INTRODUCTION toPSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTORYSTATISTICS
A Presidential Scholars InterdisciplinarySeminar
PSYC 2301.22 - MATH1342.22
CourseSyllabus
Dr. Shirley Clay, Professor ofPsychology
Dr. Paula A. Wilhite, Professor ofMathematics
NTCC - MS101
M/W 1:00 –2:20
Spring 2016
SEMINARDESCRIPTION
This seminar combines Psychology 2301 (Introduction to Psychology) andMath1342 (Introductory Statistics) The combination of these two courses will enable students toapply information gained in one course to the othercourse. Designed to emulate alearning community, students will see the manner in which information flows from one area toanother and how each discipline views similar or same pieces of information. Students mayfrequently engage in creative and reflective thought to more thoroughly understand the processand importance of experimental design andresearch.
Introduction to Psychology is a survey course that broadly approaches many topicsin psychology. Students will have opportunities to learn about many fundamental principlesof behavior and research techniques. Topics may include behaviors from a variety ofareas including: consciousness, sleep, altered states, learning principles, mental illness,stress, perception, personality, intelligence, memory, therapy, and brainchemistry.
Introductory Statistics provides the basic knowledge of fundamental procedures fordescriptive and inferential statistic. Students will be asked to gather data, conduct research, and applythe knowledge to the analysis of data. Topics include frequency distributions, probability,random sampling, central tendency, dispersion, normal distribution, binomial distribution,sampling distribution, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, Chi square, analysis of varianceand linear regressionanalysis.
Students are expected to have a sufficient algebra background in addition to the ability toread at college-level. Students will earn three hours college credit for eachcourse.
PSYCHOLOGY 2301.22H TEXTBOOKREQUIREMENT
Coon, D. & Mitterer, J.O. (2011). Psychology: A Journey 5th Ed.Wadsworth. ISBN978-1-133-95782-9
Please read the assigned reading BEFORE that chapter is covered in class. Expect toread everything more than once! It is a good idea to take the practice quizzes that accompanyyour text. Aplia is packaged with your book for free when you buy it in the collegebookstore.
For your convenience, a website in Blackboard is available for you to use as adiscussion board and a way to have your grades posted. It is also a way I will communicate withyou outside of class. If you have not had the portal set up on your computer, you maywant to get your computer “campus ready” by Austin Baker in MS 103. You willneed to see him for internet access anywhere on campus and how to access theportal.
From the portal, click on the Blackboard link and then click on the course number foryour class. You will access this with your first initial of your first name and your full last nameand the last 3 digits of your social security number. No spaces. Example: jsmith378.Your password will be your birth date using 8 digits. Example: 04031979. If you haveproblems accessing your class, contact Chris Eakins in MS 103 computer lab on campus or phone903- 434-8279 or 8280. You may also email him
You may also email me or any of your classmates in Blackboard. Please use this site toyour advantage. You can even set up study groups and study for exams or work onassignments together.
CONDUCT OFCOURSE
Introduction toPsychology
Class attendance is required. Most classes will include exercises and activities designed toincrease your understanding of the material. These exercises may count toward part of your finalcourse grade.
Use of lab top computers in class is restricted to taking notes or working on psychologyrelated websites if asked. You may be asked to use your cell phones during class or yourcomputers. If you have not been asked to use your cell phone, please keep it put away and off yourdesk.
Be attentive and courteous when classmates speak or ask questions. Honor those whospeak. Please listen attentively and be courteous toeveryone.
Plan to participate in class and be interested in the subject matter. It is always a good ideato smile and have a positive attitude in class. Come to class prepared and ready to be anactive learner. Please take notes and plan on referring back to these when you study and thinkabout the subject matter. Often, our discussion is very important and will not sound likelecture.
Your involvement both verbally and physically is required. No grades will be given, gradeswill be earned based on performance in this course. Late work is discouraged and is usuallyworth less than full credit. Earning the grade and learning should go hand-in-hand and shouldalso be fun as well as work. Learning has its own rewards. Thinking deeply andrelating information to experiences in life are really the best way to proceed in thiscourse.
Students may use audio and/or video recording devices to record lectures or portionsthereof providing that they get permission from the instructor. Materials recorded may only be usedby the student to aid in the completion of requirements for the course. Content recordedremains the property of NTCC and may not be duplicated for distribution and may not be soldto another party or uploaded to theinternet.
Critical thinking will be stressed in this class. Critical thinking includes thefollowing:
Asking questions: be willing towonder
Defining theproblem
Examining theevidence
Analyzing assumptions andbiases
Avoiding emotional reasoning (“If I feel this way, it must betrue!”)
Avoiding oversimplification
Considering otherinterpretations
Toleratinguncertainty
EVALUATION
There will be 4 exams: All exams will be in a multiple-choice format with possibly oneessay question. If you should miss an exam, you may be allowed to take a MAKE-UP exam,which will be more comprehensive. It is your responsibility to discuss this with me should youmiss an exam. A make-up exam must be taken within a week following the missed exam.The regular exams will each count 100 points. The final exam must be taken to obtain credit inthe course.
There are also two quizzes required, one at the beginning of the semester covering chapter1 and one comprehensive quiz near the end of the semester. These are valued at 30points each. A third quiz is about the APA format and citationprocess.
APA citations: APA format is different from MLA! This is the format you will use foryour work. If in any section of your paper you give information that comes from your textbookor other written source, you must use in-text citations in the APA format. Sources, whichare cited in the text, must also be referenced at the end of the report on your Referencespage. You will need to look up the APA guidelines so you know how to write correctly in APAformat. There will be a quiz on referencing and citinginformation.
Class participation is encouraged by activities, demonstrations, and written papers onspecific topics of the day. From time to time, you may be asked to submit worksheet assignments in BlackBoard for participation points or bonus credit. You may also be asked to write a short paper (a paragraphor two) about a topic. This will be evaluated as part of your daily participation and somework may be counted as bonus points from time totime.
SEMINAR ASSIGNMENTS AND GOALS FOR PSYC2301.22H
Outside class Assignments: Look in Blackboard on the home page for detailedinformation.
Experimental Design: You will design a psychological experiment that must be ethicaland feasible; however, you will not actually carry itout.
Student Project: Due date is indicated on your class calendar. To get full credit, youmust turn your paper in on time. You will do original research and support it withprofessional journal articles; however, this is not a traditional research paper based on others’ work. Itis your original work that you actually carry out rather than reading about a researcher’swork. This project is worth 100 points. This can be a project that you can enter in theposter contest or present a paper or poster at conventions where student work is accepted. Thiscan also win you money, get your name recognized, perhaps get published, or lookreally good on aresume.
Your formal written paper will contain all the sections listed below and the dataanalyzed. Points will be awarded asfollows:
Abstract10 points
Hypothesis10 points
Lit Review/Introduction and textcitations 10 points
Subjects10points
Method10 points
Results &Table/graph 15points
Conclusion 5points
Discussion 10points
Grammar and correctspelling10points
50 Surveys included andapproved 5 points
Data worksheet forstats and Approved project 5points
Hospitality HouseVisit
You will visit the Hospitality House in Mt. Pleasant during one of your scheduled classtimes. This will count 100 points so it is important that you go and write thepaper.
You will be asked to write about your experiences during the visit. Think about whatyou learned from the visit and your personal reactions to the visit. Do not tell me the facts thatyou learn; instead, focus on what you learn about people and yourself. This is areaction/reflection type paper and you are to make this paper personal. Tell me how you feel about the visit.Has your thinking about anything changed? If so, what, how? What has the greatest impacton you? Do not use the names of any residents; you must respect their privacy. This is an“I” paper and writteninformally!
Aplia is available for your use in the Bb and will count as a portion of your dailyparticipation grade. Be sure to register the first day and begin work in Aplia; don’t miss deadlines asyou cannot make up this work. Many of the assignments will help you prepare for thisclass.
Late work is not appreciated and will lose 20%automatically.
Grades will be computed asfollows:
Fourexams:= 400points
Two MajorQuizzes= 60points
Project:= 100points
Experimentaldesign:= 100points
HH visit &Paper:= 100points Daily grading exercises (Aplia – 86 pts) = 100points
Total860points
You may want to make the best grade possible so you qualify for membership in PsiBeta, which is the National Honor Society in Psychology. Ask me or Dr. Skaar aboutthe qualifications and what Psi Beta does here on ourcampus.
The grading scale below will be used to determine your finalgrade.
PointsGrade
774-860= A
668-773= B
602-667= C
516-601= D
BELOW515= F
You simply add your points earned and look at the point value above and that determinesyour final grade. Your goal is to earn as many points as possible. You can determine youraverage at any time during the semester by simply adding total points earned to date and totalnumber
of points possible to earn and do your magic division and you have your average atthat moment!
CALENDAR of importantdates
Event / DateMartin Luther KingDay / Monday, January18
First ClassDay / Monday, January19
Spring Break / March 7 –11
Final Day to Withdraw with“W” / Thursday, April 14
FinalExaminations / May 6 -12
SpringGraduation / May14
CLASS AND OFFICESCHEDULE
Dr. ShirleyClay
Office R - Math/
Telephone - (903)434.8276FAX (903)434.4451
Appointments with the professor may be scheduled for times other than the office hours.Call for an appointment at 903-434-8276 or the secretary’s office number903-434-8292.
COURSEGOALS
This course will emphasize skills, experiences, understanding or appreciation in areasof psychology which are aimedtoward:
1.Obtaining an overview of the field ofpsychology;
2.the development of familiarity with the basic psychology terminology andbasic psychologicalconcepts;
3.the development of the ability to read current psychology research withgreater comprehension;
4.acquiring and understanding of the fundamental principles of behavior of selfand others and using this understanding for the enhancement of interpersonalskills;
5.stimulating interest in the study of psychology and continued interest inhuman behavior;
6.the development of more efficient means of coping with daily living, working,and problem-solvingbehaviors;
7.enhancing ability to think critically about information obtained from dailysources (news, TV,etc.).
The primary goal of all introductory psychology courses is to explore the subject matter ofthe field and to become familiar with the vocabulary and concepts of the field and with some ofthe research findings upon which our knowledge of human thought and behavior isbased.
This class will emphasize development of critical thinking skills and prepare you to bea cautious and analytical consumer of information that is proclaimed to be scientific or basedon research.
I also hope that you will derive personal benefits from this class; that at the end of the termyou will have increased your understanding and acceptance of yourself and others; and thatyou will gain something from this class that will enrich your personal relationships and add toyour success in your chosenoccupation.
CORE CURRICULUM PURPOSE ANDOBJECTIVES
Through the core curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of humancultures and the physical and natural world; develop principles of personal and social responsibilityfor
living in a diverse world; and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential forall learning.
Courses in the foundation area of social and behavioral sciences focus on the applicationof empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes ushuman. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals,groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, andculture.
Core Curriculum Objectives for the social and behavioralsciences: Criticalthinking:
CT1: Students will demonstrate the ability to 1) analyze complex issues, 2)synthesize information, and 3) evaluate the logic, validity, and relevance ofdata.
CT2: Students will demonstrate the ability to 1) make informed decision, 2) arrive atreasoned conclusions, 3) solve challenging problems, and 4) use knowledge and understanding inorder to generate and explore newquestions.
CommunicationSkills:
CS1: Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas throughwritten communication.
CS2: Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas through oralcommunication within a specifictimeline.
CS3: Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas usingvisual communications components.CS1: Students will effectively develop, interpret andexpress ideas through writtencommunication.
Empirical and QuantitativeSkills:
EQS1: Students will manipulate numerical data or observable facts by organizingand converting relevant information into mathematical or empirical forms (e.g. equations,graphs, diagrams, tables, orwords).
EQS2:Students will analyze numerical data or observable facts by processinginformation with correct calculations, explicit notations, and appropriatetechnology.
EQS3:Students will draw informed conclusions from numerical data or observable factsthat are accurate, complete, and relevant to theinvestigation.
SocialResponsibility:
SR1: Students will demonstrate understanding of interculturalcompetence. SR2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of civicresponsibility.
SR3: Students will demonstrate the ability to engage effectively in regional, national,and globalcommunities.
Course Student LearningOutcomes
Studentswill:
1.demonstrate critical thinking skills by utilizing the scientific approach to problemsolve.
2.obtain an understanding of a variety of researchmethods.
3.be able to locate, critically evaluate, and accurately interpret published research in thearea ofpsychology
4.be able to differentiate and analyze differing points of view and standard ethicalpractices used inpsychology
5.recognize the prominent names, theories, and contributions of major historical figuresin psychology
6.be able to translate knowledge gained in class to appliedquestions
7.be able to identify physiological and psychological factors contributing to humanbehavior
Service LearningClass
You may also choose to sign up for a Service Learning class listed as Psyc2389.
Objective of the Service Learning Project: A major focus in this course is to helpyou understand the science of how behavior, mental processes, and socialization develop ina person’s life. By taking part in a project that is centralized in a community setting, you willbe able to develop insights that you cannot get just by reading a textbook or listening tolectures. Other students who have taken advantage of this opportunity have reported back thatthe experiences were well worth the time and effort and that their cultural and civic pridewas heightened. Likewise, many students have made career decisions based on theirexperiences in the community. Many of you are going into one of the helping professions and aService Learning class will increase the importance of knowing that we need to give back tothe community above and beyond college, employment, membership in civic andsocial organizations, and so on. Contact John Coleman, the Coordinator ofService-Learning, for more information about community sites andclasses.
OFFICIALPOLICIES
ADAStatement
It is the policy of Northeast Texas Community College to provide reasonableaccommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities. This College will adhere toall applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect toproviding reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It isthe student’s responsibility to arrange an appointment with a College counselor to obtaina Request for Accommodations form. For more information, please refer to the NortheastTexas Community College Catalog or StudentHandbook.
AcademicEthics:The college expects all students to engage in academic pursuits in a manner that isbeyond reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in theiracademic pursuit. Academic dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, and collusion is unacceptableand may result in disciplinary action. Refer to the student handbook for more information onthis subject.
HonestyStatement:
Students are expected to complete course work in an honest manner, using their intellectsand resources designated as allowable by the course instructor. Students are responsiblefor addressing questions about allowable resources with the course instructor. NTCCupholds the highest standards of academic integrity. This course will follow theNTCC Academic Honesty policy stated in the StudentHandbook.
Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act(Ferpa):