Marc S Lewis

Description

This class is aimed at BS Psychology students who are interested in careers in science and/or medicine.  The class shows you how to use epidemiological and genetic molecular methods to produce creative and testable research ideas.  Lectures will cover such topics as how to use problem solving to get creative research ideas and how to think like a disease to get clues about causation. You will also learn to use genetic and molecular research databases such as PubMed, OMIM, and emedicine, and research tools such as gene cards, Genome mapping sites, BLAST and BIND, amino acid analysis, three-dimensional modeling, and others.   The course will teach you general methods for understanding genetic diseases, and you will apply those techniques to a psychological disorder.  For interested students there may also be an opportunity to work in collaboration with researchers around the world on a medical project looking for the cause of a rare, fatal disease. This class does not contain a substantial writing component.

Grading and Text

Grading will depend on in class exercises, homework, one test, and a group project (which will involve an in-class presentation).  There will be one test and no book-all of the information to be learned comes from websites and databases.

Exams

There will be four exams with 30-40 multiple choice questions each. Exam dates are:

Feb 10 Test 1: Chapters 1, 2, 6

Mar 10 Test 2: Chapters 3, 7, 8, 9 (thinking only)

Apr 12 Test 3: Chapters 9 (language, intelligence), 13

May 3 Test 4: Chapters 14, 15

Make up tests are given in cases of emergency. Make ups for tests 1 – 3 will all be given

at the same time near the end of the semester (instead of the Apr 21st class). There will be

no class on that day for other students. Make-ups for test 4 will be given during finals

week -- see the Lead Experiment TA (Jacqueline) for permission.

We test your ability to apply psychology to the real world rather than your ability to

memorize the definitions of psychological concepts – that is, we ask whether you can use

what you have learned. The good side of this philosophy is that you do not need to try to

determine what is important to study for a test– we’ll post an online study sheet that will

tell you what you need to learn. You are responsible for text material whether or not it is

covered in class and for lecture material whether or not it is covered in the text.

Grades

We use both curved and absolute cutoffs and the new plus/minus system to figure grades

depending on what is best for you. We have this friendly cutoff system in order to

discourage students from arguing individual questions for points. If, however, you feel

morally bound to argue an individual question on a test you must see a TA within one

week from the time that the grades for that test were posted.

Grades will be based on your total score for the four exams. If you have a question about

cutoffs or how we calculate grades see the Lead Test TA. Please note that we do not drop

your lowest test grade.

Extra Credit: One or two extra credit points can be earned by participating in classroom

demonstrations. If you earn an extra credit point, be sure to notify the lead classroom TA

(Jason). Extra credit points are kept in a separate category on Blackboard and they do not

count towards any particular exam grade. Extra credit cannot be earned by outside papers

or projects or by participating in more than the required number of experiments.

Borderline Grades Stay Borderline: We use plus/minus grading which creates only

minor differences in GPA in adjacent categories. Please don’t argue to raise a borderline

grade.

Lectures

Note on Fair Use of Copyright Material in this Course

Some course material (especially lecture slides) is copyrighted elsewhere. That

material is presented here in either unmodified, or modified form as meeting

the fair use test in that it is factual, that the intended use is educational and that

only small amounts of are taken from any one source (for details see

http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm#test ). Course

material is intended solely for your use in this class to further your education.

Do not distribute or otherwise use class material outside of the class.

Experiments

Basic problems and principles of human experience and behavior. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, or the equivalent in independent study.

Introduction to Psychology
Fall 2009
Instructor: Marc Lewis, PhD.
Office (Hours): SEA 3.252 (make appointment before class)
Email: lewis@psy.utexas.edu
Telephone: 512-796-9314 (home)
Specialty: situations not otherwise covered, problems
TAs:  Any TA can help you with general problems, or can consult with you about studying,
grades, and so on.  For specific problems (experiments, etc.), consult the TA with the
appropriate specialty.
T.A.: Michael Buhrmester
Office (Hours) SEAY 3.426D, M & T 3:00 – 4:30
Email:  mbuhrmest@yahoo.com
Telephone: 471-6852
Specialty: Lead  Computer TA
T.A.: Cari Goetz
Office (Hours) SEAY 3.324A, Th 11:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00
Email: cdgoetz@mail.utexas.edu
Telephone: 471-0111
Specialty: Lead Test TA
T.A.:         Becca North
Office (Hours) SEAY 3.120A, M 1:00-2:30, F 10:30-12:00
Email:         rebeccajnorth@yahoo.com
Telephone: 471-7022
Specialty: Lead Experiments TA
T.A.: Samantha Winton
Office (Hours) SEA 2.204A, T-2:15 - 3:45 W 11:00 – 12:30
Email: tawinton@gmail.com
Telephone: 727-480-9362
Specialty: Lead troubleshooter TA
Text: Exploring Psychology  (7th ed) Myers
Study Guide Optional (not particularly recommended or discouraged)
Experiments
Important experiment facts:
Read about the experiment requirement at:
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301experiment.html
In particular, note that:
1.  You must complete 5 hours of experiments.
2.  Not showing up for an experiment costs you an extra hour.
3.  The prescreen survey counts 1 hour (there is a deadline for finishing this survey).
If you don’t finish the prescreening in one session you can resume from the first
page.after the login page (look bottom-left).
4.  In addition to prescreening you can participate in only one online survey for credit
5. Deadlines for finishing the prescreen survey and for finishing the experimental
requirement. are located at
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/dates.html
The research coordinator (Abby Black) will send you an update at the end of the semester
about your status with regard to the experiment requirement.
If you are retaking the class, email Abby at 301research@psy.utexas.edu to be excused
from the research requirement.
Important experiment links:
Sign up for experiments at
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301.html
(click on experiment registration and login using your UTEID & password)
The FAQ webpage is (http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/psy301FAQs.html).
Experiment Questions or Problems?
Contact the experiment TA, or the experiment coordinator (Abby Black, at
301research@psy.utexas.edu or stop in and see her at Seay 2.216 --telephone 471-4410).
If you do the paper instead of experiments, look for guidelines at
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/Psy301research.html
Exams
There will be four exams with 30-40 multiple choice questions each.  Exam dates are:
Sept 22 Test 1:   Chapters   1, 2, 5
Oct 15 Test 2:   Chapters   6, 7, 8, 9 (thinking only)
Nov 5 Test 3:   Chapters   9 (language, intelligence), 12, 13
Dec 3 Test 4:   Chapters   14, 15
Make up tests are given in cases of emergency.  Make ups for tests 1 – 3 will all be given
at the same time near the end of the semester (instead of the Nov 17th class).  There will be
no class on that day for other students.  Make-ups for test 4 will be given during finals
week -- see the Lead Troubleshooter TA (Samantha)  for permission).
We test your ability to apply psychology to the real world rather than your ability to
memorize the definitions of psychological concepts – that is, we ask whether you can use
what you have learned.  The good side of this philosophy is that you do not need to try to
determine what is important to study for a test– we’ll post an online study sheet that will
tell you what you need to learn (contact the study sheet TA to initiate posting).  You are
responsible for text material whether or not it is covered in class and for lecture material
whether or not it is covered in the text.
Grades
We use both curved and absolute cutoffs and the new plus/minus system to figure grades
depending on what is best for you.   We have this friendly cutoff system in order to
discourage students from arguing individual questions for points.  If, however, you want to
argue an individual question on a test you must see a TA within one week from the time
that the grades for that test were posted.
Grades will be based on your total score for the four exams. If you have a question about
cutoffs or how we calculate grades see the Lead Test TA.  Please note that we do not drop
your lowest test grade.
Extra Credit:  One or two extra credit points can be earned by participating in classroom
demonstrations.  If you earn an extra credit point, be sure to notify the lead classroom TA).
Extra credit points are kept in a separate category on egradebook and they do not count
towards any particular exam grade.  Extra credit cannot be earned by outside papers or
projects or by participating in more than the required number of experiments.
Borderline Grades Stay Borderline: We use plus/minus grading which creates only
minor differences in GPA in adjacent categories.  Please don’t argue to raise a borderline
grade.

Basic problems and principles of human experience and behavior. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, or the equivalent in independent study.