you are being considerate of them。
。 Pass back exams and deal with administrative matters after your lecture。 On days that you will
be passing out test results； plan to cut your lecture short to leave room to answer questions。
This ensures that there is time for your lecture。 Passing back quizzes or exams at the beginning
of class is generally a bad idea because students who are disappointed with their exam grade
may tune you out for the remainder of the class period。
。 Create an opportunity for students to review their exams with you； if only to ask questions
about examination material。 Allow students to defend their interpretation of an exam question
in writing。 If a student challenges a question in an unkind manner； suggest that the two of you
get together after class to consider the matter。 If； because of further discussion with the student；
you decide that the exam question was a bad one and you will give students credit for it；
announce the change to the class。
。 Learn the names of your students。 This can generally be quickly acplished in a class of 25
to 50 students； but will be tough in sections of several hundred students。 Learning students’
names shows that you are interested in your students and it may help them to bee more
interested in your class—they know that you know who they are and that their contributions to
class have personal implications。
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。 Encourage student questions。 Even in large sections； a good way to start discussion—a nice
break from straight lecturing—is to allow time for questions。 When it es to students’
questions； keep in mind three points。 First； repeat the question for the benefit of students sitting
in the back of the room who may not have been able to hear the question。 Second； show genuine
interest in the question either by considerately answering it yourself； or by throwing it out to the
class for their response。 Third； let the student who asked the question know that you appreciate
his or her participation。
。 If you do not know the answer to a question； say so。 If the question is an interesting one； tell
your students that you will find the answer for them。
。 Pace your lectures。 Make time in your lectures to explain your points in their entirety。 If you
have prepared too much material for the class period； DO NOT rush to get through it。 Slow
down； develop your points carefully and thoughtfully。 One sure way to ruin an otherwise good
course is to force students to cram。 Let them have the time to think about the material you are
presenting to them。 You will be able to tell when you are lecturing too fast； confusing； or boring
your students。 The puzzled look on a student’s face is a sure sign that he or she is not following
you。 Respond by saying； “Would anybody like me to repeat that？” or “Let me say that another
way。”
HOW TO PREPARE A COURSE SYLLABUS
A prehensive syllabus can go a long way toward smoothing the operation of the course and facilitating
a fortable relationship between you and your class。 It saves class time by answering most of the
questions students have at the outset of the course in a form that they can keep for reference。 Since the
course is just one of many demanding activities for students as well as for you； the syllabus helps keep all of
you aware of where you’ve been； where you should be on any given day； and where you intend to go。 Here
are suggestions for the content of a syllabus for the introductory psychology course； divided into
“essentials” and “options。” The sample syllabus contains mostly essentials。
SYLLABUS ESSENTIALS
。 General information。 The name and number of the course including section number； the time
and location； the academic term； your name； your office location and phone number； office
hours； names of Teaching Assistants （TA’s）； their office locations and hours。
。 The name of the text and student resource manual； as well as any other supplies required for
the course； such as answer sheets。
。 Goals or objectives。
。 Course requirements explaining the format of and points for exams； quizzes； and papers。
。 Class calendar。 Reading assignments； dates of tests； due dates for papers and/or activities。
。 Testing format and procedures。
。 Class policies。 Attendance； missed tests； grading； extra credit work。
SYLLABUS OPTIONS
。 Expanded class calendar； including lecture topics； films； and activities。
。 Detailed description of testing procedure。
。 Autobiographical information about yourself。
。 Where to get help； including the student health center； the learning resources center； and/or the
counseling office。
。 Effective study habits and efficient use of study time。
。 Guidelines and topics for papers。
。 Learning objectives for each chapter。
。 Essay questions for each chapter or exam。
。 Discussion of section meetings and activities。
。 Research participation requirements。
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。 Extra credit options。
＇Sample Syllabus＇
Psychology 101： Introduction to Psychology
Fall Semester； 2002
MWF： 11：00—12：00
Social Sciences Building
Instructor： Jennifer Gomez
Telephone： 867…5309
Office： Room 21； Kurt Lewin Hall
Office Hours： M 1：00—3：00； Th 10：00—12：00； and by appointment
TEXTS
Psychology and Life； Sixteenth Edition； by Richard Gerrig and Philip Zimbardo。
The Student Study Guide is strongly remended。
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of all introductory psychology courses is to explore the subject matter of the field and
to bee familiar with the vocabulary and concepts of the field and with some of the research findings
upon which our knowledge of human thought and behavior is based。
A goal of this class is to emphasize development of critical thinking skills and to prepare you to be a
cautious and analytical consumer of information that is proclaimed scientific or based on research。
I also hope that you will derive personal benefits from the class； that at the end of the term you will have
increased your understanding and acceptance of yourself and others； and that you will gain something
from this class that will enrich your personal relationships and add to your success in your chosen
occupation。
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
There are four regularly scheduled tests and a prehensive final examination。 Students are also expected
to write four short papers during the term。
TESTS
There will be 50 multiple…choice items on each of the four midterms and 100 multiple…choice items on the
prehensive final examination。 The test items will be taken primarily from the reading assignments； but
you can expect some test questions based on lectures； films； or any class activity。
If you feel that the answer you chose for a test question is better than the answer keyed as correct； submit
your case in writing to the instructor。
PAPERS
Four short （three…page） papers are to be written and submitted during the term。 Guidelines and topics for
the papers are discussed in a handout that will be distributed at the second class meeting。 Generally； the
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topics for the papers require you to think critically about some issue in psychology or to apply
psychological knowledge to practical situations。
EXTRA CREDIT WORK
Studying the text and writing the assigned papers are assumed sufficient work for this class and grades
will be assigned solely based on tests； papers； and activities that occur during class。
GRADING
Grades will be assigned based on the number of points accumulated during the semester。 The maximum
number of points for each midterm is 100。 From the four midterms； your three highest grades will be used in
calculating your final grade。 If you miss a midterm； your scores on the other three will be used。 If you miss
more than one midterm； you may want to drop the course because midterms cannot be made up。 The
maximum total points for midterms is 300。 The final examination will have 100 questions and contribute a
maximum of 200 points toward your final grade。
The maximum number of points for papers is 100； 25 points per paper。 If you get a low score on a paper； you
may rewrite it—see the handout on papers for more information on this。
A maximum of 50 points will be given for participation in class activities。
The maximum number of points is 650； and grades will be assigned as follows： If you get 600 to 650 points；
you will earn an A。 If you get 540 to 599 points； you will earn a B。 If you get 460 to 539 points； you will earn
a C。 If you get 400 to 459 points； you will earn a D。 If you get less than 400 points； you will earn an F。
CLASS CALENDAR
Reading assignment。 September 3 to September 24
Ch。 1 The Science of Psychology in Your Life
Ch。 2 Research Methods in Psychology
Ch。 3 The Biological Bases of Behavior
Chs。 4； 5 Sensation & Perception
Test 1 September 24
Paper 1 due September 26
Reading assignment。 September 26 to October 15
Ch。 6 Mind； Consciousness； and Alternate States
Chs。 7； 8 Learning and Behavior Analysis & Memory
Ch。 9 Cognitive Processes
Test 2 October 15
Paper 2 due October 17
Reading assignment。 October 17 to November 5
Ch。 10 Intelligence and Intelligence Assessment
Ch。 11 Human Development across the Life Span
Chs。 12； 13 Motivation & Emotion； Stress； and Health
Test 3 November 5
Paper 3 due November 7
Reading assignment。 November 7 to November 28
Ch。 14 Understanding Human Personality
Ch。 15 Psychological Disorders
Ch。 16 Therapies for Personal Change
Test 4 November 28
Paper 4 due November 30
Reading assignment。 November 30 to December 14
Ch。 17 Social Processes and Relationships
Ch。 18 Social Psychology； Society； and Culture
Final Examination。 December 17
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HOW TO PREPARE A LECTURE
Clarity is the most important quality in lectures。 Clarity can only be assessed by the audience。 Your students
are likely to vary in abilities； needs； interests； and reasons for taking the course。 Some take introductory
psychology because they are interested in psychology and plan to major in it； some take the course because
they hope to achieve insight into personal problems； ot