Course description

The purpose of Advanced Placement Psychology is to introduce you to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. You will be exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. You will also learn about the methods psychologists’ use in their science and practice.

Materials Needed

• Discovering Psychology: The Science of the Mind Cacioppo and Freberg (provided by school)
• Notebook, college ruled
• Folder with brads or 1” binder
• Macbook (provided by school), fully charged
• Pens, blue or black ink (absolutely no pencils for class assignments)
• Lined 3x5 index cards, 600 minimum
• Play Doh 4-pack

Expectations

Advanced Placement Psychology is designed for secondary school students who plan to attend a four-year college and wish to complete studies in the equivalent of an introductory college course in Psychology. Satisfactory completion of the requirements of this course and a passing grade on the National AP Exam could earn you college credit in Psychology. Consequently, with few exceptions, this course will be taught as it would be on the college level.

An AP course demands extra work and additional time outside the usual high school demands. You will be expected to do a great deal of independent reading, research, and completion of assignments. You will begin each unit by confronting new material in a combination of the following methods of presentation: lectures; large and small group discussions; reading of text, supplementary materials, and current newspaper and magazine articles; viewing of selected video clips; and various hands-on labs.

After you have analyzed the data presented, you will be asked to make inferences about the material both orally and in writing (i.e., through class discussion; individual and group presentations; written assignments, including outside observation and based on class discussion and analysis; team debates on controversial psychological issues; short issue papers; journal review, etc.). You will also be required to complete one major project each semester. All work is due at the beginning of class and will be considered late if not turned in at the proper time. You may earn no higher than 70% on late work.

All work will be submitted either in the physical in-tray in the classroom or in Google Classroom. Do not email any work to the teacher unless specifically directed to do so.

Grades (approximately)

Tests, major papers, projects = 70%

Daily work and quizzes = 30%

Attendance and Make-up Work

A close relationship exists between regular class attendance and successful completion of a course. You will be expected to be in class every day. If you are absent, check the class website, Google Classroom, your class folder, and with classmates for information regarding missed work. School policy will be followed for make-up work.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating on a test, text messaging for any reason during a test, plagiarism, collusion (unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements), and falsifying academic records. Any incident of scholastic dishonesty in connection with AP Psychology will earn you a zero.

If you commit plagiarism, your first offense will earn you a warning and a chance to do the assignment over for partial credit; you may earn no higher than 70%. Your grade for that assignment will be a zero until you resubmit a new assignment. If you choose not to resubmit your assignment before the predetermined deadline discussed, your grade will remain a zero. Anytime after that first offense, you will receive a zero, and you will not be allowed to resubmit the assignment for partial credit.

Tests

You will be expected to take tests on the scheduled test days. All test days will be posted in our physical classroom, in Google Classroom, and online. If you are absent, but were present when the test date was announced, you will be expected to take tests on the scheduled test days. It is preferable that you take the test prior to your absence; however, if that is not possible, you will be expected to set a make-up time with the teacher that meets the school’s policy.

Skipping Class

If you skip class when a test or daily grade is completed in class, a zero will be recorded for the assignment. For tests, a retest will be given for partial credit; you may earn no higher than 70%.

For All Other Policies

Refer to school handbook for other guidelines including tardies, allowable absences, technology, online grades, dress code, etc.