COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to the processes by which humans acquire and maintain knowledge. It focuses upon cognitive psychology and emphasizes information processing, the dominant theoretical approach in the field. This approach seeks to explain human behavior in terms of how we take in information from our environment, represent it mentally, process it in order to meet our needs, and communicate information with others using language. The course will cover the traditional topics in cognition:  perception, attention, memory and learning, problem solving, reasoning and decision making, language.

Anderson, John R. (2009). Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications (7th Edition).

An important part of the course is the chance to experience findings in cognitive psychology yourself. Demos and class discussions are planned to help provide this experience – you are expected to participate.  Attendance will be recorded and will contribute to your grade. Your attendance grade will consist of the percentage of classes attended (e.g., 90-100% = A, 80-90% = B and so on). Two absences will be discarded (not counted) when computing the attendance percentage. You are responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all that goes on in the course even if you are not present. If you cannot attend class on a regular basis you probably should not take this course.

Study Aids:

Copies of the Powerpoint files used during my lectures can be downloaded from the course webpage (see my webpage URL listed above). They were produced using the most current version of Powerpoint. If you have trouble reading them on your computer, try using them at the library or an on-campus computer lab. These are not a substitute for the textbook – you will need to buy and read the textbook to pass this course. Note that terms important for the exams are often highlighted in red.

Tests:

Two multiple choice and short essay midterm exams (non-cumulative), will be given on the dates noted on the syllabus, each one covering assigned chapters in the textbook and class sessions from the end of the previous exam. (You may keep your exams to use when studying for the final.) One multiple choice and short essay final exam (cumulative) will be given, covering new readings since the previous midterm and all previous course material. These exams will count 90% of your course grade (30% for each exam).  Contact me if you miss an exam.

You are expected to know details of the experiments and phenomena discussed in the textbook. Broad concepts are important for organizing information, but this is a detail-oriented, fact-based course. The exams will reflect that. Also, do not overlook studying the graphs or figures. They may be on the exams.

The required coursework for this class includes:

Attendance	10%
Midterms	30% each (60%)
Final Exam	30%

Your grade will be determined in comparison to the other students in the course, however it is potentially possible for everyone to earn an A in this course if everyone does as well as the top students. Grade distributions and answer keys will be available after each exam so you can compare your progress with others and study for the final exam.

Extra Credit:

Up to 3 points extra credit on the final exam can be earned by signing up for and participating as a subject in experiments through the Cal Poly Pomona human subjects pool (Sona). Instructions for doing this are provided on my webpage. One unit of credit for experiment participation will count as one point on the final exam. This is optional -- there is no requirement to earn credit this way. If you do not wish to participate as a subject in research, an alternative extra credit question will be provided on the final exam. However, credit cannot be earned for both.

Furlough Days:

Due to the financial problems in the State of California which have reduced the university's budget, faculty are required to take furlough days and a reduction in pay. This course will have two furlough days, scheduled to minimize the impact on learning and maintain course content. You are expected to use these furlough days productively, to do course reading, complete the out-of-class homework assignment and prepare for exams. Office hours normally scheduled which fall on furlough days will not be held because faculty are not permitted to work on those days. We all regret the inconvenience this may cause students.

Flu Policy:

If you become sick with any type of cold or flu, please let me know via an email as soon as you can. Please do not come to class if you are sick. You can catch up with missed material by: (1) downloading lecture notes and keeping up with the textbook readings; (2) sending me emails with your questions; and (3) sharing notes with other students in class (you can communicate with other students via Blackboard). Colds and flu are spread primarily by air and by skin contact, so please bring tissues and cover your mouth when you sneeze, avoid shaking hands or casually touching others, and make sure to wash your hands frequently, whether you are sick or not. If you are unable to keep up with the class due to illness, we can discuss a grade of Incomplete in the class. This option is available at my discretion, and is intended only for those students with a verifiable illness or other serious and disruptive, documented life problem. It is a last resort for serious situations -- it is generally better to continue working and try to finish the course while you still remember most of the content.

Problems:

Understanding the material in this course requires effort and you may need to read the textbook over more than once in order to fully understand it.  Be sure to read assigned pages before attending the class on that topic. No review of the reading will be provided in class and you are expected to be prepared. If you keep up with the reading, you will find it much easier to study for exams. Do not try to study by cramming – even if it has worked for you before. Typically, material learned the night before an exam all runs together and cannot be remembered well at test time. Additional study tips are provided on the web page for this course. If you find yourself having difficulty with the reading, or any other aspect of the course, it is your responsibility to seek help early in the quarter.  You can do this by visiting during office hours, by studying with other students, by seeking tutoring, or by using the resources provided by the university to help with learning-related problems (e.g., the Reading Center or the Learning Skills Center).  If you have a disability or other difficulty that can be helped by reasonable accommodation, please meet with me early in the quarter and before the exams.