INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

OFFICE HOURS

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

GRADING CRITERIA

Grades are determined on the following basis:

A=90%              900    points or higher    

B-80-89%          800 – 899  points   

C=70-79%         700 – 799  points

D=60-69%         600 -  699  points

F=Below 60%   Below 600  points  

NOTE:  ALL STUDENTS MUST EMAIL ME, USING THIS CANVAS EMAIL, INDICATING YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS COURSE SYLLABUS NO LATER THAN JULY 17 BY 11:59 PM (if there are questions about the syllabus, please indicate so in your email).  If this deadline is not met, you may be dropped from this class by NCTC due to lack of attendance.

Discussion Forums 1 A & B and 2 A & B

Two discussion topics are assigned by the professor.  Each student is to write/post about the topic and respond to other students about their postings. Each of the  DF’s have a deadline and no exception is made for missing a deadline.  There are two deadlines for each DF (the initial posting and replies)  All initial postings and replies must be made before the deadlines.  However, once a deadline occurs for an initial posting, no other initial postings will be accepted for credit.  These forums are interactive with students as well as the professor.

You should give your thoughts about the topic but you MUST find related information about the topic and give the complete reference (if you are quoting from the textbook, please give a page number from the textbook and it is not necessary to give the complete reference).  Grading is based on the quality as well as the quantity of content; A=1 page (double spaced or ½ page single spaced), B=1/2 page, C or D=less than ½ page depending on the quality of the posting.  Postings may NOT be uploaded, they must be typed within the DF tab (although related website addresses may be included if you wish to provide more information but they are not counted for a grade).                                

Reply postings must be made within the DF;  clicking on the initial posting(s) of any other students posting;  and clicking on the reply tab to make your reply.  Replies MUST consist of adding information (give reference) to the posting as well as giving your opinions.  Thoughtful responses are requested.  Responses such as, ‘I agree’ or ‘I really like what you presented’ etc, will not earn any credit.  As well, responses simply complimenting a student's posting without adding anything will receive minimal credit.  Reply postings grading:  A = 1/2 page-with a minimum of one reference; B =1/4 page with a minimum of one reference; C/D = less than 1/4 page depending on the quality of the content: F = no significant response or no response at all.  Small amounts of extra credit may be earned if more than one response is made to another student.

Also, keep in mind that reply responses may be made at any time, but must be completed before the deadline.  

Note that each discussion forum consists of two parts and has two different deadlines.  Each is worth 50 points (initial postings are worth 40 points and reply postings are worth 10 points).  Each initial posting will have a specific deadline and reply postings will have a later deadline.  If the initial posting deadline is missed for any reason, no credit will be given.   Grades for each DF will be posted after the deadline for each DF.   Also, please note that demeaning, abusive replies are not acceptable and may be cause for loss of discussion forum points as well as possible removal from the course. 

 PLEASE MAKE YOUR POSTING BY CLICKING ON THE REPLY TAB

Exams:

Fifteen exams will be given weekly (multiple choice or true false).  All exams are to be taken online and must be completed before the deadlines.  The exams may be found within the Assignments tab of this Canvas course (you will need to have the online version of this textbook in order to access the exams). 

There are no exceptions for missing an exam deadline.  Exams will be available in the Assignments section of this course and please pay close attention to the closing date and time of each exam.  Exams will be over the assigned chapters with 25 points per each exam chapter.  Each exam may be taken twice (highest score is recorded) and will have a specified time limit.  Also, note that when taking the exam the second time, the same questions as the first exam are not likely to appear.   Please remember once an exam is started, it must be completed within the time limit.  If the exam you are taking is stopped for any reason, only that score will be recorded when the exam is stopped (because you cannot return to the exam once stopped).

Reading Assignments:

Each chapter has a graded reading assignment.  These assignments may be found within the Assignments tab of this Canvas course & then the McGraw Hill Connect tab (you will need to have the online version of this textbook in order to access this assignment).  Each reading assignment is worth 25 points each and must be completed before the assigned deadlines.  Help videos for the reading assignments are found within the assignments section.

 Research Paper (RP):

Students are required to complete a research paper relating to a psychological disorder found in chapter 15 (Psychological Disorders);  or any disorder found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).  

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE : All exams & Readings are due at 11:59 pm on the due date

July 15           Begin assignments for chapters 1, 2, & 3

                             Start working on discussion forum I and research paper

July 17           Syllabus acknowledgement email is due at 11:59 pm

July 22           Chapters 1, 2, & 3 exams and reading assignments are due

July 22           Discussion forum 1 A (the initial posting) is due

                            ---------------------------------------------------------------

July 29          DF 1 B (reply posting) and chapters 4, 5, 6 & 7 assignments are due     

                            ----------------------------------------------------------------

Aug 3            Last day to withdraw from this class with a grade of "W"

Aug 5            DF 2A and chapters 8, 9, 10, & 11 assignments are due

Aug 12         DF 2B is due

                          ---------------------------------------------------------------

Aug 14         Research paper is due.

Aug 15         Chapters 12, 15, 16, & 17 are due and the semester ends.                 

ATTENDANCE POLICY     (for online students, attendance is kept according to student logins and completion of assignments.  It is a good idea to login daily in order to keep up with any announcements which may be presented)

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:  Please note that the instructor does NOT drop students.  If a student wishes to withdraw from this course, the student is responsible for completing the paperwork.  If this is not done, the student will receive a final grade of “F.”

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Aug 3.

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)]”. 

[Instructor-specific Academic Dishonesty Policy:

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS