Psychology Assignment-Ethics

Ethics

PURPOSE of the SYLLABUS:

The course syllabus is a general plan for the course. It is meant to be a guide for students to understand what they are expected to do and know, and when they are expected to take specific actions. If you have a question about when an assignment is due, what reading you should be doing, how to calculate your grade, etc. the answer to that question can be found in this syllabus. Before emailing me or stopping me after class to ask what chapter you’re supposed to be reading or when something is due – check your syllabus! If you can’t find your syllabus there is a copy available on Canvas. Modifications of the syllabus may be necessary, and will be announced to the class.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In this capstone experience, students will integrate and apply skills and knowledge acquired as a Psychology major. Students will explore their own interests in psychology using self-directed learning. This will include reading and discussing journal articles, and completing an independent project in which they apply their knowledge to an existing controversy, social problem or research question.
Credits: 3.

PREREQUISITES CROSS-LISTING:

Students must have earned at least a ‘C’ in PSYC 315. This is a 400 level course in psychology. I will teach it as though you have a solid grounding in basic psychological perspectives (e.g., cognitive, behaviorist, physiological, etc) and a solid understanding of research methods.

TEXTS AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
There required text for the course is:
fernald, D. (2008). Psychology: Six Perspectives. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.Supplemental readings will be provided.
There are three required online resources for this course: Canvas, email, and turnitin.com. Please make sure you use each. Other online resources may be added throughout the term.

COURSE OBJECTIVES and ASSESSMENT of STUDENT LEARNING

The objective of this course is that students attain the following learning outcomes. Students will be assessed through the mechanisms listed in the right-hand column for each outcome.

Student Learning Outcome (Course)

Alignment with College/Core Outcomes (C) and

Department Learning Outcomes(D)

Course Assessment

1. Use existing empirical research to evaluate a theory or hypothesis

C:Analytical skills

C: Critical thinking

D: Knowledge Base in Psychology;

D: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking.

Class discussions; Literature review

2. Evaluate strength and quality of existing empirical evidence

C: Analytic skills

D: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking.

Literature review;

3. Analyze, interpret, classify research studies

C: Analytical skills

D: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking.

Scientific literacy assignments; Literature review

4. Identify and apply principles from the major perspectives in psychology

C:Critical thinking

D: Knowledge Base in Psychology;

Quizzes, Class discussions;

Subject test

5. Locate and evaluate peer reviewed sources relevant to a specific topic

C: Analytic skills

D: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking.

Literature review; literature review reference assignment

6. Communicate effectively through professional writing and presentations.

C:Effective communication

D: Communication

Scientific literacy assignments; Literature review; Final PowerPoint presentation, Class discussions

7. Think reflectively about own learning in psychology

C: Critical Thinking

D: Knowledge Base in Psychology;

Self- Assessment assignment

GRADING POLICIES:

You are expected to engage in self-directed learning and active discussion throughout the course. A significant amount of work for the course must be done outside class meetings. Class meetings will be dedicated primarily to discussions. Assigned readings will serve as the foundation for most discussions. There will be two significant assignments: 1) a reflective self-assessment of learning, and 2) an APA style review paper on a topic of your choosing. There will also be a number of smaller assignments. All are described below.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY ASSIGNMENTS (110 pts). There will be two short writing assignments assessing your scientific literacy. The first is a research methods identification exercise (40 pts) and the second is an article analysis assignment (70 pts).

RESPONSE PAPERS (75 pts) Response papers will be assigned for the readings. In these response papers, you will answer questions based information in the reading. Your answers will provide the basis for in class discussions of the topics covered in the readings. Response papers must be turned in prior to the start of class.

QUIZZES (75pts). There will be 4 quizzes given throughout the semester. Each quiz is worth 25 points. They will be given during the first 20 minutes of class time. I do not offer make-up quizzes under any circumstances nor will there be additional time if you arrive late. If you miss a quiz, you will receive a zero. Quiz questions will be derived from major elements covered in readings, discussions and response papers.

ATTENDANCE & PARTICPATION (70pts). Regular, thoughtful participation is required in order to earn an A in this course. Absences and late arrivals will reduce your participation grade (after the first instance, each absence will result in a 10 pt penalty, each late arrival will result in a 5 pt penalty). You are expected to demonstrate professional behavior during all class meetings. Among other things this means being prepared to make meaningful contributions to every class discussion as well as actively listening when others are making their contributions. This means reading all required materials before class and actively participate in every aspect of this course. It also means displaying courtesy to all others in the class. For some classes you may be required to present summaries of assigned readings to the rest of the group. A required part of participation is completing the online course evaluation at the end of the term (5pts).

PRESENTATIONS (100pts): There are two required individual presentations. Near mid-semester you will give a brief, informal introduction to your paper topic (23pts). At the end of the semester you will make a formal presentation based on your final paper (77pts). This final presentation should be a professional quality PowerPoint presentation designed to inform others about your area of interest. Final presentations will also be rated by your peers. More details will be given at a later date.

CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT TEST (CAT) (50 pts) You will take the department’s Curriculum Assessment Test, which is a psychology subject test similar to some graduate school entrance exams. The purpose of the exam is to allow you (and us) to determine the extent of knowledge in psychology you have gained as a psychology major. The test will consist of a number of multiple choice questions designed to test your general knowledge in topics covered in the foundational courses as well as in the major content areas of psychology covered in the curriculum (i.e., Biological, Clinical, Developmental, Cognitive, Social). You will take the exam during two consecutive class meetings. Your CAT course grade will be curved.

SELF-ASSESSMEMT (125 pts)

Informed by your score on the CAT, as well as by other information, you will complete the self-assessment assignment. This is a reflective assignment; no research or additional reading is required. In this assignment you will evaluate how successfully you have achieved the learning outcomes identified by the department as significant. You will also add appropriate skills to your resume.

LITERATURE REVIEW (395 pts)

You will be required to write an APA-style literature review on a topic of your choosing (including title page, abstract, and reference section as well as appropriate headings in the body of the paper). The paper must be based on empirical peer reviewed references from the scholarly literature in psychology. Under no circumstance may you use Wikipedia, or anything like it, or articles from the popular media (new York times etc) as sources in this paper. I’ll pass out a detailed assignment description with more details. There are 4 parts to this assignment: Topic selection (20Pts) Literature source assignment (75pts), 1st paper submission (100pts), revised paper (200 pts).

The following is a summary of the point value of different assignments for this class.

Graded Activities

Point Value

Participation

/70

Scientific Lit Assignments 1: Methods identification

/40

Scientific Lit Assignment 2: Article analysis

/70

Pop-Quizzes

/75

Self-Assessment & Resume

/125

Response Papers

/75

Curriculum Assessment Test

/ 50

Literature Review topic

/20

Literature Review Sources

/75

Literature Review First Submission

/100

Literature Review Revised Version

/200

Presentations (23 pts & 77 pts)

/100

TOTAL

/1000

GRADING SCALE

The grade you earn in this course will be based on the scale below. All assignment grades will be posted on Canvas or turnitin. You can determine your current course grade at any time by adding up the total points you have earned so far and dividing by the total number of points you could have earned so far.

Grade percentage Grade percentage Grade percentage
A 93-100 B- 80-82.9 D+ 67-69.9

A- 90-92.9 C+ 77-79.9 D 60-66.9

B+ 87-89.9 C 73-76.9 F below 60

B 83-86.9 C- 70-72.9

COLLEGE COURSE POLICIES

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to familiarize themselves and comply with all College policies and procedures, including but not limited to the College policies on Academic Honesty and Student Conduct as described here http://www.mountsaintvincent.edu/5162.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. as well as all College policies and procedures described in the Student Handbook and, for undergraduates, the Undergraduate Catalogue, or for graduate students, the Graduate Catalogue.

Academic Support Services

The College of Mount Saint Vincent offers a range of academic support services which might be helpful to students in this course; these services are described at http://www.mountsaintvincent.edu/385.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Attendance

Students are required to attend all classroom sessions. Students are expected to arrive at classes on time. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor if they will miss class and it is the responsibility of the student to make up all work if absent from class. For prolonged absences, the student must notify the Office of Academic Advisement.

Disabilities

Students who need special accommodations or services at the College of Mount Saint Vincent must provide the College up-to-date documentation verifying their specific diagnosed disability. These students should submit their documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Copies of the College’s Policy on Students with Learning Disabilities are available in the Office of Admission, the Office of the Dean of the Undergraduate College, the Center for Academic Advising, and the Academic Resource Center. In order for these accommodations to take effect, the student is advised to complete this process as soon as possible after admission to the College. In addition, students must sign an Authorized Release Form at the beginning of every semester that permits the College to disclose the student’s special accommodations. All accommodations and services are provided by the Academic Resource Center. Provisions may include note taking or books on tape, testing in the Center, professional tutoring, and additional services as needed. For more information, please see http://www.mountsaintvincent.edu/1311.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

COURSE SCHEDULE FALL 2017

WEEK

MEETING NUMBER, TOPIC & READING*

ASSIGNMENTS DUE

1: 8/27

8/29

1 M: Introduction; Writing Lit Reviews: Reading 1

2 W: Writing Lit Reviews & scientific literacy: Reading 1

2: 9/3

9/5

NO CLASSES MONDAY

3 W: Self-assessment

W: CAT pt 1

3: 9/10

9/12

4 M: Self-assessment

5 W: Scientific literacy CH 2

M: CAT pt 2; Paper topic

W: Scientific literacy assignment 1 (methods identification)

4: 9/17

9/19

6 M: Ethics (APA website)

7 W: Ethics (APA website)

5: 9/24

9/26

8 M: Biological Psychology, CH3

9 W: Biological Psychology, CH 3

TBA***: Self-Assessment

6: 10/1

10/3

10 M: Behaviorism CH 5

11 W: Behaviorism CH 5

M: Quiz 1

TBA: Scientific literacy assignment 2 (article analysis)

7: 10/9

10/10

12 T = M: Lit Review Sources Workshop

13 W: Brief topic presentations; Critical thinking about research

W: 3-5 minute topic introduction

8: 10/15

10/17

14 M: Humanistic CH 6

15 W: Positive Psychology CH 6

TBA: Lit review References

9: 10/22

10/23

16 M: Paper workshop

17 W: Cognitive Psychology, CH 7

M: Quiz 2 & End of class submission

10: 10/29

10/31

18 M: Cognitive Psychology, CH 7

19 W: paper workshop

W: End of class submission

11: 11/5

11/7

20 M: Evolutionary Psychology, CH 8

21 W: Evolutionary Psychology, CH 8

TBA: Paper Submission 1

W: Quiz 3

12: 11/12

11/14

22 M: Paper Workshop & individual consultations

23 W: Paper Workshop & individual consultations

M: End of class submission

W: End of class submission

13: 11/19

11/21

24 M: Unconscious: Psychoanalysis CH 4 & reading 2

W: NO CLASSES

14: 11/26

11/28

25 M: Sociocultural Foundations: CH 9

26 W: Sociocultural Foundations: CH 9

TBA: Final Revised Paper

15: 12/3

12/5

27 M: Presentation Workshop

28 W: Final PPT Presentations**

M: Quiz 4

All Final presentations due Tues, Dec 4 by 10PM

Final Exam Period:

Final PPT presentations***

Monday, December 10, 11:30 – 2:10

M: Final Presentations

* Subject to change; CH refers to chapters in Psychology: Six Perspectives; ** TBA indicates exact time & date due at turnitin will be announced; *** all presentations are due by 10PM, 12/4 regardless of when presentation will be made and must be sent to Dr Hrubes as an email attachment.
ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES

Classroom Behavior

Everyone must contribute to the creation of an effective and comfortable learning environment. You can accomplish this easily by being engaged appropriately when class is in session. This means you SHOULD: arrive on time, pay attention to class materials, listen to others, participate in a creative and constructive manner, respect other people’s views even if you disagree with them, and ask relevant questions. There are two things you definitely SHOULD NOT DO. First, Do not text – it is unprofessional and distracting. Before entering the classroom turn off your cell phone ringer. If I see you using your phone during class your participation grade will be lowered by 5 points. Second, do not take breaks. It is unprofessional and demonstrates a lack of self-discipline. When you leave you disturb the class and when you return you do it again. Please take care of any personal business or needs before class begins.

Tablets and laptops may not be used during class meetings unless you present official documentation that explains your need to use such devices to take notes. The use of such devices is distracting to other students. Furthermore, research has shown that hand-written note taking is a more effective way to get information into long-term memory.

Late Work

In order to receive full credit for each assignment you must submit your work to Turnitin.com by the due date. Five percent will be deducted for each day your work is late. No late work will be accepted after the 7th day, at which time your grade becomes a zero. You are responsible for submitting the assignment on time, regardless of scheduled site maintenance (please check the Turnitin website for site maintenance schedule). If turnitin is not working you must send the assignment to me on time as an email attachment and submit it to turn it in as soon as possible. If emergencies will prevent you from turning an assignment in on time, you must notify me in advance.

Written Work

All written work must conform to APA writing standards. All work should be carefully proof read for typographical and spelling errors. All written work must be submitted as a MICROSOFT WORD word document – (no PDF files or google docs will be accepted). Papers with significant spelling and grammar errors will not be graded. A late penalty will be assessed until they are revised and resubmitted.

Quotations.

Direct quotes are not allowed. In this course you are required to submit your own writing. Even if you use proper quotation formatting, if you copy material word for word from the text, a website, or any other source, you will receive a zero on that section of the assignment. As you know, copying of any kind without appropriate formatting is plagiarism. Students often find this requirement particularly challenging. It can be difficult to paraphrase the technical writing of others. However, the ability to do this is a professional skill required in the field of psychology.