Attendance and Participation: I do not take attendance, but since students are expected to participate in discussions, excessive absences will noted and can adversely affect grades. Note, that you are responsible for any information presented in class. That includes material I present that is not in the book. It also includes changes in exam dates or assignments. My colleagues and I have found a strong correlation between class attendance and grades. I urge you to show up for class.
Attendance is required for the laboratory. Since students serve as experimenters and subjects for research activities, one student's absence can hurt the rest of the students. Also, I give the instructions for the laboratory activities at the beginning of the lab. Therefore, promptness is also important. Finally, psychological research is a collaborative effort among experimenters and subjects. Active cooperation and participation during the design of experiments and the collection of data is crucial for a successful laboratory.
The Tests: Notice that I have scheduled 4 tests and a final exam. Each test will cover the chapters assigned for that section of the course. The final will be the same format and length as the other tests, but will be comprehensive (i.e. cover the whole course). Each test will have some (~30) multiple-choice items (1 point each), and some (~10) short answer or identification items (2 points each).
Lab Reports: A lab report will be required for each experiment completed. Every report must include a Title Page and an Abstract. I will inform the class members what other section(s) should also be completed. The reports should be in American Psychological Association (APA) format. I will review this format during our first laboratory session. The format is also covered in Appendix C of the textbook. Additional help is available at Purdue's Writing Laboratory. I encourage students to discuss the lab and their write-ups with other students. When it comes time to do the actual writing of reports, students must work independently.
Grading: If you take all five tests (the four tests plus the final) your final test grade will equal the average of your 4 highest scores. That is, I will drop your lowest grade. This implies that if you are satisfied with your grade after taking the four tests, you need not take the final. It also implies that you cannot hurt (lower) your grade by taking the final. If you miss a test, the final will be the make-up.
The course grade will be based on: Average test score (66%); Laboratory Reports (22%); Class and laboratory participation (12%).