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PSYC 1000 Introductory Psychology (Shane): Syllabus

Open Educational Resource for Psychology 1000 (Shane)

Syllabus Fall 2017

Instructor:

Photo of professor

 

Professor Jacob Shane
jshane@brooklyn.cuny.edu
718-951-5000 ext. 3845
Office: 4301A James Hall

 

 

 

Office Hours:

Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:30 to 1:30 (or by appointment)
I am available to provide extra help during my office hours.  If you cannot attend my scheduled office hours, email me to schedule a alternate time to meet.

When you email me please make put the following in the SUBJECT:

  • Course number and section
  • Meaningful description of your issue/question
  • Sign the email with your full name (First and Last name) so I can identify you.

Required Text:

 

Introductory Psychology, compiled by Jacob Shane
R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener (Eds), Noba textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. DOI:http://noba.to/yjpx68dg

The textbook for this course is FREE.

Access a pdf version or online version at PSYC 1000 course site
You can also access an online version directly from the NOBA site


 

Course Prerequisites: none

Course Goals and Learning Objectives: 

There are 3 learning goals in this course.

  • The first learning goal is for students to develop a knowledge base in psychology. Students should leave the course with a comprehension of major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings in the field of psychology.
  • The second learning goal is for students to develop scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills, including basic skills and concepts in interpreting behavior, studying research, and applying research design principles to drawing conclusions about psychological phenomena.
  • The third learning goal is for students to develop a sense of ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world, through being familiar with the formal regulations that govern professional ethics in psychology, tolerating diverse points of view, and thinking about factors that affect individuals, communities, and societies.

Evaluation of Course Goals and Learning Objectives: 

Students will demonstrate their achievement of the learning objectives by:

  • Performance on four exams
  • A research paper assignment
  • Completion of an online research ethics course
  • Group project

Course Requirements and Grading

Exams:

Four exams will be given.

  • Each exam is NON-CUMULATIVE, and will consist of 40 multiple-choice questions, drawn from the class lectures and assigned readings from the relevant quarter of the course.
  • Note that while the exams are non-cumulative, many of the ideas and concepts covered in the course are interrelated and build on one another.
  • Your highest scoring exam will count as 25% toward your final grade, your second highest scoring exam will count as 20% of your final grade, your third highest scoring exam will count as 15% of your final grade, and your lowest scoring exam will count as 10% of your final grade.

Research Ethics Course:

The research ethics course assignment will require you to complete a self-paced online research ethics course, and demonstrate that you mastered the material by passing the relevant quizzes from each module within the research ethics course. After completing the course, you will receive a report indicating that you successfully completed the course from the CITI program website. You MUST SUBMIT THIS REPORT through the blackboard class website by Wednesday, October 11 to receive full credit for this assignment. The research ethics course is worth 10% of your final class grade. Instructions for accessing and completing the research ethics course are below.

  • The link to the online research ethics course is: https://www.citiprogram.org/
  • Once on the CITI Program webpage you will need to register by clicking on “Register” under the “Create an account” box on the right-hand side of the page.
  • Next, you need to select your organization affiliation, which is City University of New York (CUNY).
  • Please use your name as it appears on your Brooklyn College transcript, and use your Brooklyn College email address as your primary email when registering.
  • When asked to indicate your role in research (step 6 of the registration process) please choose:
    • “Student Researcher – Undergraduate,” and list “psychology” as your department.
  • You will need to complete the:
    • Human Subjects Basic Course as a “CUNY Researcher,” and
    • you will want to take the “Undergraduate” version when offered in the Human Subjects Basic course.
  • The research ethics course is self-paced and online. It contains multiple modules, which you can complete all at once or in piecemeal, and you can retake modules as often as needed to get the required pass mark.
  • There is NO PARTIAL CREDIT offered for this assignment, thus, you must complete all required modules for each research ethics course to receive credit for completion of the assignment,
  • However, you do NOT need to complete the supplemental modules.
  • Again, you must submit the report that indicates you successfully completed the course to me through the blackboard class website to receive credit for this assignment.

Article Review:

The article review assignment will require you to find a scholarly article from a leading psychology journal, and summarize, discuss, compare and contrast the information in this scholarly article to a popular article from a web page that is about a similar issue or topic
(e.g., emotion).

  • In preparation for the article review, you will use the class Brooklyn College library visit in your INDS class to find one popular article AND one empirical scholarly article on the same topic.
  • This assignment is due in your INDS class, and will be graded by your INDS instructor.
  • Please also upload a copy of your paper to the blackboard Psychology class website.

The article review is worth 10% of your final class grade.

Assignment details:
  • Select a topic from the following list of topics
    • Approved Topics:
      • Music Psychology
      • Stereotypes, Racism, or Discrimination
  • Find a scholarly journal article from one of the following journals.
    • Approved Journals:
      • Cognition
      • Developmental Psychology
      • Emotion
      • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
      • Psychological Bulletin
      • Psychological Science
      • Psychology of Music
      • Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain
    • You may use any webpage source as your popular article (e.g., the New York Times).
  • Article Review Grading:

Your article review must be at least 2 pages in length (not including the header,title, or citations), double spaced, with 1-inch margins, and in 12 point Times New Roman font. You must cite the scholarly article and the popular webpage article using APA format, and provide the first page of each article when you hand in your article review assignment.

  • In addition, your article review must contain the following:
    • A concise summary of the main points discussed in each article and a brief description of any supporting data or evidence
    • A comparison of the popular and scholarly articles, using examples from the two articles you choose
    • A discussion of the various appropriate uses of both popular and scholarly articles when doing research
    • Your reaction to these articles, using the context of popular versus scholarly articles

Group Project:

You will be assigned to groups, and complete a group project that bridges the Intro Psychology, Music, and INDS courses you are taking, and the common reading book you read as part of your introduction to Brooklyn College (Born a crime: Stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah). Groups will present their project during the final class day of the Intro Psychology course (12/14/2015). You must also submit a .pdf or .doc version of the poster to me by the final day of class. The group project is worth 10% of your final class grade. The details of the group project for the PSYCHOLOGY section are below.

  • Emotional Response: Each group member should take the PANAS before and after listening to the music piece “Memory Song” in your Music course. You will be provided with the PANAS and the music piece during that class period. Groups should then calculate the mean and standard deviation of their group for both the before and after responses on each of the 10 emotions in the PANAS. Groups should include a figure/graph that displays this information on the group project poster.
     
  • Development: Groups should conduct a critical analysis of Trevor Noah’s development through childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. What were the major events that happened, and how did these events change / effect his development? Groups should display this analysis as well as a timeline depicting the major developmental events in Trevor Noah’s life (from the common reading, Born a crime: Stories from a South African childhood).
     
  • Grading: Group members will assign each other a grade based on the amount and quality of time and effort each member of their team devoted to the project. Groups will also grade every other group’s project during the group project poster session on the last day of class in the Intro Psychology course (12/11/2015). Each individual’s grade for the group project will be the average of their individual grade (as determined by the members of their group) and their group grade (as determined by the other groups in the class).

Extra Credit:

You may earn up to 2% of extra credit by completing any combination of research participation and research papers above and beyond the requirements for the course. For example, if you participate in 5 credit hours of research participation, you will fulfill your research participation requirement and earn the maximum 2% of extra credit.

YOU MUST COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RESEARCH PARTICIPATION (SEE ABOVE SECTION) BEFORE ANY RESEARCH PARTICIPATION OR RESEARCH PAPER CAN BE USED AS EXTRA CREDIT.

Research Participation

Research Participation:

As part of the requirements for the course, students are asked to voluntarily participate as subjects in three hours of psychological research conducted by members of the Psychology Department. If you don't wish to participate in the research study you can write three 1-page papers (an equivalent obligation). If you do not complete this research or equivalent obligation requirement you will receive a grade of Incomplete for the course. This requirement must be completed by the day of the final exam.

  • For research participation, a study lasting ½ hour or less earns ½ hour of credit. A study lasting ½ to 1 hour earns 1-hour credit. A study lasting 1½ hour to 2 hours earns 2 hours credit. Students may accumulate the total of 3 hours credit in any combination.
     
  • For the equivalent obligation, you may write a critique of a scholarly psychological journal article describing a study in lieu of participating in an experiment. The article must come from one of the 8 journals approved for the Research Article assignment (Cognition; Developmental Psychology; Emotion; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; Psychological Bulletin; Psychological Science; Psychology of Music; Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain).
    • Each paper must be at least 1 single-spaced page of text-body (not including the header, title, your name, or other class information), with 1-inch margins, and in 12 point Times New Roman font.
       
    • Each 1-page single-spaced paper is equal to 1 hour of research participation credit. Papers should be turned in through the blackboard website, and are due by the day of the final exam.

Research Participation Policy

Research Participation Policy

The Psychology Department asks students taking Psychology 1000 to participate in ongoing voluntary psychological research   The rationale behind the research participation requirement is twofold.

First, the participant pool provides educational experience for students through

  1. First-hand exposure to techniques and procedures of psychological research as a supplement to reading and classroom lectures
  2. Facilitating an understanding of the function of research and the role of the researcher in psychology, and
  3. The opportunity to learn about your reactions in specific situations.

Second, the participant pool facilitates research for department students and faculty.

Participation is voluntary. If you don't wish to participate in the research you have the option of arranging with your instructor to write a critique of a psychological journal article describing a study.

Students must obtain a total of 3 hours of participant pool credit.

  • A study lasting ½ hour or less earns ½ hour of credit.
  • A study lasting ½ to 1 hour earns 1 hour credit.
  • A study lasting 1½ hour to 2 hours earns 2 hours credit.
  • Students may accumulate the total of 3 hours credit in any combination.

  • (NOTE: Participant pool credits go toward the Psych 1000 laboratory experience requirement only. They have no relationship whatsoever to Brooklyn College course credit hours.)
     

Student Bill of Rights

  • You may refuse to participate in any particular study
  • You may withdraw from a study while in progress with no penalty.
  • You may request that the data obtained from your participation be destroyed and not used in any way.
    • There is no penalty or loss of credit if your data are destroyed.
  • It is the responsibility of the researcher to make the study an educational experience for you by providing information pertaining to the purpose and design of the study immediately after the data have been collected and analyzed.
  • You have the option of arranging with your instructor to write a critique of a psychological journal article describing a study in lieu of participating in an experiment.
  • A paper is equal to 1 hour of research participation credit. Papers should be turned in to your instructor.
  • If you feel that your rights have been violated or you wish to make any complaints, you may contact Professor Curtis D. Hardin (cdhardin@brooklyn.cuny.edu) (Rm. 5113C James), Chair, Research Participation Pool Committee, Brooklyn College .


Procedures for Meeting Research Participation Requirement


Each study is posted on line at http://brooklyncollege.sona-systems.com

Including in each listing is the type of research and specific days and hours participants are needed

To sign up for studies, go to the Psychology Department Research Participation page and login

If you don't have an account:

  • Click on <Request Account> button
  • Type in your name, an email address that you check regularly, and select the course in which you are enrolled. (Shane MW11 F2017)
  • Your account information will be emailed to you immediately.
  • Note: Participation credit can be obtained only if you have a working account.
  • Email Professor Curtis D. Hardin (cdhardin@brooklyn.cuny.edu) for account questions.

Once you have an account, enter the system and click “Studies” to see a list of available studies and how to sign up for participation.

  • The system keeps track of your credit, and allows you can monitor your participation record.
  • Be sure to note the time and location of the study you sign up for so that you will not miss your appointment.
  • You must arrive promptly at the assigned room for your study. If you are late you may lose the chance to participate at that time.

IMPORTANT: Students who do not complete this requirement by the last day of classes in the semester (either by research participation or the alternate assignment) will receive a grade of “Incomplete” for PSYC 1000.

Course Policies

Course Policies

Missed Coursework and Exams:

Missed exams and assignments will result in a grade of 0. If an exam cannot be taken at the scheduled time, an instructor must be notified at least 24 hours before the exam, and the student is then responsible to schedule a make-up exam. All required course work must be completed by the time of the final exam. You will be docked 1 letter grade (10%) for every day your research ethics course is late.

Interruptions:

Please turn all electronic devices to silent mode before class begins. If a call during class time must be taken, please step out of the room so as not to disturb other students.

Assigned Reading from the Textbook:

This course requires a significant amount of reading. It is therefore highly advised to complete a portion of the assigned reading regularly throughout the semester, and to always be caught up on reading before each exam. Ideally, you will complete the assigned reading in lock step with the relevant lectures. This will make learning the material much easier, and should increase your performance on the exams. Exams may contain material that was not specifically covered in the lecture, but was explained in the reading.

Academic Integrity:

The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. Here is the complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member is required to report the violation.

Center for Student Disability Services:

To receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability should contact the Center and set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with the professor.

Non-Attendance Because of Religious Beliefs:

Brooklyn College complies with the New York State Education Law regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs. For details see the Undergraduate Bulletin (pg. 66) or the Graduate Bulletin (pg.

Course Grading

Grading:

Course grades are based upon the four exams, the research ethics course, the article review, and the group project. The weighting of these course components are as follows:

Highest scoring exam 25%
2nd Highest scoring exam 20%
3rd Highest scoring exam 15%
Lowest scoring exam 10%
Research Ethics Course (Human Subjects Basic Course) 10%
Article Review 10%
Group Project 10%

Creative Commons License NC SA 4.0 iconUnless otherwise noted, Brooklyn College's PSYC 1000 Introductory Psychology OER was curated by Assistant Professor Jacob Shane for Brooklyn College in 2017 and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. [Detailed license and acknowledgements]

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