Fall 2016 General Psychology Course Syllabus

PSYC 2301.122 CRN: 13144

Instructor: A. Clare Zaborowski, MA
Teaching Intern: Erin Wolfe
Wednesday 6-9 pm
Course Number: PSYC 2301.122

Instructor: A. Clare Zaborowski, MA

Classroom: C2.220
Office: Room C2.216c

Email: Clare.Zaborowski@sjcd.edu
Teaching Intern: Erin Wolfe

Office Phone :( 281) 476*1501 ext: 1777

Office Hours: Wednesday 5-6 and 9-10

Email:erin.wolfe1209@gmail.com

PURPOSE: This course provides a survey of the field of general psychology. Students are introduced to
research methodology, behavior, physiology, learning, cognitive processes, human development,
social relationships, abnormal behavior, and therapies. This course is a prerequisite for all
advanced psychology courses and applies to most degree plans.
Course Description: General Psychology is a survey of the major psychological topics, theories and
approaches to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Reading level 7, and Writing level 7
(3:3-0) The number of weekly hours and the number of credit hours shall be three (3).
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of
psychology.
2. Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of
psychology.
3. Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of
psychology.
4. Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.
5. Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.
6. Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human behavior.
GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES:
CRITICAL THINKING: Students will develop habits of mind, allowing them to appreciate the
processes by which scholars in various disciplines organize and evaluate data and use the
methodologies of each discipline to understand the human experience.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Students will communicate ideas, express feelings and support
conclusions effectively in written, oral and visual formats.
EMPIRICAL & QUANTITATIVE SKILLS: Students will develop quantitative and empirical skills to
understand, analyze and explain natural, physical and social realms.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY: Students will develop habits of intellectual exploration, personal
responsibility and physical well-being.
Required Textbook: King, The Science of Psychology, 3rd Edition with Course Code.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Your responsibilities include: being an active participant in the educational process by reading the textbook
and other assigned materials prior to class meetings, being on-time for class and participating in classroom
discussions and activities. I will also expect satisfactory completion and performance of all assigned projects
and exams. It is also your responsibility to be familiar with the student responsibilities contained within the
current Student Handbook provided by San Jacinto College.

TESTING POLICY:
There will be 4 exams during the course of the semester (see calendar). Cheating on any test or assignment will
result in a zero (F) for that assignment and may contribute to getting an F for the course, see Discipline Policy in
Student Handbook.
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
Your attendance in class is important and expected. Class attendance will be recorded. You DO NOT need to
call me if you are going to be absent from class. In-class assignments can only be completed in-class on the
day of the assignment, no late work accepted.
IF you leave during class time for any reason, DO NOT return during that same class time. You may return the
next time our class meets. IF you are late, sit at the closest desk to the door, do not enter a class lecture or
test if you are more than 15 minutes late to class. If you are a late more than twice in a semester, I will need to
talk to you one on one to help you try and fix the problem. If you can not get to our class by the scheduled time
on Wednesdays; then you need to exchange this class for another course meeting at a more appropriate time
or a distance learning course.
The instructor reserves the right to drop a student with excessive absences, regardless of the current grade.
Students are responsible for officially withdrawing from this course. Failure to officially withdraw before the
deadline will result in a grade of F for this course. Students that are missing a test need to refer to the Makeup
Policy below. Absences: San Jacinto College policy requires students to attend all class sessions. Professors
are given full authority to award a grade of FX upon accumulation of four hours (8.33 percent of the total
course contact hours) of unexcused absences. San Jacinto Junior College policy counts three tardies as an
unexcused absence.
MAKE-UP POLICY:
Please let me know by email or in person prior to any exam that you are unable to take prior to the day of the
exam. In extreme cases, an exam may be taken prior to the scheduled exam date. Exams may not be given
once the exams have been given, returned and graded under any circumstance.
If you miss an exam for any reason, a comprehensive final will be given in lieu of the fourth exam during the final
exam period. This comprehensive final will be worth two test grades, the test you missed and the last test. This
may be used in replacement of ONE missed exam only; you can not pass the class if you miss Test 4 or if you fail
to complete the Major Journal Review Assignment.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR AND SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY POLICY:
Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students that are disruptive will be asked to leave the classroom. Please
refer to the Student Handbook for the policy regarding student discipline.
Electronics Policy: Any use of electronics during my class is prohibited, if you have electronic devices in your
presence while in my class, you must turn them off. This includes, but is not limited to: cell phones, IPods, MP3
players, Blackberries, laptops, text-messaging devices, translators, recorders. If you have a special need that
requires use of an electronic device, please get it approved by me at the beginning of the semester. If you use
any of these devices in class without prior approval, you will be asked to leave the classroom for the remainder of
the class period.
A grade of zero will be earned for any test in which cheating occurs. If two students have the same or extremely
similar work, both students will get a zero for that assignment regardless of who created the original work. A
student who plagiarizes any written work on a project will receive a zero for that assignment. Plagiarism occurs
when you copy from any written text or another persons work that is not your own without referencing that work
properly. In both cases a student may be administratively withdrawn or failed for the entire course for cheating
and/or plagiarizing written work. Each student is responsible for knowing and understanding the information
contained in the Student Handbook concerning cheating. A copy of the Student Handbook can be obtained in the
Center for Student Development.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: Faculty will not drop students. Students starting college for the first time in fall 2007
or after may only receive six grades of W ( grade received from a course dropped after the census date) from
all Texas public colleges and universities attended. Grades of W in developmental courses or courses taken
while in high school will not count in the six grades of W. After six grades of W are received, students must
receive grades of A, B, C, D, or F in all courses. There are other exemptions from the six-drop limit and
students should consult with a Counselor/Educational Planner before they drop courses to determine these
exemptions. Students receiving financial aid must get in touch with the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing
from a course.
REPEAT RULE: If a course is subject to the repeat rule, a student may take the course two times and pay the
regular tuition. The third time, the student will be charged an additional $75.00 of tuition per credit hour for the
third or subsequent time taken.
HONESTY STATEMENT: San Jacinto College students should exhibit honesty, integrity, and high standards in
their academic work. Members of the college community benefit from an open and honest educational
environment. Upholding academic integrity is the responsibility of everyone. Refer to the Student Handbook
Section: Policy on Cheating, Plagiarism, and Collusion.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE: For immediate response to an emergency on campus San Jacinto College Police
Department should be notified immediately by dialing extension 5555 or 281-476-9128.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION/COLLEGE CLOSURES: In the event the College needs to be closed for any
situation, such as inclement weather, students and employees should check the College website at
www.sanjac.edu or call (888) 845-5288 for the most immediate and current information. The College will also
engage SJC AlertMe, which sends a voicemail, email, and/or text message to each student/employee who opts
in. Students are responsible for any charges from their phone service provider associated with receiving voice
or text messages. Official communications with students is through their San Jacinto College email account,
and any emergency notifications will always be sent to students' San Jacinto College email addresses. The
College will also contact local media but the most reliable, accurate and current information will also be found
on the College website,via SJC AlertMe, or at the toll-free number listed above.
USE OF STUDENT EMAIL: The College provides a free, official email account to all students to ensure
efficient and secure communications between you and the College. Students will be required to use their
college-issued email address to communicate with their instructors and all other college personnel, so it is easy
to distinguish a student's email from spam. The College expects that students will utilize their college email
addresses to send and receive communications with college personnel and will read email on a frequent and
consistent basis. To activate your student emails go to http://www.sanjac.edu/email and follow the instructions
provided on the site. When emailing TI please title your email General Psych 2301 San Jac in order to have
emails noticed in a timely manner.
DISABILITY STATEMENT: If a student has a disability that may affect his or her ability to learn the material in
this course, the student should get in touch with the Disabilities Services Counselor on the campus located in
the Educational Planning and Counseling Centers: Central Campus - 281-476-1888;North Campus - 281-9986150 Ext. 2317;South Campus - 281-922-3444
GRADUATION INFORMATION: Upon completion of degree and/or certificate requirements, the student must
apply for graduation for the credential to be awarded. There is no fee to apply for graduation. The student
completes a Degree Evaluation online using SOS. Confirm that all requirements for the degree or certificate
are completed or in progress. Print a copy and bring it to the Educational Planning and Counseling office or
Enrollment Services office. Submit a Request for Final Graduation Verification with the Degree Evaluation to
the campus Enrollment Services office by a date that will be posted during the semester.
H.B. No. 1992: Advanced Placement
(c-1) In establishing the minimum required score on an Advanced Placement examination for granting course
credit for a particular lower-division course under Subsection (c), an institution of higher education may not
require a score of more than three unless the institution's chief academic officer determines, based on

evidence, that a higher score on the examination is necessary to indicate a student is sufficiently prepared to
be successful in a related, more advanced course for which the lower-division course is a prerequisite.
Blackboard Resources:
ALL OF MY STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO USE OUR course Blackboard site. You will use your G
Student ID number and the password you use on SOS.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR COMPUTING RESOURCES:
Protect your password and the use of your account. Do not let others use your account or password.
Confidential information contained on various computers should not be shared with others.
COMPUTER SECURITY:
A student with a college account is the logon-id owner. As the logon-id owner, the student is responsible for
managing their password. The student is responsible for all actions and functions performed by their logon-id.
A student who provides access to his/her computer logon-id is also providing access to student records,
including transcripts and financial records.
GRADING SYSTEM
There will be four multiple-choice tests 50 questions, in class. Each test will count for 15% of your grade.
You will also be responsible for 10 online homework assignments that will require at least 30 minutes per
week on a working computer with internet. The program will be accessed through the textbook website,
McGraw Hill CONNECT and you will be given specific instructions and handouts during the first week of class
to help you get started. The code that is bought from the textbook company allows you to access the online
homework. Therefore, you must have the code to complete homework assignments. The first time to access
the program CONNECT to do the homework, you will click on ASSIGNMENTS on our Blackboard page and
follow the instructions. This program will also give you access to the textbook online. This is required for the
course. The homework will be open at the beginning of each Unit and close the morning of the test that is
associated with that Unit. See Calendar. This will be a total of 10% of your overall grade.
There is also a Major Journal Assignment required for the course. You will be given the instructions for the
assignment the first week of the course and it is due in two sections (see calendar). The final assignment will
be submitted on our Blackboard site. This is worth a total of 15% of your grade.
Video/In-Class Participation Notebook. All students must bring a string bound notebook to class for taking
notes, video summaries and in-class activities. This will be turned in on each test day and graded for
participation. There will be three times during the semester that you will turn this into me. In class assignments
may NOT be turned in on loose papers, they must be attached in your notebooks. Due dates are the test dates
and I will remind you in class. This is worth a total of 15% of your grade.
GRADE PERCENTAGES
Test 1 = 15%
Test 2 = 15%
Test 3 = 15%
Test 4 = 15%
10 Online Homework Assignments = 10%
Major Journal Review Assignment = 15%
Participation/Video Log Journal = 15%

A= 100 - 90
B=89 - 80
C= 79-70
D=69-60
F= 59 or below

Total = 100%
The professor has the right to change dates and assignments in order to adjust to unforeseen time constraints when/if
necessary. Professors Note: Please be aware that the material discussed in classes of psychology are of an
adult content. We are likely to discuss sensitive issues and controversial topics. If you are easily offended or
sensitive to open-minded discussions, this college level psychology may not be the best class for you.

Fall 2016 General Psychology Calendar

UNIT 1: CONNECT Homework for Chapters 1, 2, 3 are open.
Week 1

Aug 24

Chapter 1 What is Psychology?

Week 2

Aug 31

Chapter 2 Psychologys Scientific Method

Week 3

Sept 7

Chapter 3 Biological Foundations of Behavior

Week 4

Sept 14

TEST 1, Online Homework closes, Journal Review Assignment

Part 1, (Article Choice Submission), Participation/Video Log Due
UNIT 1 CLOSES
UNIT 2: CONNECT Homework for Chapters 5, 6, 7 are open

Week 5

Sept 22

Chapter 5 States of Consciousness

Week 6

Sept 28

Chapter 6 Learning

Week 7

Oct 5

Chapter 7 Memory

Week 8

Oct 12

TEST 2, Online Homework Closes, Participation/Video Log Due

Journal Assignment pt 2
UNIT 2 CLOSES
UNIT 3: CONNECT Homework for Chapters 4, 9, 12 are open.

Week 9

0ct 19

Chapter 4 Sensation & Perception

Week 10

Oct 26

Chapter 9 Human Development

Week 11

Nov 2

Chapter 12 Personality

Week 13

Nov 9

TEST 3, Due: Journal Review Assignment (upload,

Participation/video assignments, Online Homework Closes
UNIT 3 CLOSES
UNIT 4: CONNECT Homework for Chapters 13, 15, 16 are open.

Week 13

Nov 16

Chapter 13 Social Psychology

November 23 Student and Staff Holiday

Thanksgiving break No Class

Week 14

Nov 30

Chapter 15 Psychological Disorders

Week 15

Dec 7

Chapter 16 Therapies

Week 16

Dec 14

TEST 4 non comprehensive, Online Homework closes

UNIT 4 CLOSES PSYC 2301 Complete

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Students who miss an exam will take an accumulative exam at the end of the semester covering the material from
the entire semester. If you did not miss an exam you will take the regularly scheduled Test 4. You cannot get credit for this course if you miss

Test 4 and you cannot get credit for the course if you miss more than one exam. By enrolling in this course, receiving the information
contained on this syllabus and choosing to take this course you agree to the terms of this document.