Instructor

Reza Habib, Ph.D.                            Office: LSII, 271A                           Email: psyc310@gmail.com
                                                                                                              Phone: (618) 453-3547

Teaching Assistant

Ruchi Brahmachari                          Office: LSII, 204B                            Email: ruchi@siu.edu
                                                                                                              Phone: (618) 453-1255

Meetings

Lectures                                          TR 11:00 - 12:15                            Park 0124

Office Hours (Appointment Req):    TR 9:30 - 11:00 / 3:30 - 5:00         LSII, 271A
                                                       MF 9:00 - 10:00                              LSII, 204B

Class Website

The address of the class website is http://psyc310.googlepages.com. Class announcements, grades, and other course-related material will be posted there. You will be expected to check the website on a regular basis - at lease once a week - in order to stay on top of the latest class-related developments.

Course Objectives

To introduce theory and research on cognition and mental activity. Topics will include object recognition, attention, short- and long-term memory, knowledge, and judgment and decision making. The principal orientation will be information processing - adopting the computer as a metaphor for the mental processes that makeup cognition. When relevant, examples of the disruption of cognitive processes will be provided from cases of brain damaged individuals.

Prerequisites

Psyc 102 - Introduction to Psychology

Textbook

Goldstein, E.B. (2008). Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience (2nd Edition). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth.

Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on 3 term tests and 11 in class "pop" quizzes.

The first term test will be worth 20%, while the second and third term tests will be worth 30% each.  The tests are NOT cumulative.

In class quizzes will occur weekly, starting with the second week of the semester.  They will be based on that week's textbook reading.  Quizzes will usually be at the end of class, but randomly occur between the tuesday and thursday classes.  The best 10 quizzes will each be worth 2% for a total of 20%.

Grade Distribution

A: 90 - 100
B: 80 - 90
C: 70 - 80
D: 60 - 70
F: < 60

Students Performing in the top 5% of this course

The Department of Psychology at SIUC values academic excellence and in recognition of the hard work and achievement of undergraduate students, invites those scoring in the Top 5% of their class to a get-together in the department (during the following semester). This is an opportunity to meet with faculty members as well as students from other courses and to find out more about opportunities available in the department. Students who receive the letter of invitation appreciate the recognition this brings and are also able to use it while applying for jobs or admission to graduate school. 

Late withdrawals & incompletes

The Undergraduate Catalog states the following regarding an “Incomplete” grade (Page 38 of the 2005-2006 catalog): 

"An INC is assigned when, for reasons beyond their control, students engaged in passing work are unable to complete all class assignments.”

Therefore, INC will only be assigned if, at the time of the request, you are passing the course (‘D’ or better).

Late withdrawals will only be granted to students who, at the time of the request, are passing the course.

No exceptions will be made.

Makeup Policy, Complaints, Cheeting

In order to makeup a quiz or a test, you will need to provide appropriate documentation explaining the reason for your absence (e.g. excuse signed by medical professional along with phone # and patient id, copy of funeral notice, police report, etc.). 

No exceptions will be made.

Requiring documentation for all absences is the fairest policy to all students.

Complains and cheating will be handled in accordance with the policies outlined in the Student Code of Conduct (http://www.siu.edu/~docedit/policies/conduct.html).

Persons with disabilities

If you have a documented disability requiring special accommodations for exams, contact me within the first week of class so special arrangements can be made. Please do not wait until right before an exam.

Classroom etiquette, expectations, and rules

The guiding principle for etiquette in this class is to behave professionally and be respectful and courteous to your fellow classmates and the instructor.

The following rules are designed to enhance the learning experience for you and your classmates.  They must be followed:

• When in class, you are expected to pay attention to the lecture and not be disruptive to your classmates or the instructor.
• Do not speak with your classmates while the instructor or other students are speaking.
• Do not read the newspaper or any other material not relevant to the course.
• Turn off your mobile phone.
• Do not come to class late.
• If you must leave early, let the instructor know at the beginning of class. Do not begin packing your books before the end of the class. This is disruptive to other students as well as the instructor.

The instructor may ask you to leave class if these rules are violated.

Please behave professionally and courteously while in class.

CDRC

The Career Development and Resource Clinic is a service offered by the Department of Psychology for students enrolled in psychology courses. The CDRC provides individual career counseling to help students assess their interests, skills and values, explore career alternatives, and make decisions about college majors and career directions. The CDRC also offers workshops and resources related to career planning, such as preparing for the first job or graduate school. To make an appointment, contact the CDRC at 453-3568 or careers@siu.edu, or stop by Life Science II Suite 217.

Academic Dishonesty

We welcome you to this classroom community with the assumption that the work you do will be your own.  However, distinguishing your work from the work of another can be tricky at times, for both you and your instructor.  You should know that presenting another’s work as your own, even if by accident, is a serious violation of the Student Conduct Code.

The Student Conduct Code identifies the following as acts of academic dishonesty: “Plagiarism, representing the work of another as one’s own work; preparing work for another that is to be used as that person’s own work; cheating by any method or means; …soliciting, aiding, abetting, concealing, or attempting conduct in violation of this code” (p. 18).  Whether quoting or paraphrasing (or even summarizing) someone else’s work, you should cite your sources; failure to do so constitutes an act of plagiarism. This policy applies to papers and speeches.

Buying a paper online, copying text from several web sites, and turning in someone else’s paper (even with a few words changed) are all examples of plagiarism when you claim such work as your own. (Note:  As services selling such papers have increased in number, so have services that track plagiarism using sources from the internet.)  Suspected cases of plagiarism will be investigated following Article V of the Student Conduct Code; if plagiarism is substantiated, the perpetrator may face failing the assignment, failing the course, disciplinary censure, and/or suspension from the university, depending on the details of the case (see Article III of the Student Conduct Code).  As a rule of thumb: when in doubt, cite where the information is coming from.  If you are uncertain whether you are  citing sources sufficiently and appropriately enough to avoid plagiarism, please consult your instructor or a tutor at the Writing Center.

Emergency Procedures

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on the BERT'S website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Public Safety's website www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop down) and in the Emergency Response Guidelines pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency. Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility.