Psychology

Course Requirements

2009-2010

Mrs. Christine McGovern

cmcgovern@ihahs.com

(201) 445-6800 x 137

Office: Room 103

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Course Description

 

“This year-long course stresses the comprehensive study of human behavior. The aim of the course is to broaden the student's scope of understanding with respect to her own actions and the actions of others. To accomplish this, emphasis is placed on the following topics: the study of personality theories, the learning process, memory, emotion, motivation, sensation, perception, psychological testing, college life, disturbance and breakdown, and prejudice. Term papers are required.”

 

Daily Materials

v  Laptop

v  Textbook

v  Notebook/Binder

v  Folder

v  Pen/Pencils

 

Supplemental Books

 

Requirements

Ø Students will be required to attend class regularly, take quality notes from class lectures, read appropriate, relative text material, complete all assignments on time, and be prepared for regular quizzes/tests.  Quizzes need not be announced. 

Ø Each quarter, you must choose two of the optional homework assignments available for that quarter. Each assignment has a due date that you must follow. No late assignments will be accepted. If you miss the due date, you must choose another project.

Ø There will be regular quizzes in class on vocabulary, new topics, completed chapters, and/or previous class discussions. Not all quizzes will be announced.

Ø There will be approximately 3 Unit Tests per quarter

Ø All citations in any assignment MUST be completed in APA Format* (will be discussed in class)

Ø Students will be required to complete a research paper on a selected topic. Details and due dates will be discussed throughout each semester. APA format must be used for these projects.

Ø Students will complete a comprehensive mid-term exam in mid-January

Ø Students will complete a final exam in June. If it is an approved Senior Privilege, those seniors who have earned an average of 86 or above at the end of the fourth quarter will be exempt from the exam.

Ø Students are asked to check my website regularly for current information regarding projects, tests, due dates, etc.

 

Grading:

Tests/Projects:

50%

Quizzes:

20%

Homework Assignments:

20%      *including optional assignments

Participation*:

10%

*Participation includes, but is not limited to: regular class attendance, being on time for class, adding to class discussions, posing insightful questions, having a positive class attitude, and being in uniform.


 

Attendance/Make-up Policy:

It is expected that you will attend all classes, participate, and involve yourself in the discussions.

If you are absent, please e-mail me to inform me of your absence by the end of that school day.

 

§  If you are absent on the day of a quiz or test, you will make up the missed work the very next time you are in class. The only exception to this is communication with me, via e-mail, as well as written documentation, provided by the student to the teacher immediately upon return to school. A makeup date will be scheduled.

§  If you are absent the day before a quiz, it is your responsibility to obtain missed work in order to be prepared for the quiz when you return.

§  No optional homework assignments will be accepted late.

§  For other mandatory assignments, you must hand it in the day you return to school, regardless of whether or not we have class. For each school day that an assignment is late, 5 points will be deducted from your grade.

§  If you will be leaving school early (before class meets) the day an assignment is due you must hand it in to me before you leave in order to receive credit.

 

Extra Credit:

There will be no extra credit offered for this course. 

 

Academic Dishonesty:

It is expected that you will exhibit academic honesty in all aspects of your educational careers at Immaculate Heart Academy. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, helping other students cheat, and any of the following forms of plagiarism. If a student is found to be academically dishonest, in any way, the teacher and administration reserve the right to evaluate the situation and take proper action. Any assignment deemed to have been plagiarized will receive a zero.

Common Forms of Plagiarism:

·   Failure to give a bibliography for written or oral reports.

·   Failure to document, with quotation marks or footnotes, material copied directly from other sources, including the Internet.

·   Use of others' work or ideas as one's own.

·   Improper use of the Internet as a resource

·   A student who knowingly gives his or her own work to another student to be used as the others own is as guilty of intellectual dishonesty as the student who plagiarizes.                                                        

-IHA Student Handbook

Course Topics