EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SYLLABUS - PSY 270
Spring 2024 (2242)

Section 020: M W 2:00 - 2:50;   294-C Old Main
 Section 050: T H 3:00 - 4:50;   294-C Old Main

Professor: Dr. Robert S. Ryan

Office: 385 Old Main

Office hours: Mon. 11 - 1; Tues. 12 - 1; and Wed. 11-1. Also, you are welcome to drop in at my office, 385 Old Main, any time to try to catch me. I can usually take a few minutes to help you unless I am tied up with something very important or time sensitive. It doesn't have to be during my office hours. You can drop in any time I'm not teaching, in a meeting, or busy with some other commitment (you can ask me to temporarily share my Google calendar with you to see my specific meetings, and other commitments). However, if you are going out of your way to see me, whether during my office hours or not, then it is always best to call me on my cell (610-698-9108) right before you want to come, just in case I am not available because of something unexpected. For example, I could be with another student who just stopped in. If you call or visit my office during a time you thought you could catch me and find that I am not there right at that moment or I don't answer the phone, don't assume I'm not available. First, knock on my door if it is closed. Also, I could have just stepped away from the office or my phone for a few minutes. So if you don't see me in my office, and I don't answer when you knock or answer the phone when you call, always wait at least a few minutes and try again.

Office Phone (But I'm often away from my office phone. It's better to email me.): 484-646-4325
E-mail: rryan@kutztown.edu
Home Phone: Only if absolutely necessary. Email me first for my cell phone number.
Website: http://faculty.kutztown.edu/rryan

Required Text (Links to the e-text are in the Content section on D2L):
The cost of the e-text is billed to you by Inclusive Access.

EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
BY KANTOWITZ, BARRY H., ELMES, DAVID G., ROEDIGER, HENRY L., III
ISBN-13: 9781111357993
ISBN-10: 1111357994
PUBLISHER: WADSWORTH
EDITION: 10TH
PUB DATE: JANUARY 24, 2014

Course description: Experimental Psychology deals with various aspects of research in the field of psychology. Experience will be provided with the design of research, the collection of data, the analysis of data, and the presentation of results. A research project utilizing the theories and methods is required.

PREREQUISITES: PSY 011 with a C or better and PSY 200 with a C or better OR permission of instructor.

Course objectives: This course is designed to provide an introduction to the research methods used by psychologists. The general objectives for the course are that the students will:

1. Identify the basic processes of the scientific approach to knowledge

2. Identify, organize, and define the basic and advanced terms, concepts, and principles of theoretical and applied research.

3. Review, organize, and summarize the prior research literature.

4. Identify and use the various research designs in the field of psychology.

5. Collect, analyze, and present the results of an investigation.

6. Evaluate the results of scientific research.

CASA is here to help!

The Center for Academic Success & Achievement (CASA) provides students with individualized success plans, study skills support, and connections to campus resources.  The CASA website, www.kutztown.edu/casa, has valuable links and resources such as a printable student calendar for tracking exams and assignments. Stop by CASA on the lower-level of the library in RL 26 next to Tutoring Services, or contact CASA at casa@kutztown.edu or (610) 683-4007, to talk with a Coordinator for Student Success.

Using Desire2Learn to turn in assignments

All assignments are to be turned in as word processor (Word, WordPerfect, or OpenOffice) documents. The word processor file must be named with the name of the student (last name, then first name), your section number, and the assigment. For example, if I were turning in Paper 2, and I were in section 070, I would name the file "ryan_robert_070_paper_2.doc".  

Free Software

If you need to work at your own computer, rather than a lab computer, and you do not have Microsoft Word or WordPerfect, then there is a free suite of office software, called OpenOffice, that includes a word processor (as well as a spreadsheet (like Excel) and presentation (like PowerPoint) program. All of the products are of excellent quality, as good as or better than Microsoft's, and all of the products work almost identically to the corresponding Microsoft products. You can download a version for virtually any operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux, and others) from http://www.openoffice.org. All of the OpenOffice software is compatible with all of the Microsoft Office software. The Open Office word processor opens Word files and allows you to save your documents as Word files. If you download their products, you may want to consider at some point supporting them with a donation. Although doing so is not required, they certainly deserve it.

Using PsychInfo and SSCI to do literature searches

You will do a literature search using PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). These are web based databases of the psychology literature. They can be accessed when you are on campus by physically going to the library, or by going to the library web site from any computer on the Kutztown network. As long as you are on campus, you can access them without any special access code. However, to access them from off campus you will need to use one of two methods. First, you can use your student ID card number as a password. This will only work if your student ID card has been scanned at the library. So, if you have not used your ID card at the library, you will need to go to the library one time and have them scan the bar code on your ID into the system. Second, you can use your KU email and password.

Summary of class policies and Study Tips.
(For complete class policies, see http://faculty.kutztown.edu/rryan/policies.htm)

Academic Honesty: It is my intention to uphold the academic honesty policy of Kutztown. Academic dishonesty involves any attempt to obtain academic credit or influence the grading process by means unauthorized by the course instructor."  Click here for the complete academic honesty policy . The student conduct page on Kutztown's website can be found at this link: student conduct . 

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who need special accommodations must make their requests and submit documentation to the Disability Services Office (215 Stratton Administration Building, 610- 683-4108, direct any emails to the Provider of Services to Students with Disabilities, Ms. Linda Lantaff, lantaff@kutztown.edu). The Disabilities Services office will then provide the student with a letter to the professor asking for appropriate accommodations. The letter should be sent to Dr. Ryan immediately.

Reporting Disclosures of Dating Violence or Similar Crimes. Educators must report incidents of gender-based crimes, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence. If a student discloses such incidents in class, in papers, or to me, I am required by law to report the disclosure, including relevant details, such as the names of those involved in the incident, to Public Safety and Police Services and to Jesus PenÍa, Vice-President for Equity and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator. On the one hand, I cannot guarantee confidentiality.  However, if you have been a victim, I encourage you to seek help from The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (610-683-4072). The counseling center is a resource on campus where you can talk about such situations and, as long as you are 18 years old or older, receive assistance in confidence.

Communication: Kutztown email is now the standard means of communication between faculty and students. If I need to contact the whole class (especially important in the winter) I will send an email to the class list. The class list contains the Kutztown email address of everyone registered for the course. You should check your email regularly. If you do not wish to use your Kutztown email, then you need to set it to forward to whatever email you actually use. Contact Information Technology for help with your email.

Grading: Your grade for the course will come from the weekly quizzes on D2L, the CITI Ethics Training certificate, the Plagiarism Training certificate, and your collaborative review of each others' papers, which will consist of the four parts of a research project report (Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion.) Point values are: Each of the 14 chapter quizzes, 20 pts. each. Each of the two certificates, 15 pts. each. Each of the collaborative reviews of the four parts of the research project report, 10 pts. each. The final exam will be the Ch 15 quiz, but it will not be included in the drop two lowest quiz grades policy. Also, the Final Exam, although on D2L, must be taken in the Experimental lab in OM 294 - C - during the regularly scheduled Final Exam time for your section (see below.) Your lowest two quiz grades from quizzes 1 through 14 will be dropped. The number of possible points for your final grade will be 240 pts. for the12 Quizzes after the drops (65.6%),  30 pts. for the 2 certificates(8.2%), 40 pts. for the collaborative review of the project report (10.9%), and 56 pts. for attendance (15.3%). That is a total of a required 366pts.  There will also be a 15 point extra credit quiz to help the Psychology Department assess the course. It is not required, but you will be helping the department if you take it. Because it is Extra Credit, so you have nothing to lose by taking it. It will only be available in the 15th week of the semester.

The grade on any individual test or activity will be shown on D2L as a percentage grade. It can be converted to a letter grade according to the following breakdown. There are no plus/minus grades. There is no extra credit. Grades are not curved.:

90% - 100% = A
80% - 89% = B
70% - 79% = C
60% - 69% = D
< 60 = F

FYI - Click here to download --> Campus Activities - Career Development

Tentative Weekly Schedule
This is a tentative course syllabus and subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.