PSY 032: Advanced Topics in Psychobiology
Topic for 2003: Primate Behavior
Grading
All submitted work must be accompanied by your signature below a statement that states your compliance with the Wheaton Honor Code, as required by faculty legislation.
Your grade will be comprised of a combination of class participation, quizzes, and leading a discussion in class. Points are distributed over these evaluation forms as follows:
| TASK |
EACH ONE WORTH |
TOTAL POINTS |
PERCENT |
| Best 9 of 11 In-Class Quizzes |
10 pts. |
90 pts. |
31% |
| 8 class participation grades |
12 pts . |
96 pts. |
34% |
| 1
class presentation/ |
100 pts. |
100 pts. |
35% |
| TOTAL |
286 pts. |
100% |
For the first few weeks of the course, I will be doing a lot of lecturing. But after that, the course is all yours! Discussion will be expected. Please keep in mind that there is a difference between quantity of verbalization, and quality of verbalization. You will be graded on the quality of what you say--not on quantity. At our first meeting, we will decide as a group how to evaluate participation. That is, YOU will help me determine the criteria that will be used, and come up with examples of good, okay, and not-so-good participation. Just to get you thinking about it, here is a list of criteria that I think are important components of good seminar participation:
1. the extent
to which you demonstrate in your participation that you have read the
assigned material.
2. the extent to which you demonstrate that you are prepared to discuss
the questions of the class or of anything else.
3. the extent to which you participate or attempt to participate in
class discussions
4. the extent to which you demonstrate that you have studied the material
rather than merely memorized it
5. the extent to which you pose questions to the class
Class
Presentation/
Discussion Leading
Each person in this course will be responsible for providing and assigning readings, presenting relevant material, and leading a discussion on a topic related to primate behavior. Your topic can be focused on a particular primate group, or on a question in the field of primate behavior that interests you. You'll need to decide what you would like to lead a discussion about, and when that will be by the end of the 3rd week of class.
In most cases, I have already collected some material that you may consult and may wish to use for your discussion. However, you will still want to look for material on your own. I will also provide you with some handouts on how to lead a successful discussion. Remember--you will want to present material to the class, but you don't want to talk for the entire two hours. You want folks to discuss what you have said and what you have given them to read!
Your presentation/discussion section will be evaluated by you, me and your peers. You and I will negotiate your grade based on these assessments.
Readings for each class meeting will be handed out in class, assigned from the text, or placed on 2-hr. reserve in the library the Monday evening PRIOR to the one for which they are due. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. Failure to get copies of your readings in on time will cost you points on your discussion leadership grade.
Discussion leaders must provide copies of readings for the class in one of these two ways. Materials submitted to me in sufficient time may be copied on the Psychology department's tab. Otherwise, discussion leaders are responsible for making their own copies.
to get an "A?"
| 100% or more | A+ | 87-89% | B+ | 77-79% | C+ | 67-69% | D+ |
| 94-99% | A | 84-86% | B | 74-76% | C | 64-66% | D |
| 90-93% | A- | 80-83% | B- | 70-73% | C- | 60-63% | C- |
| <60% | F |
I reserve the right to grade on a curve if the class distribution requires it.