| Messages |
5/8/09
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| Syllabus |
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| Course Notes |
Course notes, powerpoints, and
demonstrations: (NOTE: You are encouraged to print the notes
before class. To keep it fresh, and not spoil the demonstrations, maybe
wait to print the powerpoints until after class.)
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| CogLab |
We will do
at least one CogLab exercise most weeks. You will need your
CogLab manual with online access code.
- To set up, go to the instructions page for our class:
StudentInstructions.html
- You should print the instructions and follow the steps to
set up your account.
- Once you have an account, you can participate in
experiments.
- To participate, go to http://coglab.wadsworth.com/
- Choose the experiment and follow the instructions.
CogLab experiments need to be completed before class each week. I
will use your data as part of the lecture for the week.
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| Exam Essays |
Everyone should submit an essay question
for each exam. Here are the properties of a good question:
- Integrate material from more than one section of the class.
- Have a clear answer (it should take some thinking to get
the answer, but at least one obviously correct answer should exist).
- It should take around one page of typed, double-spaced
essay to
answer well (it can take less as long as it meets the other criteria;
it should not take more). You're not actually giving me the
answer, just the question.
- Copying notes or book material should not be a sufficient
answer, it should engage you in thinking about the material.
- For example: Why is it that when you buy a new car it
suddenly seems like everyone is driving that car? Or: When
you're looking for "Lone" street, why might you turn on "Long" by
mistake?
Procedure:
- Submit a question by the end of the class before the exam.
- I will pick 7 (I reserve the right to edit) and post those
below.
- If none of the questions address the final unit before each
exam, I will pad with questions addressing that unit; that will reduce
the number of student essays picked.
- If I pick your question, you get 5 bonus points.
- This part is intended to be take home. You complete
all 7 before the exam, 3 are on the exam. Those 3 will be turned
in. You should bring completed essays with you.
- The final will have all of the essays in the set of
potential questions, and I will pick 6. At least 2 of those will
be from the last unit. In other words, if you do all 7 each
time, 2 of the left-overs can be used on the final.
- The best answers (determined at my sole discretion) will be
posted to the web site as model answers and will also get 5 bonus
points. You may get bonus points for answering your own question.
These are unclickable until it's exam
time.
- Exam 1 Essays: Word
or pdf
- Exam 2 Essays: Word
or pdf
- Final: Word
or pdf
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| Links |
Some visual/perceptual illusions can be
found at: http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/
and http://www.planetperplex.com/en/index.html
Human factors and design.
Here's a nice sentence
diagramming problem for those who enjoy these sorts of
things.
Fans of spelling, etc. will enjoy this straight
dope column on letter frequencies (with a "swiss cheese holes are
bacteria
farts" bonus).
For the "Can you raed this?" text, here is a pretty good
discussion of problems with the hypothesis.
Suggest a link: Email me.
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| Reaction Papers |
I will accept papers sent via email.
Remember, reactions are the amount of material that will fit on a one
page, double-spaced, typed document. They can be handwritten or
emailed,
but that's still the maximum amount. Part of the exercise is for
you to get right to your point and justify it briefly. Sources
are
open, but I'd prefer some element of empirical research. So, if
you
see something in the newspaper and want to react to it, try to track
down
the original research. Or, find some research that supports or
refutes
the information in the newspaper and discuss that. Show me that
you're
thinking, include some cognitive stuff, and read some of the primary
literature
and I will be pleased. You may also use CogLab as a source for
ideas.
What will get me excited about a reaction paper:
- React based on something else you've learned in the class
("when we
discussed
categorization, you said...but this article said..." or "here's another
example of...")
- React based on something you've learned in another class
("in my
abnormal
class we discussed schizophrenia, and this topic reminds me of that
because...")
- Relate the research to your own experience ("Sometimes when
I'm
studying...")
- React to the methodology (this is tricky; "even though the
authors
found
a significant difference, I don't think this phenomenon will matter
much
in the real world because..." or "this technique conflicts with what
so-and-so
says because...")
What won't get me excited about a reaction paper:
- "This article was really easy/hard to read/understand."
- "There were only five participants in the study which seems
like too
few"
(if there's no reason given for why it's too few), etc.
- Two pages of summary followed by "I really liked this
article."
Remember: If you choose an article that I decide to incorporate
in
the class notes in the future, I will give you extra points (at least
two,
maybe more if it's really good).
Here's a model reaction paper.
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