Psychology 342 Learning & Memory
Fall 2007/ Section 002261

Tentative Schedule of Topics for Psy 342

Required Text: Purdy, Markham, Schwartz, & Gordon. (2001) Learning & Memory
(2^nd edition). Wadsworth.

Prerequisites: Students must have earned six credits in psychology courses.

Course Description: A survey of classical and operant conditioning, observational learning, and models of memory storage and retrieval. This course is designed for both majors and minors, and it is intended to provide background in theories, principles, and applications of learning and memory. It will prepare majors for work in an advanced laboratory class in learning or cognition. It will also enable minors and students from other disciplines to explore the implications and applications of learning for clinical and educational interventions.

Course Objectives: Students will gain in-depth knowledge of issues, theories, and research in the areas of learning and memory. Through an integration of lectures, discussions, interactive demonstrations, and research, this course explores various processes involved in knowledge acquisition, storage, and retrieval. Specific topics include associative learning mechanisms, the impact of reinforcement and punishment on behavior, generalization and discrimination, memory encoding, long-term memory storage and retrieval, and  memory distortions. Students should gain an appreciation for different theoretical accounts of learning and memory processes. Students should also be able to apply many aspects of the course material to everyday life.

Reading Assignments: Most readings will come from the Purdy text. On some weeks, the assigned readings may include journal articles placed on reserve at the library reserve desk or accessible via links on the course website.

Exams: (200 pts.) This class will have 4 unit exams. Each exam is worth 50 points. Questions will be a combination of essay, short answer, multiple choice, and true/false formats. Plan to attend class on test days. If you will miss a test, alert the instructor about 1 week prior to the exam so that arrangements can be made for you to take the test before the scheduled time. If you miss a test for medical reasons, you must provide documentation of illness. Any request to take an exam after the scheduled time must be accompanied by a written excuse from the health center or attending physician (in the case of a medical reason), or some other kind of documentation. Otherwise, no make-up exam will be given. I reserve the right to refuse a make-up for an unexcused missed exam.

Theory Paper: (90 pts.) Students will choose a theory in the learning and memory field. Students will trace the development of the theory (including empirical evidence for and against) and conclude with an evaluation of the current state of the theory. The theory paper will include the following sections in APA format: Title page, Abstract, and Introduction (lit. review). Students must incorporate a minimum of 10 scientific sources (e.g., journal articles, book chapters, etc.) in the paper. The theory paper will be developed in stages, including a detailed outline (20 points) and the final paper (70 points). Additional guidelines and resources will be posted on the course website. Late papers will incur an automatic letter-grade deduction for every calendar day past due. 

Homework Assignments: (60 pts.) Homework assignments (3 assignments worth 20 points each) will be posted on the web. Directions and expectations will be explained in class. Failure to attend class may jeopardize your grade for the featured assignment. Assignments will require students to process and apply critical concepts introduced in class, often requiring students to work beyond the material presented in class. Assignments must be typed. Answers should be thoughtful and well constructed, with complete and grammatical sentences. Deductions will be taken for lack of relevance, lack of detail, lack of editing, and incomplete sentences. Due dates are posted in the course schedule. Assignments must be complete at the beginning of the class period in which they are due. Assignments may not be submitted via email. Late assignments will incur an automatic letter-grade deduction for every calendar day past due. 

In-Class Activities:  (50 points) Class activities will be presented for opportunities to apply and discuss the material with classmates. There will be 10 activities presented, with each worth 5 points. Activities will be unannounced; therefore attendance is crucial in order to gain these points. There will be no make-ups for class activities (no exceptions). If you miss an in-class activity, keep in mind that you may earn 12 extra credit points as described below.

Extra Credit: Extra credit will be given for participation in experiments run in the department (2 points for each 15 minutes of participation). Students can earn a maximum of 12 extra credit points by participating in research. If participation in research is not possible, see your professor for alternative projects.

Course Grading Policy: Final grades will be determined from a total of 400 points. Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A = 358-400 points (90-100%)
B = 318-357 points (80-89%)
C = 278-317 points (70-79%)
D = 238-277 points (60-69%)
F = 237 points or less (59% or less)

IMPORTANT: These grade cut-offs are fixed. The borders have already been relaxed, so monitor your progress, and earn extra credit points (if possible) to secure your grade category.

Student Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of all information in the syllabus, including dates and procedures for assignments and grading; to frequently check the course web page for class announcements or changes; to complete the reading assignments before each class; to take an active role in learning the material; to seek out help from the professor in a timely fashion; to monitor your performance in this class, including keeping track of your grades; and to inform the professor ahead of time in the case of special needs.  Be aware that it is common courtesy to arrive and leave class on time so as not to disturb the professor or other students.

Incompletes: No incompletes will be given unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. University policy requires that the student sign a “Removal of Incomplete” contract with the instructor for completion of the work. Under this policy, an incomplete will automatically be converted to an F if the work is not completed in one semester.

Academic Honesty: The MSUM Student Handbook (http://web.mnstate.edu/sthandbook) discusses student conduct code issues including academic integrity such as cheating or plagiarism. If you have any questions regarding this conduct code or your rights, please review the handbook.

Copying test answers or papers from classmates or other sources (including the web) is considered plagiarism and is the equivalent of scholarly or “literary” stealing. Such activities reflect shabby standards of personal integrity and such conduct is professionally unethical. In the event that you are caught plagiarizing or copying, you will be failed in the course, regardless of the level of work on other class activities. The University may take other disciplinary actions for students who cheat on tests or papers, up to and including suspension from the University (consult the Student Policy Handbook). Consult the APA Publication Manual (5th edition) regarding proper ways of citing other people’s work.

Special Accommodations: Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services, at 477-5859 (voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY) in CMU 114 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.