See Canvas for All Due Dates When School Begins
Examinations: This course will consist of three examinations (including the Final examination). The tests will all be of the same format and will come from lecture, supplementary material, power-points, video clips and material covered in the text. A study guide is provided on Canvas to help focus your study in preparation for the exam (but it does not cover all questions). An exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions (100 points). As you can see from the schedule, the final examination will not be comprehensive (on purpose anyway, sometimes material tends to build on itself). The tests will be administered through Canvas under Quizzes (links will also be on the home page) at the Testing Center. Please do not open the tests until you are ready to take them. There is only one try. No notes, power-points, supplementary material, video clips, books or outside help is allowed except for a 3X5 card typed or written (on both sides). There is a time limit of 50 minutes which is about one minute per question. You will only be able to see one question at a time. Please choose the best possible answers of the choices provided.
Weekly Practice Quizzes: The practice quizzes will consist of 3 multiple-choice questions from the current weeks’ material. The quizzes are open book and open note with no time limit. All questions are given at once. They are there to help you prepare for the exams in a timely fashion. The practice quizzes will not be worth any points, but you can take them as often as you would like. Incorrect answers are marked after taking them, therefore, by repetition you can deduce the correct answers.
In Class Assignments: This course will also have anywhere from 10 to 20 random in-class assignments which will be worth 7 pts each for a total of 70 - 140 points. These assignments can be made up within two days of being assigned. Afterwards, only extremely extenuating circumstances will allow for in-class assignment make-up. If you are present in class, you can physically hand in the piece of paper or input your answers into Canvas under the appropriate assignment. The purpose of these assignments is either to further class discussion, prepare you for tests, illustrate specific class concepts or deepen your critical thinking skills. Either I or my teaching assistant will grade these assignments.
Reflection Papers: An important aspect of any psychological concept or principle is how it relates to your own life. You will have the opportunity to do two double-spaced two-page papers (maximum font 12pt). The first paper is due and the second paper is due
Specifically, take a particular idea, concept, or principle that you recently learned from cognitive psychology and explain the applicability of it to your own life. Give at least three specific examples from your life. Each paper will be worth 15 points for a total of 30 points. I or my teaching assistant will be grading on depth of thought, critical thinking, three specific examples and originality. It doesn’t hurt to ask me or my teaching assistant beforehand if the idea or principle would be appropriate.
Artificial Intelligence: AI can be a useful tool. It is especially useful for generating ideas on a topic or citing specific information. However, I do not want you to use AI to generate content solely for the purpose of completing assignments without any effort put forth on your part. AI does have weaknesses such as making up references, being inaccurate, wording content at graduate college Ivy-League level etc. AI is especially bad at trying to relate personal experiences such as asked for in reflection papers.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Assignment (Perspective Taking):
A rough draft will be due on (10 points) and the final draft will be due worth 100 pts (110 points total). I will provide some general feedback on the rough draft to help improve the final product. The rough draft should be written in paragraph form (an outline will receive reduced points). I want a four-page double-spaced paper (the fourth page can be devoted only to references; you can go over the page limit in a reasonable way but should not go under).
Basically, (1) choose a controversial current event (2) react and give personal perspective on that event (3) state or research the perceived perspective of another ethnicity, gender, and/or political persuasion and then (4) give a reconciliation of the two perspectives. Please integrate cognitive psychological aspects such as implicit biases, availability heuristics, and/or representative heuristics into your paper (see Chapter 12 for good definitions and examples).
This assignment can be done with one or two fellow students if desired. To encourage collaboration, I will be offering extra credit (1-3 points). In collaborating with others, it helps to have different points of view represented (although an alternative point of view can be researched). For a collaboration, each student should choose a part. If two students are involved, one student should do the initial opinion, the second student should do the alternative perspective and both students should contribute to the reconciliation. If three students are involved, one student should do the initial opinion, the second student should do the alternative perspective, and the third student should reconcile the previous two perspectives. All members of the group should submit the same assignment with all student names on the first page. However, please designate which part of the assignment you contributed to and a rating of effort made by fellow contributors (excellent, good, average, below average, absent) in the comments section when submitting.
Submit the document using Canvas. If you are using an Apple product, please use save as to save as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf. My computer cannot read .pages files. It would be wise to give me your subject before you start so I can help guide you as to whether it is appropriate or not.
I will grade the paper as follows:
Two Perspectives Effectively Articulated: (10 pts) Fluent students give two valid perspectives on the controversial current event.
Cultural Self-Awareness: (10 pts) Fluent students will articulate insights into own cultural rules and biases.
Understanding of Cognitive Principles (40 pts) Fluent students will demonstrate how cognitive principles (such as the representative heuristic, availability heuristic, confirmation bias, implicit bias, explicit bias etc.) make up their own and others thinking.
Reconciliation Section (20 pts) Fluent students will articulate a complex understanding of cultural differences and will be able to skillfully negotiate a shared psychological understanding based on those differences.
Empathy (5 pts) Fluent students will interpret intercultural experiences from the perspectives of own and more than one worldview and demonstrate the ability to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the feelings of another cultural group.
Openness (5 pts) Fluent students will suspend judgements in evaluating her/his interactions with culturally different perspectives.
Organization/Grammar/Spelling (10 pts) Fluent students organize the paper well, have proper grammar and spelling.
Extra Credit (1-3 pts) Students do the paper as a member of a group.
Presentation: You will be required to prepare (but not give orally) one presentation using power-point (.ppt or .pptx) or other presentation software on a relevant topic in cognitive psychology (100 pts). One of the most effective ways to learn something is to prepare a meaningful presentation. The presentation will be on an individual basis. Choose a topic that is relevant to cognitive psychology. Be very specific with your subject. For example, retrograde amnesia, prosopagnosia, or representative heuristics are possible subjects. Please be creative, don’t hesitate to use personal experience as well.
The minimum number of slides should be 20. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me beforehand. Please turn the presentation on or before Submit the presentation using Canvas. Please make your last slide a works cited, references or bibliography slide detailing where your information is coming from (not as concerned about images). Please format your references in APA style. If you are using an Apple product, please use save as to save as a .ppt, .pptx, or .pdf. My computer cannot read .key files.
I will grade the presentation as follows:
Organization (20 pts) Exhibits a structure that is clear and consistently observable, skillfully encoded and uses proper conventions. Grammar and spelling are accurate.
Research (psychological studies - 30 pts) Results of studies and/or case studies show thorough understanding of cognitive psychological content.
Supported statements (10 pts) Demonstrates proper and skillful use of a variety of high-quality sources.
Good use of illustrations, pictures, and/or video clips (20 pts) The product is clear, effective and compelling, with no distracting errors.
Creativity (20 pts) Clearly expresses a unique idea and/or perspective. Personal experience is present.
Grading: The performance standards that I will use.
A = 94-100%
A- = 90-93%
B+= 87-89%
B = 83-86%
B- = 80-82%
C+= 77-79%
C = 73-76%
C- = 70-72%
D+= 67-69%
D = 63-66%
D- = 60-62%
F = below 60%
Note: A UW will be given if two or more tests are missing, or one exam in combination with the presentation project and/or cultural perspective paper is missing.
Point Totals:
Attendance Survey 3 points
Reflection Paper 1 15 points
First Exam 100 points
Reflection Paper 2 15 points
Second Exam: 100 points
Cultural Perspective Paper Rough Draft 10 points
Presentation 100 points
Cultural Perspective Paper Final Draft 100 points
In-Class Assignments (randomly) 70-140 points
Final Exam: 100 points
Total points possible 613-683 points
Notice: I will strive to grade all work in a timely manner (at worst 3 weeks).
The Southern Utah University Psychology Department values our students irrespective of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, culture, religion, nationality, capabilities, or disabilities. Our faculty and staff are committed to the intellectual, physical, and emotional health of all members of the campus community. Should anyone experience problems or issues with depression, anxiety, grief, discrimination, alienation or marginalization, helplessness or hopelessness, or thoughts of suicide, we implore you to seek us out. Our commitment is to listen, and help you find the resources you need.
https://www.suu.edu/caps/pdf/crisis-resources.pdf
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