Syllabus

Text:

Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive Psychology. (2nd Ed). Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace

Textbook website http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20&product_isbn_issn=0155085352&discipline_number=24
Additional readings will be on reserve in the library

An outline of the course lectures and copies of the lecture overheads are available off the World Wide Web (http://www.oswego.edu/~klatsky/cognition/lectures.htm) The outline will also be put on reserve at Penfield Library.

Goals and Objectives

This course is designed to explore how the mind works. What we will discover is that, unlike other parts
of our body, the mind is still a mystery. As much as we know about the mind, there is considerably more that we do not know. The study of cognitive psychology is therefore like investigating a mystery. We develop tools to help our investigatlon, collect evidence and speculate on the solution. As this discipline is still in its infancy, there are still many questions about how the mind works that are still unanswered. The goals I have for this class are:

1. To gain a fundamental understanding of cognitive psychology
2. To gain insight into the relationship between cognitive psychology and other disciplines within and
   outside psychology.
3. To understand how knowledge of invisible cognitive processes can be obtained.
4. To demonstrate knowledge of cognitive psyd1ology through performance on three exams and a paper

Grading

Your grade will be determined by your scores on: three exams, a paper based on original source material, and homework assignments. Students must complete all the assignments to receive a passing grade in the course.

Exams:

The three exams will cover all material from the lectures, assigned readings, laboratories, and student
presentations. The exams will be cumulative as the material in the class does build on itself. Your performance at the end of the semester is dependent on how well you understand the material from the beginning of the semester. The exact format of the exams will be some combination of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.

Paper:

The paper required for this course will be a discussion of a topic covered in dass and researched using the journals in the library. Your topic must be approved by the instructor. It is expected that the paper will be around 10-15 typed (printed) pages using 12 pt font size. (If Courier font is used then a font size of 10 must be used) All papers must be typed. The topic for the paper must be approved by the date in the syllabus and must be submitted on the due date. Twenty (20) points will be deducted each day the paper is late. A paper submitted on time can receive the full 100 points. A paper submitted three days late can only receive a maximum of 40 points. Additional information regarding number of references will be provided in class

Homework

Throughout the semester, in conjunction with laboratories and lecture topics there will be homework assigned. These assignments will primarily be essay type questions where, for example, you would be asked to explain the results of a demonstration on the basis of one of the theories we discussed in class

Participation:

The grade for participation will be based on participation in class and lecture discussions, responses to questions as well as questions asked.

Attendance.

Attendance for this class is mandatory. Page 35 of the SUNY Oswego Undergraduate Catalog states Regular attendance is obligatory. An instructor may recommend that a student be dropped from a course for poor achievement due to excessive absence. A student dropped alter the deadline for dropping may be assigned a grade of E." In addition to being a university requirement, a great deal of material presented in class is not in the textbook. Therefore, if you miss class you will miss some very important information that will undoubtedly be included in the exams. Unexcused tardiness or early departures will be counted as an absence. If you must leave class early notify the instructor before class. Attendance will be taken for all classes and labs

Attendance is mandatory for all class presentations. Failure to attend the presentations of your classmates will result in a mandatory downgrade of your class presentation grade.

Attendance for labs is also mandatory. Unless you have a doctor's excuse or some very good, well-documented explanation, you will lose half the points for any lab assignment if you did not attend the lab. Please make it a point to attend.

Cheating

Pg. 37 of the undergraduate catalog states:
"Intellectual honesty on the part of all students is basic to individual growth and development through course work. When academic dishonesty occurs, the teaching/learning climate is seriously undermined and student growth and development are impeded. For these reasons any form of intellectual dishonesty is a serious concern and is therefore prohibited."

Forms of cheating

• Copying examination or work to be evaluated
• Inappropriate collaboration
• Use of cheat sheets
• Buying / selling exam or papers
• Removing exams from lecture hall
• Submitting work for which credit has already been received in another course without approval
• Plagiarism

Course Outlines and Overheads

The web site for this course (http://www.oswego.edu/~klatsky/cognition/lectures.htm) includes lecture outlines as well as copies of the PowerPoint slides that are presented in class. As there is a large amount of material covered in class, you will find it very helpful to have copies of these materials in class. When I discuss a particular topic, I use the overheads as a starting point. Many students who focus on copying the overheads will often miss important points that are made. If you have copies of the overheads, you can listen to what is being said and annotate your copies.

PSY 305 Cognition

Tentative Schedule

last update 1/6/2003