Critical Thinking in Psychology                          Instructor: Donette Steele, M.A.

Spring 2008                                                          Email: donettesteele@verizon.net

Phone (562) 856-8122

SYLLABUS 

REQUIRED TEXT: Critical Thinking in Psychology by John Ruscio

Initial Class Meeting:                                                           Jan. 8

Chapter 1            Pseudoscience                                          Jan. 10, 15, & 17

Chapter 2            Science: Evaluating Claims                    Jan. 22, 24 & 29

Chapter 3           Language and Misleading Tactics           Jan. 31, Feb. 5 & 7     

Chapter 4           The Allure of Exotic Rituals…                Feb. 12 & 14

Chapter 5            Authority and Blind Obedience              Feb. 19, 21 & 26 

Chapter 6            Limitations of Testimonials                     Feb. 28 & March 4

Chapter 7            Plausibility: All Beliefs are not Equal    March 6 & 11

Chapter 8            Association: Establishing

                            and Interpreting                                         March 13 & 25 

Chapter 9            Risk: Biased Perceptions and…               March 27 & April 1     

Chapter 10           Belief: Confirmation Bias…                     April 3 & 8

Chapter 11           Schemes: Seductiveness of…                    April 10 & 15

Chapter 12           Illusions: Perception of Control                April 17 & 22             

Chapter 13           Classic Decision Theory                             April 24 & 29

Chapter 14          Clinical Versus Statistical Approaches      May 1 & 6

FINAL                To Be Announced                                        See Final Schedule 

OFFICE HOURS:  I am available by appointment. I may also be

 reached at (562) 8568122.  My email address is: donette.steele@verizon.net    I will return email promptly.

 Do not call the Division Office with  messages for the

instructor, as the department does not

accept messages.

EXAMS: You will be taking one quiz per week.  Each will cover

 the material from the assigned chapter, readings, films, and

lectures.  You will be allowed to drop your lowest  two

exam/ quiz scores.

MISSED QUIZZES: There are no makeup quizzes the course. 

You are allowed to drop your two lowest exam/quiz scores.

 If you miss a quiz that will constitute your two lowest exam

scores (0) and will be dropped.

CRITICAL THINKING ASSESSMENT/REACTION PAPERS:

You will be assigned articles/films to assess, as an individual

or as a group, using critical thinking skills. The CRITIC Method must be used when assessing information from a critical thinking perspective (unless otherwise specified by the Instructor).   

Each article will be equal in grading weight to one quiz.

CLASSROOM/ GROUP/INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS: 

EXTRA CREDIT

You will be completing in class assignments as individuals

or in groups.  Each completed assignment will be worth

10% extra credit on the corresponding quiz.

TERMPAPER:  You will be writing one termpaper critically

 assessing a film and the corresponding report on which

the film is based.  Termpaper will be four pages in length

and will be weighted as five quiz scores.  Grammar,

punctuation and vocabulary as well as your ability to

critically assess the information will be important on

this paper.

SUBMISSIONS:  All submissions must be type-written with

 the exception of  certain in class assignments.  Instructor will announce if submission is exempt from being typed.

SEMESTER GRADE:  Your semester grade will be based

on an average of your quiz scores (minus your two lowest

quiz scores), your scores on the Assessment/ Reaction

Papers and Termpaper (which is weighted equal to five

quiz scores.) 

PARTICIPATION:   It will benefit you to participate in all

classroom discussions. Participation may positively

influence your semester grade.

GRADING: The scale for assigned letter grades is as

 follows: 90 + = A, 80+ =B, 70+=C, 60+=D, <60=F.

ATTENDANCE: Attendance is mandatory according to

policy.  The policy states:  Attendance is the students

responsibility.  In the event of excessive absences, the

instructor may drop a student from a course or lower the

 student=s grade. Students who are absent more than

 twenty percent of the total class hours or for two

consecutive weeks may be dropped from class.   

WITHDRAWING FROM COURSE:  It is your responsibility

to drop this course, if you decide to do so, by the

appropriate date.  To keep from being assigned a letter

 grade by the Instructor you must complete and submit

 the necessary paperwork to Admissions.  Failure to do

 this will result in the assignment of a letter grade by the I

nstructor.  The Instructor cannot assign the grade of “W”

 at the end of the Semester.  The college requires a letter

grade.

CLASS DECORUM: I enjoy and encourage participation

during the class.  If you choose to speak, please speak

to the whole class.  Aside conversations are not permitted. 

 If you choose to not address the entire class with comments

 or engage in private conversations, you will be asked to

 leave.

GROUP/ INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY IN CLASS: Read your

 assigned chapter before you get to class.  We will be

working in groups to demonstrate many of the concepts

 in the text.    There will also be individual classroom projects

 designed to aid you in understanding the text and concepts.

It will benefit you to participate in all activities. 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Cheating will result in a grade of F

 (0%) on an Exam or Paper and may lead to further

disciplinary action by the college.  If you allow another

 student to copy off your exam, you are equally guilty

of the commission of Cheating and the same penalties

will result. 

HANDOUT MATERIALS:  Study Guides, Extra Credit Puzzles

 and Assignments are posted on the Course Web Site. 

 It is you responsibility to obtain them. 

If you do not own a computer, there are facilities at the

college to allow you to access this information.  You may

also wish to use the computers at the Public Library. 

All emails to the Instructor must include your name, college,

class time and day in the subject line.  Any emails without the

 above will not be opened or returned by the instructor. 

Use college grammar and spelling when you email the

Instructor.