| Students: Scroll down to the schedule and click on the appropriate date to get the outline for that class period. (Please let me know if you have any problems doing so) |
| Developmental Psychology PSYC 3150-01, Spring 2003 Meets MTWF 09:00-09:50am in the AC, Room 137 Instructor: Xavier Sonnerat Office: Sullivan-Harrell Hall, Room 385 Office Hours: MWF afternoons; drop by or schedule an appointment Phone: 974-1384 Email: xav_son_psy@hotmail.com Required Text: Berk, L. E. (2001). Development through the lifespan (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. You may also want to visit the website related to this book to help you prepare for class and exams at http://www.abacon.com/berk/lifespan/student.html Additional readings may be assigned in class throughout the semester Course Description and Objectives: This course will introduce you to the field of developmental psychology. We will cover the biological, cognitive, emotional, and social development of humans from the prenatal period to middle adulthood. Although most research in the field has been done in our culture, we will also consider development from a cross-cultural perspective. Several theories of development will be considered and the main issues of whether development is continuous or discontinuous, happens the same way across individuals, and influenced more by nature or nurture will be discussed. By the end of the semester, I hope that you will have gained insights into your own development and that you will find useful perspectives to apply to your own parenting. Course Format: This is your class. True learning can only occur by processing new information actively. In other words, passively listening to a lecture and taking notes does not lead to a good understanding of information. Thus, your book and other assigned readings will provide you with basic “factual” information, and class time will be used to discuss this material, compare different points of view, integrate the information with prior knowledge, and participate in activities that illustrate important concepts. Your role in building a good learning environment is crucial. You will be expected to have read all assigned materials prior to class and to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the class in an open-minded fashion so that we can all learn from each other. You will also be expected to come to class with questions regarding what you read, so that we can spend time going over concepts that are difficult to understand, and focus on issues that the class thinks are most important. Course Requirements: 1. Attendance It would be a mistake not to attend every class, as, due to the class format discussed above, you would miss many important aspects of the course. Although reading the book is necessary to learn information, it is in no way sufficient to gain a satisfactory understanding of the material. The exams will be structured to test your understanding of psychological processes and your ability to apply this knowledge. Not attending class will prevent you from participating in discussions and activities, which could greatly impair you and affect your participation grade. Every time you miss class without excusing your absence, 2 points will be taken off your participation/attendance grade. If you were to miss class for any reason, it would be your responsibility to see me and inquire about what was done in class and whether you missed an assignment. You should also ask your classmates for their notes. Please warn me in advance if you know you are going to miss a class. Also, please be courteous of everybody in the class by arriving promptly and not disrupting class. Being consistently late would also impact your attendance grade. 2. Reaction papers Reading the assigned chapters before coming to class is an essential part of the course. The book will familiarize you with the concepts we will explore in more depth in class and will provide very useful background information for discussion. To help you prepare for class and to get you to start thinking about the issues covered in the chapter you will have to write and turn in a 1- to 2-page paper (see format for writing assignments below) on the day we start talking about a specific topic. Your paper should not be a summary of the chapter. Rather, these papers are your opportunity to think critically about the information presented, share your views about certain aspects of the chapter, and/or apply the materials to examples in your daily life. Also, you can use a paragraph in your paper to tell me what information in the book you did not master and thus what information you would like me to lecture on in class for greater understanding of a concept. I will then use your comments and questions in the following class periods, thus making the class interactive instead of me lecturing on information you already mastered or have no interest in. These papers should give you the opportunity to express you ideas, concerns, and needs. You will have to turn-in 7 reaction papers of your choice throughout the semester, and I advise you to start doing so early. Papers will be graded on a 10-point scale; papers turned in late will be have the grade halved. No paper will be accepted after April 21. Please pledge your papers. 3. Exams A. Regular Exams Four exams will be given during the semester (including the final). Each of them will focus on materials covered in the assigned chapters. Exams will consist of multiple-choice items, short-answer questions, as well as essay questions designed to test your critical thinking skills and how well you can apply your knowledge to practical situations. Questions will focus on basic information covered in your book, lecture materials, and major themes brought up in discussions. Details about how to study efficiently for these exams will be discussed in class throughout the semester. Please feel free to see me if you have any concerns regarding the tests. B. Make-Up Exams If you know you are going to miss an exam, please see me as soon as possible so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you to take the test early. If you do not notify me of your absence early enough, or if you miss the exam altogether, you will be given the opportunity to take a make-up test if and only if you bring me the written proof of an extreme case of emergency. If you miss the exam and do not take the make-up test you will be given a 0. In any case, a make-up test must be taken before the next test is given. 4. Review Paper An APA (American Psychological Association) review paper will be required. The paper will follow the format used in most psychological journals and will be a review of an area of development you have a particular interest in. It should be 5-6 pages in length (not including the title, abstract, and references sections) based on at least 5 original (i.e., not from the textbook) sources. The paper is due on April 16. If you do not hand in the paper by this date, you will lose 25 points per day. Additionally, on January 31 you will have to turn in a paragraph describing your idea about the paper, and on March 21 you will have to turn in a 1-page detailed outline of what your paper will look like. Each of these assignments will count for 5 points on your final Review Paper. There will be no exceptions to the above policies. For your information: Take advantage of the Writing Center for your paper! They can help. The Writing Center is located in John Stone Hall. Its hours are Monday through Thursday 2-5 and 6-9, Thursday and Friday 10-1, and Sunday 6-9. For more info go to http://www.millsaps.edu/dean/writing/center_info.htm 5. Activities/In-Class Exercises/Participation Throughout the semester you will have the opportunity to take part in several kinds of activities such as watching videos, discussing key issues in small groups, and writing on critical thinking questions related to the materials presented in the book and discussed in class. Active participation in these activities will affect your final grade. 6. Assignments for Extra Credit For those of you with additional eagerness to learn about psychology, or in need of improving their grade, extra-credit assignments may be given on an irregular basis. For the moment, I have two assignments in mind. You will notice that, although you have to turn-in only 7 reaction papers, you will have 13 opportunities to do so. If you so desire, you will get extra credit (1 point for good papers, 0.5 point for average papers, 0 point for poor papers) for each reaction paper you turn in after the 7th one. Again, no paper will be accepted after April 21. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to participate in experiments done in the psychology department. You will earn 1 extra credit point for each experiment you participate in. Email Account: Every student at Millsaps College has a user-ID. For this course you are required to activate this account and check your email. I often email the class due dates for assignments, reminders, or class changes through email. It is your responsibility to check your email for this information. Course Grade: The grade for the course will be determined as follows: Participation/Attendance 5 % of final grade Reaction Papers 5 % of final grade Review Paper 10 % of final grade Exams 80 % of final grade (20% each) Grading Scale: No curve will be used to compute your grades. Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number (decimal value of .50 and above will be rounded up, and decimal values of .49 and below will be rounded down). A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66 A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F 59 & below Format for writing assignments: All assigned papers should be typed in ‘Times New Roman’ 12-point font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins at the top and bottom and 1- to 1.25-inch margins on the left and right (default setting on Word and Word Perfect). Using another format will result in loss of points on the grade. Academic Misconduct: Millsaps College takes the Honors Code very seriously. Academic misconduct, such as cheating on exams or plagiarizing papers, will be promptly reported to the Honors Council. Special Needs: If you need special assistance in the classroom due to a disability of any kind, please inform me of what I could do to assist you as soon as possible. Academic Honor Code of Millsaps College: Millsaps College is an academic community dedicated to the pursuit of scholarly inquiry and intellectual growth. The foundation of this community is a spirit of personal honesty and mutual trust. Through their Honor Code, the students of Millsaps College affirm their adherence to these basic ethical principles. An Honor Code is not simply a set of rules and procedures governing the students' academic conduct. It is an opportunity to put personal responsibility and integrity into action. When students agree to abide by an Honor Code, they liberate themselves to pursue their academic goals in an atmosphere of mutual confidence and respect. The success of the Code depends on the support of each member of the community. Students and faculty alike commit themselves in their work to principles of academic honesty. When they become aware of infractions, both students and faculty are obligated to report them to the Honor Council, which is responsible for enforcement. The pledge signed by all students upon entering the College is as follows: As a Millsaps College student, I hereby affirm that I understand the Honor Code and am aware of its implications and of my responsibility to the Code. In the interests of expanding the atmosphere of respect and trust in the College, I promise to uphold the Honor Code and I will not tolerate dishonest behavior in myself or in others. Each examination, quiz, or other assignment that is to be graded will carry the pledge: "I hereby certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment. (Signature)" The abbreviation "Pledged" followed by the student's signature has the same meaning and may be acceptable on assignments other than final examinations. It is the responsibility of students and faculty to report offenses to the Honor Code Council in the form of a written report. This account must be signed, the accusation explained in as much detail as possible, and submitted to the Dean of the College. Note: Although I did my best to provide accurate information in this syllabus, I reserve the right to make changes at any time if they become necessary. The following tentative schedule may also be modified in the future to allow flexibility for the class’ special needs and interests. I will give you as much notice as possible if any changes are made, and an updated version of this syllabus will always be posted on the class website at http://www.oocities.org/xavsonnerat/PSYC3150. Although I put a lot of thought into preparing this course, please feel free to share your ideas with me about ways to improve it at any point during the semester. As stated above, this is your class and you should see me as an instrument you can use to enhance your learning experience. Any constructive feedback will always be appreciated. Tentative Schedule Date Assignments January Mon 13 Course overview Tues 14 Read Chapter 1 Wed 15 Chapter 1 Fri 17 Chapter 1 Mon 20 Read Chapter 2; Reaction Paper due* Tues 21 Chapter 2 Wed 22 Chapter 2 Fri 24 Chapter 2; Talk about Review Paper Mon 27 Read Chapter 3; Reaction Paper due* Tues 28 Chapter 3 Wed 29 Chapter 3 Fri 31 Review; Topic idea for Review Paper due February Mon 3 Test 1 Tues 4 Read Chapter 4; Reaction Paper due* Wed 5 Chapter 4 Fri 7 Chapter 4 Mon 10 Read Chapter 5; Reaction Paper due* Tues 11 Chapter 5 Wed 12 Chapter 5 Fri 14 Chapter 5 Mon 17 Read Chapter 6; Reaction Paper due* Tues 18 Chapter 6 Wed 19 Chapter 6 Fri 21 Review Mon 24 Test 2 Tues 25 Read Chapter 7; Reaction Paper due* Wed 26 Chapter 7 Fri 28 Chapter 7 March Mon 3 Read Chapter 8; Reaction Paper due* Tues 4 Chapter 8 Wed 5 Chapter 8 Fri 7 No Class; Have a good break! Mon 10 NO CLASS: Spring Break Tues 11 NO CLASS: Spring Break Wed 12 NO CLASS: Spring Break Fri 14 NO CLASS: Spring Break Mon 17 Read Chapter 9; Reaction Paper due* Tues 18 Chapter 9 Wed 19 Chapter 9 Fri 21 Chapter 9; Detailed outline of Review Paper due Mon 24 Read Chapter 10; Reaction Paper due* Tues 25 Chapter 10 Wed 26 Chapter 10 Fri 28 Review Mon 31 Test 3 April Tues 1 Read Chapter 11; Reaction Paper due* Wed 2 Chapter 11 Fri 4 No class Mon 7 Chapter 11 Tues 8 Read Chapter 12; Reaction Paper due* Wed 9 Chapter 12 Fri 11 Chapter 12 Mon 14 Read Chapter 13; Reaction Paper due* Tues 15 Chapter 13 Wed 16 Review Paper due Fri 18 Good Friday: No Class Mon 21 Read Chapter 14; Reaction Paper due* Tues 22 Chapter 14 Wed 23 Chapter 14 Fri 25 Review; Extra credit opportunity: Attend Jay Nussbaum's talk in AC 215. Tues 29 Final Exam @ 9am * If this is not one of the 7 topics you want to write on you of course don’t have to turn in anything on that date, although you should still read the chapter carefully to be able to participate in class. |
 |
 |