, and includes a brief description of the material covered. You must read both the text and the comment sections to successfully complete the written assignments. Lesson Commentary: Address certain material from perspectives that may differ from the presentation in the text, provide background information, and/or more depth into particular issues. The main purpose of the commentary is to elaborate on the concepts discussed in the text through applications to everyday life and through the examination of relevant research findings. The commentary adds some color to help you understand the concepts in a broader context. Most of the commentaries are not meant to repeat the information covered in the text, but rather will make connections in order to aid your understanding. After each commentary section you will find bibliographic notes; if you find the topic interesting, you might want to look up some of these readings. This is not intended to replace the material in the text, but rather to expand on it, to clarify difficult concepts, or to emphasize the main points contained in the reading. Quiz Review: Each lesson contains a Quiz Review. This review is intended to help you think and reinforce what you have learned in the lesson. You should be able to answer each question without reference to the lesson commentary and textbook. This is also intended to be a study guide for the exams. You must pass each quiz review with a 70% or higher in order for the next lesson to open (you may take the quizzes as University of Utah 2

3 many times as you would like). Assignments: Each written assignment includes short answer essay questions pertaining to the commentary and chapter reading assigned in the lesson. Please feel free to ask questions about any of the comments or suggestions listed within your assignment. Assignment grades will be determined on the basis of accuracy, completeness and demonstrated understanding of the questions or assignment. All assignments provide a structured review of the lesson material, assess students understanding of the material, and establish a forum for feedback and constructive guidance from the instructor. Each assignment is to be submitted through the Assignments tool in Blackboard. Exams: The three exams must be taken in the exact order requested. They are closed-book and include multiplechoice questions, definitions, and short answer essay questions. Each exam is worth 100 points. Exam I covers Chapters 1-6 in the text and the Appendix reading from lesson 1. Exam II covers Chapters 7-12 and Exam III covers Chapters Allow three hours for each exam. Course Policies: You are required to make arrangements to find and coordinate with an approved proctor to administrate your exam. To take an exam, you will need to submit an Exam Request Form through the Distance Education office. Keep in mind that this coordination between Distance Education and your approved proctor takes time, so proper planning is essential. In addition, there are costs associated with proctors and amounts vary depending on the institution. If you have any questions regarding exams, including approved proctors, please contact the Distance Education office at (800) or at distance@aoce.utah.edu. NOTE: You must pass the final exam in order to pass the course. If you fail this exam you will fail the course. This is a requirement of all U of U Distance Education courses. Grading: Assignments (16 total) Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 300pts Total: 600 pts Your final grade is determined using the following point totals: A C A C B D B D B D C E 359 and below What Successful Students Should Expect To Do In This Course: Successful students follow instructions. The syllabus, lectures and assignments are the primary sources of University of Utah 3

4 instructions in any college course; so successful students read them carefully and refer to them regularly. Successful students write down any instructions given by the professor; they are also careful to make sure that they have taken accurate notes and ask questions. Successful students look up information first so that they ask informed questions, not questions they already have the answers to. If they can t find the answers, they contact the instructor. Successful students pay close attention to how they can best and most easily learn the material in a particular subject area. Your Course Responsibilities: This course requires significant self-motivation. Lessons take several hours to complete. Don t try to do them in one day. Please note that not all lessons are created equal. Some may take a bit more time than others. You would normally spend 3± hours per week in class for this course. Allow yourself several hours to complete the lessons on-line, including the time spent writing to discussion boards, assignments, and other required activities. You should plan additional time to read the text and study for the quizzes. In the beginning, the lessons will probably take longer than they will once you are familiar with the system. Some people believe this a much easier way to study this subject than in the on campus framework because they love to read and avoid parking problems. Others may feel very intimidated at first. Be patient as you work your way through the first few lessons. If you are serious about the material, you will learn as much or more than most on campus students about this subject and develop reading and communication skills that are vital to the workforce of the 21st century. Planning Time: Successful students (those that get A s, B s, and C s) use their time wisely. Just like a face-to-face course, the standard formula for college coursework is that for every one hour of class time will result in three to six hours (and sometimes more) of homework; so a three-unit course will require an average of 9 or more hours of homework (reading, research, studying) per lesson. As a result, successful students plan their time wisely so that they keep up with assignments by maintaining a pace that fits the course schedule. They also communicate with the instructor often so that they can receive much needed feedback on their work. Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism: Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. Anyone caught cheating will fail the course and will be reported to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, in accordance with the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Successful students always make sure that their work is original. This is important because the instructor must be able to gauge what the student has learned. Therefore, copying the work of another person, whether an essay, answers on your assignments or during a test, is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of cheating. Any time a student uses someone else s work and does not give that person credit, it is plagiarism. Anyone who plagiarizes will receive a failing grade on the assignment. If this is repeated, the student will fail the course and can be expelled from the university. If you are suspected of plagiarism, you will bear the burden of proof. You must be able to present rough drafts or related materials and discuss the topic intelligently. Refer to the University of Utah Plagiarism Policy for more details and/or the University of Utah - Policy and Procedures Manual. University of Utah 4

5 ADA Policy: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the course, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services (CDS), 162 Olpin Union Building, (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disabilities. THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE/MODIFY THE CONTENTS OF THIS SYLLABUS COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION Copyright notice to students taking online courses: Notice to students that materials used in connection with the course may be subject to copyright protection. TEACH Act Copyright Notice The materials on this course Web site are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated. University of Utah 5