Information for Students in a Psychology Course at the 200-Level or Above
This webpage provides basic information about some issues that often come up in psychology courses. If you are a student in a Psychology course at the 200-level or above, you are expected to be familiar with the information contained on this page. It is each student’s responsibility to read the information and ask their instructors for clarification if questions should arise.
Contents
Psychology Department Mission Statement
Minimum Psychology Content that Students Should Know
The Importance of Using Articles from Refereed (Peer-Reviewed) Journals
Types of Professional References
Primary Source Research Studies
Secondary Source
Research
Studies: Why Students Should Read the Original Sources
Literature Reviews
Other
Kinds
of Sources
PsycINFO Basics
Obtaining Sources Found
on PsycINFO
Writing in Psychology
Writing
Style
APA Style Referencing
Citations in the Text
The Reference
List
Using Headings
Oral Presentations in
Psychology
Practicing
Oral Presentations
Making the Most of an
Oral
Presentation
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism
Cheating
on Assignments and Tests
Ethical
Issues
Some Campus Resources
Available
to Students
Psychology Department Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare students to function as competent, ethical individuals in their personal and professional lives. In order to accomplish this goal, we expect their study of psychology to enhance their ability to think critically, to communicate effectively, and to appreciate the scientific approach to understanding behavior.
Minimum Psychology Content that Students Should Know
After completing PSY 100, students, at minimum, should be able to
- appreciate the fallacies of intuition and casual observation that lead to the need for social science
- understand basic social science research methodology including
- the three causal explanations for a correlation
- the main components of true experiments (random assignment, manipulation, etc.)
- the importance of experiments in determining causality
- understand that nature and nurture work together in creating almost all psychological characteristics
- understand the fundamentals of neuronal
transmission
- understand the reciprocal relationship between the
brain and behavior
- understand that sensory/perceptual processes are
influenced in ways that make experience less than an accurate
representation of reality
- understand the fundamentals of classical and operant conditioning
- understand the information processing model of memory
- understand that memories are constructed, and subject to encoding errors
- understand major personality theories, such as psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic perspectives
- understand how these theories apply to counseling and/or to explaining disorders
- understand the power of the situation to
influence behavior
The Importance of Using Articles from Refereed (Peer-Reviewed) Journals
For both papers and oral presentations, students will undoubtedly be asked to provide professional sources to support their arguments. Finding professional references, however, can be more challenging than initially expected. A professional reference, generally, refers to a piece of work found in a refereed (or peer-reviewed) journal (i.e., a journal that reviews each article before allowing it to be published, such that only high quality and methodologically sound studies are presented in the journal). Thus, journals such as Child Development, Memory and Cognition, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, are all professional references (a complete list of psychology journals available at North Central can be found in the Psychology Department office). Magazines, particularly those that can be found on the newsstand, do not constitute professional references (e.g., US News and World Report, Time, and McCalls). If a student is unclear about whether or not an article is from a professional source, it is his/her responsibility to ask the instructor for clarification.
Determining what constitutes a “refereed journal” is often confusing to students who are just learning how to conduct research in psychology. One easy way to avoid this confusion is to conduct a reference search using PsycINFO. PsycINFO can conduct a search using only journals found within the field of psychology. With a few exceptions (e.g., Psychology Today) the articles that are found using PsycINFO come from refereed journals. Some students, particularly those in education, may also find ERIC useful for finding professional references.
For all PsycINFO and ERIC entries students will be able to read a summary or abstract of the study or review, and some entries will even provide a link to the full-text article. When a full-text link is not provided, students must use the information provided to obtain the article in its entirety. It is inappropriate to use the summary only as a reference (some instructors consider this a form of academic dishonesty).
Types of Professional
References
There are several different types of professional references that students may be searching for. It is important that students determine what type of reference is necessary for their project before beginning (as some instructors limit the type of reference students can use).
Primary Source Research Studies. Primary source research studies are journal articles that report on a single study, or series of related studies. This type of reference will walk the reader through a literature review, and overview of the procedures and methods used in the study, a description of the results found in the study, and a detailed explanation for the results that were uncovered. Thus, a primary source includes the following main sections: introduction, methods, results, and discussion. In addition, at the beginning of the article, the reader will find an abstract (i.e., a summary of the study). If an article does not include these sections, it is not a primary source research study.
When reporting on a primary source research study, it is important that students capture the overall essence of the study being described throughout the article. Depending on the purpose of the primary source, students may want to discuss the methods and procedures used in the study (in a couple of sentences), the results of the study (in a couple of sentences), and the final conclusion of the authors (in more detail). In other types of assignments, students may only need to report on the overall conclusions made by the authors of the study (this is particularly useful when reporting on a number of similar studies in the same paragraph).
Generally, an article should be read in its entirety to be used as a primary source. It is important to note that if PsycINFO is used as a tool for obtaining reference information, the abstract provided by PsycINFO is not enough to serve as a primary source research study. Students must use the information in PsycINFO to retrieve and read an article for it to be considered a valid source.
Secondary Source Research Studies: Why Students Should Read the Original Sources. It is inappropriate for students to discuss other studies that were discussed in the introduction or discussion sections of the primary source research study without reading the original study. In the introduction and discussion sections of the primary source (and sometimes in the method section), authors report the findings of studies on similar topics to give the reader a better understanding of the purpose of their study or to help explain their research findings. These are considered secondary source research studies, and they should be used very sparingly (or not at all, as some instructors strictly forbid the use of secondary sources).
There are several reasons why students should avoid reporting on secondary sources. First, the information that students read about the secondary source is the primary source author’s interpretation of the study. It is possible that the primary source author did not report the information correctly, or that they author choose to highlight certain aspects of the study at the expense of leaving out other important information about the secondary source. Also, without reading the source, students will not know if the study was methodologically sound. Students should strive to only report on studies that are well constructed and conducted appropriately.
If a secondary source seems particularly relevant to the topic that a student is researching, he/she should find the article and read it in its entirety. By doing so, the student would then be using a primary source research study.
Literature Reviews. Some of the journal articles that students come across may not discuss the details of one specific research study. Instead, an article may focus on a specific topic and report on a number of secondary source research studies. Such a paper is called a literature review, as it reviews other authors’ findings within the literature on that topic.
Literature reviews can be very useful in helping students understand a broad area of research. Remember, however, that any references found within the literature review would need to be obtained and read in their entirety if students wish to use them in their papers (because in the literature review these references are secondary source research studies). Moreover, some instructors may want students to only use primary source research studies as references on assignments; thus, students must make sure that literature reviews are acceptable as references.
Other Kinds of Sources
Several other
types of
sources also exist besides peer-reviewed journal articles, including
book
chapters, popular press (e.g., newspaper or magazine) articles, and
Internet
web sites. These types of sources should be used cautiously,
since they
are generally not peer-reviewed. Therefore, the quality of
information
contained in these types of sources is variable. Internet web
sites are
particularly problematic, since there are
essentially
no controls on what can be published on the Internet (newspaper and
books at
least have editors that can provide feedback to authors, and sometimes
insist
on fact-checking).
PsycINFO is the best way to retrieve professional sources in psychology. This document will provide basic information on how to access and conduct a search on PsycINFO. For more detailed information, students are encouraged to seek the assistance of the Oesterle Library staff. Note that PsycINFO can be accessed both on and off campus.
To Access PsycINFO:
Go to the Oesterle Library website: http://noctrl.edu/library_ncc/index.shtml
Click on “Articles”.
Click on “Databases Listed Alphabetically”.
Scroll down and click on “PsycINFO”.
If accessing off campus, students must enter the14-digit barcode number found on their IDs and click “Begin”.
To Find Useful Search
Terms
Click on "Thesaurus"
Enter a possible search term under "Browse For" and
click "Browse"
PsycINFO will map the search
term entered
to standard psychology search terms
Students can click on that standard search term to get
suggestions
for other useful standard search terms
Check the boxes next to whichever search terms are desired
and
then click "Add"
the search terms
will
appear in the "Find" box
To Conduct a Keyword Search on PsycINFO:
Click on the “Keyword” button as part of a Basic Search (the toolbar at the top of the screen in green).
Enter a key term and click on “Search” (e.g., “adolescence”).
PsycINFO will then provide a list of all reference that include that keyword.
Citations are listed in reverse chronological order.
Complete citations and abstracts (i.e., summaries) may be viewed by clicking on the title of any reference.
If the original search results in too many citations, a second key term can be added to the search by using the word “and” (e.g., “adolescence and alcohol”).
More key terms can be added to narrow the breadth of a search.
To Conduct an Author Search on PsycINFO:
Click on the “Authors” button as part of a Basic Search (the toolbar at the top of the screen in green).
Enter the last name of the author, followed by the first initial (if known), and click on “Search” (e.g., “Colder, C”).
PsycINFO will bring up a list of names that are similar to the one entered. Check off all names that apply and click “Search”.
PsycINFO will then provide a list of all reference from that author.
Citations are listed in reverse chronological order.
Complete citations and abstracts (i.e., summaries) may be viewed by clicking on the title of any reference.
To Refine a Search of References
From the reference list, click the "Refine Search" tab
Students can now limit the results by publication type
(e.g.,
selecting only peer-reviewed journal articles), to
English-only
articles,
to full-text only articles, etc.
Note that these are only very basic
search
strategies. Students can greatly improve the quality of their
searching
by using the "advanced search" option in PsycINFO,
and by learning to use Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT).
Please ask
the library staff for help with any of these features.
Obtaining Sources Found on PsycINFO
PsycINFO is a tool for finding reference that may be relevant to a specific topic. In some cases, PsycINFO may provide the full-text journal article on-line (accessed by clicking on “Linked Full Text”). In other cases, students will need to use the citation information to retrieve and photocopy a hardcopy of the journal article (to see if the library carries a hard copy of a journal, click on “Journal Availability” underneath the NCC Library Services logo at the top of the screen and then search for the journal alphabetically). Still in other cases, students will need to request an article or book via interlibrary loan.
Students should not limit themselves to full-text articles available on-line. The library owns many hardcopies of journal that are easy to access in the basement of Oesterle Library. In addition, interlibrary loan is quite efficient. Yellow interlibrary loan forms can be found by any of the computer terminals in the library, and they are easy to fill out. Interlibrary loan materials are received within seven business days (often sooner), and usually only at the cost of photocopying the material. Seeking out hardcopies of the journals and using interlibrary loan is strongly encouraged, as limiting oneself to on-line articles does not produce the best or more relevant references. No matter how the search is conducted, however, students are encouraged to start the process as early as possible.
Writing a psychology paper can be very different from writing a paper for a class in another discipline. The primary purpose of a psychology paper is to clearly and concisely convey information. To do such, the writer must be very direct in what he/she wants to say. Unlike in other disciplines, creativity in writing style is discouraged. Instead, the writer should say what he/she wants to say in as few words as possible. Long, elaborate examples and stories are not appropriate. Further, rehashing the same topic for several paragraphs just to make a paper longer will not be tolerated. Remember, the writer must say what he/she needs to say about a topic and then move on.
While it is important to write as concisely as possible, it is also important to assume that the reader is naďve. In other words, the writer should not assume that the reader has extensive background knowledge on the topic. Even when writing for an instructor well versed in the literature, the paper should be written under the assumption that the reader (who is not necessarily the instructor) is naďve. Thus, adequate background information must be provided before making any specific claims. Sometimes a sentence or two is sufficient in providing the reader with the information he/she needs to understand the foundation of an assertion.
All papers submitted in a psychology class should be well organized with a logical flow of information. There are two key components to organizing psychology papers. First, the writer must provide a clear introduction that provides a “roadmap” for the reader. This roadmap will clearly, yet concisely, tell the reader what they will be reading about (i.e., it will provide a brief overview of the topics that will be covered in the paper). Second, headings should be used to organize the body of the paper. Much like this document, headings should break the document up into logical chunks of information. Using headings not only organizes the paper, but they also help the reader quickly find the information he/she is looking for.
The use of direct quotations should be limited in psychology papers. In some instances, the writer may not be able to word an argument better than the reference that they are using. In such cases, the use of quotation marks, along with the appropriate citation for the passage, must be provided. However, most of the time students will want to paraphrase their references (i.e., summarize the reference in their own words) and provide a citation. This is the preferred method for including references in an APA style paper. Papers that are overly reliant on direct quotes are unacceptable.
Psychology instructors expect their students to turn in professionally written papers. All papers that are submitted in a psychology class should be carefully proofread. Papers are graded, in part, on their ability to clearly communicated information. Typos and grammatical errors are very distracting, and they do not allow for clear communication about a topic.
Another pitfall to avoid in professional papers is writing in the second person. For example, the use of the word “you” as a subject is not acceptable. The reader does not know who “you” is referring to (e.g., “You sometimes feel like your parents just do not understand what you are going through.”). If the subject of the sentence is teenagers, then the writer should clearly indicate such (e.g., “Teenagers sometimes feel like their parents just do not understand what they are going though.”). Always make sure the reader knows exactly who the subject is for each sentence.
Finally, as with all college papers, everything students turn in for a psychology class should be typed, double-spaced, and stapled. Unless otherwise specified, assume that these are the minimum standards for psychology papers (some instructors require title pages with their papers as well).
It is worth noting that students can lose points on a writing assignment for poor writing style alone. Even if all of the information that they present is accurate, if that information is not conveyed clearly using professional writing standards, points may be deducted.
Every time a student
presents a
piece of information that was obtained from a source other than the
student
him/herself (i.e., unless the student is providing his/her own opinion
or
hypothesis), a citation for that information at the place of
indebtedness must
be provided. In addition, if the student uses 10 or more words verbatim
(i.e.,
word-for-word) from that source, he/she must insert quotation marks
around the
verbatim information. At the end of the document, a complete reference
list for
those used in the text must also be provided. Note that it is not
enough to simply
provide a reference list; students must also indicate in the text where
they
used the information from their references. Failure to do so is
considered an
act of academic dishonesty.
Citations in
the Text.
Again, any time
information is provided in a paper or presentation that is beyond the
author’s
own opinion, a reference for that information must be
provided. In other
words, if a student wishes to make a claim, he/she must use research to
support
that argument.
APA style references are very different from MLA references; students are responsible for taking note of these differences. To cite a reference in APA style, provide the authors last name, in the order that they appear in the reference, followed by the publication year of the reference. If there are six or more authors, all of the authors’ last names must appear the first time the reference is cited, after which only the last name of the first author would appear followed by “et al.”. Below are examples of how to cite references within the text.
One Author: Students find psychology courses enjoyable (Jones, 2001).
OR
Jones (2001) reported that students find psychology courses enjoyable.
Two Authors: Students find psychology courses enjoyable (Jones & Smith, 2001).
OR
Jones and Smith (2001) reported that students find psychology courses enjoyable.
Three, four or five authors: Use the same pattern as “Two Authors”.
Six Authors: Students find psychology courses enjoyable (Jones, Smith, Nelson,
(1st citation) Johnson, Lewis, & Martins, 2001).
OR
Jones, Smith, Nelson, Johnson, Lewis, and Martins (2001) reported that students find psychology courses enjoyable.
Six Authors: Students also believe psychology courses will be useful in their
(subsequent future careers (Jones et al, 2001).
citations) OR
Jones et al. (2001) reported that students also believe psychology courses will be useful in their future careers.
Seven or more authors: Use the same patterns as “Six Authors”.
Quoting: Include a page number if and only if quoting directly
from a source (quote
SPARINGLY). Always put the
citation directly following the end of the
quote.
Example:
Different approaches represent "potentially compatible explanations at
different levels of analysis"
(Oltmanns & Emery, 1985, p. 42).
The Reference
List.
Student must also provide the complete citation for all of the
references that were used in the text in a “Reference” section at the
end of
the paper. The most commonly used references are journal articles and
books
(for other references, students should see their instructor for further
information). Note that italics should be used where indicated, and “I”
indicates that the author’s initial(s) should be used.
To cite a journal article:
Last Name,
Jones, R. T., Smith, W., & Nelson, D. F. (2001). An investigation of students’ enjoyment of psychology. Psychology Journal, 22, 341-344.
To cite a book:
Last Name,
Wilson, J. (1999). The Joy
of
Psychology.
To cite a chapter in an edited book:
Chapter Authors (Year). Chapter title.
In Editors Names (Eds.), Book Title with
All Major Words
Capitalized (pp. chapter page numbers). Publisher
Location:
Publisher.
Kazdin, A.E.
(1988). Conduct
disorder. In M. Hersen and C.G. Last
(Eds.), Child
Behavior Therapy Casebook (pp. 227-241).
Using Headings
Headings provide an excellent way to organize a paper so that the
reader can
get a sense of which points are major points and which are supporting
points. Use of headings depends on the number of levels of
organization found
in the paper. For simplicity, it is recommended that students use
three
or fewer levels of organization. For example, to use three levels
(headings,
subheadings, and sub-subheadings), students would organize their paper
like
this:
Major Headings Centered in Upper and Lower Case
Subheading Flush Left in Upper and Lower Case
Text would follow here. Subheadings provide a second level of
organization for the paper when one level of organization is not
enough.
Sub-subheadings in lower case, indented, italicized, and followed by
a
period. Text would follow here. These are also known as
paragraph headings. Paragraph headings provide a third level of
organization for the paper when two levels are not enough.
Students can think of headings as analogous to the levels of
organization used
when outlining a paper. For example, the following outline shows
which
items in the outline correspond to what headings:
I. Heading 1
A. Subheading 1
B. Subheading 2
1. Sub-subheading 1
2. Sub-subheading 2
C. Subheading 3
II. Heading 2
etc.
Oral Presentations in
Psychology
Many psychology classes require an oral presentation, either individually or as part of a group. These presentations should be professional in nature. Thus, they should be well organized and well rehearsed. The best way, and perhaps only way, to ensure professionalism in oral presentations is practice! With an individual presentation, the presenter will want to make sure that he/she is very familiar with the material, as well as the organization of the material, in the presentation. In group presentations, all group members should be familiar with the material. Further, each group member should be clear about his/her duties in the presentation, and the presentation should flow smoothly from one group member to the other. Stumbling from topic to topic, confusion about the order of the presentation (or who is presenting each topic, if in a group), and over-reliance on reading presentation notes is not acceptable. Practice will ensure that these issues are resolved prior to the presentation in class.
Presenters should also make sure that they include all components of their presentation in their practice sessions. For example, if presenters plan to use Power Point or other “props” during their oral presentation, they should practice using those materials. Practicing with additional materials will ensure that presenters have carefully orchestrated the use of these materials with the information that they provide orally. Any materials used in an oral presentation should add to the clarity of the information, not distract the audience. Practice will make sure that additional materials are not used inappropriately and do not become a distraction. Most importantly, however, practice will help students feel more comfortable with the material they are presenting.
Making the Most
of an
Oral Presentation
The first step to a successful oral presentation is to practice it repeatedly and resolve any problems prior to the in class presentation. However, there are other strategies to consider as well. One of the simplest techniques a presenter can use to make their presentation more professional is to dress professionally. Wearing a nice pair of slacks and a dress shirt or a skirt and blouse during the presentation will not only make the presenter look good, but it often helps him/her feel more confident. In group presentations, groups may want to explicitly discuss what would, or would not, be appropriate to wear on the day of the presentation.
Presenters will also want to minimize distractions during their presentations. Again, while additional materials (e.g., Power Point, overheads, props) can add to the clarity and/or excitement of a presentation, presenters should make sure that they flow smoothly with the oral aspect of the presentation. Presenters will also want to make sure that any overheads or Power Point slides can be read from a distance (a font no smaller than 20 points is recommended to ensure that slides can be read by those sitting in the back of the classroom). Further, if multimedia will be used in the presentation, it is suggested that the presenter arrive early for class to make sure that the equipment is operational and that he/she is familiar with how to use the equipment. If handouts will be provided during the oral presentation, the presenter may want to ask a classmate to hand them out on his/her cue so that he/she does not have to worry about traversing the classroom while talking at the same time.
Other strategies to consider during an oral presentation include: making eye contact with the class (this will ensure that the presenter does not rely too heavily on presentation notes), minimize fidgeting (the presenter may want to keep both hands on the podium or clasped in front of him/her to help reduce the tendency to fidget with objects, hair, clothing, etc.), minimize the use of the word “um” (this will automatically be reduced with practice), make sure that non-presenting group members are attentive during other pieces of the presentation (i.e., non-presenting group members should not stand off to the side talking during the presentation), and all presenters should be prepared to field questions by the instructor and/or class following the formal piece of the oral presentation.
In recent years, academic dishonesty has become a major concern in
higher
education. As a result, instructors now routinely check student papers
and
assignments for evidence of academic dishonest. In addition,
instructors are
very vigilant during testing situations to ensure that “cheating” does
not
occur. The psychology department takes any form of academic dishonesty
very
seriously, and all instructors follow the NCC Official Policy on
Academic
Dishonesty. The consequences of an act of academic dishonesty range
from a
requiring the student to rewrite and assignment/retake an exam to
expulsion
from the college. Most instructors, however, at minimum with fail the
student
on the assignment or test wherein academic dishonesty was manifested.
All
instructors turn in every case of academic dishonesty that is
discovered to the
Academic Dean and the incident will go on the student’s permanent
record. While
this document provides some basic information about academic
dishonesty, it is
each student’s responsibility to read and understand the NCC
Official Policy
on Academic Dishonesty. If a student then has questions about
academic
dishonesty, it is his/her responsibility to ask a faculty member to
clarify the
college policy. A complete description of academic dishonesty and a
list of the
consequences can be found in the NCC Guide to Writing, which
should have
been distributed to every student upon entry to the college (if a
student does
not have the NCC Guide to Writing, he/she can obtain one at the
Writing
Center).
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic dishonesty. While a detailed description of plagiarism is provided in the NCC Guide to Writing, this document will provide an overview of plagiarism, as well as give students suggestions that should help them avoid “inadvertently” plagiarizing. Put simply, plagiarism is presenting other people’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism can be intentional (e.g., buying a paper off of the Internet) or unintentional (e.g., failure to cite a source of information). Regardless of intentionality, plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Most often, students unintentionally engage in plagiarism. Avoiding unintentional plagiarism, however, is relatively easy – always provide an in-text citation and a complete citation in the reference list for any information that is provided in written assignments. Whenever information is obtained from a reference (which can include a journal article, book, video, or television program), an in-text citation must be provided immediately after the point of indebtedness. In other words, immediately after providing information that was obtained from any source, students must provide a citation. A complete reference for that citation must then also be presented in the reference list of the paper.
Many times students will want to paraphrase (i.e., summarize) other authors’ research. The best way for students to paraphrase someone else’s work is to read through the article (or book chapter, etc.) while taking notes in words that they understand. Students should not simply copy sentences out of the article; instead, they should strive to write notes in their own words. After completing the notes, which may be quite lengthy, students should then reread their notes and try to summarize the research, again in their own words. These notes can then serve as a source of information for assignments, as long as the writer remembers to provide both in-text citations and a complete citation in the reference list. This strategy for paraphrasing other authors’ work will minimize the changes of inadvertently plagiarism.
Occasionally, students will want to use a direct quote from one of their references. While the use of direct quotes is discouraged in APA style writing, sometimes students will be unable to phrase information better than the author(s) of their reference. When such cases arise, the student must use quotation marks around the information that was taken verbatim (i.e., word-for-word) from their reference. Following the direct quote, students must also provide the citation for the information and the page(s) where the quote was taken. Of course, the complete citation must also be listed in the reference list of the paper. To avoid inadvertently plagiarizing by omitting quotation marks, keep in mind the “ten word rule”: any time students take ten or more words directly out of a source, they must use quotation marks and provide a citation. Note that even if a citation is provided, a student can commit an act of academic dishonesty by not putting verbatim information in quotation marks.
Cheating on
Assignments and
Tests
Fortunately, cheating on assignments and tests is a less common form of academic dishonesty. However, the consequences for such acts of academic dishonesty are just as severe as those for plagiarism.
Students are expected to turn in assignments that they have completed on their own. While students may be permitted to work together on some assignments, the product that each student turns in to the instructor should be completed independently. In other words, students can get together to discuss assignments, but each student must write up the result of those discussions in their own words. The only exception to this rule is when students are placed into groups by the instructor for “group assignments”.
When cheating on an assignment is uncovered, every student involved in the cheating process (whether knowingly or not) will be held responsible and is subject to academic sanctions. Thus, a student who turns in an assignment that demonstrates academic dishonesty (e.g., copying the content or structure of another student’s paper, even if exact words are not used) will be sanctioned, and the student who allowed academic dishonestly to be committed using his/her assignment (again, regardless of intentionality) will be penalized. Students should never let others “borrow” their assignments for any reason, as this is often when cheating is manifested.
Cheating during exams is often accomplished in one of two ways. First, students may have tested information at their access during an exam (e.g., written on a piece of paper, programmed into their calculator). If any form of a “cheat sheet” is discovered during an exam, the material will be confiscated as evidence that will be turned into the Academic Dean. Students may also cheat during an exam by looking at another student’s test. Students should never give instructors any reason to believe that they are looking at another student’s test (thus, if stretching is necessary during an exam, students should keep their gaze straight up or straight down). Any form of cheating on tests is unacceptable and will, at minimum, result in a failing grade on the test.
In several psychology courses, students are required to collect and analyze data. In any course where data will be collected with human participants, instructors will provide a detailed description of the ethical principles used in psychology (e.g., obtaining informed consent, maintaining confidentiality, etc.). Students are expected to abide by these ethical principles.
In addition to the ethics involved when using human participants, students are expected to be honest in their collection and reporting of data. Any fabrication of data is considered an act of academic dishonesty. Biasing data collection (e.g., telling participants how to respond) or making up data is completely unethical and will not be tolerated. It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that the data that they collect (or that their group collects) can be accurately accounted for and verified by the instructor.
Failure to conduct research in an ethical manner is a very serious issue and will result in extreme academic sanctions.
Some Campus Resources Available to
Students
NCC
Psychology
Department (x5325) http://www.noctrl.edu/psychology