Assignment

Assignment #1 Due Monday, September 7
PSYC 100-13 by start of class
Fall 2020 via Canvas link

Directions:
 Download this entire Microsoft Word document – located on Canvas/Assignments – (or copy and paste all the text within this file, including these directions, into another word processing program) – and work from it.Type your answers underneath the corresponding questions. Do not delete any text from this file; keeping this consistency between student papers assists me in interpreting Turnitin’s originality calculation.

This is an independent assignment; do not consult with other students about the assignment.

 The assignment is based on the following article, which is located on Canvas/Assignments: Putnam, A. L., Sungkhasettee, V. W., & Roediger, H. L. (2016). Optimizing learning in college: Tips from cognitive psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), pp. 652-660.

 Use the article (and in one instance, your class notes/textbook) to justify your answers (a few items also ask for your personal experiences). You do not need to use other sources or provide citations. The questions should not be answered like a formal essay (i.e., introductory and concluding paragraphs are unnecessary) but make sure you answer each part of the question and that your answers are sufficiently supported.

 No quotes; paraphrase instead.

Grading:
a) Correctness and completeness: 90 points
b) Overall clarity, grammar, and spelling: 10 points
1.According to the authors, what features of Introductory Psychology (and many other introductory courses) make the course especially challenging? (5pts.)

2. The authors of the articlereport that suggestions within the article are largely based on research conducted in the field of cognitive psychology. Briefly describe how those studying cognitive psychology are well-suited to conduct this type of research. (5pts.)

3.After reading this article, “Blane”now understands that reducing distractions while studying is important for effective learning. To block out any distracting noise around him, Blaine now listens to music or her television with headphones while she studies.Evaluate Blaine’sunderstanding of the authors’ discussion of distractions using evidence from the article. (5pts.)
4.The authors describe a few popular, though ineffective, approaches students take to read assigned course readings.

4a)List these few popular though ineffective approaches. (5pts.)

4b) Briefly describe at least three alternative approaches to reading suggested by the authors to improve retention and/orcomprehension?(10pts.)

5. “Fred” does not see the need to attend lectures. “What’s the point? The PowerPoint slides are posted on Canvas and the instructor usually just regurgitates what’s in the slides and the textbook.” Evaluate Fred’s decision to not attend lectures. (5 pts.)

6.Imagine you are a new instructor for an academic course (related to your major) and the college-wide course syllabi requirements distributed by an administrator at the college requires instructors have clearly articulated policies about a number of issues, including whether student laptops in the classroom will be allowed or prohibited.

6a) Briefly describe the pros and cons of allowing students to bring laptops to class sessions.(5pts.)

6b) Briefly describe your own personal experiences (helpful, not helpful, mixed, etc.) with your and/or others’ laptops in class sessions you have attended as a student.(5pts.)

6c) Based on your answers to both a & b, what would your course policy on student laptops be? Explain.(5pts.)

7. For Exam I, you have created 7 flashcards to study the 7 theoretical perspectives covered in class (pp. 12 of Module 1 of our textbook). On one side of the card is the name of the perspective, and the other side is the definition/focus of the perspective. Briefly describe, based on the article, the most effective strategies for using these flashcards to study, and if any additional information should be included on the cards and/or considered while using the flashcards to study. (10pts.)

8. “Ben’s”typical approach to studying for an exam, which he finds highly stressful, is to carve out six hours (6pm-12am) the evening before the exam to study his class notes and the assigned reading from the textbook. It is during these study sessions that Ben regularly first identifies a severe deficit in understanding several important conceptsincluded on the nowquickly approaching exam. He finds a large percentage of his class notes,most of which he last saw a few seconds after taking them in class, confusing. Ben is typically frantically learning course materialand attempting to make sense of his class notes the evening before the exam.

Describe at least three problematic behaviors in which Ben engages and suggest strategies from the article for each thatBen could consider to improve his academic experience. Make sure to describe how the suggestions would be an improvement from his current situation. (15 pts.)
9. Many students believe lack of exercise, and sleep deprivation from all-night study sessions,are unfortunate but generally inconsequential, especially considering the gain in hours to study. According to the authors, how may sleep deprivation and lack of exercise negatively affect learning? (10pts.)

10. Describe one change or modification you have considered for yourself based on research and suggestions from the article. Explain. (5pts.)