Psychology 305 Syllabus Spring 2000

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Psychology 305, Information Processing Lab, Spring 2000 Prof. Michael H. Birnbaum, Ph.D. Office: H-628C (check:H-532) Class: MW 2:30-3:20 PM Office Hours: MW 4:00-6:00 PM H-522 (by appointment) Textbooks: Introduction to Behavioral Research on the Internet. Prentice Hall.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE Week Date Readings Lecture & Labs Projects

1 Jan. 31 Ch. 1-2 Research HTML Library search 2 Feb. 7 Ch 3-4 Methods HTML Library search 3 Feb. 14 Ch. 5 EV theory forms Prep. proposals *******Washington's Birthday Feb 21 Campus closed 4 Feb. 23 Ch. 6 proposals Excel project proposals 5 Feb. 28 Ch 7-8 logic SPSS data analysis 6 Mar. 6 Ch. 9, 11 EU theory surveyWiz factorWiz 7 Mar. 13 Ch. 12 Additive Model set-up experiments 8 Mar. 20 Ch. 21 Range-frequency Method/ pilot tests ******* SPRING Recess ** March 27-31 **************No Classes 9 Apr. 3 Within- and Between-Ss Intro/ collect data 10 Apr. 10 Allais paradox References/ collect data 11 Apr. 17 SWU theory Revisions /collect data 12 Apr. 24 Cumulative Prospect Theory Results/Tables& Figures *** Apr. 26 Last Day to Withdraw with W --(get signature by Apr. 26) 13 May. 1 Configural Weight theory Results/ Tables & Figures 14 May. 8 Class presentations Discussion/Abstract 15 May. 15 Class presentations Complete Project Due **** May 17 Last Class ******* Study: Book, lecture notes, lab notes, quizes, assignments **** 16 May 26 FINAL EXAM: Friday. 2:30-3:50 PM In classroom *** Final Draft of Project Due at Final Exam

SCANTRON FORM: SCANTRON 20787-ERI (blue, 8-1/2" by 11", student store) COURSE WEB site: http://psych.fullerton.edu/psych305/

Page 2 Course Requirements and Grading Attendance at all classes, labs, and exams is required. If you cannot attend all classes, labs, and exams, you may not enroll in this class. If you are not planning to complete the planned course of reading, lab assignments, homeworks, quizes, and projects for this course, do not enroll in this class. DO NOT ask for permission to skip class, miss a lab, or leave early. If you are forced to miss a day because of sudden illness, injury, or similar emergency, provide proof (e.g., a letter from your doctor) to the Graduate Assistant, and your missing quiz will be estimated from the Final Exam. If a chronic illness or situation causes you to miss more than one week, you should withdraw from the class. Course Components for Grading Component Points Quizes 20 Assignments 20 Project 30 Final Exam 30 ----------------------------------------- Total Points 100 Final Exam Attendance at the Final is mandatory. If you miss the final, you cannot pass the class. The FINAL EXAM is multiple choice, closed book, and no calculators, computers, cellular phones, or other books or communication devices. The final will contain items similar to those used in quizes and homework assignments. To prepare for the Final, study quizes, homework assignments, lecture notes, and reading assignments. Project Work on the project will be done throughout the semester. The final project is due at the Final Exam. Late Projects will not be accepted for grading. The final project will consist of an APA style paper on an experiment conducted this semester. It must contain the following components: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References, Figures or Tables or both. You will also be required to submit other ancillary information, such as the raw data, statistical printouts, and photocopies of journal articles. Quizes Quizes may be given in either lab or lecture or both. You should expect one or more each week. You must attend the lecture or lab to receive credit for quizes. No make-up quizes will be given. Homework and Lab Assignments Assignments may be given in either lecture or lab or both. You must attend lecture and lab to receive the assignments. Some assignments will require presentations to the class or lab.

Page 3 COURSE POLICIES Scantron Forms You will need No. 2 pencils, erasers, and 2 SCANTRON FORM No. 20787-ERI. You can buy them at the student store. You should bring 2 BLANK forms to the GA. Blank means NOTHING added. You must fill out these forms very carefully to avoid losing credit: Always mark one choice (no blanks). Never mark two choices. Erase stray marks or changed answers completely! Be sure your student ID number is correct. Filling out the form correctly is your responsibility. Academic Dishonesty All work turned in for credit must be your own. All work includes homework assignments, lab assignments, quizes, exams, projects, or anything else used for the purpose of grading. If two students turn in two assignments exams, or other materials that show evidence of cheating, then both students will be charged with academic dishonesty and sent for discipline according to university policy. Do not copy the work of others or allow your work to be copied. Grading Policies Grades will be based on the total number of points accumulated. Grade guarantee: You can make up at the end of the course for work missed during the semester. You will receive at least an A, B, C, or D, if your final exam and project are above 90%, 80%, 70%, or 60%, respectively. Emergencies If a sudden illness, injury, or similar emergency causes you to miss a quiz or homework assignment, you should promptly provide documentation (e.g., a letter from your doctor) to the GA. In such case, the missing score will be estimated from the Final Exam. There are no makeups. If a chronic problem develops that causes you to miss more than 1 week, you should withdraw from the class. The following are examples of emergencies: injured in traffic accident, illness, your child injured. The following are not emergencies: low-price travel tickets, pick up friend at airport, travel with sport teams, work schedule, etc. Hard Work In lab courses such as this, you should expect to work hard. There are many different tasks to do and skills to learn. The skills in this class are valuable if you either intend to go to graduate school, or if you intend to apply for a job that requires the employee to think and write. If you are not willing to work hard, you should not enroll. Advice: attend; take notes; read books; do homework; study. see the next page.

Page 4 Advice to Students: Attend, Read, Study Attend Every Lecture Attendance is required in this class, as in all college classes, whether attendance is recorded or not. Never plan anything to conflict with the class hours. If you miss a class, you are still responsible for assignments, announcements, and the material covered during your absence. It is a good idea to make friends with a few people who can give you notes, in case sudden illness or injury forces you to miss a class. Listen Actively Don't let your mind wander in class, but pay close attention and try to learn as much in class as you can. Take Careful Notes It is a good idea to write down as much of each lecture as you can. Lectures contain information that is not in the book and also let you know what to emphasize in your study of the texts. Do not expect to understand everything immediately. In many cases you will need to study your notes to understand difficult concepts. Read the Assigned Texts Read assignments carefully. It is a good idea to glance through a chapter before reading it to get an overview; then read it carefully. Use the glossary of terms at the end of the book, and use a dictionary when needed. Study The rule of thumb for college classes is: "For every hour of lecture, you should allow three hours for study." Therefore, for a three unit class such as Psych 101, you should plan to study nine hours per week outside of class. Set aside time to study in a quiet environment. Different people like different methods of study, but here are some tips: 1. At the end of each week, recopy your class notes neatly, concentrating on the flow of ideas. Things will fit together better, and you will discover the important themes that reoccur. Keep a list of questions to ask in class. 2. Study sections of the text (that means re-read and re-think until you understand). Pay special attention to topics mentioned in class as important. 3. Make flash cards of key definitions and ideas. Make sure you memorize key definitions as soon as possible. Use the Summaries, Terms, and quizzes in the book. The Study Guide is also recommended for those who like to practice with exam items and additional work. 4. Form study groups with other students in the class. Get together and review notes, discuss readings, and pose questions to one another. 5. Use campus resources. Some schools have counselors who can provide tutoring and other strategies for studying, test-taking, dealing with test-anxiety, etc. As needed, take Intensive Learning Experience, 278-7236, UH-210B. 6. Don't wait until the last minute to read or to study for exams. Keep up with the class.

Page 6 DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY Student Responsibility Code The department of psychology is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality educational program. In order to maximize the benefits of our program, it is important that you meet your responsibilities as a student. Listed below are some of the responsibilities. 1) Advisement You are responsible for knowing university and psychology department policies and deadlines. You should obtain and read pertinent sections of the University Catalog, Class Schedule booklet, the Psychology Student Handbook and instructor course outlines. You should meet with a psychology faculty member at least once a year and review your study plan and career goals. 2) Class Attendance and Promptness You are responsible for attending all classes and laboratory meetings, and for being on time. 3) Workload You are responsible for adjusting your outside responsibilities (Work, family, social, etc.) in order to allow sufficient time for your education. As a general rule you should allow three hours outside of class, for study purposes, for each hour spent in class. Additional information on this topic is discussed in the Psychology Student Handbook. 4) Authorship It is a requirement of the department that exams, homework, research reports, and term papers reflect your own work, unless you are explicitly directed otherwise by your instructor. Proper methods of referencing outside sources of information should be used at all times. Additional information on this requirement may be obtained by reading the University Catalog section on Academic Dishonesty. If you have any questions concerning the above responsibilities, please contact your psychology instructor or the psychology department chair.

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