| Course Outline | ||||||||
 Course Outline – 49.270 A Fall 1997
Psychology 49.270 A is designed to introduce you to what cognitive psychologists have learned about perception, attention, memory, language, thinking, and other cognitive abilities.
Wednesday 8:30 – 11:30 AM; 2120 HP Reisberg, D. (1997). Cognition. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-96925-8
N.B. – this schedule is meant to be a guide and may be subject to change. Any changes will be announced. Midterm Test I – Wednesday October 8 (Introduction, Biological Basis, Attention, & Perception) Midterm Test II – Wednesday November 1 (Memory) Final Exam – Final exam period December 4 - 20 (Problem solving, Reasoning, & Language) 49.270A makes extensive use of internet-based material. If you have not done so already, obtain a CHAT account as soon as possible in order to access this material. Instructions for obtaining a CHAT account are posted in each computer lab on campus. If you already have internet service provided by a non University internet service provider, you can also use that service to access course material. In addition to an internet account, you will need access to a graphical web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer. Text-based browsers will provide the basic content but will not provide any graphics. Two types of course material are available: course notes and a newsgroup-like arena for course related content. Course notes. The course notes site for 49.270A contains the complete text and graphic components of each lecture. If you are reading this, you're already at the site. It is an important resource for this course. Newsgroup. 49.270A has a dedicated newsgroup offered via WebBoard software. The WebBoard site can be accessed from the site containing the course notes. I will use WebBoard to post administrative information (e.g., lectures, tests, etc.), as well as answers to questions about course content from students. You must register to use WebBoard by providing your name and Carleton ID number. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this service. An introduction to using WebBoard can be found at the following site: http://superior.carleton.ca/~jlogan/cognitive_course_1/webboard.htm Please make every effort to resolve whatever problems you may be experiencing regarding the course by contacting the teaching assistant. If the TA is unable to help you, contact the instructor. You will be evaluated with three noncumulative tests consisting of approximately 60 multiple-choice questions. Midterm test 1 is worth 20% of your final grade, while midterm test II and the final exam are each worth 40% of your final grade. Midterm tests will be written on October 8 and November 1.. For each test or exam you must bring your Carleton University ID, two #2 (HB) pencils, and an eraser. Preparation for tests should focus on information presented in class — approximately 80% of test questions will come from this source. However, you should also read all text materials that are assigned for each test. You will find that the texts overlap substantially with the material covered in class and provide more in-depth coverage of topics than is possible in class. If for extraordinary reasons you miss a test, you must notify the instructor as soon as possible after the test. A make-up test will be permitted only under two conditions: illness or bereavement. Documentation is required in order to schedule an alternative time for a test. If no documentation is provided, you will receive a grade of zero for that test. This policy will be consistently enforced. Unofficial midterm test grades will be posted approximately one week after each test at two locations: 1) on the bulletin board outside Loeb B550 and 2) on the Carleton University Touch-Tone Information system [(613) 520-7800; service code 8; ID number; personal access code]. Cognitive psychologists have learned that several things are necessary in order for efficient learning to occur. Probably the most important is utilizing spaced practice instead of massed practice. Spaced practice refers to doing a relatively small amount of practice at frequent intervals whereas massed practice is doing all of your practicing in one session. Thus, if you want to learn anything, either playing the piano or hockey or cognitive psychology, you will learn it more quickly and with less effort if you learn in small chunks at frequent intervals. Applying this to 49.270 means two things: attend lectures regularly and keep up with your readings. Lectures are important in this course because much of the test material is taken from the lectures. Reading your textbook regularly is important because it provides more background material than I can cover in class. The text will help you see how things fit together. Moreover, because the author of the text has a slightly different position than I provide in the lectures, the combination of text and lectures gives you broader perspective of cognition. And, from a very practical position, reading the text regularly will help you do better on tests. Any student in this course who may have a need for accommodations because of a disability should contact the instructor and the Paul Menton Centre for Persons with Disabilities at 520-6608 as soon as possible. |
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