Policies

Inside the classroom

Use of class time: I will be ready to go when class starts, and will make good use of the 50 minutes allotted for the class. In return, I ask that you be engaged and ready to learn when class starts, and wait until dismissal — it’s quite disruptive to others.
 
Classroom activites: Throughout this course, we will engage in classroom activities that are designed to help you learn and grasp key concepts in scientific research. Some may be silly, but they are intended to facilitate your learning. Just have fun!
 
Consideration for others: My role is to provide the best learning environment for you, to the best of my abilities. I take this role very seriously. It is up to individuals whether they will make use of the learning environment. It is not acceptable, however, that one’s personal choice of not using the learning environment detracts from others’ learning experience. Please refrain from activities that may be distracting to students around you.

Outside the classroom

Emailing: Please allow me a 24-hour window to respond to answer emails, and please make sure to check the syllabus first! (You can even use the search function at the bottom)

Academic Concessions and Other Grading Concerns

During the term, students may experience medical, psychology, or other forms of distress, which may affect performance. In such cases, students should do their best to speak with me before the exam time, assignment due date, or lab time. Documentation is not necessary. Special accommodations generally cannot be made after an exam has been written, or assignments have been submitted, and the weighting of each learning assessment cannot be changed, with exigent circumstances as exceptions.

Academic and Non-Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct, such as cheating or plagiarism, is a serious offense, and may be subject to punishment by the university. UBC has clear policies about what academic misconduct means: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959. Evidence of academic misconduct may result in a “0” grade for the exam or assignment in question, and may prompt more severe punishment as the University deems appropriate

Non-academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, physically threatening an instructor. This is also a serious offense, and is also subject to punishment by the university. UBC has clear policies about what constitutes non-academic misconduct, found here: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,54,750,0. Punishment for both academic and non-academic misconduct may include, but is not limited to, a non-removable notation on the transcript, or suspension from the University.

More information about these issues, including annual reports of student discipline cases at UBC, can be found here: http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/discipline/

Department of Psychology’s Grading Policies:

To promote equity across multiple sections of the same course, and to prevent grade inflation, the Department of Psychology a grading policy for all PSYC courses. For PSYC217, the average final grades across all sections must fall around 67%, with a standard deviation of approximately 14%. Scaling may be done to bring the class average in accordance with this policy. The scaling may be done by the instructor, or by the Department. Thus, a student’s grade is not official until it appears on a student’s transcript

Withdrawal dates

If you wish to drop this course without a “W” (or “Withdrawal”) on your transcript, the deadline to do so is Sept 20. If you wish to drop this course with a “W” on your transcript, the deadline to do so is Oct 29

University syllabus policy

UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious and cultural observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available here.