Meredith Russell-Fay, M.S., Instructor Introductory Psychology Jackson Community College Fall Semester, 2006SYLLABUS –Fall Semester, 2006Psychology 140-21: Introductory Psychology – Thursday, 6-10 PM,Rm 218Instructor: Meredith Russell-Fay, M.S.Office Hours: Room 150A, JM Building: Contact Info : Campus: 517-787-0800 [email protected] Required Text: Psychology, 8th Ed., David G. Myers; additional readingsas assigned.Course Description: This course provides an introduction to the scientific study and interpretation of human behavior, surveying such topics as psychological development, learning, thinking, motivation, emotion, perception, intelligence, aptitudes and personality. Basic principles and their practical implications are discussed.Objectives: Successful students will be able to:1. Comprehend, analyze, apply and evaluate the use of relevant psychological terminology relating to psychological methodology, learning theory, physiological psychology and neuroscience, human development, personality and psychopathology.2. Critically evaluate the results of psychological research as evidence by identification of relevant casual variables and alternative extraneous variables.3. Distinguish between popular misconceptions regarding human behavior and the current empirical data concerning human behavior.4. Understand the historical evolution of psychology and of the relationship between psychology and the other social sciences, physical sciences and other non-scientific disciplines.5. Differentiate between the major theoretical orientations in psychology by identifying data/arguments representative of: behavioral, cognitive, biological/ethological/evolutionary, cross-cultural and psychodynamic perspectives.Course Expectations and Policies:1. How you earn your grade: (See Page 3) There will be 4 exams, 100 points each. Exams cover all materials. The lowest score will be dropped. 18 quizzes, 10 points each, will assist you in tracking your grasp of the material.The five lowest scores will be dropped. A Class paper, 200 points total, will be due near the end of the semester. An Applied Project, worth 50 points, will be completed for credit of the blocked portion of the class. Brief in-class assignments for additional points will be offered from time to time, and you will receive points for participation in class. 1Meredith Russell-Fay, M.S., Instructor Introductory Psychology Jackson Community College Fall Semester, 20062. Make-up Exams: Since five quiz scores are dropped, no make-up quizzes will be offered. Since one exam grade is dropped, you can have a make up exam if true disasters, such as documented emergency hospitalization or death of an immediate family member, prevent you from taking both exam 1 and 2. The make up exam is 8 essay questions over the first half of the book. It is better to take the exams.3. Class-room Conduct: Attendance is essential for your success in this class. Please evaluate your other commitments and be sure you can devote the time necessary for successful completion of the requirements for this class. Please respect everyone’s time and attention by being in the class room, ready to work, at the designated time for this class. If I have already handed out a quiz or some in-class assignment, I probably won’t let you earn points for that assignment. Taking notes in class is essential for your mastery of the material. Audio recording of lectures to augment in-class note-taking is fine with me – just let me know you are doing so. Moderate amounts of unobtrusive food and drink will be tolerated. If the foodgets distracting in any way, tolerance will decrease.During class, turn off all electronica. Leaving class for calls is frowned upon, unless you have informed me ahead of time that you have an emergency. Leaving class early is also frowned upon, and will certainly inspire an extra-credit opportunity for those people who remain.Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Offending students will receive a grade of 0.0 for the class, and will be referred immediately for administrative action.4. Accommodations for special cases: Students who utilize accommodations for optimal learning, please let me know immediately, and then work through Learning Support Services for verification of disability and setting up accommodations. Please don’t be shy about this – let me know early if this is a consideration for you.If for any reason, at any point, you begin consider the option of withdrawing from the class, please talk with me. 5. Grade calculations: Grade ValuesYourpoints/total points= % gradeYour %grade X 4= your4.0grade4.0scaleGrade%GradeLetterGrade2Meredith Russell-Fay, M.S., Instructor Introductory Psychology Jackson Community College Fall Semester, 20064.0 100 A+ 94 A 90 A-3.5 87.6 87 B+ 84 B 80 B- 77 C+3.0 75 74 C 70 C- 67 D+ 64 D2.5 62.4 60 D- 59 F2.0 501.5 37.61.0 25 0.5 12.6 E 0ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE – READINGS AND DUE DATESClassWeek Date Book ChTopicIn Class ExerciseAssignmentDuePts.MyPts.1-1 8/24/2006 Ch.1Science ofPsychology Pre-test02-1 8/31/2006 Ch. 2BehavioralAnatomy Quiz, Ch 1, 210Ch. 3 Nature/Nuture Paper Abstract203-1 9/7/2006 Ch. 7States ofConsciousness Quiz, Ch 3, 7104-1 9/14/2006 Ch. 4 Development Quiz, Ch 4103Meredith Russell-Fay, M.S., Instructor Introductory Psychology Jackson Community College Fall Semester, 2006Ch. 18 Social Psychology Quiz, Ch 18105-1 9/21/20061,2,7,3,4,18 Chapter Test #1 1st Test, 1/2/3/7/4/18100Ch 5 Sensation Learning Summary #1206-1 9/28/2006 Ch. 6 Perception