PSYC 210-01 Introduction To Cognitive Neuroscience Fall 05

Contact Info:

Stephen Romero                        Office hours: 30 Minutes after each class,                   

Bailey Hall 301B                         Mon & Wed 3:30-4:30, or by appointment

Office: 388-7106

Email: romeros@union.edu

Web: http://www.union.edu/PUBLIC/PSYDEPT/romeros/index.htm

Course Objectives and Organization:

            Neuroscience research is focused on understanding the relationship between  brain function, cognitive processing and behavior in general. This area of research is the result of the logical progression of findings in many different fields. As such, researchers in this field come from widely disparate backgrounds These researchers include cognitive psychologists, clinical neuropsychologists, basic neuroscientists or bio-psychologists, physicians, and computer scientists. Thus, research questions are considered from many different levels and many different converging methodologies are used. 

            This course presents an in-depth, research-oriented introduction to cognitive neuroscience.  Students will learn to think about issues in neuroscience and evaluate the conclusions drawn from a variety of different methodological approaches, addressing many cognitive functions (e.g. emotion, language, memory).  Students will present their ideas formally in both written and oral form.

            Many of the topics presented are complex and the understanding of which requires putting together findings from many methodological approaches. The best way to learn this material is by being exposed to it in many different ways. The reading assignments are intended as background for the lectures and should be completed prior to the class lecture on the same topic.  This will give students their first exposure to the material as a foundation to be built upon during the lectures.  The lectures in turn, will focus on the key points from the reading, and will explore selected issues in greater depth. The class period will end with the assignment of thought questions that will help the students put the key points into context or help put the different pieces together. These questions will not be graded initially, but will form the basis of the essay sections of the midterm and the final. All students will be expected to discuss their answers to these questions from time to time throughout the term and this will make part of their class participation grade. Regular quizzes will provide an additional exposure to topics that have been read, lectured and discussed in class. Students are responsible for all material in the reading regardless of if topics are discussed in class.  It should be noted, however, that topics that are discussed in the lecture and are also in the reading will be more likely to be on the tests and/or will make up the majority of the items on the tests.   

Texts and Resources:

Required Text: M., Gazzaniga; R. B., Ivry; & G. R., Mangun (2002) Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of Mind, Second edition.

Blackboard Site: http://online.union.edu:80/index.html

            Login: Your union email ID (e.g., romeros)

            Password: Your idol (i.e., email) password

Course Policies:

Assignments. 

            You are expected to complete the weekly reading before class and come prepared for the lecture and any discussion.  Class participation grades will be based on each student’s involvement in the class discussion of the thought questions.

            The major assignments are an 8-10 page paper, a 10-minute oral presentation based on the paper. A separate handout will specify the requirements for the paper and presentation.

Thought Questions. Thought questions will be posted on blackboard when appropriate. These questions are meant for the student to answer at home individually so that they can generate their own understanding of material that was just covered in class.  We will go over these in class so that students can assess and update their own understanding of the topics covered by these questions.  Answers online should be written in complete sentences and in each student’s own words. Although these will not be graded as to the correctness of the answers, not completing the thought questions online and not participating in the class discussions of these will be detrimental to students class participation grades.

Quizzes. Quizzes will be given on a semi-regular basis either at the beginning or end of the class period.  Quizzes will be announced one class meeting before they are given. No make up quizzes will be given, but at least one low quiz score will be dropped from the quiz average. The actual number of dropped quizzes will depend on the number of quizzes given during the term. Some of the questions on the midterm and final will be taken directly from the quizzes.

Exams. There will be two exams given. The midterm will cover the first half of the course and the final will predominately focus on the second half of the course, but there will be some questions that pertain to the first half of the course on the final.  Makeup exams will be given during a to be determined time during final exam week.

Attendance.

            Students are responsible for all material whether they are in class or not. Make arrangements with a colleague to obtain material missed in an absence. Please do not take time away from your fellow students by coming to office hours expecting a make up lecture.  Office hours should be used to for individual help regarding topics that are still unclear after the exposure from the reading and/or class lectures. Taping the classes is allowed and encouraged. There will be no class on 10/28 and 11/11. One of these classes will be make up at a to-be determined time On Tuesday 11/1.

Special needs.

            Students with special needs are encouraged to approach the instructor privately ASAP so that accommodations can be made. Any student that needs special accommodations must be certified as explained in the college policy regarding students with special needs. 

Grading.

            Assignments and exams will be weighted as follows:

            25%, Midterm

            25%, Final Exam

            15%, Average paper assignment grades

            15%, Oral presentation

            10%, Class participation

            10 % Quizzes

            In general, assignments will be graded on the basis of clarity, completeness, and creativity.  Creativity means a thoughtful and plausible extension or organization of the ideas or work you are discussing; it does not mean wild speculation.  Completeness means presentation of the main ideas with evidence or examples, within the parameters of the presentation medium. It is not acceptable to just read your paper for the oral presentation, and hand written or incomplete drafts will not be accepted.  Late assignments will be graded down 10 points for each day they are late including weekends, a zero is recorded on the tenth day late

Grades will be based primarily on the following guidelines.

93-100--------A

90-92---------A-

89-------------B+

83-88---------B

80-82---------B-

79-------------C+

73-78---------C

70-72---------C-

60-69---------D

<59-----------F

Conduct & Misconduct.

            Students’ assignments should be their own work, and credit for others’ work should be made according to the standards of academic research.  Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students may collaborate in preparing for class, but any work turned in should be written up alone.  Students may also solicit feedback from each other on drafts of their papers or on their oral presentation. The use of the writing center on all drafts is strongly encouraged. 

Topics and Assingments: