Some good advice for the beginning of a semester........

The following articled is required reading for anyone interested in a fulfilling and successful college career...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-r-schwarz/twenty-suggestions-for-in_b_7859008.html

WELCOME TO THE FALL, 2015 SEMESTER

Welcome students of the Fall 2015 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, there will be valuable opportunities for you to expand learning and increase your chances of obtaining a good grade in the course. To some extent, what you get out of the course will be dependent on what you put into it.

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:

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.

3.       Prepare for your quizzes: You will have four quizzes. Not only will the quiz grades be average together and count as a full test grade, but they also will provide you with the opportunity to study the material that will be included in the much longer Midterm and Final.

       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!

·         REMEMBER: No assignments will be accepted after the final due date so make sure you do not miss it!

         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

       Your 1^st Homework Assignment! :

·         Familiarize yourself with my website and the Psychology Blog.

Between them, you will have the majority of resources you will need to complete course assignments and prepare for exams

Look forward to seeing you in class!