BRAIN MYTHS &
FOLK PSYCHOLOGY

200.214

Thursday 2:00-4:30pm

Ames Hall 234

CLASS EMAILS (in case you missed something)

Contact	Office	email
Dr. Amy Shelton	223 Ames Hall	ashelton@jhu.edu
Chad Spiegel	121 Ames Hall	chad.speigel@jhu.edu

COURSE SCHEDULE (Links to Lecture Slides)

Course goal: The primary goal is to explore popular notions about the brain and psychology and to discuss what science has actually revealed about them. In the process, we will introduce you to major concepts, questions, and research techniques in cognitive and systems neuroscience. Note: this class is about the science, using popular media as a springboard for teaching about a variety of topics in psychology & neuroscience.

Books: There is no textbook for this class. Instead, you need to attend the movies and lectures. Lecture/discussion notes will be available on the website following the lectures. Slides are NOT an appropriate substitute for attending class, but should be used in conjunction with good note-taking.

There are two required novels for the course:

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

READ BY 10/15 (thought paper due that day)

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

READ BY 1-/29 (thought paper due that day)

Both books are available at the bookstore or can be found very cheap at any online book vendor. They should also be available at most libraries.

Additional Readings: There are assigned readings for each topic in the course, listed at the back of the syllabus and on the course website. These are subject to changes (or additions) no less than 2 weeks before they are due. Any changes will be announced in class. All readings must be completed by the date listed in the course schedule. These are available via library reserves, which can be accessed through the class website or directly at: http://reserves.library.jhu.edu

Quizzes & Demos: Several 5-point quizzes and demos will be given in class for up to 50 points. These will be unannounced, so be prepared at the beginning or end of all class meetings. Quizzes will test your basic understanding of the reading and any previous material covered in the course. Demos will illustrate important concepts. If you miss a quiz or demo for any reason, you will not be able to make it up. However, the points simply accumulate, and there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the term. If you are concerned, you can also avail yourself of the extra credit opportunities.

Thought papers: Six 25-point thought papers (4-6 pages each) are required for this course. Each paper is in response to one of the books or movies and the scientific readings. If you fail to turn in a paper on time FOR ANY REASON, you may not make it up, but only the 4 best scores count towards your grade. You will receive a 0 for any paper not turned in, so you cannot miss more than two without consequences. Detailed instructions on the thought papers can be found at the end of the syllabus. The best strategy is to do all six papers—you get feedback and you have more flexibility at the end. In addition, for those of you who are daring, we offer a make-your-own assignment option. This option replaces one thought paper, but it has strict guidelines (see Make-Your-Own-Assignment Option).

Exams: There are two cumulative exams in the course, a midterm and a final. Exams will be a mix of question types. (We wish we could give more exams, but the schedule just does not permit it.)

OldExam THIS IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY. EXAMS FOR THIS SEMESTER VARY IN BOTH CONTENT AND FORMAT.

KEYS TO QUIZZES AND MIDTERM

Attendance: Although there is no explicit requirement to attend class, there are substantial consequences for missing a course that only meets once a week. First, you are responsible for all lecture materials, videos, demos, and movies shown in class. Most of the movies are available through the library or your local video store, but that means you have to find time to watch them and respond. Second, without a textbook, the lectures are critical. The lecture slides are not sufficient for learning the material. Finally, the quizzes and demos are a big part of your learning experience and a part of your grade. If you miss them, you cannot make them up unless you do extra credit.

Extra Credit: Students may earn a maximum of 10 extra credit points in this course by doing a combination of three different opportunities. Note: there are more opportunities than just the 10-point maximum. You may obtain more than 10, but only 10 will be added to your grade.

» Experimental participation (max 10 points)—students may participate in psychology experiments for up to 10 points of extra credit. One credit is awarded for each hour of participation (half hour = half credit). See Experimetrix handout for details.

» Website contributions (max 5 points)—on the course website, we list resources on brain myths and related topics. Students may choose to contribute to this list of resources by finding, analyzing, and writing up a new website. A description of what is required will be provided when a potential website is submitted via email to the instructor and TA. Only the first student to identify any given website will be eligible to write-up that site. Each website is worth UP TO 1 point, depending on our evaluation of how much effort went into it.

IMPORTANT:

1. This is EXTRA credit and not a required part of the course. We offer these as a cushion or to make up points. There is no expectation about how much or how little extra credit any individual will complete. Availability of EC is not guaranteed.

2. Extra credit cannot be used to change a failing grade to a passing grade. In other words, if you have an F before adding extra credit, you will receive an F for the course regardless of how much extra credit you complete.

3. Extra credit will be given as points only. It does not automatically change one letter grade to a higher one as it all depends on the total points acquired.

Grading: This class is all about accumulating points. We will use a standard grading scale by dividing the total number of points accumulated by the total number possible. All passing grades will be recalculated with the extra credit added to the total accumulated before the final course grade is given.

Point breakdown

Quizzes & Demos	50
Thought Papers	100
Exam 1 (10/22)	100
Final Exam (12/12)	150
Total	400

Just a few class rules…

Respect each other. Mutual respect can go a very long way in creating a comfortable environment. We will not always agree with each other, but it is important that we treat each other with respect. This includes being on time, being attentive, and participating in discussions.
NO PHONES. It is incredibly rude for a phone to ring during a lecture or any other classroom activity. If you cannot remember to turn your ringer off, then you should leave your phone at home. If your phone rings during class (movie, demo, lecture, etc.), 2 points will be deducted from your point total. If your phone rings during an exam, 5 points will be deducted from your point total.
Talk to us and to each other. A big part of science and education is communication. Ask questions, tell us your thoughts, and talk to each other about the course. Just be sure to do your thought papers on your own.

University Statement on Academic Ethics

The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. In this course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition.

In this course, thought papers and in-class quizzes and exams are to be done without discussion or collaborations. If you have questions, you should always ask your professor or teaching assistant.

Report any violations you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate dean of students and/or the chair of the Ethics Board beforehand. See the guide on "Academic Ethics for Undergraduates" and the Ethics Board Website (http://ethics.jhu.edu) for more information.

OTHER INTERESTING LINKS

For problems with website, contact:
ashelton@jhu.edu
Last updated: 12/8/09