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PSYCO 104 LEC A2
Basic Psychological Processes Spring 2018
Lecture Room & Time: BS M 145, MW 1:30-4:40 PM Instructor: Amelia Liangzi Shi
E-mail: [email protected] (Please include “PSYCO 104” in the subject of your emails) Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: (780) 492-7889
Teaching Assistant: Christine Kershaw E-mail: [email protected]
Class Website on eClass
https://eclass.srv.ualberta.ca/course/view.php?id=44163
Course Description and Objectives:
The goal of this course is to provide students with the principles and development of perception, motivation, learning, and thinking and their relationship to the psychological
functioning of the individual. Fulfillment of the 1/4 laboratory credit typically entails serving as a research participant but can be fulfilled through the completion of alternative assignments. The course is a prerequisite to all courses in the department and is normally followed by PSYCO 105.
At the conclusion of this course students should be able to define, illustrate, and identify the core concepts and research methods. They should also be able to restate, describe, and compare the classic theories in psychology, and relate basic psychological principles to real- world phenomena and issues.
Course Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for PSYCO 104.
Required Textbook:
Passer, M.W., Smith, R.E., Atkinson, M.L., Mitchell, J.B., & Muir, D.W. (2017). Psychology:
Frontier’s and Applications (6th Canadian Edition). McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited.
eBook Website:
http://connect.mheducation.com/class/a-shi-psyco-104-spring-2018
Page | 2 Top Hat:
We will be using the Top Hat (www.tophat.com) classroom response system in class. You will be able to submit answers to in-class questions using Apple or Android smartphones and tablets, laptops, or through text message. You can visit the Top Hat Overview
(https://success.tophat.com/s/article/Student-Top-Hat-Overview-and-Getting-Started-Guide) within the Top Hat Success Center which outlines how you will register for a Top Hat account, as well as providing a brief overview to get you up and running on the system.
An email invitation will be sent to you by email, but if don’t receive this email, you can register by simply visiting our course website: https://app.tophat.com/e/238885
Our Course Join Code is 238885
Because Top Hat requires a paid subscription (visit www.tophat.com/pricing to see a full breakdown of all subscription options), it is OPTIONAL. If you do not want to use Top Hat, you may do an alternative task to get the corresponding grades.
Should you require assistance with Top Hat at any time, due to the fact that they require specific user information to troubleshoot these issues, please contact their Support Team directly by way of email ([email protected]), the in app support button, or by calling 1-888- 663-5491.
Lecture Schedule:
Lec Date Topic Chapter
1 May 7 Introduction; Connect Orientation; RP Orientation 1
2 May 9 History of Psychology 1 & 4
3 May 14 Research Methods 2 & Appendix
4 May 16 Biological Foundations; Sensation & Perception I 3 & 5
- May 21 No Class (Victoria Day) -
6 May 23 Sensation & Perception II 5
- May 28 Midterm Exam 1-5 & Appx.
7 May 30 Consciousness 6
8 June 4 Learning 7
9 June 6 Guest Lecture (Jenna Congdon); Memory I 7 & 8 10 June 11 Memory II; Emotion & Motivation I 8 & 11 - June 13 Emotion & Motivation II; Review; TopHat notes due 11
- June 15 Final Exam 1-8, 11 & Appx.
Note: Further changes will be announced in class and in eClass.
Grade Evaluation:
Students are responsible for all lecture, text, and eClass materials. Additionally, any content that is covered in class in the form of a demonstration or activity as well as any videos that are played in class, are eligible to be covered on both midterm and final exams. The instructor will reveal some hints regarding what content the students should focus on for the exams ONLY during the lectures. Grades will be assigned in percentages and will be converted to letter grades based on the below table. Your final grades will be calculated in accordance with University of Alberta letter grading system and will reflect your performance in
Page | 3 relation to the rest of the class. The grade translation below is approximate; the
instructor reserves the right to adjust the grades as necessary.
Letter Approximate % Pts Descriptor
A+ 95 – 100% 4.0
Excellent
A 90 – 94.99% 4.0
A- 85 – 89.99% 3.7
B+ 80 – 84.99% 3.3
Good
B 76– 79.99% 3.0
B- 72 – 75.99% 2.7
C+ 68 - 71.99% 2.3
Satisfactory
C 64 – 67.99% 2.0
C- 60 – 63.99% 1.7
D+ 55 – 59.99% 1.3 Poor
D 50 – 54.99% 1.0 Minimal Pass
F 0 – 49.99% 0 Failure
Grade Distribution:
Evaluation Weighting
Research Participation 10%
eClass Quizzes 10%
Top Hat Participation 15%
Midterm Exam 30%
Final Exam* 35%
* There is no possibility of a reexamination in this course. The final exam planner is found on the Registrar’s website: https://www.ualberta.ca/registrar/examinations/exam-schedules WARNING: Students must verify this date on BearTracks when the Final Exam Schedule is posted. Grades are unofficial until approved by the Department and/or Faculty offering the course.
Attendance:
Regular attendance is essential for optimal performance in any course. In cases of potentially excusable absences due to illness or domestic affliction, notify your instructor by e-mail within 2 days. For an excused absence where the cause is religious belief, a student must contact the instructor(s) within three days of the start of classes to request accommodation for the term (including the final exam, where relevant). Instructors may request adequate documentation to substantiate the student request. Note: Only partial lecture slides will be made available on eClass. Students are responsible for what they may have missed.
Research Participation:
This is the lab component of the course. The course instructor plays no role in designing or managing this component. If students have concerns or questions about research participation, the instructor should direct them to the Research Participation Coordinator, Gail Moroschan ([email protected]).
Page | 4 Quizzes:
The quizzes are intended to: (a) engage students in the assigned readings and videos; (b) provide some feedback to the instructor; (c) serve as sample test questions. There are 8 quizzes during the term. Quiz questions are assigned via eClass. Final grades will be calculated based on the average of all 8 quizzes.
Late Submission: Check eClass for the quiz due dates (indicated in quiz titles). Students can still submit a quiz within 72 hours after the indicated due time, without penalty. The quiz portal will be automatically shut down after 72 hours, and the instructor will NOT reopen it for ANY REASON. Missed quiz = 0 point.
Top Hat Participation:
The in-class activities are intended to: (a) increase students’ engagement in lectures; (b) allow students to explore topics more flexibly and independently than in a typical lecture course; (c) practice critical thinking and communication skills; (d) serve as sample test questions.
To get a full mark, you must have responded to at least 85% of all the Top Hat questions during the term. You will only get part of the participant grades if you respond to less than 85%, as indicated below:
Percentage of Fulfilled Questions Weighting
≥85% 15%
70% to 84% 10%
60% to 69% 5%
50% to 59% 2%
20% to 49% 1%
Less than 20% 0%
Alternative Participation:
If you do not want to use Top Hat, you may submit a handwritten summary of the Top Hat questions with your answers (Photocopies are acceptable, but typed notes are not). If you have collected at least 85% of all the questions during the term, you will still get 15%. We will use the above chart to calculate your grades if you submit only part of the questions. To facilitate our calculation, please make sure your handwriting is clear and readable. Submission is due June 13th, 1:30 PM. Late submission will NOT be considered.
NOTE: You may submit a handwritten summary on the last day of class to override your unsatisfying online response rates. This option is also recommended for students with (too many) excused absences. However, you will have to write down questions even if you have responsed to them online, as we cannot combine notes and online responses.
Midterm Exam:
The midterm exam has multiple-choice questions based on the text and lecture material up to that point.
There will be no make-up exam for the midterm. For students who cannot write a term examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling
reasons, the weight of the midterm will be transferred to the final exam. For this to happen, the
Page | 5 instructor must be contacted within two working days of the scheduled midterm. The
instructor may request adequate documentation to substantiate the reason for the absence at their discretion.
Final Exam:
The final exam has multiple-choice questions based on the text and lecture of the entire course.
Details about the exams will be provided in lectures and on the review day.
Deferred Final Examination:
Students have access to their final exam schedule through Bear Tracks and on the Registrar’s website in advance. A student who cannot write the final examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a deferred final examination. Such an application must be made to the student’s Faculty office within two working days of the missed examination. Supporting documentation can be presented by the student or may be requested by the Faculty. Tentative deferred exam date: June 14th, 11:30 AM.
Students who failed at the start of term to request exam accommodations for religious beliefs are expected to follow the normal deferred final examination process. Such an application must be made to the student’s Faculty office within two working days of the missed examination and must be supported by appropriate documentation or a Statutory Declaration
(http://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=20&navoid=4939#Attendance).
Deferred examinations are a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferred examination will be granted. Misrepresentation of Facts to gain a deferred examination is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.
Reexamination:
The weighted value of the final exam in this course is less than 40%. As such, University regulations state that reexaminations are not possible.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Academic Integrity
"The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online
at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence.
Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University."
All forms of dishonesty are unacceptable at the University. Any offence will be reported to the Associate Dean of Science who will determine the disciplinary action to be taken. Cheating, plagiarism and misrepresentation of facts are serious offences. Anyone who engages in these practices will receive at minimum a grade of zero for the exam or paper in question and no opportunity will be given to replace the grade or redistribute the weights. As well, in the
Page | 6 Faculty of Science /Faculty of Arts the sanction for cheating on any examination will include a disciplinary failing grade (NO EXCEPTIONS) and senior students should expect a period of suspension or expulsion from the University of Alberta.
All students should consult the information provided by the Student Conduct and Accountability (http://www.osja.ualberta.ca/) regarding avoiding cheating and plagiarism in particular and academic dishonesty in general (see the Academic Integrity Undergraduate Handbook
(https://www.deanofstudents.ualberta.ca/en/AcademicIntegrity/UndergraduateHandbook.aspx) and Avoiding and Preventing Cheating
https://www.deanofstudents.ualberta.ca/AcademicIntegrity/AvoidingPreventingCheating.aspxs).
If in doubt about what is permitted in this class, ask the instructor. An instructor who is convinced that a student has handed in work that he or she could not possibly reproduce without outside assistance is obliged, out of consideration of fairness to other students, to report the case to the Associate Dean of the Faculty. Before unpleasantness occurs consult (http://www.osja.ualberta.ca/); also discuss this matter with any tutor(s) and with your instructor.
Exams
Your student photo I.D. is required at exams to verify your identity. Students will not be allowed to begin an examination after it has been in progress for 30 minutes. Students must remain in the exam room until at least 30 minutes has elapsed. Electronic equipment cannot be brought into examination rooms and hats should not be worn.
Cell Phones
Cell phones are to be turned off during lectures, labs and seminars. Cell phones are not to be brought to exams.
Recording and/or Distribution of Course Materials
Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).
Learning and Work Environment
The Department of Psychology is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination and
harassment. It does not tolerate behavior that undermines that environment. The Department urges anyone who feels that this policy is being violated to:
• Discuss the matter with the person whose behavior is causing concern, or
• If that discussion is unsatisfactory, or there is a concern that direct discussion is inappropriate or threatening, discuss it with the instructor, or in cases of dispute with the instructor, with the Chair of the Department.
For additional advice or assistance regarding this policy you may contact the student Ombud service: (http://www.ombudservice.ualberta.ca/). Information about the University of Alberta
Page | 7 Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures is described in UAPPOL at
https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/PoliciesProcedures/Pages/Human-Resources.aspx.
Student Accessibility Services
If you have special needs that could affect your performance in this class, please let me know during the first week of the term so that appropriate arrangements can be made. If you are not already registered with Student Accessibility Services (http://www.ssds.ualberta.ca), contact their office immediately (1-80 SUB; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 780-492-3381).
Student Success Centre
http://www.studentsuccess.ualberta.ca
Students who require additional help in developing strategies for better time management, study skills or examination skills should contact the Student Success Centre (1-80 Students’
Union Building).
Counselling & Clinical Services
https://www.ualberta.ca/current-students/counselling
They aim to provide accessible and compassionate psychological and psychiatric services to U of A students (2-600 Students' Union Building)
Disclaimer:
Any typographical errors in this Course Outline are subject to change and will be announced in class. The date of the final examination is set by the Registrar and takes precedence over the final examination date reported in this syllabus. Policy about course outlines can be found in the University Calendar.