MY GOALS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIESI’m glad to have you with us, and I hope to respond to your enthusiasm with information, lectures, and demonstrations that you’ll find interesting. During the semester, I’ll talk about some of the basic research strategies of psychologist, the principles and laws we’ve discovered, and the language we use. I’ll discuss some of the greatly varied research psychologists are developing. Finally, I’ll also show you methods for applying principles of behavior in your own life.
PHILOSOPHY AND A SUGGESTION FOR ALLThere are several things you can do during the semester to make your job easier. First, I always welcome question. If you don’t understand something, ask me immediately. Don’t wait ‘til after class. If you don’t feel I’ve answered your question well enough in class, please discuss it with me after class. The teaching assistants and I will be available before and after class to review anything about which you may have a question. We can’t help if you don’t ask.
Second, get comfortable with the computer-based Psychology: Exploring Behavior test as soon as possible. The sooner you familiarized yourself with the text and get up to speed and comfortable with it, the better. You will then be able to read the assigned material before coming to lecture. It will be much easier to learn and remember that way!
Third, it is important that you come to class. The more you come to class, the better you will know the material. The better you know the material, the better you will do on exams – both in class and computer certification in text – and the better will be your final grade. It’s that simple. Attendance will be taken only if total class attendance falls below 85%, and those in class will sometimes earn bonus points for being there.
YOUR RIGHTS, OTHERS’ RIGHTSBig universities have bad reputations. They’re thought to be impersonal. To the extent our university is impersonal, it’s your fault! A university is nothing but people. As your professor, I hold office hours five days a week. I am available. I also have a number of TA and Computer Tutors helping me teach the course. There are a number of people here to help you if you’re having trouble with the course, with the any other problem where another’s patient, listening ear might help.
But you must be courageous enough to take the first step. We don’t know if you need help. We don’t know if you’ve got a good, a great, even a brilliant idea. We don’t know any of that until you to see us. Give us the opportunity to help you if we can. Pick one of us, stop by to meet us, and make yourself, your concerns and compliments know. We would like to meet you. A university is impersonal only while people remain alone, grumbling about the lack of a personal touch or the absence of a friend. For the wise student, a quality education is here to be found. It will be as good as the time, energy, and though you dedicate to it.
It is very important that you respect the rights of others in your class. Your problems with your boy- or girlfriend, your opinions on the latest international disaster, your problems parking this morning are of littler interest to anyone but you. If you HAVE to talk about such topics, please go outside; those in class are here mainly to discuss psychology, not your personal problems.
Turn OFF your cell phone and beeper! I may confiscate a cell phone, and we’ll negotiate its return. If your cell phone rings in class, you are violating University policy, and you may be ejected from class for disrupting a University scheduled event. Respect yourself and your fellow students by not talking in class. It disrupts others who are in class to learn. Also, if you leave during class, use ONLY the doors at the back of the auditorium. If you arrive late, or if you must leave early, please sit at the back of the auditorium.
Finally, because this is a large course, and given the uncertainties of weather, scheduling, sickness and health, I can’t always anticipate factors that could influence our lectures, exam, special guests, deadlines, and due date. Any changes in your responsibilities will be announced in class and posted on the Opening Page of Psychology: Exploring Behavior, which fulfills my responsibility in providing public notice of course events.