General Psychology Syllabus for 2017-2018
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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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Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

PSYC-2301-008 General Psychology

Prerequisites

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

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 ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Exploring Psychology (9th ed.), by David G. Myers (2014)

This textbook is required.  It is available from the publisher in different formats:  an eBook, looseleaf binding, or regular bound book.  All of these versions will work.  You do not have to purchase the access code to the digital support materials; however, you might find these online materials helpful in preparing for the exams.

Supplies

• Access to a computer and Internet connection.  If you do not have your own, make arrangements to use one of the computer labs on campus.  Find out their hours of operation, since each lab maintains its own schedule with slightly different hours.  In the AC labs, there are only limited hours after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends.  This is a hybrid class (meaning much of your work will be done outside of class, online) and all of your exams and most of your assignments will be submitted online through the Blackboard system.
• Paper to take notes, pens or pencils.  Even if you prefer to use a laptop to record class notes, please make sure to still bring paper and pens/pencils to classes. 

Student Performance

These are the minimum competencies.  After studying the material presented in this course, the student will be able to do the following, as evaluated by the faculty in the department/program:

1. Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.
2. Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.
3. Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.
4. Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.
5. Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
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 all students to have read the chapters before class discussions.  You will be asked to answer questions in class and occasionally you will teach your classmates information that you learned from reading the textbook.  This will be easier for you if you are already familiar with the content from the textbook.  Perhaps of greatest significance, reading your textbook is essential, because the exams pull some questions directly from the textbook that cannot be found any other place, nor will all of that content be covered in class.  Reading your book and attending lectures will enable you to do well in this class.

Your grade will not be docked for missing a class; however, you will lose an advantage afforded to those who do attend each class.  Bonus questions on each exam will be pulled from information that will only be covered in class and will not be found in the textbook or elsewhere, so attendance will not only help you learn the material but will give you an advantage in terms of your test grades.

While in class, please do not use electronic devices for purposes other than notetaking.  If you are waiting on an important call, please tell me before class.  If you receive that call during class, you may then step out of the room to answer.  I would prefer you not to leave and reenter the room throughout the session as that can be disruptive.

All students are expected to be tolerant and respectful of other students. There will be zero tolerance for any type of harassment.  AC expects that each student will engage in academic honesty and refrain from cheating and/or plagiarism.  Penalties for such behaviors are outlined in the Amarillo College Student Handbook.

I expect all students to complete assignments in a timely manner.  No extensions of any due date will be provided.  Take advantage of the time you have and plan ahead.  Even on exams, you will have at least five days to complete them.  If you would like to complete an exam before it opens, please contact me as soon as you can.

If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me via email or my office phone (806.345.5582) at any time.  If you do not reach me when calling, leave me a message.  I will check voicemail messages periodically throughout typical workdays (from 8-5:00).  If you do not leave a complete message, I may not be able to help you.  Please tell me your full name and which class you are attending (for example, “Sue Smith in Psychology at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays/Thursdays”).  I cannot guarantee that I will respond to any messages after 5:00 p.m.  I can guarantee that I will not respond to any messages left on my office number after 5:00 p.m. or to many messages sent via email after 8:00 p.m.

Grading Criteria

You can check your grades in our course in Blackboard.  Grading will be on a standard scale.  For your final overall course grade, I will round up at .5 and above.  Grading will be on the standard grade scale:

100-89.5% = A
89.4-79.5% = B
79.4-69.5% = C
69.4-59.5% = D
59.4% and below = F

The points will be earned:

55% of overall grade – Exams (4); each Exam is worth 13.75% of your total grade
20% of overall grade – Service Learning Project
10% of overall grade – Group Assignment
10% of overall grade – Discussion Boards (2); each Discussion Board is worth 5% of your total grade
5% of overall grade – Assignments: Reading Logs (4) are each worth .5%; Research Article Summaries (3) are each worth 1%

• There will be 4 50-question multiple-choice exams taken online.  Each exam is worth 13.75% of your grade.  I will drop your lowest exam grade. The exam questions will be taken from class lecture notes and the chapters in the book. Exams will open on the Thursday of the test week and close on the following Monday, giving you 5 days to complete the exam.  Please do not wait until the last minute, when you will not find anyone to assist you with technical problems.  I will be unavailable to answer questions after 8 p.m. each night.
• The Discussion Boards will be worth 10% of your overall grade (5% for each one=2 total). 
  • Your initial post will be due on a Friday.
    • You must provide examples from the textbook and classroom lectures; do not simply state your personal opinions.
  • You must reply to 2 of your classmates by the following Sunday.
    • Your replies must be substantive.  Saying, “I agree!” will not be adequate; you will need to explain your position or add new information.
    • We will not always agree with one another, but be respectful in your replies to your classmates.
• The Group Assignment requires you to work with at least 2 other students in class (at least 3 total in each group).  You may choose from one of 3 possible topics for this assignment and turn in a 1-3 page paper or a PowerPoint presentation – or whatever your group chooses, as long as the final product can be uploaded to Blackboard and will be a file type that I can open and grade. 
  • Your group does not have to meet together in person but can communicate via email.  As an AC student, you have access to Google Docs (much like Microsoft Word, but available for free to you through your AC email account).  Google Docs allows multiple users to edit and revise documents while tracking changes.
• While I will not reduce your grade by much for failing to turn in reading logs or research article summaries, I will reward those who complete these assignments.  These assignments could potentially bump you up to the next letter grade.
  • In our class in Blackboard, you will find a Reading Log template. 
    • Use this template.  You may either fill this out by hand or use a computer, but do not change the font size or margins.  If you choose to complete this by hand, in order to receive credit, I must be able to read it.  Points will be awarded only when handwriting is legible and large enough to read. 
    • The point of this exercise is to force you to organize, summarize, and highlight areas you need to review further before the test.  You will not be able to simply write everything that you read on these logs – only the main concepts, the highlights, and your weak areas.  Use phrases and abbreviations.  There is no need to write complete sentences or provide citations, although noting the page numbers may help you when you later take your exam.
    • Complete 1 reading log in preparation for each exam.  You can use the reading log when you are studying for the exam as well as while you are taking the exam.  The exams will each cover 3 or 4 chapters.  Each Reading Log must be no more than 6 pages, covering all of those chapters.  You will have to summarize in order to avoid exceeding the maximum allowed number of 6 pages.
    • This is an “all or nothing assignment” – if you meet the requirements, you will receive the points.  If you do not meet these requirements, no points.
    • You can either submit these reading logs electronically through Blackboard or hand them in to me, in class, by the due dates.
  • The research article summaries are worth slightly more points.  I have provided the 3 articles for you, in our Blackboard class.  Read an article and then prepare a 1-3 page summary of what they did in the study, what you learned, how it pertains to what we're studying in our class, and what was significant.  These research article summaries must be typed and submitted via Blackboard.
• The Service Learning Project will be worth 20% of your final grade.
  • You will be required to complete 4 hours of community service at your chosen agency in the community. (A list of agencies is provided in our class in Blackboard or you may ask your instructor to approve a site not listed.)  You must provide signed documentation verifying that you completed all of the hours.   
    • If you do not provide verification of all 4 hours completed, you will receive a 0 for your overall Service Learning Project assignment.  Some agencies provide their own forms, but you will need to make sure you have your own simple form with you each time you complete hours so that your volunteer supervisor at the agency can sign/verify your time.
  • You will then answer 5 short essay questions about the experience.   
  • You must also relate your experience to concepts studied in class and in the textbook.  Additionally, you will be required to read research graphs.
  • Each question has a rubric which will be used for grading. The questions are worth different amounts of points. You will be able to access the rubrics within the assignment.  
  • See additional information about this project in the Blackboard class, including the rubrics by which you will be graded.

Attendance

It’s college; I know you will want to skip, but if you show up, you will do better in this class. It’s an 8-week hybrid class, so if you miss, you will get behind very quickly. Traditional classes were twice as long (16 weeks) and had twice as many lectures (with a hybrid class, you meet half as often).  You will be required to scan your ID for attendance each day in class. Download the free Ellucian app (available on both iPhones and Androids) for a virtual ID, in case you forget your actual card.  If you are over 30 minutes late, then you will not be counted present. I understand that things come up, but please try your best to be in class and be on time.  I will reward you for this by giving you information in class that will not be covered elsewhere (not in our book and not easily Googled) that will be on exams in the form of bonus questions.  When determining final grades for the course, attendance also contributes to rounding beyond the standard 0.5.  In other words, your final course grade might be an 89.4, but if you have attended most all of our classes, I will be more inclined to round up to an A.

Calendar

Additional Information

Office Hours:

I will hold office hours by appointment.

The best way to reach me is by sending an email: mseder@actx.edu

You can also contact me on my office phone (806)345-5582, but that will only work during typical business hours (8-5).  If you need me more immediately or after hours, please send an email; however, I cannot guarantee a response to messages sent after 8 p.m.