EXP 3604            COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Spring 2008        MWF 3rd Period [section 3910x]
 COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introductory survey of human cognitive abilities, including perception and pattern recognition, attention, learning and memory, language, and thinking; and the methods used to study these abilities in both basic and applied settings. A course in general psychology, equivalent to PSY 2012, is the only prerequisite. The text is Bruce Goldstein's Cognitive Psychology [Thompson-Wadsworth, 2nd Edition, 2008]. Copies of most of the lecture overheads will be available as PowerPoint files through my Web site, address above.

CLASS LISTSERV: An email listserv has been created so I can get announcements out to everyone quickly, and you can communicate with other class members as a group. The email address is SPRING-3910-L@lists.ufl.edu. NOTE: If you reply to an email from me, it will reply to the list, so everyone will get it. If you want to reply to me specifically, send a separate message to my email address (ifisch@ufl.edu).

EXP 3604 IN THE CURRICULUM: This is a Foundation Group A course, and satisfies one of the two Group A courses required for majors. It is a prerequisite for advanced coursework in cognitive psychology, as well as for individual work (PSY 4905) and Senior Thesis (PSY 4970) in the cognitive area.

EXAMS AND GRADING: There will be four noncumulative exams; each will count 20%, for a total of 80% of your grade. Exam format is mixed (multiple choice and short answer) and based on both text and lectures. Assignment of final grades will be based on the total points earned at the end of the term, on a standard scale of 90+ = A, 85-89 = B+, etc. Sample exams, along with answers, are posted on the web page. Makeup Policy: Short-answer make-up exams may be scheduled under extraordinary circumstances (death in the immediate family, documented serious illness or accident, arrest or deportation by the INS) ONLY if I am contacted PRIOR TO THE EXAM.

RESEARCH PROJECTS: You will conduct two modest experiments and submit a brief description of the results. Each will count 5%, for a total of 10% of your grade. Instructions are available on the Web Page, and will be discussed in class.
        #1 Information processing              due Monday Jan. 28
        #2 Solving anagram problems       due Friday Apr. 11

INTERNET COGNITIVE LABORATORY (COGLAB): Your textbook comes bundled with the student guide for COGLAB 2.0, a web-based set of experiments representing some of the classic methods and findings in cognitive psychology. During the course of the semester, you will be participating in ten of the several dozen studies, and hand in responses to one or two questions for each lab. Each will be worth 1%, for a total of 10% of your grade.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: By completing the registration form at the University of Florida, every student has signed the following statement: "I understand that the University of Florida expects its students to be honest in all their academic work. I agree to adhere to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my  failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University." Cheating will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating on an exam will be given a "0" on that exam, and the University will be notified of the infraction.

 ACCOMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.