NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:	General Psychology - Honors
Course Prefix & Number:		Psyc2301	Section Number:	450	Semester/Year:	Fall 2017
Semester Credit Hours:		3	Lecture Hours:	3	Lab Hours:	0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): General Psychology is a survey of the major psychological topics, theories and approaches to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
Required Course Materials:   Aristotle – De Anima (On the Soul); Penguin Classics ·         ISBN-10: 0140444718; ISBN-13: 978-0140444711   Thomas Aquinas – On Human Nature; Hackett Publishing ISBN-10: 0872204545; ISBN-13: 978-0872204546   Sigmund Freud – The Ego and the ID; W. W. Norton & Company ISBN-10: 0393001423; ISBN-13: 978-0393001426   Robert Brennan – Thomistic Psychology; Cluny Media ISBN-10: 1944418237; ISBN-13: 978-1944418236   Additional Readings – as assigned in class

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Leslie Kelley
Campus/Office Location:	Corinth Campus, Room 337
Telephone Number:	940-498-6424 (Email preferred)
E-mail Address:	Lkelley@nctc.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:30-9:30am	Online	8:30-9:30am	Online	Online
2:00-2:30pm		2:00-6:00pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
	Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.
	Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.
	Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.
	Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.
	Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
	Identify factors in physiological and psychological process involved in human behavior.

 

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
10 (out of 12)	Discussion Meditations w/ questions	30%
3	Research Project Meetings w/ Dr. Kelley (Submit Notes)	10%
1	Research Project – Submission of Idea (w/ Assessment)	10%
1	Research Project – 2nd Submission (w/ Data)	20%
1	Research Project – Final Submission (w/ Data Analysis)	20%
1	Oral Presentation of Semester Project	10%

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

Due Date & Chapters	General Description of Subject Matter; *Assignments Due*
8/28-8/30: Introduction	What is Psychology? What is a Human Person? Brief History of Psychology & Fields of Psychology
Monday, Sept. 4th	Campus Closed for Labor Day Holiday
9/6: The Science of Psychology	Scientific Method & Research Project Requirements
Tuesday, Sep. 11th	Official Date of Record
9/11-9/13: De Anima	Plato’s Phaedrus – Allegory of the Chariot Brennan – Book I: Aristotle Aristotle’s De Anima – Introduction *Discussion Meditation #1 Due 9/11 – Plato’s Allegory* *Discussion Meditation #2 Due 9/13 Brennan’s Book 1* *Research Project – Submission of Idea due 9/13*
9/18-9/20:	Aristotle’s De Anima – Book I Aquinas – On Human Nature – Chapter 1 *Discussion Meditation #3 Due 9/18*
9/25-9/27:	Aristotle’s De Anima – Book II – Chapters 1-6 & 12 Aquinas – On Human Nature – Chapter 2 *Discussion Meditation #4 Due 9/25*
10/2-10/4:	Aristotle’s De Anima – Book III Aquinas – On Human Nature – Chapter 3 *Discussion Meditation #5 Due 10/2*
10/9-10/11:	Brennan – Book II – Ch. 2 & 9 Aquinas – On Human Nature – Chapter 4-6 *Discussion Meditation #6 Due 10/16* *Research Project – 2nd Submission Due 10/11*
10/16-10/18:	Brennan – Book II – Chs. 7, 8, & 6 Aquinas – On Human Nature – Chapter 6-8 *Discussion Meditation #7 Due 10/16*
10/23-10/25:	Brennan – Book III: The Moderns Slife & Williams - What’s Behind the Research? – Ch. 2 *Discussion Meditation #8 Due 10/23 – The Moderns*
10/30-11/1:	Wundt – Outline of Psychology – Chapters 1-4 Danzinger – Wundt’s Psychology Fahrenberg – Wundt’s Epistemology and Methodology *Discussion Meditation #9 Due 10/30*
11/6-11/8:	Freud – The Ego & the Id – A Brief Life Freud – The Ego & the Id – Chapters 1-3 *Discussion Meditation #10 Due 11/6*
Thursday, November 9th	Last day to Withdraw from Class
11/13-11/20:	Freud – The Ego & the Id – Chapters 3-5 Maritain – Freudianism & Psychoanalysis (Handout) *Research Project – Final Submission Due 11/15* *Discussion Meditation #11 Due 11/20*
November 22nd – November 25th	Campus Closed for Thanksgiving Break
11/27-12/1:	B. F. Skinner – Beyond Freedom & Dignity – Ch. 9 Bandura – Social Cognitive Theory *Discussion Meditation #12 Due 11/27*
12/4-12/8:	Wertheimer – Gestalt Psychology Brennan – Book II – Ch. 11 & 12 *Discussion Meditation #13 Due 12/4*
Wednesday, Dec. 13th 10am-11:50am	Final – Oral Presentation of Semester Project

 

 

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

 

Discussion Meditations (30%): For 10 of the 13 classes designated on the calendar above, you will write a 1 page (typed, double-spaced, 12pt., Times New Roman font) meditation on the readings for the week. You will need to include at least 3 discussion questions for each meditation, which will serve as the main focus of discussion during class. In other words, students are responsible for contributing to and helping lead the discussion in class. Be sure to include page numbers when referencing some part of the reading, so that the rest of the class can refer to the appropriate section of the book you are discussing. These meditations will be collected on the due date, so be sure to print a copy to turn in to the professor, as well as a copy for you to keep, in order to help you contribute to the discussion.

 

Research Project: You will complete a research project alone or with a fellow student, which will involve the collection and analysis of data, and which will be presented on the last day of class. This project should be completed according to the following steps, each of which will be turned in to the professor in individual meetings outside of class:

Submission of Research Idea (10%):

For this portion of the assignment, you will describe in 1 page (typed) the basic hypothesis for your project, and how you plan to collect data to provide evidence to measure variables related to your hypothesis. This submission should include at least three references directly related to your hypothesis, and an explanation of how your project will advance and make a new contribution to the line of inquiry you are pursuing, i.e., how is it related to (but different) from the previous research you’ve found.  This submission must also include the assessment measure(s) that will be used for this project, which may be created by the student(s) and/or may be measures used in previous studies. Please be sure to include the demographic information that will be collected on participants, how you will ensure confidentiality, and the type of statistical analysis you hope to perform on your data.

A copy of the 1 page description of the project, and the assessment measure, must be given to the professor, and copies should be brought to the meeting for each participant.

 

Second Submission (w/ Data – 20%):

For this portion of the assignment, you will write a 3-5 page, double-spaced paper with 12pt., Times New Roman font, and 1-inch margins (according to APA format). This paper should be written in APA format, and should include a cover page, abstract, and a reference page, which are not included in the 3-5 page limit, i.e., you should have 6-8 total pages including the cover page, abstract, and reference page. You should have your data collection completed for this submission (but it does not yet need to be analyzed). This submission will include the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, & Methods. Your introduction section will be an overview of the project, and will largely consist of a refined version of your first submission, describing the need for and importance of your research. The 2^nd submission should include at least five references directly related to your hypothesis, which are thoroughly described in the Literature Review, i.e., the three references used in your first submission and two additional references. Your methods section will describe your participants, procedure, assessment instruments, and a description of the statistical analysis which you will be performing for the final submission.

 

Final Submission (w/ Data Analyzed – 20%):

For this portion of the assignment, you will write a 5-7 page, double-spaced paper with 12pt., Times New Roman font, and 1-inch margins (according to APA format). This paper should be written in APA format, and should include a cover page, abstract, and a reference page, which are not included in the 5-7 page limit, i.e., you should have 8-10 total pages including the cover page, abstract, and reference page. You should have your data analyzed for this submission. In addition to the Introduction, Literature Review, & Methods sections, this submission will include Results and Discussion sections. The final submission should include at least seven references directly related to your hypothesis, which are thoroughly described in the Literature Review, i.e., the five references used in your second submission and two additional references. Your Results section will discuss your demographic information, the outcomes of your statistical analyses, and any outcomes related to reliability or validity that you may have assessed. This section simply reports your statistical outcomes, and does not explain what these outcomes may mean. Your Discussion section should describe the outcomes of your hypotheses, the importance of these findings, and any limitations that your study may have. 

Failing to meet the minimum requirements for these submissions will result in a significant grade reduction. Be sure to cite (throughout your paper) all reference materials used!!! Failing to do so, will result in plagiarism and an automatic failing grade. For more info on how to cite in APA format, google the following: OWL Purdue APA formatting. Also, all references cited throughout your paper should appear in the reference list, which should appear at the bottom of your paper. PLEASE DO NOT USE LONG QUOTES FOR THIS PROJECT! I am assessing your understanding of the research, which requires that you put the information into your own words.

 

Project Meetings (10%): You will meet with the professor to turn in each of these submissions and to discuss your progress on the project three times during the semester, as follows:

Submission of Idea Meeting: Sept. 13^th

Second Submission Meeting: Oct. 11^th

Final Submission Meeting: Nov. 15^th

 

Oral Presentation of Semester Project (10%):

In a 10-15 minute presentation, you will describe your project, the previous literature you reviewed, and the outcomes of your project to the class. A visual aid of some sort is needed for this presentation, and may include powerpoint, poster, prezi, etc. You must present your project in person for this portion of the assignment. Failing to be present will result in a grade of 0 for this portion of the assignment.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy: You are expected to keep within the on-going discussion typically the nature of a psychology class by coming to class and completing your assignments each day, and perhaps most importantly, by maintaining ongoing communication with your professor and fellow classmates over the course of the entire semester. Failing to do so regularly will result in failure to finish assignments on time. All assignments have strict deadlines and cannot be made up late. Therefore, failing to come to class, will likely result in a low or failing grade. If you choose to drop this class, it is your responsibility to do so.

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, November 9^th.

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______      

 

o         Communication

o         Mathematics              

o         Life and Physical Science

o         Language, Philosophy & Culture

o         Creative Arts

 

o         Government/Political Science

X         Social and Behavioral Sciences

o         Component Area Option

o         American History

 

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)

 

X             Critical Thinking

X              Communication

X              Empirical and Quantitative

 

o           Teamwork

o           Personal Responsibility

X              Social Responsibility

 

COURSE TYPE

o           Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X          Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o        WECM Course

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

 

 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Crystal R.M. Wright
Office Location:	Gainesville Campus, Room 24
Telephone Number:	940-668-7731, ext. 4320
E-mail Address:	cwright@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:	Dr. Larry Gilbert
Office Location:	Corinth Campus, Room 305
Telephone Number:	940-498-6216
E-mail Address:	lgilbert@nctc.edu