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Robert Emery and Thomas Oltmanns (2000) Essentials of Abnormal
Psychology
Scott Lilienfeld (1998) Seeing Both Sides: Classic Controversies
in Abnormal Psychology
Written Assignments
To promote and assess core knowledge (basic facts, definitions, principles,
etc.), students will be required to turn in 12 short (1-2 pages each) written
assignments on a weekly basis. Each assignment will be due on the
date that the topic is to be first covered in class (see Schedule below);
resubmissions are due by the first class meeting after classroom coverage
of the topic has been completed.
Assignments must be submitted (and resubmitted) on time. Students may be allowed to submit a late assignment only if (1) the instructor is notified by the due date that the assignment will be late, and (2) the delay was necessitated by serious illness or injury, personal or family emergency, or conflict with other university-scheduled activities - please note that appropriate documentation may be requested. Initial submissions not submitted on time are treated as resubmissions and may not be resubmitted.
Weekly Discussion
To promote reflection and analysis, there will be additional questions
to be discussed in class, and students should be prepared to discuss these
questions if called on. Students should expect to be called on at
least once a week, both to offer their own answers as well as to comment
on other students’ answers.
Projects
To promote active discovery and research, students will complete any
three of the short (2-3 pages each) projects described below, all of
which must be related to a specific area of psychopathology chosen by the
student:
Term Paper
To promote critical thinking, students will submit a carefully written
term paper, 8-10 pages in length (double-spaced, 1” margins, 12 point font).
The focus of the paper will be a summary and critical analysis of current
scientific thinking in psychology about one of the specific psychological
areas of psychopathology covered in the course, drawing upon the work already
done in the various projects. More detailed Guidelines for the paper
will be distributed early in the semester. A first draft of the paper
is due Monday, May 7. Papers will be graded and returned to students
within one week. Students will then have the option to revise their
papers and resubmit them before the end of the semester.
Final Exam
To promote the ability to integrate and apply what they have learned,
students will complete a take-home, essay-style Final Exam. Questions
will be distributed on the last day of classes, and completed exams will
be due on the date set during the Final Exam period in May. It will
consist of a specific case study for which students will have to answer
several questions related to material covered by the weekly assignments,
all required readings, and material presented in class.
Attendance
Regular attendance is expected and will be tracked, beginning with
the end of the Add-Drop period. There are no penalties for absences,
but students are responsible for all material presented in class.
Attendance will be considered for extra credit in the calculation of final
course grades.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to work independently on all written requirements.
Copying from or using the work of another is a serious violation of University
rules and will result in a failing grade for that requirement. When
quoting or paraphrasing from a published source, students must clearly
cite the reference; rules for citing references will be included in the
Guidelines for the paper. Students must follow the “Rule of 5,” which
says that anytime you use 5 or more words taken verbatim from another,
you must put the words in quotation marks and correctly cite the source
of the quote, including the page number.
FINAL GRADE
Grading will be based on total points earned on a 125-point scale.
The requirements listed above are worth up to the following:
| Requirement | Maximum Points Available |
| Assignments (4 each) | 48 |
| Class Discussion | 12 |
| Projects (8 each) | 24 |
| Term Paper | 25 |
| Final Exam | 16 |
| Attendance Bonus | (5) |
A total of 110 points or better will earn an A, 98-109 an AB, 86-97 a B, 74-85 a BC, 62-73 a C, 50-61 a CD, 38-49 a D; a total below 38 will result in a failing grade of F.
Copyright ©1998 Beverly J. Volicer and Steven F. Tello, UMass Lowell. You may freely edit these pages for use in a non-profit, educational setting. Please include this copyright notice on all pages.