Developmental Psychology

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Course Goals

• To learn about human development - general principles, research, applications.
• To think critically about classic and contemporary issues of child development.
• To formulate and test hypotheses about issues in child development.
• To understand research methods and interpret research findings.
• To use research to evaluate critically popular reports and applied issues.
• To apply research findings to concrete problems in the real world.
• To acquire specific skills:
  • Observation
  • Research design
  • Compiling and interpreting data
  • Inferring consequences from data
  • Integrating and evaluating information from multiple sources.
  • Working in teams.
  • Communicating effectively both orally and in writing.

Grading

In-Class Assignments and Homework

This course is project-based rather than lecture-based, so every week you will be asked to complete a variety of short assignments related to the current topic. These assignments are intended to (1) help you practice the skills outlined above and (2) apply the content you have learned in a realistic context. Some of these assignments will be completed in class and handed in before you leave. Some may involve a homework assignment, such as observing children, reading a research article, or conducting an interview. Some of the assignments will involve group work. For these assignments, the group will be graded as a whole. Each assignment will be graded on a 10-point scale. Missed assignments will receive a score of zero. There will be no make-up opportunities for missed assignments There will be a total of 25 assignments, roughly 2/week. The lowest 3 scores will be dropped.

The assignments, both for home and in class, are the heart of the course. You CANNOT succeed in this class if you miss class and the assignments. The pace is fast and you will suffer if you procrastinate or do not keep up. Here are the rules for the assignments:

• Assignments are posted 2 days in advance.
• Homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class, in-class assignments are due at the end of the class.
• Bring two copies of the homework assignment, one to hand in, you will use the other one to work with in class.
• You must type all homework assignments -- there is a strict limit of TWO typed double-spaced pages of text per assignment. Figures and graphs don't count.
There are no make-ups, with no exceptions unless you have had a real catastrophe. (I hope not). You may, however, work on assignments in advance. All assignments will be posted on the webpage at least 2 days before they are due and can be requested with up to one week in advance by email. Note however, that you take a risk when you get the assignments in advance because frequently the preparation for the assignment is done in class, and they may be difficult to do without attending class. To get credit, you must turn your assignment in by email no later than the end of class on the day that it is due. For group work, you will need to send something both to Lara and to your other group members so that they can incorporate your ideas into the final product. On group work, it will be up to your group members to decide whether you get credit or not depending on how much you contributed in your absence. Note that if you choose to go this route, you assume total responsibility for getting the assignment in on time. Any technological difficulties you may experience are your problem to solve and will not justify a change in the due date or time for your assignment. Thus, if you have personal business you can plan ahead. If you are so sick that you cannot do the assignments ahead and miss more than your 3, you will need a doctor's note and a really good story even to discuss other arrangements.

Remember that requests for assignments must be done by email, not in person before or after class. And if they are not turned in during class, they must be sent before class by email. This is so that we can keep records correctly.

Final Project

The final project will be worth the equivalent of 5 homework assignments (50 points) and will include a written part and a group presentation. Details to appear latter.

Other information

Incompletes

Statement about disabilities

Schedule