General Psychology Syllabus for 2015-2016
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Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

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Course

PSYC-2301-010 General Psychology

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

General Psychology is a survey of the major psychological topics, theories and approaches to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Exploring Psychology, 9^th Edition, David G. Myers

 

Supplies

Pen, spiral notebook, and access to a computer. If you do not have your own computer, you will need to use AC computers located on the 4th floor of the Library.

 

 

Student Performance

\ Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

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\ 1. Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.

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\ 2. Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.

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\ 3. Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.

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\ 4. Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.

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\ 5. Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.

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\ 6. Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human behavior.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

I expect you all to attend class, participate in class, be prepared for class, and respect everyone else who is the classroom. No cell phones. If you are waiting on an important call, you must talk with me before class so I am aware. If you decide to leave the classroom to answer the phone, please do not return until you are off the phone, and sit at the back of the class until lecture is over or is paused for a break. NO texting! If it is so important that you have to text right away, you may leave and return once finished but you must sit at the back of the class as to not disturb lecture. If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to get the material you missed. I will be giving assignments during class that will be due the next class so if you miss, you will miss that assignment unless you contact me or someone else in the class. It is your responsibility!  Each student is expected to engage in academic honesty and refrain from cheating and/or plagiarism. All students are expected to be tolerant and respectful of other students. There will be zero tolerance for any type of harassment. I want this to be an environment everyone can learn and feel safe.

Grading Criteria

Grading criteria:

There will be a total of 650 possible points for the semester. You will be able to check your grade on AC connect. Grading will be on the standard grade scale:

A = 90%-100% (716-800 points)

B = 80%-89% (636-715 points)

C = 70%-79% (556-635 points)

D = 50%-69% (396-555 points)

F = Below 50% (below 396 points)

The points will be earned:

400 points for exams (four 100 points exams)

150 points for online activities (completed during the weeks you don’t have an exam)

100 points for Social Responsibility Learning Project (you will need to complete this essay online)

100 points for attendance

50 points for Core Exam (completed online)

Total points possible: 800 points

• Four 50 question multiple choice exams online; each exam is worth 100 points. The exams will be taken from notes and the chapters in the book. (Exams will be assigned after class and you will have until 11:59pm on Wednesdays to complete the exam. You will have 90 minutes and will only be permitted a single attempt.)
• Three 50 point online activities. These activities will ask you to further examine concepts discussed in class and your textbooks. You may be asked to watch and respond to videos online, or write a sample experiment.
• 100 points attendance. Each absence will cost 25 points. If you miss 4 lectures (half of the total 8 in-class meetings) you will have lost all of your attendance points. Be sure to email me if you know you will be gone.
• 50 points for online Core Exam. This 10 question quiz will assess your knowledge on the scientific method, your ability to read a graph, and your ability to think critically.
• 100 points for social responsibility serving learning project (THIS ACTIVITY IS REQUIRED OF ALL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS BY AMARILLO COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION – I CAN NOT EXCUSE YOU FROM THIS ASSIGNMENT)
  • You will be required to do 4 hours of community service at your chosen agency in the community. You must provide documentation on company letterhead signed by the person who oversaw your volunteer time, and email it to me.
  • You will answer 5 questions with short essays online. Each question has a rubric which will be used for grading. The questions are worth a different amount of points for a total of 100 points.  You will be able to access the rubric when you are taking the exam. Here is an example of what one of the rubrics will look like.

	Exceeds Expectation	Needs Improvement	Does not meet expectations
Knowledge	30 Points Contains clear, thorough responses to each part of the question identified in the assignment.  It provides evidence that the student has diligently applied or related concepts from at least 2 specific concepts from their textbook to their experience in their agency.	20 Points Does not address all of the parts of question in the assignment.  It provides minimal evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is only minimal indication that the student applied or related 1 concept from their textbook in this class to their experience in their agency.	1 Points Minimally addresses the items in the assignment.  It does not provide evidence of the student’s reflective thought.  There is no indication that the student applied or related any concepts from their textbook in this class to their experience in their agency.
Organization	10 Points Information is clearly organized.	7 Points Information is loosely organized.	1 Points Information is present, but very difficult to understand due to poor organization.
Mechanics	10 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout the answer to the question.  And the student referenced the concepts they used in their paper with the specific page number from their text.	7 Points Proper grammar and spelling used throughout the answer to the question with major errors.  And the student referenced the concepts they used in their paper with the specific page number from their text.	1 Points Very poor grammar and spelling used through the answer to the question. The student did not reference the concepts they used in their paper with the specific page number from their text.

Attendance

Your success in this class is directly tied to your consistent attendance in lecture. This is an 8 week, hybrid course, which means two things: 1) We only meet eight times and 2) we have to cover two chapters of material in every class. It is VITAL that you are present in body and mind to engage with the lecture, take notes, and ask questions that will prepare you for the online assignments and exams. Please be prompt and prepared every Monday evening at 7pm to receive your attendance points.

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Calendar

Additional Information

I will hold office hours by appointment.

The best way to reach me is my e-mail: jmdad@myactx.edu

You can try and contact me on my office phone (806)674-4657 (Email is the Best)

Most issues can be resolved before or after class, however we can always set-up an appointment that will work for both of us if more time is needed.  

You have been provided with a comprehensive schedule of class and activity dates. Pay careful attention to which chapters will be covered in class, read the chapters ahead of class time, and come prepared to discuss. Make sure you are comfortable with the chapter and the notes you take in class before beginning your online tests. You only have 1 chance and 90 minutes to answer 50 questions. You don't have time to look up every answer.

You are responsible for attending class and completing your exams and assignments on time. Barring an extreme emergency (i.e. you are admitted to the hospital and are unable to operate a computer) you will not be given an extension on your assignments, and you will NEVER be allowed to re-take an exam. If you do have an emergency, or know you have an important conflict, please email me as soon as possible so I can help you be successful. If you fail to email me about a conflict BEFORE there is a problem, there will be very little I can do help you solve it. Remember, your grade is your responsibility, but I’m here to help you achieve success.