Psych 104 Syllabus

Welcome to Psychology 104!

Don’t be afraid. Please. This is a statistics class, but the focus of this course will be on the concepts rather than on endless computation. Will you be doing some math? Absolutely, but only in service of understanding the greater concepts. We will be collecting data and learning which statistical techniques would be best to analyze those data. So, that having been said, let’s look at the class!

About Your Instructor

My name is Rick Howe, and I'll be your facilitator for this class. I am a native Californian, having been born at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, CA and grew up in Northridge. Once my parents abandoned me (I was 24) to move to Arizona, I lived in Tarzana for a couple of years and then moved to Santa Clarita where I've been a resident for over 25 years.

I have a Master's degree in General/Experimental Psychology from California State University, Northridge which does not include the ability to conduct therapy, about which I know just enough to be dangerous. I started in the psychology department at COC as an adjunct faculty member in 1993 and became a full-time faculty member in 2001. Since then I have taught Introductory Psychology (this course), Physiological Psychology (Psy 102), Behavioral Research Methods (103), Statistics for the Social Sciences (104), and Human Sexuality (230). I am currently teaching Psych 101, Psych 102, and Psych 104.

What is the point of this class?

Here's what the catalog says about Psychology 104:

Examines the methods used in social and behavioral science to analyze and interpret data generated by social and behavioral science research. Emphasis is placed on the gathering of data and the computation, interpretation, application, and presentation of statistics.

Contact Information

A top priority of mine is your success in this course, so I want you to know that I am available for you. The easiest way to contact me is by using the Canvas Inbox, but you can also get in touch via email and phone.

Name	Contact	Role
Professor Rick Howe	e-mail: rick.howe@canyons.edu Phone: (661) 362-5906	Overlord
COC Student Tech Support	(661) 362-3344, M-Th 9:00 am - 7:00 pm cvsupport@canyons.edu (24-hour turnaround)	Student Tech Support can help if you: Forgot your Login ID or username Need help navigating your Canvas account Don't know where to find your assignments or submit them An email will be replied to within 24 business hours. If your question relates to a specific course assignment, please contact your instructor.
24/7 Canvas Tech Support Chat	Chat with Canvas Support (Student)	Support for students
COC Online Learning Website	Online Learning Website	All things online learning at COC

It is important to note that this is not a “log in whenever you feel like it” type of course. There are set schedules for assignments and set due dates after which assignments either cannot be turned in or will be considered late and marked down. The course schedule will be posted at the beginning of the class so there should never be any surprises. Please plan accordingly.

Student Learning Outcomes

According to the official course outline, the Student Learning Outcome for this course is:

“Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to apply basic statistical procedures and their application to research and practice in various areas of psychology, including the collection, analysis, and reporting of data designed to test a research hypothesis, as well as to demonstrate the appropriate use of computer-based statistical software, e.g., SPSS.”

I hope that clears things up.

What textbook are we going to use Mr. Howe?

We’ll be using An Introduction to Psychological Statistics by Garett Foster, David Lane, David Scott, Mikki Hebl, and Rudy Guerra. Yes, it took five people to put this book together. The best news is that this book is free. Yes, free and available online. For free. (You can access the book from within Canvas.)

Guess what? SPSS (statistical software) is available for free as well! At least for this semester. Download and installation instructions will be available in Canvas.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Hey, Howe, since this is an OnlineLive class, what technology do we need?

You will need:

a reliable computer (PC, Mac, or Chromebook)
reliable internet access
the latest version of a good browser. I suggest using Google Chrome.
You will also need a webcam and a microphone for use with Zoom.
There is a Canvas app for mobile devices, BUT not all functions in the desktop version of Canvas work in the app.
There is a Zoom app for mobile devices as well. Zoom is easier to use on a computer but in a pinch...

In addition to the above, you should check your COC e-mail address and/or the Canvas Inbox on a daily basis.

Course Work

We love quizzes Mr. Howe! With how many will you bless us during this class?

Two quizzes will be given for each assigned chapter. The first, called a Pre-Test, is designed to be taken after you have read through the chapter but before we have covered the material in class. This Pre-Test can show you which areas you may need to work on a bit more. The Pre-Tests can be taken only one time and count as extra-credit toward your final grade.

The second quiz for each chapter we will refer to as, oddly enough, a Post-Test, which will be delivered after we have discussed the material in class and hopefully clarified any points of confusion. The Post-Tests contain up to 25 multiple-choice questions and can be taken two times.

Both Pre-Tests and Post-Tests will be posted and must be completed as listed on the course schedule. Since the quizzes are mostly designed to help you learn the material, there is no time limit. Obviously, it would be an excellent idea to read, study, absorb, and become one with each topic prior to attempting the quiz. Quizzes must be completed no later than 11:59 PM on the day they are due.

Occasionally, technical issues will crop up where your quiz score is not recorded properly. If this happens, you should be able to get back into your quiz to finish it if you log back in right away. Please take care to focus on just taking your quiz and not click onto other windows or buttons when taking the quizzes. If you do get locked out of a quiz, I will not reset your quiz for you to take again. In recognition of the possibility of technical issues, I drop the two lowest quiz scores at the end of the term.

Once the quiz is complete you will be able to view your score and whether or not you got each question correct. I will not provide the correct answers, however. You will be responsible for looking up and finding the correct answers to any questions you may have missed. If, after struggling mightily, you still cannot find the correct answer to a question, let me know and I will provide guidance toward finding the correct information.

Hey Mr. Howe, what about exams?

There will be 4 exams over the course of the class. Each exam will consist of up to 100 multiple-choice questions and probably some short-answer questions. Exams will be made available as scheduled and must be completed on the day indicated in the course schedule. If you have planned a vacation or other trip that overlaps with any of the exams, you will need to arrange for access to the course where you are traveling.

Exams will be delivered in Canvas much like the quizzes. What are the requirements for this you ask? Glad you want to know:

A Good Internet connection - It is recommended that you have a connection speed of at least 1.5 Mbps. You will not have good success if you are on an unreliable network, such as borrowing your neighbor's wifi.

A plug for your laptop - I would strongly recommend that if you are using a laptop, plug the thing into an electrical outlet. Sometimes laptops go to sleep to conserve power, and that is not optimal while taking an exam.

A backup plan - It is a great idea to have a backup plan with regards to a computer you can use to take the exam. Sometimes bad stuff happens (hard drive failures, for instance) and you are expected to have a plan in such a case. What plan, you ask? How about being able to borrow a friend’s computer? Things like that. It’s best not to wait until the last minute to take the exam...just in case.

Exams will be timed in Canvas. A timer will appear at the right of the Canvas screen indicating the time remaining. Once you open the exam, the timer begins. Canvas will automatically submit your exam when the time expires if you have not already completed it.

Exams will be made available as scheduled and must be completed no later than the due date. I will not accommodate any vacations or other trips you may have planned. If you have planned a vacation or other trip that overlaps with any of the exams, understand that you will need to be able to complete the exam by the deadline while on that vacation or trip.

Assignments & Extra Credit

Assignments
There will be various other assignments throughout the class, although perhaps not for every chapter. Follow the posted instructions for these assignments.

Extra Credit?
I offer a limited amount of extra credit at the beginning of the class, including the syllabus quiz, the Getting Acquainted discussion board, and an assignment about study skills. Otherwise, I don't offer extra credit in this class. Extra credit can add up to a total of 10% to your grade.

Course Policies

The Dreaded Grading Policy

The grading system, which applies to the exams, discussion boards, quizzes and the final grade, is as follows:

A 90% and above
B 80 - 89%
C 70 - 79%
D 60 - 69%
F Below 60%

What it’s all worth:

Exams 40%
Quizzes 25%
Assignments 25%
Extra Credit 10%

I do not drop any exams, discussions, or any other assignments from your grade. As noted above, however, I drop the two lowest quiz scores at the end of the term.

Do you have any sort of late policy?

Here it is: Once opened, most assignments, discussions, and quizzes are available for the remainder of the semester after the due date. If you submit any of these late, there will be a 1% per day deduction after the due date. This late policy does not apply to exams. All exams must be completed by the posted due dates.

What is your attendance policy?

As this is a regularly-meeting class, attendance is expected just like in an on-ground class. I will not be taking attendance, as I understand the fickleness of technology. However, if it appears that you are not regularly attending and/or not completing work in a timely manner, you may be dropped from the course. If you have any questions about this policy, let me know.

Am I allowed to cheat in your class, Mr. Howe?

Absolutely! - but only if you wish to receive a zero on that assignment, be reported to the administration, and possibly suspended from attending classes at COC. If this is not your wish, then here is my policy on cheating: DON'T!!! If you are caught cheating on an exam or discussion board, you will, at a minimum, receive a grade of 0 for that assignment. If you are not sure what constitutes cheating, ask me, I’ll be happy to go over it with you. You may also wish to review your rights and responsibilities as a student by reading the appropriate section in the schedule of classes.

Academic Accommodations and AAC

The college is committed to providing all students with equal access to learning opportunities. If you feel you may need accommodations based on the impact of a disability please contact the AAC office at dsps@canyons.edu. AAC is the official campus office that works to implement reasonable accommodations for students. If you have a documented disability and an accommodation letter from AAC please talk to me as soon as possible to allow adequate time for accommodations to be arranged.

Supporting Your Success

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