PY130:
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course…
1. The student will be able to evaluate key theories, and use them to explain and predict behaviors
2. The student will be able to explain what psychological research is, how it is conducted, and what it can
tell us about ourselves.
3. The student will be able to analyze interest in the human mind and human behavior and ask and answer
questions about topics.
4. The student will be able to apply psychological concepts to their own life.
5. The student will be able to apply critical thinking skills, and encourage you to act as both a learner and a
teacher.
6. The student will be able to integrate information across multiple areas of research and outline how
psychological topics and effects are interconnected.
7. The student will be able to understand psychological misperceptions and how those misperceptions
conflict with accurate scientific findings.
Psychology: Perspectives and Connections (5 th edition) By Feist & Rosenberg (2021, McGraw-Hill)
| COURSE MODULES AND ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FEIST & ROSENBERG (5e) | |
| *Please note that supplemental materials may be assigned to accompany any textbook readings. It is your responsibility to check Blackboard on a regular basis. Relevant materials will be posted for each module. | |
| Course Orientation (Week of 8/19 – 8/25) | COURSE ORIENTATION |
| Module 1 (Week of 8/26 – 9/1) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #1 by 5pm on Sunday, September 1st |
| Introduction to Psychology | CHAPTER 1 |
| Module 2 (Week of 9/2 – 9/8) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #2 by 5pm on Sunday, September 1st Submit Learning Strategies Reflection by 5pm on Sunday, September 8 th |
| Conducting Research in Psychology | CHAPTER 2 |
| Module 3 (Week of 9/9 – 9/15) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #3 by 5pm on Sunday, September 15th Submit Personal Development Project #1 by 5pm on Sunday, September 15th |
| The Biology of Behavior | CHAPTER 3 |
| Module 4 (Week of 9/16 – 9/22) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #4 by 5pm on Sunday, September 22nd |
| Human Development | CHAPTER 5 |
| Module 5 (Week of 9/23 – 9/29) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #5 by 5pm on Sunday, September 29 th Submit Personal Development Project #2 by 5pm on Sunday, September 29 th |
| States of Consciousness | CHAPTER 6 |
| Module 6 (Week of 9/30 – 10/6) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #6 by 5pm on Sunday, October 6 th |
| Memory | CHAPTER 7 |
| Module 7 (Week of 10/7 – 10/13) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #7 by 5pm on Sunday, October 13th |
| Learning | CHAPTER 8 |
| Module 8 (Week of 10/14 – 10/20) | Submit Personal Development Project #3 by 5pm on Sunday, October 20th |
| Thinking, Reasoning, and Decision-Making | CHAPTER 9 |
| Module 9 (Week of 10/21 – 10/27) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #8 by 5pm on Sunday, October 27 th |
| Problem-Solving and Creativity | CHAPTER 10 |
| Module 10 (Week of 10/28 – 11/3) | Complete Knowledge Assessment #9 by 5pm on Sunday, November 3rd Submit Personal Development Project #4 by 5pm on Sunday, November 3rd |
| Motivation | CHAPTER 11 |
| Module 11 (Week of 11/4 – 11/10) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #10 by 5pm on Sunday, November 10th |
| Stress and Health | CHAPTER 12 |
| (Week of 11/11 – 11/17) | Submit Personal Development Project #5 by 5pm on Sunday, November 17 th |
| Learning Activities TBD | |
| Module 12 (Week of 11/18 – 11/24) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #11 by 5pm on Sunday, November 24th |
| Personality | CHAPTER 13 |
| (Week of 11/25 – 12/1) | Submit Personal Development Project #6 by 5pm on Sunday, December 1st |
| November 25: GUEST SPEAKER | TBD |
| November 27: THANKSGIVING BREAK | NO CLASS |
| November 29: THANKSGIVING BREAK | NO CLASS |
| Module 13 (Week of 12/2– 12/8) | Complete Knowledge Base Assessment #12 by 5pm on Sunday, December 8 th Submit Learning Experiences Reflection by 5pm on Sunday, December 8th |
| Psychological Disorders | CHAPTER 15 |
Reading Assignments:
As listed in this syllabus. You are responsible for engaging with the reading assignments. Relevant chapter materials (e.g., class slides, video links, etc.) will be posted to Blackboard in accordance with the course schedule.
Knowledge Base Assessments:
A series of 12 assessments of your knowledge base in introductory psychology will be administered. The assessments are not necessarily cumulative, but they may rely on your expanding knowledge of concepts and theories that you learn along the way. They will cover course module learning objectives based on assigned learning resources.
It is valuable to your own personal and professional growth to manage your time effectively. There will be no extensions to assessment deadlines without some officially documented or otherwise compelling reason*. I encourage you to take stock of your time commitments. Try to assess where there might be opportunities for you to alleviate some demands on your time, so that you can make meaningful progress towards your own core goals and priorities.
*To be clear, excuses such as simply forgetting about a scheduled due date or problematic time management on your part will not qualify as compelling reasons.
Life happens. It isn’t always easy to manage our time effectively when an unpredictable event occurs. As a gesture of grace, the 2 lowest scores will be dropped. Each of your 10 highest scores is worth 10pts. Collectively, the knowledge base assessments count for 100pts (40%).
**The due dates for these knowledge base assessments are listed in this syllabus.
Final Assessment: The final assessment includes cumulative material based on reading assignments aligned with course module objectives. The final assessment is worth 50pts (20%) of your final grade.
See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Final Exam policy.
Personal Development Projects:
In addition to the knowledge base assessments, you will complete a series of personal development projects, the details of which will be provided to you later. The purpose of these assignments is to help inspire you to think critically about the topics we cover in this course, and to apply that thinking to better understand your life events or experiences from a psychological perspective. The due dates for these projects are listed in this syllabus.
Collectively, these 6 projects count for 60pts (24%) of your final grade.
**Late assignment submissions received within 48 hours of the deadline will be marked with an automatic 20% deduction. Submissions will not be accepted beyond 48 hours after the deadline. This policy does not apply to knowledge base assessments. Late submissions of the assessments will receive a "0" score.
Personal Learning Reflections:
You will have an opportunity to reflect upon your strategies and experiences as a learner at Wilmington College and beyond. In other words, what you hope to learn, how you plan to learn, and contemplating your growth as a learner.
These reflections are worth 10pts and will account for 4% of your final grade.
Participation & Professionalism:
Participation and professionalism points are a combination of accounting for active participation in class, passive participation in class, and any recurring evidence of unprofessional behavior (e.g., being distracted or disruptive during class). This class will be based on the concepts of RESPECT and PROFESSIONALISM. Respect for oneself, respect for others and respect for one’s environment. You are expected to consistently demonstrate respect and professionalism.
Collectively, participation and professionalism count for the remaining 30pts (12%) of your final grade.
Introduction to Psychology is a graded course. An incomplete will only be given in special situations. If I decide to offer an opportunity for extra points at some juncture in the semester, the number of points would be minimal and only students who have completed all course components would be eligible.
POINT SCALE: 250 POINTS POSSIBLE
10 KNOWLEDGE BASE ASSESSMENTS @ 10 PTS EACH = 100 PTS (40%)
FINAL CUMULATIVE ASSESSMENT = 50 PTS (20%)
6 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS @ 10 PTS EACH = 60 PTS (24%)
PERSONAL LEARNING REFLECTIONS = 10 PTS (4%)
PARTICIPATION = 15 PTS (6%)
PROFESSIONALISM = 15 PTS (6%)
Minimum Points Required Letter Grade
| 230 and higher | A |
| 220 | A- |
| 215 | B+ |
| 207 | B |
| 200 | B- |
| 190 | C+ |
| 182 | C |
| 175 | C- |
| 165 | D+ |
| 150 | D |
| 149 and below | F |
TIP FOR GETTING ORGANIZED: PLEASE MARK THESE DATES IN A PLANNER ASAP.
| September 2 | Labor Day Holiday – No Class |
| October 14 | Fall Break – No Class |
| November 11, 13 | Professor at Conference – No Class |
| November 27, 29 | Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class |
| December 9 | Final Knowledge Base Assessment |
Instructor Course Policies
Expectations for Student Engagement
National guidelines indicate that you should plan to devote 8 HOURS of time to this class each week above and beyond class time. In addition to completing all readings, assessments, and assignments, you need to engage both with the lecture material and the supplemental materials posted to Blackboard. When beginning a new module, spend time skimming the entire relevant chapter to orient yourself to the chapter topic and to generate your own questions about the material.
Participation and Professionalism
All students are expected to be in class and to actively participate. Coming to class is very important. This class is designed to be an interactive learning experience. If you do not attend class, you will not be able to gain knowledge and perspective from others. You will earn participation and professionalism points if you 1) attend the session 2) pay attention (e.g., no social media, texting, sleeping, or disruptive side conversations) 3) actively participate in class discussion.
Active participation includes asking and answering questions; volunteering items for discussion; serving as small group facilitator or presenter. Participation and professionalism also include active listening, thoughtful reflection, cooperation, and efforts to complete assignments.
PLEASE NOTE: It is valuable to your own personal and professional growth to reliably respect your time commitments. In other words, if you are expected to be somewhere, it is important to show up. Sometimes competing priorities do arise. I will offer each of you five “free passes” for absences. Use your discretion wisely. These passes are not unlimited. Excessive absences (regardless of excuse) will impact your participation points. I will deduct 3 points from participation for each excessive absence. If you exceed 10 total absences, this will also impact professionalism points.
See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance policy especially as it pertains to excused absences. You are expected to attend the entire class session. If you arrive late, leave early, or step out of the classroom on a regular basis, it will impact participation and professionalism points.
Although we will make much use of the online course management system (Blackboard), this is not an online course. Students will not be permitted to attend class via Zoom unless authorized by the appropriate academic or student affairs office.
Additional Information
It is valuable to your own personal and professional growth to be fully present and to respect the presence of those in your company. Unless designated otherwise by me for educational purposes, I expect all of us to disengage with our digital devices - of any kind - during our limited time together. If you need to have a cell phone with you to be contacted in case of an emergency, please let me know before class and set the phone to vibrate. For your own well-being and peace, ask yourself “Is this thing I call an emergency truly time-sensitive or is it something I can set aside until after class is dismissed?”
Technology in the classroom can both facilitate and hinder learning. Based on the needs for this course and on some of the course learning outcomes I have set for you, laptops will NOT be permitted unless you provide me with documentation from the office of Accessibility and Disability Services requesting such accommodation. The same applies to iPads and tablets, or similar electronic devices. No use of any type of tobacco or illegal substance is permitted in the classroom. No reading of outside materials (newspapers, emails, etc.) is permitted during the official class period.
Counseling Services: Confidential counseling services are available to Wilmington College students. A state independently licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) will provide a diagnostic assessment, treatment plan, and subsequent therapy sessions to assist students with a wide variety of wellness and mental health concerns. Contact KAZI MCDOWELL, Director of Counseling Services, at 937.481.2272 or ANA LOPEZ, Mental Health Counselor, at 937.481.2509 to schedule an appointment.
Course evaluations: At the end of the term, a course evaluation will be distributed. This will be your opportunity to assess the course design, learning support, and our learning environment. These evaluations are anonymous, and the results will not be reviewed by me until after final course grades have been submitted.
Disclaimer: All portions of this syllabus are tentative and subject to change at any time. Please note we will be using Blackboard, the online course management system, for this course. I will announce changes in class and/or via email or Blackboard. It is your responsibility to complete all assessments and assignments by the specified due dates.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Academic Misconduct - Examples [10/24]
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
This policy is directly related to the first Testimony, which is part of the Student Code of Conduct. “I will practice personal and academic integrity.” The initial responsibility for dealing with academic misconduct lies with the individual faculty member in whose classroom or course of study the offense occurs. The responsibility includes determination of the consequences for the offense. The goal is for faculty to confront cheating and plagiarism, to teach ethical behavior, and to provide an appropriate consequence based on the nature of the incident. Faculty are encouraged to explicitly address academic misconduct and its consequences in the course syllabus.
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
A. Examination offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.Taking unauthorized materials into or out of the examination room.
2.Leaving the examination room without authorization before completing an examination.
3.Talking in the examination room without authorization.
4.Discussing the examination outside the examination room during the course of the examination.
5.Attempting to observe the work of another student.
6.Taking an examination for another person or permitting someone else to do so.
7.Collaborating improperly by discussion, joint research, or joint effort in any way expressly prohibited by the instructor. This includes using a cell phone or other device to access information from another source or another student.
8.Improper knowledge of contents of an examination - No student shall knowingly acquire unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination, or solicit, offer, or give information about any part of an examination.
B. Student work offenses include, but are not limited to, the following, which are expressly prohibited in the absence of prior written approval of the instructor or instructors involved:
1.Resubmission of work - Submitting work which has been previously submitted for credit.
2. Plagiarism - Submitting work done wholly or partly by another, including the unattributed copying of all or parts of a published work or internet document. Using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources to produce work (when not expressly permitted) is also a form of plagiarism. Some instances of plagiarism are the result of ignorance rather than dishonesty. When plagiarism is encountered, the instructor should be sure that the student knows proper procedures for attributing content.
3.Prohibited sources - Consulting material or persons contrary to the directions of the instructor.
4.Improper collaboration - Engaging in any discussion, joint research, or joint effort of any kind expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5.Deception - Misrepresenting the authenticity of sources, citations, or principles in any written work.
6. Sharing work – Students who share their work with others are responsible for how that work is used. For example, if a student shares a paper with another student to help him or her understand an assignment, and that student submits the work as their own, the author of the paper shares responsibility for the plagiarism committed by the other student.
D. Other misconduct - Engaging in any other improper conduct as specified by the instructor.
E. Lying – deliberately providing false information relevant to academic matters, such as misrepresenting the inability to take an examination because of illness.
F. Disruptive or disrespectful classroom behavior – causing a disturbance in the classroom, interrupting instruction, speaking rudely or threatening students or faculty.
Class Attendance Policy |
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), Wilmington College provides access through reasonable accommodations to students with documented physical and psychological disabilities.
Students who wish to access Services need to meet with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services and provide verification of their disability. To register with Accessibility and Disability Services, students submit an Application for Services. In addition, the student must provide the Disability Verification form accompanied by current disability documentation from a licensed professional. For more information, contact the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services at accessibility@wilmington.edu or 937.481.2444, 114 Robinson Communcation Center.