Introduction and Overview

Assignments and Grading

Grading

Final course grades will be determined as follows:

10% Participation
50% Two Papers (25% each paper)
Paper #1 (due beginning of class on 10/30)
Paper #2 (due by 4:30 PM on 12/11)
30% Two Quizzes (15% each exam)
Quiz 1 10/2
Quiz 2 11/18
10% BTBA

Notes: (1) 1/3 of a grade will be deducted for each day that a paper is late; (2) Participation, the two papers, the two quizzes, and the BTBA are the sole bases for grading (i.e., there are no extra credit assignments); (3) The final course grade is final (i.e., it is not possible to improve a final grade by doing some extra task).

Quantity and quality of participation. Basically, how much does the student contribute to the class? The degree of contribution depends on how much the person participates in class discussion and the carrying out of research projects (quantity) and how good that participation is (quality). The latter is much harder to measure, because it involves subjective judgment. I will try to use the following questions in making my quality of participation evaluations: How much does class participation reflect having read and thought about course reading material? How clearly and cogently are ideas expressed? How good are the ideas expressed? In terms of the carrying out of research projects, how well is the student prepared and how well is data collected, entered, etc? How good a team player is the student in projects that involve small groups?

Papers. There will be two (2) papers. The details of each paper assignment are described below and will be elaborated on in class. Each is to be done in APA style. These papers are write ups of research as would be submitted to a journal for publication.
And, as with any journal write up, each paper will go through multiple drafts. Writing will play a major role in this course.
NOTE. Plagiarism will result in a grade of F for the course (see Rosnow & Rosenthal [text] pp. 76-77).

Quizzes. There will be two quizzes (10/2 and 11/18). The quizzes will include only multiple choice questions, and these will be drawn only from the assigned reading (i.e. the text [R&R] and reserved reading articles). Quiz 1 will include text material assigned from 9/2 through 9/30 and Quiz 2 will include text material assigned from 10/7 through 11/13. Make-ups will be given only for documented medical reasons.

BTBA. It is expected that you attend all class meetings. Attendance will not be taken, but 10% of your final grade will depend on 10 “Be There and Be Alert” (BT&BA) assignments (1 point per assignment), which will be done in class on a random schedule and which will be relatively easy to complete and do well on (i.e., earn the one possible point) if you (1) have done the reading assignment, (2) attend class, and (3) stay alert in class. Quite simply, at the end of some class meetings, we will ask you to answer a small number of questions about the reading assigned for that class and/or what went on during the class. These questions will not be difficult. They will be graded 0 (not present or incorrect answer) and 1 (correct answer). A 1 means that you were prepared, present and alert, hence these are “Be There and Be Alert) (BT&BA) assignments. There will be no makeups for these assignments.

Required Reading

Texts: Rosnow, R. L. and Rosenthal, R. (1999). Beginning behavioral research: A conceptual primer (Fourth edition) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Reserved Reading: Five articles have been placed on reserve at the Kilmer Area Library: McGuire (1973), Ashmore, Del Boca & Bilder (1995), Anderson & Bushman (1997), Asch (1946), Rosenberg, Nelson & Vivekananthan (1968). These articles are also available online.

Note: Each reading assignment should be done for the day assigned and students should be ready to discuss the reading on that day.

Also, please bring our text and this syllabus to each class meeting.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS