Course syllabus

PSYC 101 B Syllabus

Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology 

Instructor Name:  Jolene Muckle 

Instructor Email:  j.muckle@alexandercollege.ca

Class Time: Tuesday & Thursdays 9am - 11:50pm,

 Burnaby (ACB), Room 243

Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30pm -2:00pm on campus,

or by appointment on Zoom (https://alexandercollege.zoom.us/j/4307707232)

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 Course Information

Course Number and Credits:

PSYC 101 (3) Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology

Course Description:

This course examines topics underlying basic psychological processes including the brain and nervous system, sensory processes, perception, states of consciousness, learning, cognition and memory. Also examined are research methods and data analysis procedures used in psychology as well as the historical foundations of modern Psychology as a scientific discipline.

Prerequisite Courses:

ENGL 099

Articulation:

UBC PSYC 101 (3)
SFU PSYC 100 (3) B-Soc.
UVIC PSYC 100A (1.5)
UNBC PSYC 101 (3)
TRU PSYC 1110 (3)

 

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:

• Explain and critically evaluate the major topics and theories in psychology.
• Understand the mechanisms of the brain and its functional organization.
• Identify and explain the basic psychological processes (i.e. states of consciousness, sensation and perception, memory, learning and cognition).
• Describe the scientific method and apply fundamental concepts in research methods and data analysis.
• Demonstrate effective writing skills in assignments.

 

Course Modules:

• Module 1: Introduction to Psychology
• Module 2: Research methods & Data Analysis
• Module 3: The Biology of Mind
• Module 4: Nature, Nurture and Human Diversity
• Module 5: Consciousness
• Module 6: Sensation and Perception
• Module 7: Learning
• Module 8: Memory
• Module 9: Cognition

 

Textbook and Instructional Materials:

Required Textbook(s):

Myers, D.G., & DeWall, C.N. (2021). Psychology (13th Edition), MacMillan: New York. https://store.macmillanlearning.com/ca/product/Psychology/p/1319132103

 

Recommended Text & Other Materials:

OpenStax College. (2013). Psychology. Houston, TX: OpenStax CNX. Retrieved from https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology

 

Stangor Charles. Introduction to Psychology. 2013. https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/introduction-to-psychology/

 

Wade, Carole and Tavris, Carol. Psychology Latest edition. New York: Prentice Hall

 

Walinga, Jennifer and Stangor, Charles. Introduction to Psychology – 1st Canadian Edition. 2014. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/

 

Responses & Feedback:

Announcements:

• Announcements regarding the course will be posted on Canvas weekly, please check regularly to stay up to date.
• Response times for your messages: 48 hrs during weekdays (72 hrs on weekends) is considered a reasonable response time for messages.
  • Do not email repeatedly about the same issue unless you have not received a response within these response times.

 

 

Instructor Contact Information:

• If you have any questions about the course you can email me at muckle@alexandercollege.ca . I check my email daily and should respond within 24 hours during weekdays and 48 hours on the weekend.
• My office hours are Tuesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm, Wednesdays 11-12:30pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:30 am – 12pm on campus, or by appointment. I am also available for online meetings the rest of the week, please email me to book an appointment.

 

Discussion Boards:

• During the course, frequently asked questions will be posted on Canvas in the discussion section under “Frequently Asked Questions”.
• Discussion questions will be posted on Canvas weekly.

 

Assignment Feedback:

• Feedback and grades for smaller assignments (i.e. quizzes and discussions) will be given within 2/3 days after submission.
• Feedback and grades for larger assignments (i.e. tests and exams) will be given within 7-8 days after submission.
• Please check the Announcement section on Canvas regularly for additional readings or assignments.

Assessment & Grading:

Grade Posting:

Grades will be posted on Canvas Gradebook following the timeline stated above (See assignment feedback)

 

Canvas Gradebook vs. MyAC final grades:

All grades posted in the Gradebook are for the assignments, tests, etc. you earn during the term. Final grade calculation is based on your cumulative grades for those assessments and your final exam mark. Canvas Gradebook totals are unofficial grades provided to you for information purposes. The final grade posted on MyAC is the official grade for transcript and course prerequisite purposes.

 

Assessment Scale:

Assessment Item	Value
Activities, assignments and discussions	15%
Quizzes	13%
Essay & Oral presentation	20%
Mandatory APA Citation Quiz	2%
Midterm Examination:	25%
Final Examination:	25%
TOTAL	100%

Activities, assignments, and discussions:

Assignments and activities are meant to assist in the learning process and develop students critical thinking skills. These will be completed during class throughout the course. There will be no make-up assignments. If a student fails to submit an assignment, they will receive a 0 for that assignment. In the case of an excused absence, a missed assignment may be re-weighted. Discussion questions will be posted on canvas weekly, participation in these discussions will contribute to your grades.

 

Quizzes:

Students will be given a quiz at the end of each module based on the chapter and slide materials. Quizzes will be completed after class and will be multiple-choice format. If a student fails to write a quiz they will receive a 0 and there will be no make-up quizzes. Quiz dates can be found in the course schedule and on Canvas.

 

Essay:

Students will be required to write a 800 – 1000 word (max.) essay, in APA format. Students will also do an oral presentation of their essay, they will present a summary of the research they analysed and key points found. More details can be found on Canvas.

 

APA Citation Quiz:

Workshops are available at the Writing and Learning Centre and on Canvas. It is the students’ responsibility to register for a workshop as there are limited spaces and times. Grades will depend on attendance and passing the workshop. Past credit will not contribute to grades.

 

Midterm Examination:

There will be ONE midterm examination. Students are expected to learn material from Modules 1 to 5, even if the material was not specifically covered in the lectures. The questions will consist of a variety of multiple-choice (MCQs), true/false, fill-in-the-blank and short answer questions. The date for the midterm is on Canvas and the course schedule.

 

Final Examination:

The final exam is non-cumulative. Students are expected to learn all the material for the final exam, even if the material was not specifically covered in the lectures. Our final test will be scheduled in the AC formal exam period.

 

Students are expected to write tests during the scheduled period. If you are ill or cannot attend a particular test you are required to contact the instructor within 48 hours. A doctor’s note or other relevant written documentation is mandatory in order to write an equivalent test. Missed tests are to be written within 3 days of returning to class. Students who do not notify the instructor within 48 hours of the missed test will forfeit the right to write an equivalent test or move the marks to another test. Missed tests must be written during instructor office hours.

 

Grading Scale:

Letter Grade	Percentage	Performance
A+	90-100%	Outstanding Achievement
A	85-89%
A-	80-84%
B+	76-79%	Above Average Achievement
B	72-75%
B-	68-71%
C+	64-67%	Satisfactory/Average Achievement
C	60-63%
C-	55-59%
D	50-54%	Marginal Pass
F	0-49%	Failure of the course

 

 

Course Schedule: (adapted each term)

This schedule is tentative and is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

 

Participation:

Students are expected to complete 2 hours of homework for every 1 hour of lecture material. This includes textbook readings, preparation for quizzes and exams, completion of labs, assignments and exercises. Participation will also be assessed during class assignments and activities.

 

Late Assignments:

Students are responsible for completing all assignments for their courses according the to deadlines. Late assignments will be accepted with a penalty of 1% per day late. If students miss or fail to complete in-class activities such as quizzes, exercises, worksheets, and/or labs, they will receive a grade of 0 (zero) on the assignment.

 

Attendance:

Please note attendance of at least 70% is required to write tests and final exam.

 

Week	Lecture Tues/Thurs PSYC101	Chapters/Readings	Activities	Dates
1	Module 1: Intro to Psych	Myers: Prologue & Intro; OS: Chp 1	Syllabus review	July 11
	Module 2: Research methods &Data Analysis	Myers: Chp 1; OS: Chp 2	Developing research questions	13
	Last day to add/drop without a “W”			14
2	Module 3: Biology of the Mind	Myers: Chp 2; OS: Chp 3	The Neuron The nervous system	18
	continued	Myers: Chp 2; OS: Chp 3	Drugs & Neurotransmitters	20
3	Module 4: Nature, Nurture & Human Diversity	Myers: Chp 4; OS: Chp 3.1 & 12.5	Genetics worksheet	25
	Module 5: Consciousness	Myers: Chp 3; OS: Chp 4	Dream analysis	27
4	Midterm Examination			Aug 1
	Module 6: Sensation & Perception	Myers: Chp 6; OS: Chp 5	The five senses	3
5	Module 6 continued	Myers: Chp 6; OS: Chp 5	Perception activities	8
	Module 7: Learning	Myers: Chp 7; OS: Chp 6	Classical Conditioning exercises	10
6	Last Day to Withdraw with a ‘W’			11
	Module 7 - Learning & 8 - Memory	Myers: Chp 6&8; OS: Chp 5&8	Operant Conditioning ex Schedules of reinforcement	15
	Module 8: Memory	Myers: Chp 8; OS: Chp 8	Roger’s dilemma	17
7	Module 9: Cognition	Myers: Chp 9; OS: Chp 7.1-7.3	Problem solving activity	22
	Final Exam Period   Aug 24 – 26

 

For more information on Alexander College’s Attendance Policy, please see Syllabus Part 2.

 

Arriving Late, Leaving Early and Attendance Recording on MyAC

Students are expected to be on time for their classes (arriving 5 minutes before the start of class is recommended). Your instructor will manually record attendance for these sessions on MyAC. If you leave early or arrive late, your instructor may elect to record you as absent – this will not be eligible for attendance appeals.

 

Participation: See Syllabus Part 2

Use of Tutors: See Syllabus Part 2

Intellectual Property and Copyright: See Syllabus Part 2

Cell phone and Other Electronics: See Syllabus Part 2

Online “Netiquette” in the Virtual Classroom and Email Communications: See Syllabus Part 2

 

Alexander College Honour Pledge

 

We, the students of Alexander College, are an academic community dedicated to

behaving in a manner that commands the respect and trust of our Instructors, peers, and college as a whole. As a member of this community, I pledge on my honour, to act with the highest level of honesty, integrity, and dignity. I promise to uphold the community of trust, of which I am an important member. By signing this contract, I agree not to violate the Honour Code in my studies at Alexander College. I will:

 

• Be honest in my academic career.
• Create a positive learning environment for myself and all others in my academic
• Be responsible for my own actions.
• Respect the rights, feelings, and personal or academic property of others.
• Grow in the understanding of other cultures, perspectives, and beliefs.
• Display and uphold academic honesty by:
• Completing my assignments within the guidelines set by the Instructor
• Properly citing all of my research and resources
• Using the Internet for appropriate research or study
• Where applicable, participating in the virtual classrooms in a respectful way
• to both my instructor and my fellow students.
• Only using materials authorized by my Instructor during an exam
• Collaborating in approved study groups
• Presenting only true and official marks or grades
• Submitting true and correct official documents
• Always telling the truth
• Respecting the rights of others
• Showing respect to others with my words and actions
• Valuing all classes, meetings, student activities, and social events (either on
• or off campus)
• Follow all of the Alexander College school policies and rules.
• Help others in my academic community to uphold the Honour Code.

I have received, read, and understood the information contained within my course outline including the policy on plagiarism and academic integrity.

 

_______________________ _______________________

Student Name (printed) Student Number