THURSDAY, JANUARY30TH

REMINDER, ON THURSDAY JANUARY 30TH, PSY 215 AT 9:30AM, AND PSY 101 AT 11:00AM WILL BE CANCELLED.

PSY 201 AT 12:30PM AND PSY 201 AT 3:00PM WILL HAVE CLASS

STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITY!

One of our ANT professors, Lisa Cordani-Smith, is leading a Study Abroad program this summer. Her program is 3 credits intro to anthropology and 3 credits Caribbean cultures - held on St. Lucia. travel dates are May 31 through June 26 cost: $2,300 covers everything except tuition and air.   If you’d like more information, please contact Lisa at cordanl@sunysuffolk.edu

 

Some interesting articles for reading:

A note about article postings: I will denote a particular class if the article should be read by that class. If I do not put a specific class then it is a more general article. Even if I put a specific class, it would be fine to read the ar5ticle if you have an interest in Psychology!


Most of us begin the semester with the intent of being successful. Have you ever thought about why some people are successful and others not? Recently, the following article offered some interesting insight on this questions. I encourage all students to take a look!

What Drives Success? (New York Times, January 25th, 2014) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/opinion/sunday/what-drives-success.html?_r=0

In Psy 215, we will be covering the topic of Addiction. In yesterday's Newsday there was a major article on the issue of Heroin addiction on Long Island. I encourage all students to read it but it is particularly important for Psy 215 students!

Heroin becomes an increasing problem on Long Island (Newsday, January 26th, 2014):

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/heroin-becomes-an-increasing-problem-on-li-1.6878889

I n Psy 201, we will be discussing the issue of how celluar activity in the human brain can account for complex behavior. Neuroscientists are hoping to better understand the answers to this questions by exploring how brain circuits actually work. The following article discusses some new initiatives and insight into this intriguing area:

The Brain in Exquisite Detail (New York Times, January 6th, 2014)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/science/the-brain-in-exquisite-detail.html

 

 

Welcome to the Spring 2014 Semester

Welcome students of the Spring 2014 semester! I am hoping we have a stimulating and enjoyable semester as you experience the world of Psychology. There are a host of additional course materials as well as sources to assist you with your research available through the website. Also, make sure you check this blog on a regular basis for updates and extra credit opportunities.

My goal is to offer students who are willing to work hard an opportunity to be immersed in the world of Psychology and explore topics of interest in more detail. In addition, it can serve as a valuable opportunity for you to increase your chances of obtaining a good grade in the course. On that note, I would like to share a few ideas of things to focus on to both enhance your course experience and give yourself a chance to obtain the best grade possible:

It is important to note that I am in the process of solidifying some issues with the website. I am confident they should all be worked out by February 1st and the website will be fully accurate and operational by then.
 

Homework: It will be important to consistently complete your standing homework assignments. If you do, they will provide you valuable context and reinforcement of class lectures. Your standing homework assignments are:

1.     Keep up with the reading: It is a general assumption you will be doing a reading to accompany the class lectures. This will help enhance your understanding of the material and give you a deeper knowledge of the subject matter

2.     Watch the assignment videos: The videos associated with the lectures were designed to provide you more details about different topics as well as reinforce material covered in class. Watching them is an excellent way to enhance your understanding and assist with the process of committing the material to memory for test preparation.

·       Plan out your assignments: Writing assignments are a key component of the class. Make sure you develop a schedule early on for their completion and adjust accordingly if you fail to stay on time

• Make sure you understand all the requirements for the writing assignments on the syllabus so you are not penalized for not following the assignment!
• Make sure you identify an appropriate topic early-please see me with any questions
• Using a peer-reviewed "review article" is normally a great approach

 

·         Stay in touch: Many issues can be resolved earlier in the semester and can make the rest of the semester go much smoother. Make sure you are familiar enough with course expectations to ask the questions early in the semester. Feel free to ask during class time so everyone can get the benefit of the information

·         Class Participation: Please feel free to share thoughts, ideas, and questions during class. I find class discussion an integral part  of a stimulating learning experience and hope you will be an active participant in the class.

·         If you find any websites or resources that are helpful to you in the course please share them with me

as my website is a dynamic site and I am always looking for resources that will be useful to students