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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The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

PSYC-2301-HS04 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. 
• Cell phones do not always work with Blackboard, so make sure you have a real computer and Internet access.

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 beforehand.  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 also 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.

Although we will have some group work in this class, I expect each student to complete his/her own work independently rather than copying assignments from other group members.  Group members can give each other ideas but in the end, each student is independently responsible for his/her own work.  Exams should be completed independently, as should all other assignments with the exception of the one group assignment, which will result in one final product.  Even on the group assignment, each individual group member is expected to contribute his/her own thoughts and individual effort.  Each member should participate, adding to the group’s work.

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 four 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 are unable to complete an assignment by deadline, you will receive a 0.

If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me via email (mseder@actx.edu) 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 8:30-5:30).  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 5:30 p.m. or to very 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
15% of overall grade – Reading Logs (2) are each worth 7.5%
10% of overall grade – Group Assignment (each group member will receive the same grade)

• There will be four 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 at 12:00 a.m. on the date indicated and will close 4 days later at 11:59 p.m. 
  • 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. 
  • You will receive a 0 if you do not complete the exam in the time given. 
  • Exams are meant to be completed independently, NOT with your group.  That would be considered cheating and would result in an automatic 0.
• 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 me 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 verifying the completion of volunteer hours, but I have provided you with a simple form in our class in Blackboard.  Print it, make appropriate changes, and take it with you to the agency in case they do not have their own letterhead available.
    • Make sure that your volunteer supervisor at the agency signs/verifies your hours each and every time you volunteer.
  • After you have completed your hours, you will then answer 5 short essay questions about the experience. 
    • You will complete the “Service Learning Project Template” and submit it through Blackboard as a Word document or Rich Text file.  Do NOT submit this assignment as a PDF.
  • You must also relate your experience to concepts studied in class and in the textbook.  Additionally, you will be required to interpret 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 rubric within the assignment.  
  • While you can complete your volunteer hours with other classmates, you are required to complete the template on your own.  Submit your own independent work for a grade.
  • See additional information about this project in the Blackboard class, including the rubric by which you will be graded.
• The Reading Logs are study aids, both in terms of helping you learn the material and to be used while taking your open-book/note exams.  I will only be requiring you to complete 2 full logs, but ideally, you should also take similar notes over the other chapters in preparation for all of the exams.
  • In our class in Blackboard, you will find a Reading Log Template.  This is what you are required to use – no variations.
    • You can either type directly on this template (do not change the font size or spacing) OR you can print it off and complete it by hand.  If you complete it by hand, it must be legible.
    • The template encourages you to organize yourself, to analyze the material, and to place things in the appropriate spaces.  It also prompts you to provide your own observations and to note questions.  Try to think of questions you think might be on the exam.
      • The format of the template boosts learning and retention, so please use it as it is laid out.
    • Noting page numbers is required.
  • The point of this exercise is to organize and analyze.  The point is NOT to cover each and every word/topic from the book or to simply rewrite the book.
  • Reading Logs should be completed independently, NOT with your group.
  • Each Reading Log should cover the chapters that will be on the next exam.  Each exam covers either 3 or 4 chapters.
    • You must complete one full page for EACH of the covered chapters.
    • If you go slightly over one page, that will be fine.  You can submit up to 6 full pages.
    • The final page is a vocabulary list for ALL of the chapters.  On only this one vocabulary page, define terms from EACH chapter (at least a few terms from each and every chapter).
  • You will choose 2 exams for which you will prepare a Reading Log.  For example, if you choose to complete logs for Exam 1 and for Exam 3, you will prepare one Reading Log over chapters 1-3 for Exam 1 and then another Reading Log over chapters 6-9 for Exam 3.
    • Different due dates apply for each Reading Log. 
    • If you miss the deadline for the Reading Log for Exam 1, you cannot submit it later.  In other words, if you miss the deadline for the Exam 1 Reading log and turn it in by the deadline for Exam 2’s Reading Log, you will receive a 0.  These are meant to be study aids and will not help you if completed after you have taken the corresponding exam.
  • You are only required to submit 2 total Reading Logs by whichever deadline is appropriate.
• The Group Assignment requires you to work with your assigned group, which will be assigned on the first day of class.  Your group may choose from one of 3 possible topics for this assignment and turn in EITHER a 3-5 page paper OR a PowerPoint slideshow.  The final product must be uploaded to Blackboard, so it will need to be a file type that Blackboard accepts:  Word document, Rich Text file, PowerPoint slideshow, or PDF.   (If you use Google Docs or Slides, these will need to be downloaded as Word, Rich Text, or PDF.)
  • Your group does not have to meet together in person but can communicate via email or phone.  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.
  • If you use Google, you will need to download it as a file type that Blackboard will accept (Microsoft Word, Rich Text file, PowerPoint, or PDF).

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 and do most of the work on your own time).  Although I will not count off points if you miss a class, I will track attendance.  You will be required to sign in (on a paper attendance sheet) each class session. 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 (8:30-5:30).  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.