PS410

There will be 4 Multiple Choice Exams on the dates indicated. Each exam will consist of 40 multiple-choice questions taken from the reading, lecture and class handouts. The questions will be selected from the instructor’s manual, as well as written by the instructor. You have a copy of the name index from your text with certain names underlined. With reference to text material those names underlined will be the only ones for which you are responsible. You may, of course, also be responsible for names mentioned in class that are not in the text. You may find the textbook website helpful as well in studying and preparing for exams.

Two Essay Exams will be given on the dates indicated. The essay exams will be designed to require integration and synthesis of the class and reading material. They will not merely require you to tell me what we’ve already discussed, but will necessitate that you understand the material at a level sufficient to apply the information to new and novel settings. Each exam will be worth 40 points. Generally, there will be one essay that everyone answers, and two additional essay questions to answer chosen from another 2 or 3.

Course Goals

Included with the syllabus is a print-out of the Psychology department’s Skills by Levels organization for Level 4. If you would like to review all of the levels you may go to the department web page at http://www.augustana.edu/academ/psychology/advise.htm.

In addition to the goals stated by the department it is my objective to use the content and organization of this course to facilitate your critical thinking, reasoning and communication skills. History of Psychology has a reputation (probably deserved) as one of the toughest courses in the department, and commonly at other campuses around the country as well. The nature of the material is such that several things are required to do well in the course. First, there is a large volume of material to master. The text that I have chosen, along with specification of a restricted number of the names you are required to know should help in this regard. Still, we will cover material from over 25 centuries in 10 weeks. Admittedly, the first 22 or 23 centuries will go fairly quickly. Second, merely having some command of the information does not insure that you really understand it. Specifically, you will be required to demonstrate understanding of the relationship between different ideas and people throughout the history of philosophy and psychology. Third, you will also be asked to demonstrate an appreciation for why all of this information matters. How does any of this relate to questions relevant at the time and to the issues of modern psychology?

The first, and to some degree the second requirement, demand mastery of a great deal of material and the ability to relate that information to me. On multiple-choice exams some of the questions will require primarily recognition memory, but others will require more recall and application. The third requirement will hopefully demand not only mastery of the material, but demonstration that you can think about the material and genuinely understand it. My argument is that a student who can accomplish the first task will earn a minimum grade of C in the course. Good performance on the second will generally earn a grade of B, but to earn an A the third requirement will also need to be met. If I am correct in my assumptions (and past evidence would bear me out) getting a C is not especially difficult, and a significant proportion of students earn a B. Successful demonstration of the third criteria is obviously more difficult and typically results in relatively few A’s being earned (10-15% of the class).

Because I believe my goals are defensible, I also feel that my grade distribution while difficult by many standards is nevertheless fair. If you are experiencing difficulty in the course, please see me as soon as possible so that we can discuss strategies.

Discussion Groups

In addition to the exams, there is a third component of mastery. You will sign-up for a small group on the first day of class. You will work with the other members of this group throughout the term on these assignments. The structure of this exercise is as follows:

1. There is an article(s) assigned for each session roughly corresponding to the material we will be discussing in class. The articles are all available online at my website for History and Systems. Each article is listed in the syllabus with an active link to the reading. I expect that you will have read the article prior to coming to class. Toward that end, I expect that you will read and react to the material. You need to turn in to me via email to ps410@augustana.edu a 1-page reaction to the reading prior to the discussion meeting. After the class begins the paper will not be counted, but must nevertheless be completed. The reaction should contain three components:

1. What is the most important thing you learned in reading the article?;

2. What additional question do you have?; and

3. What you believe to be the main point of the article as it relates to the course content.

Each of the individual papers will be worth 5 points.

2. At each meeting your group will be given question(s) based on the reading. The questions will not be directly answered in that selected reading or in the text. Your job as a group will be to research (hence the computer access) and discuss the question in relation to your text, lecture or other reading you have done. The purpose of these questions is to get you to think as a small group about the bigger issues in the article. Toward that end I expect that each group member will contribute to the discussion.

3. You will need to turn in a group paper with your answers to the question(s). In each case the paper is due on the dates indicated. I expect that the papers will be in at class time and will represent the efforts of all of the group members. The papers should be referenced and cited in APA style. They do not require a running head and cover page. If someone is absent or did not participate adequately, I expect that their name will not be included on the paper. In the case of someone who missed the class, they will be allowed to turn in an individual paper, still due the following week. If it is the decision of the other members of the group not to allow one or more of the group members to share in the grade because of failure to participate, I assume that the group will notify that person in adequate time that he or she may turn in an individual paper. You may email me the group paper and I will print it for grading or give me a paper version.

4. Since there are 7 such papers assigned, I will throw out the lowest grade for the group. I expect that all papers will be submitted nevertheless. Each paper is worth 20 points.

General Assumptions

I assume that throughout the course each student will complete his or her own work (group assignments generally being the exception). Please refer to Inside Augustana for a description of the consequences for failure to conform to this assumption, especially the sections on plagiarism and cheating. All assigned work must be completed in order to pass the course. I understand that there are occasionally unavoidable circumstances that do not permit timely completion of work. Please notify me in advance if you aware of future issues, or as quickly as possible following a missed class obligation.

Grading

4 Reading Exams @ 40points= 160

2 Essay exams @ 40 points= 80

7 Individual papers @ 5 points = 35

6 papers @ 20 points = 120

Total 395

A=90%=356-395

B=80%=316-355

C=70%=276-315

D=60%=237-275

F below 237