CE Psychology Disclosure

CE Psychology 1010: Introduction to Psychology

Welcome students!

I am excited about teaching Introductory Psychology! I hope that you find it a rewarding academic experience and learn more about how Psychological science helps us understand ourselves and others.

When we know more about how we learn, remember, the impact of social situations on our behavior, the intricate relationship between our brain and our environment, and the factors that guide our developmental journey, it can give us insight into our own lives. In this class, we’ll discover how psychology has impacted society and the potential it has to not only improve our personal well-being, but also address the problems that plague our world.

During this course, we will tackle this big question: How does scientific Psychology help us understand our experiences?

This overarching theme will be woven throughout the content of our course. We will examine many topics during the semester, including psychological research, the biology of mind, memory, learning, social psychology, development, psychological disorders, cognition, consciousness, stress, and well-being. As you learn more about psychology, you will discover that PSYCHOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE!

This syllabus has important information regarding the weekly schedule, topics for each class, and grading. Please pay particular attention to the weekly schedule as it lists when tests are scheduled, and assignments are due. Make sure to contact me if you have any questions.

Course Objectives

By the end of the introductory psychology course, students should be able to:

Psychology Content: Identify basic concepts and research findings

1.1. Define and explain basic psychological concepts.

1.2. Interpret research findings related to psychological concepts.

1.3. Apply psychological principles to personal growth and other aspects of everyday life.

Scientific Thinking: Solve problems using psychological methods

2.1. Describe the advantages and limitations of research strategies.

2.2. Evaluate, design, or conduct psychological research.

2.3. Draw logical and objective conclusions about behavior and mental processes from empirical evidence.

2.4. Examine how psychological science can be used to counter unsubstantiated statements, opinions, or beliefs.

Key Themes: Provide examples of psychology's integrative themes

Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts as new data develop.
Psychology explains general principles that govern behavior while recognizing individual differences.
Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.
Psychology values diversity, promotes equity, and fosters inclusion in pursuit of a more just society.
Our perceptions and biases filter our experiences of the world through an imperfect personal lens.
Applying psychological principles can change our lives, organizations, and communities in positive ways.
Ethical principles guide psychology research and practice.

Course instructor: Mrs. Eggli

Contact information: Use the Canvas inbox (please allow 24-48 h for a response; expect delays on weekends and/or holidays).
Class meetings: A days
Office hours: By appointment

This course is part of the Weber State University (WSU) General Education program. GE courses introduce students to academic disciplines through important “big questions.” At their core, “big questions” provide students the opportunity to integrate and apply their knowledge of the discipline to address a significant, personal, social, or professional issue. GE courses also introduce students to underlying foundational knowledge and intellectual tools that run through all academic areas and are part of the ongoing preparation to address real world problems.

All WSU General Education courses have “signature assignments” that require you to integrate and apply course content to address a big question with, for instance, critical or creative thinking, problem solving, or analysis. Signature assignments 1) will address a specific audience, 2) will tackle personal, social, or a professional question or issue, and 3) integrate and apply course content through the use of 4) intellectual tools. I will provide you with more detailed information about the signature assignment for this course on Canvas.

Required materials:
1. Psychology in Everyday Life 5E.; David G. Myers & Nathan DeWall (ISBN# 9781319241483)

When you register for this class, you will be charged $41.73 at the same time for Day One Access to your textbook. To access your book, you will click on the “VitalSource Bookshelf” tab in Canvas.

Computer/internet access for Canvas/printing capability. Links to resources have not been vetted beyond the original page cited.

General Course Requirements
You are required to attend and actively participate in all class meetings, and to complete all assigned readings before coming to each class. Because this is a very fast-moving course with a lot of interesting material to cover, 1–2 hours of study per day outside of class time is suggested. Read the syllabus carefully and discuss any questions with me. Adjustments may be made to the class schedule during the semester. Adjustments will be posted on Canvas. It is recommended that students and parents review the weekly schedule and explore the textbook. If there is any content or course work you find concerning, please contact me directly. By continuing in the course after reading the syllabus, you are indicating that you accept the terms of the syllabus.

Grading
CE Psychology 1010 is a college course. Students must be admitted to Weber State University, apply to receive a student number (W#), and register for this course. Please have this completed by September 2, 2022. In order to access course materials (Weber State Canvas, ebook) you MUST be registered for this class. Don’t fall behind! After September 9, the student will be automatically dropped from the course. Since this is a college course, grades will go on a student’s permanent college transcript, regardless of receiving credit. Receiving a C or higher is required to get college credit for this course.

Course requirements will be weighted as follows:

60% - Assessments (Exams, Signature Assignment, weekly quizzes, class projects, writing/reading assignments)

40% - Practice (Weekly Write-to-Learn assignments, in-class participation, in-class activities)

Assignments

Write-to-Learn Assignments (W2L)

Each week you will submit responses to a set of questions about your reading from the textbook. The W2L questions will consist of 5 content questions and 2 subjective questions.

W2L assignments are due and MUST be submitted on Canvas (NO email) by 11:59 pm the night before class. For example, if class is held on Monday, your W2L assignment is due by 11:59 pm on Sunday. You will earn 10 points for completing each of the assigned content questions and 10 points for following the correct formatting.

W2L formatting: To earn full points, you must

include the question number and the question prompt, in boldface
change the font color for your answer to something other than black
exceed the 100 word count minimum for every question, unless otherwise noted in the question prompt
be single-spaced
include multiple paragraphs (per question) - that is, avoid one long paragraph!
use the textbook as the basis for your answer (NO GOOGLE - automatic ZERO)
cite the page in the textbook where you found the information (p. 123)
display independent thought - that is, your personal "voice" and ideas - DON’T JUST COPY DIRECTLY FROM THE TEXTBOOK

In class, you will be given time to discuss the content questions. Based on class discussion you may choose to edit your answers prior to submitting your final draft. I would recommend submitting these assignments prior to the due date. Work that is submitted late, including that due to technical problems, trouble with Canvas, and/or your internet connection, is subject to a late penalty.

The final draft submission will include the 5 content and 2 subjective questions and will be due at 11:59 pm the night before the exam. NO LATE WORK will be accepted.

Points will be awarded for active participation in class discussions, labs, demonstrations, activities, etc., as they occur. Participation points CANNOT always be made up due to the nature of these experiences. It is to your advantage to stay on track with required assignments.

Signature assignment

Please consult Canvas for a complete description of the requirements for this assignment.

Weekly reading quizzes

Weekly reading quizzes will be administered through Canvas. Each quiz will close on Sunday at 11:59 pm. You will be allowed two attempts with your highest score recorded in the gradebook. These quizzes will help you check your understanding of key concepts from the reading assignments and lectures. The questions are similar in format to those you will see on your exams.

Late and Absent work

Late and absent work will be accepted for full credit up until the due date for each assignment. Initial W2L submissions and reading quizzes may be turned in late, however, work submitted after the due date will result in a 2% deduction of points earned for each day late up to 50% total deduction maximum. You may submit late work until the exam recapture is due. After that date no credit will be given for late work.

Exams

There will be 6 unit exams, and 1 final exam given on the dates listed in the weekly schedule. Unit exams will consist of 50 multiple choice questions (2 points each; 100 points total) and 2 short answer questions (25 points each; 50 points total). The comprehensive final will consist of 50 multiple choice questions (2 points each; 100 points total). Exams are cumulative.

Exam questions will primarily be based on the assigned textbook readings and class lectures but may also include other materials distributed in class or posted on Canvas. Many exam questions will require application, rather than recall, of course material.

Unit exams:

On the 6 unit exams you will have an option to earn back missed points on the multiple choice section by completing a recapture exam by the posted due date. The recapture will resemble the original exam but will consist of different questions covering the same content. In order to be eligible for this opportunity, you must have taken the original exam in class or prior to the exam date.

The short answer questions will be drawn from the Write-to-Learn assignment submitted the night before the exam. You will not know which of the 5 W2L content questions will be graded for your exam. It is in your best interest to do your BEST WORK on your W2L assignment.

If you are absent, you must complete the multiple choice recapture exam by the posted due date. You will not be eligible to do a separate recapture exam. However, you MUST turn in your FINAL W2L submission by the due date so your short answer questions can be included in your exam score. If you do not submit your final draft of your W2L assignment you will lose these points.

Comprehensive final exam:

If you score 90% or above on the unit exams (135/150 points) you do not have to take the comprehensive final.

There will be no make-up or recapture offered for the final exam. Please plan ahead. You may take the final exam before the scheduled date but this must be arranged and cleared with the instructor before the absence.

Grading scale (grades are not rounded):

Grade	Percentage
A	93-100
A-	90-92
B+	86-89
B	83-85
B-	80-82
C+	76-79
C	73-75
C-	70-72
D+	66-69
D	63-65
D-	60-62
E	59-below

Classroom Policies and WSU Student Information

Here are some general guidelines that will help you succeed in this course:

Come to class prepared by keeping up on your reading.
Please respect the Instructor and your classmates by keeping off-topic conversation to a minimum during class. Complete all assignments and exams on time.
Check Canvas often for due dates and announcements.
See me if you have questions about content or need extra help. Don’t wait until the end of the term/semester if you have a question about your grade. I may not be able to help you then!
Focus on learning Psych during class! Multi-tasking is a MYTH!

Research demonstrates that multitasking reduces your creativity, concentration, memory and WASTES your time.
Researchers have also found that the more you use your cell phone the LOWER your G.P.A. and HIGHER your anxiety levels! Being on your phones in lecture can cost you HALF A GRADE on exams!

Extra credit

To encourage you to go technology free, I will award 2 points extra credit for each class that you go without your phone in class (for example - 22 class meetings = 44 points possible). This is voluntary, so you may keep your phone for personal reasons.

As you come to class, leave your phone in the designated area. Write your name on a sticky note to attach to your phone. If you are late to class or leave early, you will forfeit the extra points. This is the ONLY extra credit that will be offered each term.

Citizenship grades

Citizenship Grades will be computed based on district guidelines for attendance, tardies, and behavior. A U citizenship may result from any of the following: Poor Attendance: 3 or more unexcused absences in a term (&/or 1 truancy), and tardiness: 4 or more tardies in a term.

Please see the district guidelines at www.davis.k12.ut.us (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.

Act with integrity. Complete academic honesty is expected in this course. Cheating on written assignments or exams, or plagiarism on written assignments, will result in a failing grade and may result in further action according to University policy.

WSU Student Honor Code: https://www.weber.edu/ppm/Policies/6-22_StudentCode.html Links to an external site.

Central to WSU’s mission is the need to embrace and value the diversity of its members. Every individual has the right to feel safe to express ideas that differ from others. However, all persons must accept the responsibility to demonstrate civility and respect for others. Therefore, expressions or actions that disparage an individual's or group's ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability are contrary to the mission of WSU and are not acceptable.

Canvas help

Contact WSU Online Technical Support at 801-626-6499 or go online at https://www.weber.edu/online/canvasTechSupport.html Links to an external site.

Thanks for taking CE Psych! I hope it is a rewarding semester as you learn more about one of the most fascinating subjects in the world…YOU!

Mrs. Eggli

FYI: Throughout the year, you may watch either clips of or entire films that enhance or illustrate concepts covered in class. Please note that one or more of the following may be viewed this year.

60 Minutes

A Beautiful Mind

ABC News What Would You Do?

ABC News 20/20

Animated Disney (and Disney-type) film clips

Awakenings

Battle of the Brains

Big Bang Theory

Brainbusters Brain Series (Annenberg/CPB)

Brain Games (National Geographic)

The Brain Series (Films for the Humanities & Sciences)

Candid Camera

NBC Dateline: Near Death Experiences

Discovering Psychology Series (Annenberg/CPB)

Emotion

Everybody Loves Raymond

Everyone Rides the Carousel

Fly Away Home

Frasier

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ghostbusters

Happy-A documentary

Janssen Pharmaceuticals schizophrenia simulation

The Mind Series (Annenberg/CPB)

Moving Images: Exploring Psychology through Film (Worth Publishers by Films for the Humanities and Sciences)

Mr. Holland’s Opus

Psychology Scientific Problem Solvers (American Psychological Association)

Scientific American Frontiers

Secrets of a Wild Child (Nova)

Simpson’s

Ted Talks

The Brain our Universe Within (The Discovery Channel Series)

The Human Face

The Human Zoo

The Importance of Laboratory Animal Research in Psychology: Psychopharmacology (APA)

The Office

The Secret Life of the Brain

The World of Abnormal Psychology Series (Annenberg/CPB)

Three Identical Strangers

What about Bob?

What Are Dreams? (Nova)

YouTube clips directly relevant to content & appropriate for classroom viewing