Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1) Online
Dr. Anne Michaels
You must use a user name and password after the first week of class. Without these, you will not be able to access the course materials beyond the first week. If you need assistance, please visit www.bcconline.com/orient/password.htm to receive further assistance.
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of user names and passwords as it pertains to this course: "I understand that I must use a user name and password to access materials beyond the first week of class. I also understand that I can visit the above-referenced website to obtain assistance."
Instructor Contact Information:
E-mail:
Technical Help:
- E-mail:
In the box below, please type, I understand how to contact my instructor and how to contact technical assistance.
Course Information:
Required Textbook:
Psychology (10th edition)
Authors: Carole Wade and Carol Tavris
Publisher: Prentice-Hall
Year: 2011
ISBN: 9780205711468
In the box below, please type which of the following applies to you: "I have my book already" or "I will have my book by the end of the first week of class."
Email Updates
One of the primary
methods of contact in an online course is email. Your college is capable of
extracting student names and email addresses from our registration system.
The purpose of extracting this information is two fold. The information will
be used by the instructor to remain in contact with the class in order to
provide information necessary for the students' academic success. The
information will also be used to send emails to the students from the
college administration. The emails sent by the college administration will
consist of links to course surveys which will be used to improve our online
courses, important announcements for students, and links to college surveys,
which will be used to satisfy requirements placed on the college by the
California Community College Chancellor's Office. The college will not use
this information to advertise any products and will not share student email
addresses with any other organization.
In the box below type the following information:
As a student I understand it is my responsibility to ensure my email address
is up to date in the registration system, and that failure to do so can
seriously impact my ability to successfully complete my courses. Further, I
consent to receive email communication from my instructor and from the
college administration. This consent will remain in force until it is
revoked in writing or I am no longer taking classes with the college. Upon
submitting the syllabus, I agree to enter the registration system, check my
email address and change it if necessary. I understand a tutorial is
available to assist me with this procedure. I also understand I can contact
760-252-2411 x7236 to receive additional assistance if I encounter any
difficulties when attempting to change my email address.
Course Calendar:
All important dates for the class, including due dates, discussion dates, exam dates, and etc. are listed on the course home page.
Instructor Drop Date:
You must participate in Discussion 1 during the first week of this course. Otherwise, I will drop you from the course. The specific instructor drop date is given on the course home page.
Academic Misconduct:
Disciplinary action will be imposed for any academic misconduct, such as plagiarism or cheating on exams. In most cases, the student will fail the course.
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the issues involving academic honesty: "I understand that all work must be my own unless collaboration is granted by the instructor. I also understand that any form of cheating will NOT be tolerated." I also understand all due dates are listed on the home page of the course.
Course Description:
Consideration of the development of psychology, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, state of consciousness, stress, health and adjustment, abnormal behavior and psychotherapy, sex roles and sexual behavior.
Course Objectives:
This course will introduce students to psychological theories about:
Expected Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing this course, students should understand:
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Define Learning Outcomes of this Course
1) Define and compare Psychology to its related "ologies", i.e. sociology
2) Describe the history, perspectives
3) List potential careers in psychology
4) Describe the scientific method and differentiate between research strategies
5) List 5 basic components of ethics in research
6) Explain the main components of critical thinking
7) Explain the basic systems of the brain and the biological foundations of the brain including the nervous system as well as the central nervous system
8) Discuss the effects of brain damage and repair
9) List the techniques used in studying the brain
10) Describe the sensation and perpetual processes in detecting and perceiving the world
11) Diagram the world of sensation including the visual and auditory system
12) Explain the role of perception and relevant principles
13) Understand the nature of consciousness, analyze sleep patterns and dreams, and the role of hypnosis
14) Describe the basic mechanisms of addiction
15) Diagram a schematic map for learning theories including: Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning and relevant cognitive factors
16) Discuss biological and cultural diversity factors in learning.
17) Relate the basic nature and processes of memory and the biological and cultural contents.
18) Give examples of techniques for improving memory
19) Describe the history and trends affected by the cognitive revolution
20) Describe thinking as a process
21) Outline language and development as well as biological, environmental and cultural influences
22) Explain the factors in intelligence theory, measurement and theorists including multiple intelligence
23) Distinguish the main definitions and perspectives as well as the controversies inherent in theories of human development.
24) Distinguish the main elements differentiating the main developmental.
25) Relate the three main theories of moral development and relate the effect of early human development on moral reasoning.
26) Outline the major motivation perspectives and describe the relevant and historical theorists.
27) Describe the two main theories classifying emotion
28) Describe the relationship between cognition and emotion
29) Prepare a grid distinguishing the main personality perspectives including theories and theorists
30) Explain the main research methods in measuring personality
31) Describe the dimensions of abnormality
32) List the main mental disorders
33) Describe the legal aspects of sanity and insanity
34) Define the biological and psychological perspectives involved in the major therapies.
35) Evaluate from research reports the effectiveness of each major therapy and which therapy is best for which disorder.
36) Explain the main steps in promoting health on an individual and community level
37) Demonstrate through charting and understanding of the process of stress and its adaptive and coping processes
38) Define social cognition, influence, the role of interpersonal relationships
39) Describe attribution theory and its effect on optimism and pessimism.
40) Differentiate between the main research projects described in the social psychology literature and list the ethical errors committed in each.
In the box below type one reason why you took this course and the objective above which interests you the most.
Course Outline:
Lesson 1 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 1 and 2
Read Lesson 1
Participate in Discussion 1
Lesson 2 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 3 and 4
Read Lesson 2
Participate in Discussion 2
Lesson 3 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 5 and 6
Read Lesson 3
Submit Behavior Observation Paper 1
Lesson 4 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 7 and 8
Read Lesson 4
Participate in Discussion 3
Lesson 5 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 9 and 10
Read Lesson 5
Participate in Discussion 4
Lesson 6 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 11 and 12
Read Lesson 6
Submit Behavior Observation Paper 2
Lesson 7 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 13 and 14
Read Lesson 7
Participate in Discussion 5
Lesson 8 Assignments:
Read textbook chapters 15 and 16
Read Lesson 8
Participate in Discussion 6
Lesson 9 Assignments:
Review textbook chapters 1-16
Review lessons 1-8
Note: Lesson 9 is a course review. If your course occurs during an 8-week session, you may read the Lesson 9 review at your convenience.
Comprehensive Final Exam:
Take the Comprehensive Final Exam (Covers the entire course, Lessons 1 - 8)
The Final Exam is proctored
The Final Exam is closed-book
The Final Exam will be available online during the last week of the session.
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the course schedule: "I understand the course schedule and weekly assignments that are required as part of this course."
Grading:
Discussions
The discussions are worth a total of 120 points, divided as follows:
Discussion 1 = 20 points
Discussion 2 = 20 points
Discussion 3 = 20 points
Discussion 4 = 20 points
Discussion 5 = 20 points
Discussion 6 = 20 points
Behavior Observation Papers
The behavior observation papers are worth a total of 100 points, divided as follows:
Behavior Observation Paper 1 = 50 points
Behavior Observation Paper 2 = 50 points
Comprehensive Final Exam
The Final Exam is worth 100 points
To Compute Your Course Grade:
Add all of your points together.
Your total will be between 0 and 320 points.
Divide the total by 3.2 (this converts the points to a letter grade)
Use this scale: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, below 60=F
Early Submission of Assignments
All assignments in this course, except the Final Exam, may be submitted early.
All of the Discussions are posted at the beginning of the semester. You may post answers at your convenience.
The assignment drop-boxes for Behavior Observation Papers 1 and 2 are located in Lessons 3 and 6 (scroll to the bottom of the Lesson). You may submit these assignments at your convenience.
I do not grade assignments early. Although you may submit at your convenience, I grade the entire class together (after the due date).
If you know that a personal or work-related situation will prevent you from submitting an assignment during the week it is due, I strongly encourage you to submit the work early.
Late Submission of Assignments
I generally do not accept late assignments unless you have a medical reason or other emergency.
If you have a medical (or other) emergency for yourself or a close family member, you may fax me documentation (such as a doctor or hospital note) at 814-206-0360. Be sure to send me an e-mail message so that I know to expect the fax.
After receiving your documentation, Ill e-mail a confirmation to you, along with a new extended due date.
In limited circumstances, such as unexpected military deployments or unexpected job-related emergencies, Ill accept late assignments. In these cases, there is usually a grading penalty for late work. Send me an e-mail message explaining the situation and Ill reply with a yes or no answer. With a yes answer, Ill also include the extended due date and grading penalty (if there is one).
I do not accept any assignments after the official ending date of the course (unless you have requested and received an "Incomplete" grade).
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the grading policy for this course: "I understand the grading scale, the possible number of points available in this class, and that I have the ability to track my grade throughout the course."
Final Exam Information
This course requires a comprehensive final exam. It will cover material from all eight lessons of the course (lesson nine is a course review).
The final exam is online.
The final exam is proctored (see instructions below).
You may access the final exam from the course home page your proctor will have the password.
You may take the final exam during a one-week period (see course home page for dates).
There is a two-hour time limit on the final exam.
The exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions, which can be answered in two hours if you are well prepared.
Do not use books, notes, or other aids during the final exam.
Late Submission of the Final Exam
I do not accept late Final Exams.
The exam is available for a week, and the dates are posted from the first day of class. This gives everyone plenty of time to make arrangements to take the exam.
If an emergency prevents you from taking the exam during the week it is available, contact me immediately. In some cases, you may be able to take the exam early.
I submit course grades shortly after the Final Exam ends (usually the next morning). Please realize that I have deadlines from the college for submitting grades.
It is very important that you confirm the hours your testing site is open (see below). Some campus sites (at Barstow College or other colleges) may be closed on Fridays or weekends. A closed testing site is not an acceptable excuse for missing your Final Exam. Confirm the hours of operation before making your plans.
Proctor Information (for the Final Exam):
The Final Exam in this course is proctored.
You must have a proctor, and will not be allowed to take the test alone (unsupervised).
You may take the exam on-campus in the Barstow College Computer Labs.
Or, you may take the exams at the Fort Irwin Resident Center.
Or, you may take the exams at the Miramar Marine Base.
If you live at a distance, you may arrange for your own proctor by submitting the proctor form. There is a link to the proctor form on the course home page.
If you arrange for your own proctor, I must receive your proctor form at least two weeks before the final exam
If your proctor is acceptable, I will e-mail him/her testing instructions and passwords. I will also e-mail a confirmation to you.
College policy states that proctors must be 1) employed by a school system (K-12), or 2) employed by a college or university, or 3) a military testing officer (or equivalent), or 4) a member of the clergy. Your proctor may NOT be a member of your family, even if s/he meets the other criteria.
The proctor must have a professional e-mail address, which matches his/her position. For example, the address should end in ".edu" or ".mil," or another professional extension.
The proctor may not use a private or corporate address to receive your testing information. For example, addresses ending in ".org," ".com." or ".net" are not acceptable.
You must bring a picture ID to the proctor location to take your exam. You will not be permitted to take the exam without a picture ID.
It is very important that you confirm the hours your testing site is open. Some campus sites (at Barstow College or other colleges) may be closed on Fridays or weekends. A closed testing site is not an acceptable excuse for missing your Final Exam. Confirm the hours of operation before making your plans.
In the box below type, I understand the rules for the final and proctoring and that exam will be proctored, and I agree to abide by the information listed for the exam and proctoring.
Discussions:
Discussion Assignments
There are six discussions in this course.
To find your discussions, scroll to the bottom of the course home page and click the "Discuss" button.
Each discussion consists of two parts. For Part A, you will have a choice of three questions to answer. Part B is a response to one of your classmates.
Each discussion assignment is located in the appropriate Lesson. For example, a copy of the Discussion 1 assignment (Parts A and B) is given in Lesson 1 (scroll down the Lesson).
Detailed grading criteria are also listed in each Lesson, right after the discussion assignment. Keep scrolling down (past the discussion assignment) to see the grading criteria.
NOTE: Discussion 1 is written so that you can participate without a textbook, if necessary. Wait to read a few other responses, and you should be able to choose one of the assigned topics. Remember that you MUST participate in Discussion 1 during the first week to prevent being dropped from class.
For your convenience, here is a copy of the grading criteria for the discussions:
Grading Criteria
Part A is worth 10 points. For full credit (10 points), your answer must be at least 150 words long. For half credit (5 points), your answer must be at least 75 words long.
Part B is worth 10 points. For full credit (10 points), your answer must be at least 150 words long. For half credit (5 points), your answer must be at least 75 words long.
You are always welcome to post supportive comments for your classmates, but short answers (less than 75 words) will not count for credit.
You may earn a maximum of 20 points on the discussion if both Parts A and B earn full credit.
If you describe a person who is not in our class, use initials instead of his/her real name. You may use my name, your own name, and your classmates names. If you use the real name of a person outside class, your post will not earn credit.
Disrespectful language, attitudes, or other behavior is strictly forbidden, and will result in a grade of zero for the discussion. You may disagree with another person, but do so in a respectful manner.
Each discussion will last for several days (check the course calendar on the home page for dates). You may post early, but not late. I will not grade anything posted after the discussion has ended.
Plagiarism:
Do not copy material from another source, unless you enclose the copied material in quotation marks and include a bibliography at the end of your post. (You are allowed to quote short passages in your discussion posts, but it is not required.)
Exception: You may quote our textbook simply by chapter and page number. A bibliography at the end of the post is not required.
Do not copy material from another student and submit it as your work. You may quote another persons post, but be sure to use quotation marks and tell who wrote it.
Do not give your work to another student to be copied.
If you engage in any of these behaviors, or any form of plagiarism, your grade on the discussion will be zero.
Behavior Observation Papers
Behavior Observation Paper Assignments
There are two Behavior Observation Papers in this course.
Each Behavior Observation Paper consists of five topics, which you may choose from the assigned textbook chapters. You will observe a person demonstrating each topic, and submit a written summary as instructed.
The assignment, instructions, and grading criteria for Behavior Observation Paper 1 are listed at the bottom of Lesson 3. Scroll down the Lesson to find your assignment.
The assignment, instructions, and grading criteria for Behavior Observation Paper 2 are listed at the bottom of Lesson 6. Again, scroll down the Lesson to find your assignment.
Notice that each paper requires very specific formatting. A formatting example is included in the instructions for Behavior Observation Paper 1, at the bottom of Lesson 3 (scroll to the bottom of the lesson).
For your convenience, here is a copy of the grading criteria for the Behavior Observation Papers:
To earn 50 points
Your assignment is typed and submitted according to the guidelines.
You correctly followed the formatting example (including the topic sentences).
Each "Description" section (see formatting example) is at least 200 words long.
You described observations of actual behavior (may include yourself, family, friends, or strangers in public places)
You had fewer than 5 spelling and/or grammar errors.
Your observation includes 5 of the assigned topics.
Your observation was submitted by the due date (see Course Calendar).
To earn 40 points
Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only 4 of the assigned topics
To earn 30 points
Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only 3 of the assigned topics
To earn 20 points
Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only 2 of the assigned topics
To earn 10 points
Your assignment meets all of the criteria listed above, but includes only 1 of the assigned topics
Additional specific point deductions
Protect the privacy of other people. If you describe another person, do not use his/her real name (use initials or a false name).
There is a 5-point deduction for using a persons real name.
Check your observation for spelling and grammar errors.
There is a 5-point deduction for excessive (5 or more) spelling and/or grammar errors.
Check each "Description" section to make sure that it is at least 200 words long.
There are various deductions (5-40 points) for "Description" sections that are too short, depending upon actual lengths of the sections.
Be sure that your assignment is based on actual observed behaviors.
There is a 5-point deduction for not basing your paper on specific, observed behaviors.
Check your formatting. There are various deductions for formatting mistakes (5-40 points) depending upon how much your paper differs from the requirements.
Plagiarism:
Do not copy material from another source, unless you enclose the copied material in quotation marks and correctly cite the source in a bibliography. You are allowed to quote short passages in your Behavior Observations, but it is not required. If you choose to use quoted material, remember to include a bibliography at the end.
Exception: You may refer to our textbook simply by chapter or page number. Just put quotation marks around the passages you use a bibliography is not necessary.
Do not copy material from another student and submit it as your work.
Do not give your work to another student to be copied.
If you engage in these behaviors, or any form of plagiarism, your grade on BOTH Behavior Observations will be ZERO.
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the Behavior Observation Papers for this course: "I understand I must follow the rules outlined above when writing the Behavior Observation Papers and that I cannot send the papers as attachments."
Disability Statement:
If you have a disability which may impact your success in this course, you may contact the Office of Student Support (OSS) to arrange any reasonable accommodations and supports to which you are entitled. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate these procedures. The OSS department can be contacted by calling 760-252-2411 x7225 or 760-252-6759 TTY/TDD or emailing
oss@bcconline.com.In the box below type: I understand that if I have or suspect I have a disability I can contact the OSS program at the number or email address listed above and request reasonable accommodations. Further I realize it is my responsibility to contact the OSS department.
SYLLABUS DISCLAIMER:
A syllabus is not a contract between an instructor and student, but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading, and objectives. The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when circumstances dictate. Students will receive appropriate notification if circumstances arise to justify amending the syllabus.
In the box below, please type the following to indicate your understanding of the syllabus for this course: "I understand a syllabus is a general guidelines for students to use in planning their time in a particular class. The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to the syllabus with reasonable time allowances for students to adjust to the changes."
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