Y1 Course Handbook 2009_10

8/8/2019 Y1 Course Handbook 2009_10

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Psychology 12009/2010

Course OrganiserDr Peter Lamont

The University of EdinburghSCHOOL ofPHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY

andLANGUAGE SCIENCES


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University of EdinburghPsychology 1 Course Handbook, 2009 2010

SEMESTER 1 LECTURE LIST 2009/2010.......................................................................................... 4SEMESTER 2 LECTURE LIST 2009/2010.......................................................................................... 5

COURSE ORGANISATION................................................................................................................. 6The teaching team............................................................................................................................ 6

IMPORTANT INFORMATION.............................................................................................................. 7

ABOUT THE COURSE........................................................................................................................ 8Learning outcomes........................................................................................................................... 8Course objectives and transferable skills.......................................................................................... 8

Reading............................................................................................................................................ 8

TEACHING: lectures and tutorials .................................................................................................... 9Lectures ........................................................................................................................................... 9Tutorials ........................................................................................................................................... 9Lecture Block 1: DIFFERENTIAL PSYCHOLOGY Prof Ian Deary......................................................... 10Lecture Block 2: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Prof Colwyn Trevarthen/Dr Wendy Johnson .......... 11Lecture Block 3: RESEARCH METHODS - Dr Martin Corley .................................................................. 12Lecture Block 4: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY - Dr Sue Widdicombe............................................................. 13Lecture Block 5: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOUR - Dr Sarah MacPherson/Prof Sergio Della Sala .... 14Lecture block 6: LANGUAGE AND THINKING Prof Fernanda Ferreira/Prof Martin Pickering .................. 15Lecture block 7: PSYCHOLOGY OF MEMORY - Professor Robert Logie................................................ 16

Lecture Block 8: PERCEPTION Prof John Henderson/Dr Graham MacKenzie ...................................... 17

ASSESSMENT: Forms of assessment............................................................................................ 19How your work is assessed ............................................................................................................ 21

How to calculate your Course Mark ................................................................................................ 22Feedback ....................................................................................................................................... 22

GENERAL INFORMATION AND SERVICES.................................................................................... 23Students with special needs........................................................................................................... 23Advisory Services........................................................................................................................... 23Making the most of your studies ..................................................................................................... 23Library Provision............................................................................................................................. 23

Computing and IT........................................................................................................................... 24The World Wide Web, MyEd & WebCT.......................................................................................... 24Electronic Mail ................................................................................................................................ 24

APPENDIX 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 25Guidelines for Psychology 1 Essays .................................................................................................. 26

APPENDIX 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 29Plagiarism......................................................................................................................................... 30Computing help for students .......................................................................................................... 35Change of address........................................................................................................................... 35Students with special needs ........................................................................................................... 35

Examination timetable..................................................................................................................... 35Examination appeals procedure & procedure for notifying extenuating circumstances ................... 35


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Examination results......................................................................................................................... 36University of Edinburgh Extended Common Marking Scheme........................................................ 37

British Psychological Society Accreditation ................................................................................. 41Safety................................................................................................................................................ 42

Fire Routine Procedure .................................................................................................................. 42

Electrical safety .............................................................................................................................. 42First aid officers.............................................................................................................................. 42Other safety considerations............................................................................................................ 42Out of hours working (all staff, postgraduates, students) ................................................................ 42

Telephone/Room Numbers for 2009/2010 ...................................................................................... 44Semester dates for the 2009/2010 academic year ......................................................................... 45


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SEMESTER 1 LECTURE LIST 2009/2010

Lectures will be held: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 11.10 am 12.00 noon in Lecture TheatreA of the David Hume Tower (DHT)

Week Date Topic Lecture Staff

1 M 21/09/2009 Holiday

W 23/09/2009 INTRODUCTION PL

F 25/09/2009 Differential Psychology 1 ID

2 M 28/09/2009 Differential Psychology 2 IDW 30/09/2009 Differential Psychology 3 IDF 02/10/2009 Differential Psychology 4 ID

3 M 05/10/2009 DifferentialPsychology 5 ID

W 07/10/2009 DifferentialPsychology 6 ID

F 09/10/2009 DifferentialPsychology 7 ID

4 M 12/10/2009 Study skills TA

W 14/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 1 CT

F 16/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 2 CT

5 M 19/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 3 WJ

W 21/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 4 WJ

F 23/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 5 WJ

6 M 26/10/2009 Developmental Psychology 6 WJ

W 28/10/2009 Research Methods 1 MC

F 30/10/2009 ResearchMethods 2 MC

7 M 02/11/2009 ResearchMethods 3 MC

W 04/11/2009 ResearchMethods 4 MC

F 06/11/2009 ResearchMethods 5 MC

8 M 09/11/2009 ResearchMethods 6 MC

W 11/11/2009 ResearchMethods 7 MC

F 13/11/2009 Social Psychology 1 SW

9 M 16/11/2009 Social Psychology 2 SW

W 18/11/2009 Social Psychology 3 SW

F 20/11/2009 Social Psychology 4 SW

10 M 23/11/2009 Social Psychology 5 SW

W 25/11/2009 Social Psychology 6 SW

F 27/11/2009 Exam strategy TA

11 M 30/11/2009 Revision - No lecture

W 02/12/2009 Revision - No lecture

F 04/12/2009 Revision - No lecture

7 DECEMBER TO 18 DECEMBER 2009 - EXAMINATIONS PERIOD


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SEMESTER 2 LECTURE LIST 2009/2010

Lectures will be held: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 11.10 am 12.00 noon in Lecture TheatreA of the David Hume Tower (DHT)

Week Date Topic Lecture Staff

1 M 11/01/2010 ADMINISTRATION PL

W 13/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 1 SMcP

F 15/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 2 SMcP

2 M 18/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 3 SDS

W 20/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 4 SDS


3 M 25/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 6 SMcP

W 27/01/2010 Biological Bases of Behaviour 7 SMcP


4 M 01/02/2010 Language and Thinking 1 FF

W 03/02/2010 Language and Thinking 2 FF

F 05/02/2010 Language and Thinking 3 MP

5 M 08/02/2010 Language and Thinking 4 MP

W 10/02/2010 Language and Thinking 5 MP

F 12/02/2010 Language and Thinking 6 FF

6 M 15/02/2010 Essay/exam performance TA

W 17/02/2010 Psychology of Memory 1 RL

F 19/02/2010 Psychology of Memory 2 RL

7 M 22/02/2010 Psychology of Memory 3 RL

W 24/02/2010 Psychology of Memory 4 RL

F 26/02/2010 Psychology of Memory 5 RL

8 M 01/03/2010 Perception 1 GM

W 03/03/2010 Perception 2 GM

F 05/03/2010 Perception 3 GM

9 M 08/03/2010 Perception 4 GM

W 10/03/2010 Perception 5 GM

F 12/03/2010 Perception 6 GM

10 M 15/03/2010 Perception 7 JH

W 17/03/2010 Perception 8 JH

F 19/03/2010 Psychology of Magic PL

11 M 22/03/2010 Revision - No lecture

W 24/03/2010 Revision - No lecture

F 26/03/2010 Revision - No lecture

APRIL - MAY CONSOLIDATION AND EXAMS


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COURSE ORGANISATION

Course Organiser Teaching Assistant

Dr Peter Lamont Email: [email protected]: [email protected] Phone: 0131 650 3446Phone: 0131 650 3372 Room: F11, 7 George Square

Course Secretary Student Support OfficerMrs Elizabeth Wright Mrs Moira AvraamEmail: [email protected] Email: [email protected]: 0131 650 9870 Phone: 0131 650 3661Room: G8, 7 George Square Room: 4.03, Dugald Stewart Building

The teaching team

Name Electronic Mail topic

Dr Martin Corley [email protected] Research Methods

Prof Ian Deary [email protected] Differential

Prof Sergio Della Sala [email protected] Biological

Prof Fernanda Ferreira [email protected] Language & thinking

Prof John Henderson [email protected] Perception

Dr Wendy Johnson [email protected] Developmental

Prof Robert Logie [email protected] MemoryDr Graham MacKenzie [email protected] Perception

Dr Sarah MacPherson [email protected] Biological

Prof Martin Pickering [email protected] Perception

Prof Colwyn Trevarthen [email protected] Developmental

Dr Sue Widdicombe [email protected] Social Psychology

The extension for the servitor is (6)50 8388

A full list of academic teaching staff in Psychology can be found in Appendix 2. The telephonenumbers are external direct dial numbers. That is, from an outside telephone these numberswill take you directly to the person concerned. If you are using an internal university telephoneextension you should dial all but the first 6.


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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you have a question about the course

FIRST, check this handbook - the answers to a vast number of queries are here!

SECOND, if the answer is not here, have a look on WebCT (see page 24). All generalinformation relating to the course should be there. If you have a particular query aboutanything relating to the course, you can post it on the discussion board.

THIRD, if you cannot find the answer in the handbook or on WebCT, you should contact theTeaching Office (G8).

Additional sources of contact:

The Student Support Officer (SSO) should be your first point of contact if you have anyqueries on matters relating to your undergraduate degree. In many cases, the SSO will beable to deal with your query. In cases where the SSO is unable to help you, you will bereferred to your Director of Studies.

If you have a specific question about lecture content, you can contact the lecturer by e-mail (you may be able to ask at the end of a lecture, but tight scheduling can make thisdifficult).

If you have a specific question about tutorials or course work that is not addressed in thehandbook or WebCT, you can ask your tutor. If necessary, contact the Teaching Fellow.

For formal discussion, there is a Staff-Student Liaison Committee. Three Psychology 1reps sit on the SSLC, which meets about twice per semester. The names and photographs ofmembers are posted on a notice board (west side of the main concourse), along with minutesof meetings.

You are strongly encouraged to raise any issues as soon as possible

IMPORTANT NEWS is posted on WebCT and/or displayed on the Department notice board(in the main concourse of 7 George Square). Where practical, you will be e-mailed directly.YOU ARE EXPECTED TO CHECK THESE REGULARLY.


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ABOUT THE COURSE

The course aims to provide a general introduction to the academic discipline of psychology. Itcovers the Psychology of Memory, Language and Thinking, Social Psychology,Developmental Psychology, Biological Psychology, Research Methods, DifferentialPsychology and the Psychology of Perception.

Learning outcomes

On completion of each section of the lecture course, students should be able to:

Define key psychological concepts and illustrate them with relevant examples.

Understand basic theoretical questions and arguments. Outline the types of research methods used in addressing these questions.

Summarise some classic and some recent findings.

Discuss how these findings relate to theoretical questions and arguments.

Course objectives and transferable skills

Knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories and findings willbe acquired through lectures, tutorials and your reading. Assessment will be through adegree examination in Semester 1, a degree examination in Semester 2, and twoessays written for the tutorial class.

Academic writing skills will be developed through the course essays, which arewritten for, and assessed by, your tutor.

Oral communication skills will be developed through participation in tutorialdiscussions.

Research design, data analysis and statistical skills will be developed through theResearch Methods lectures.

Reading

The recommended textbook for the course is Atkinson and Hilgards Introduction toPsychology (15th edition) by Nolen-Hoeksema, Frederickson, Loftus and Wagenaar(published by Cengage). You are stronglyencouraged to buy a copy of this book (includingthe online package Cengage Now). This is available at Blackwells (South Bridge) at adiscount.


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TEACHING: lectures and tutorials

Lectures

There are 3 lectures per week. They take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from11.10am to 12.00 noon in Lecture Theatre A, David Hume Tower (DHT). Lecture hand-outswill be made available on WebCT around the time of the relevant lectures. The overall lectureoutline and content can be found on the following pages.

Tutorials

There are four tutorials in Semester 1 and four in Semester 2. In order to manage numbers,students are divided into two groups. Group A tutorials are in weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9 (ofsemesters 1 and 2) and Group B tutorials are in weeks 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Registration for tutorials must take place by noon on Monday, week 2. This is done viaWebCT. Please note this requires prior matriculation, registration and logging in via the myEdPortal (see page 24). The Teaching Fellow is available in the main concourse at the followingtimes to help:

Wednesday (week1) 12-4Friday (week 1) 12-4

Please ensure you select a tutorial slot that does not clash with your other classes (acrossboth semesters), or any further work commitments.

Please note:

1. Attendance at tutorials is part of your formal assessment.

2. You must participate in tutorial discussions. This means that you must prepare thematerials that have been assigned.

3. The tutorial is not simply support for the lecture course. If you are havingproblems with a particular part of the course, you must warn the tutor in advance.Some tutors may use such queries as exercises for the whole group, rather thansimply answering the query.

4. If you are going to miss a tutorial for any reason, you must contact the CourseSecretary as soon as possible to the explain the reason.

The topics and reading for tutorials is given on page 18.


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Lecture Block 1: DIFFERENTIAL PSYCHOLOGY Prof Ian Deary

Differential Psychologythe psychology of individual differencesdescribes and explainshow and why people differ from each other psychologically. In other words, it is interested in

what makes us individuals. The two main topics in differential psychology are personality andintelligence. Differential psychologists also study moods, attitudes, and peoples interests.They study the development of intelligence and personality in children and adults, and howthese change with age. This includes the contribution of genetics and environments todifferences in intelligence and personality. Differential psychologists are also interested inhow intelligence and personality are associated with real life outcomes, such as health, work,and education. These introductory lectures introduce the concepts of personality andintelligence, summarise the history of these topics in psychology, and present findings todemonstrate the current scientific state of the field. The Psychology Department at theUniversity of Edinburgh contains the largest group of differential psychologists in the UnitedKingdom: www.psy.ed.ac.uk/research/diffpsych

Lecture No Lecture

1 Data collection exercise; What is differential psychology? Traits 1Measuring personality. The concept of a trait. Trait models of humanpersonality.

2 Traits 2More on trait models of personality. Causes and consequences of personality

traits.

3 FreudThe psychodynamic approach to personality. Freuds structure of mind andpersonality. Psychoanalytic methods

4 Humanistic, cognitive & other approachesThe personality contributions of Maslow, Bandura, Rogers etc.

5 Intelligence 1Models of human intelligence differences, past and present.

6 Intelligence 2

Intelligence testing; causes and consequences of intelligence differences

7 Intelligence 3; Data collection feedbackMore on causes and consequences of intelligence differences. Feedback ondata collection exercise

Main referenceAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapters 12 and 13.

References for additional readingDeary, I. J. (2001). Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Funder, D. C. (2004). The Personality Puzzle(3rd

Edition; other editions are OK). Norton.


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Lecture Block 2: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Prof Colwyn Trevarthen/DrWendy Johnson

Lecture No Lecture

1 Early people sense: communication and sociability of infantsInfants communicate with us from birth. Psychologists now know more abouthow they do it. Changes in the first year show the motives and emotions ofattachments with parents and other people, and how experiences are sharedand learned in play, without language (CT)

2 Play with others meanings: learning culture and languageAt about one year infants are interested to do what other people intend to dowith objects and actions. They are proud of knowing, and ashamed of not beinunderstood. This leads them to learn the culture of their family, its meanings anlanguage (CT)

3 Cognitive and perceptual development in infancyVisual perception and mental representation of objects in infancy. We willdiscuss perception of faces, patterns and contrasts, and objects, and theability to make use of mental representations of previously viewed objectsthat have been hidden (WJ)

4 Development of Logical Reasoning Functions in ChildhoodPiagets theoretical stages of development of logical reasoning functions inchildhood and some of the tasks that have been devised to test these theories.

We will explore some of the information-processing concepts that have beensuggested to explain the specific brain capacities that may be underdevelopment. (WJ)

5 Learning in a Social ContextSocially-oriented explanations for the appearance of Piagetian cognitivereasoning stages and how Vygotsky extended Piagets ideas through hissocio-cultural theory of cognitive development. In addition, we will explore theconcept of a theory of mind and its emergence. (WJ)

6 Language DevelopmentThe emergence of language capability in young children. We will discuss pre-

language capacities in early infancy, the typical developmental timescale oflanguage emergence, and distinctions between productive and receptivelanguage capacities. We will also discuss Noam Chomskys ideas of theinnateness of human ability to acquire language and Universal Grammar andconsider some evidence supporting and contradicting these ideas. (WJ)

Main referenceAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapter 3.

Other useful referencesGratier, M. & Trevarthen, C. (2008). Musical narrative and motives for culture in mother-infant vocalinteraction. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 15, 10-11, 122-158.

Smith, P.K., Cowie, H. & Blades, M. (2003). Understanding childrens development.: Oxford: Blackwell


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Lecture Block 3: RESEARCH METHODS - Dr Martin Corley (MC)

Lecture No Lecture

1 What is an experiment?In which we examine the various methodologies used by psychologists toestablish facts about human behaviour.

2 Probability what is it and how do we measure it?If we observe something once, how sure can we be that it will happenagain?

3 Types of dataHow do we decide what kind of experiment to run? What kinds ofmeasurements can we make?

4 Generalising from data: correlationsHow can we generalise about relationships between observations?

5 DistributionsPatterns of results, and why averages tell you very little.

6 The normal distributionAn idealised distribution of experimental data.

7 Generalising from data: comparing meansHow can we compare results found in different circumstances?

Main referenceAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapter 1 and appendix.


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Lecture Block 4: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY - Dr Sue Widdicombe (SW)

Lecture No Lecture

1 The Self in the Social WorldHow do we know ourselves? Self-knowledge and self-awareness; cultureand self; self motives; self-esteem; self-presentation and impressionmanagement.

2 Social Cognition and Social ThinkingSocial schemata and the construction of reality, the role of preconceptions,belief perseverance and memory, and heuristics in social judgements;clinical judgements and drivers behaviour.

3 Social InfluenceWhy and when do people conform; minority influence and social change;why and when people obey; how Milgrams insights have been applied inthe real world.

4 Prosocial BehaviourWhy do people help others? Does altruism really exist? When do othersintervene? Who is most likely to help? Can we increase prosocialbehaviour?

5 Affiliation and interpersonal attractionThe need for affiliation; bases of attraction; theories of attraction; critique ofthese chemistry and economic approaches; asking what develops in a

relationship.

6 Developing and maintaining relationshipsCritique of approaches which treat people as passive and treat relationshipsas the chemistry of partner attributes or as based on economic calculations;treating relationships as active, two-sided processes; identifying relationshipskills and strategies; studying relationships.

ReferencesAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapters 17 and 18.

Additional referencesHogg, M. A. & Vaughan, G. (2005). Social Psychology4th edition). Prentice Hall, chapters 4, 7, 13 &

14.Baron, R. A., Byrne, D., & Branscombe, N. R. (2006) Social Psychology, (11th edition). Pearson

Education Ltd, chapters 2, 7, 9 & 10.Semin, G. R. & Fiedler K.(1996) (eds.) Applied Social Psychology. Sage: London.Duck, S. (1988) Relating to Others. Buckingham: Open University Press. Chapters 2, 5 & 8.Duck, S. (1991) Friends, for life: the psychology of personal relationships. (2nd edition). HarvesterWheatsheaf, chapters 3 & 4.


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Lecture Block 5: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOUR - Dr Sarah MacPherson / ProfSergio Della Sala (SMcP/SDS)

Lecture No Lecture

1 Introduction to the brainIts structure and major functional regions, and an overview of the techniquesused to study it. (SDS)

2 Deficits and diseases of the brainThe effects of brain diseases and lesions on behaviour. (SDS)

3 The biological basis of cognitionInformation about the normal brain from damaged brain. (SMcP)

4 Neuropsychological syndromesClinical manifestations of cortical lesions amnesia, neglect syndromes,apraxia and dysexecutive syndrome. (SMcP)

5 Introduction to neurophysiologyWhy psychologists study biology, and the ways in which our physiology canaffect thoughts and behaviour (SMcP)

6 Basic anatomyThe structure and function of nerve cells, the major divisions of the nervous

system as a whole, and chemical signalling within it. (SMcP)

7 The sensory systemThe neurological bases of the sensory system. (SMcP)

8 Motivation, emotion and hormoneBehavioural motivation based on intrinsic states (emotion) and the effects ofsome hormones on behaviour. (SMcP)

References

Atkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapter 2.


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Lecture block 6: LANGUAGE AND THINKING Prof Fernanda Ferreira/Prof MartinPickering

Lecture No Lecture1 Introduction to language

Major properties of human language, how language is studied, basic units oflanguage (FF)

2 Language processingMajor models of speech processing, language understanding,representation of language in the brain (FF)

3 SpeakingHow people produce utterances, what speech errors can tell us, dialogue

(MP)

4 Concepts and categorizationPrototypes, hierarchies of concepts, concept combination (MP)

5 Language and thoughtHow are they related? (MP)

6 Decision makingClassical decision theory, satisficing, heuristics and biases, real-worldnaturalistic decision-making, neuroscience of decision making (FF)

Main referenceAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapter 9.

References for additional readingHagoort, P. (2008). Should psychology ignore the language of the brain. Current Directions inPsychological Science, 17, 96-101.

Ariely, D., & Norton, M.I. (2007). Psychology and experimental economics: A gap in abstraction.Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16, 336-339.

Davidoff, J. (2001). Language and perceptual categorisation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5, 382-387.


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Lecture block 7: PSYCHOLOGY OF MEMORY - Professor Robert Logie

Lecture No Lecture

1 What is memory, and how is it studied by cognitivepsychologists?Memories and memory systems, selective memory deficits following braindamage.

2 Working MemoryKeeping track moment to moment, working memory as a mental workspace,working memory components, evidence from neuropsychology and neuro-imaging.

3 Organising, Remembering and ForgettingMemory for events and memory for knowledge, impact of expertise andmemory strategies on recall, patterns and causes of forgetting.

4 Memory for Everyday LifeRemembering life events, remembering intentions and absent-mindedness,flashbulb memories.

5 The Malleability of MemoryEye-witness memory, changing and implanting memories, memory asreconstructions and false memories.

ReferenceAtkinson & Hilgards Introduction to Psychology, chapter 8.


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Lecture Block 8: PERCEPTION Prof John Henderson/Dr Graham MacKenzie

These lectures will build upon the foundations laid down in the Biological Bases lectures toconsider the study of sensation and perception. The lectures will focus on visual perception,

as by far the most well-understood of the sensory modalities. The aim will be to give a broadoverview of the visual system, and the ways in which the human brain makes use of sensorydata to reconstruct the visual world.

1. Introduction to perception and the building blocks of visionStudying sensation; foundations of experimental psychology; Fechner's psychophysics; methods formeasuring thresholds; The eye and the early visual system; Hubel and Wiesel and the receptive field;feature detectors and grandmother cells.

2. Seeing colour and motion

Retinal photopigments and colour transduction; retinal colour blindness; trichomacy and opponent-process contributions to colour vision; colour constancy; direct, induced, and apparent motion; kineticdepth; biological motion; neural processes of motion detection.

3. Seeing in depthHow do we build a 3D view of the world from a 2D retinal image; what assumptions does the brainneed to make and what happens when those assumptions are wrong?

4. Seeing formGestalt principles of perceptual organisation; figure-ground segregation; laws and heuristics; top-downand bottom-up influences.

5. Functional specialisation of higher visionWhat brain damage and functional imaging can tell us about the organisation of higher vision;selective visual deficits, and the core concept of modularity.

6. Face perceptionFace versus object perception; face inversion; caricature effects; the face-space framework; facespecialization in the brain.Studying sensation; foundations of experimental psychology.

7. Scene perceptionFast scene recognition; scene in the brain; are scenes special?

8. Active visionEye movements and attention; change and inattentional blindness.

Main referenceIntroduction to Psychology, Chapters 4 & 5.

Additional referencesGoldstein, E. B. Sensation and perception(7th edition).Palmer, S. Vision Science.


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TUTORIALS: topics and reading

Tutorial groups A meet in weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9. Tutorial groups B meet in weeks 4, 6, 8 and10.

ONE Article what is question, how answered, convinced, why significant, what since, crits?

Semester 1:

1. Differential PsychologyREADING: Deary, I. (2008). Why do intelligent people live longer? Nature, 456, 175-175.

2. Developmental PsychologyREADING: Bohannon, J. N. & Stanowicz, L. (1988). The issue of negative evidence: adultresponses to childrens language errors. Developmental Psychology, 24(5), 684-689.

3. Essay workshop

4. Social PsychologyREADING: Asch, S. E. (1955). Opinions and social pressure. Scientific American, 193(5), 31-35; Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and SocialPsychology, 67, 371-378.

Semester 2:

1. MemoryREADING: Loftus, E. F. (1975). Leading questions and the eyewitness report. CognitivePsychology, 7, 560-572.

2. Language and ThinkingREADING: Bowers, J.S., Mattys, S.L., & Gage, S.H. (2009, in press). Preserved ImplicitKnowledge of a Forgotten Childhood Language. Psychological Science(published online 23 Jul2009).

3. BiologicalREADING: Gazzaniga, M., Bogen, J. E. , & Sperry, R. W. (1965). Observations on visual

perception after disconnexion of the cerebral hemispheres in man. Brain, 88(2), 221-236.

4. PerceptionRensink, R., ORegan, K., and Clark, J.. (1997) To see or not to see: the need for attention toperceive changes in scenes. Psychological Science, 8(5), 368-373.


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ASSESSMENT: Forms of assessment

Your final mark is based upon exams, essays, tutorial attendance and research participation.

(NOTE FOR VISITING STUDENTS: you are required to submit only one essay, and take oneexam, in the relevant semester. Tutorial attendance is a general requirement, but you are notrequired to take part in research participation).

1. EXAMSThere are two degree examinations, one at the end of each semester. Each lasts 2 hours,and consists of 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs) based on material covered thatsemester (ie lectures and the relevant chapters of the course textbook).

If you miss either exam for good reason (e.g. on medical grounds), you can take the August(re-sit) exam as a first sitting. Students who fail the course are required to take the re-sitexam. In exceptional circumstances, individual cases will be considered by a specialcommittee.

The August re-sit exam lasts 2 hours, and consists of essay questions. It is in two sections,each one covering material from one of the semesters. Students who failed the course mustanswer questions from both sections. Students taking the exam as a first sitting must answerquestions from the section relating to the exam they missed.

NOTE: Exam times and venues are decided by Registry. Details can be found on the

Registry website after these have been decided. Dates, times and locations will then beposted on the department exams noticeboard and on WebCT. Please do not contact theCourse Secretary about this information she will pass on the information as soon as sheis informed.

2. ESSAYSThere are 2 essays (one per semester) of up to 1200 words in length. Both essays contributeto your final mark. Guidelines on writing essays can be found in the Appendix.

Essay titles (choose one for each semester)

Essay 1 deadline 4pm, Monday 30th November 2009 (week 11, semester 1)

Compare and contrast any two of the major approaches to personality differences.

Compare and contrast Piaget's ideas about assimilation and accommodation and Vygotsky'sideas about actual development, the zone of proximal development, and potentialdevelopment.


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Essay 2 deadline 4pm, Monday 22nd March 2010 (week 11, semester 2)

Discuss the concept of a flashbulb memory, and the evidence from research on thepsychology of memory that has helped understanding of why some events appear to beremembered in great detail. Consider whether the details that are remembered are genuine or

are possibly false reconstructions.

When people make everyday decisions, is it sensible for them to make use of their hunchesand intuitions?

EssaysubmissionAll essays must be word-processed, and submitted in two forms:

1. a hard copy should be placed in the box marked PSYCHOLOGY 1 ESSAYS in the mainconcourse. You must attach an essay coversheet which includes a declaration of own

work statement (copies of these will be on top of the essay box).

2. an electronic copy must be submitted via Turnitin. A link is available via WebCT, or viaa direct URL: www.submit.ac.uk. Access is arranged and details provided in week 2.

Essay returnEssays are returned after they have been marked and moderated, and feedback has beenprovided for each of them. This will be done as quickly as possible, but please bear in mindthat there are usually well over 300 of them. The Course Secretary will inform you of thereturn date by e-mail, and will return them to you on the specified date and time.

IMPORTANT

1. Plagiarism, the unacknowledged use of others work, is a serious offence, and maybe a disciplinary matter. It is essential that you read the section on plagiarism (see appendix)to avoid this.

2. You are expected to submit work on time. This is not only considerate to staff andfellow students but also an ability valued by employers, who typically ask about this whenrequesting a reference for a graduate.

To avoid late submission:- start working on essays as early as possible. All deadlines are given above so you

can plan ahead. Bear in mind you may have more than one deadline around the sametime.

- complete the essay at least 48 hours before the deadline to allow time for proof-reading, possible problems in printing and electronic submission. Bear in mind thatdemand on computers and printers is often high around the time of a deadline.

- save your work frequently and back it up

Penalties for late submissionFor each working day that work is late there will be a reduction of the mark by 5% of the

maximum obtainable mark. This penalty applies for up to five working days, after which the


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mark of zero will be given. PLEASE NOTE: no extensions will be given on thesedeadlines. There is more than enough time to complete the essays well in advance of thedeadlines. If you submit late, penalties will apply. Only in exceptional circumstances willthese be removed. If, because of exceptional circumstances, you have no choice but tosubmit late, then you may complete an Appeal Form and submit it along with any supporting

documentary evidence. These forms are available in the teaching office, and must besubmitted by noon on the Friday prior to the deadline. Any circumstances that occur theweekend prior to the deadline will be considered irrelevant.

3. TUTORIAL ATTENDANCE AND RESEARCH PARTICIPATION

The final part of your assessment is based upon tutorial attendance and researchparticipation. Absence from a tutorial without good reason will lead to a deduction of pointsfrom your overall mark.

You are also expected to participate in departmental research, contributing 8 hours ofresearch participation over the year for course credit. This will give you first-hand insight intothe research process. This is organised via a web-based system, and set out in WebCT.Failure to register, or to turn up, will lead to a deduction of points from your overall mark.

ASSESSMENT: How your work is assessed

Each candidate will be awarded a single grade for the course at the end of the year. Thefollowing system will be used.

The course grade will be awarded on the basis of a combination of degree examinations,marks from coursework and tutorial/research participation. This year the course is assessedvia the 2 tutorial essays, tutorial/research participation, plus the 2 end of semester degree

examinations, which are based upon Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). Because multiple-

Extended Common Marking Scheme

LetterGrade Range Descriptor Degree Class

A1 90-100A2 80-89A3 70-79

Excellent1st

B 60-69VeryGood 2.1

C 50-59 Good 2.2

D 40-49 Pass 3rd

E 30-39Marginal

Fail

F 20-29 Clear Fail

G 10-19

H 0-9Bad Fail


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choice assessments have different properties from essay-type assessments, your marks forthe multiple-choice section of the degree examinations will be adjusted, by the application ofthe formula

Scaled MCQ mark = 1.33*(raw MCQ) -15

It is your scaled mark that will be used in calculating your overall exam mark (see below).Since the above scaling procedure takes account of the possibility that some correct answersmay be obtained by guessing, you are advised to answer all the questions in Psychology 1multiple-choice examinations even if you are unsure about some of your answers.

How to calculate your Course MarkThe various components of the course are weighted as follows:

Semester 1 degree exam = 35%Semester 2 degree exam = 35%2 Tutorial essays (equally weighted) = 25%Tutorial attendance (8 tutorials) and research participation (8 hours) = 5%(NB 0.5% penalty deducted for each tutorial or hour of researchparticipation missed without permission)

NOTE FOR VISITING STUDENTS: your mark is weighted as follows:Degree exam (for relevant semester) = 70%Tutorial essay = 30%

FEEDBACKFeedback to students is provided in a number of ways:

- written feedback is provided by your tutor on each individual essay: this feedback isprovided on marking forms that map directly on to assessment criteria (these criteriaare available in this handbook).

- the extended common marking scheme, which is also included in this handbook, canbe used in conjunction with formal feedback in order to identify further strengths andweaknesses.

- general feedback is provided in semester 2 in a lecture that explicitly discusses essayand exam performance in semester 1, and provides advice on how to do better.

- if further individual feedback is sought, you may contact the tutor to discuss yourcoursework.

- formative assessment is provided in small group tutorial discussions, and in the essayworkshop in semester 1


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GENERAL INFORMATION AND SERVICES

Students with special needsStudents who think they may be dyslexic or who have received special examination

arrangements prior to entry should speak to their Director of Studies in the first instance. It isa good idea to do this as early as possible in the academic year to allow time for specialexamination arrangements to be implemented should these be recommended (see Appendixof Handbook).

Advisory ServicesThe University guidance services in Counselling, Health, Welfare, Accommodation,Employment, Careers Guidance and Spiritual Affairs may be approached directly, or viaDirectors of Studies.

Making the most of your studies

The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) runs a programme of workshopsdesigned to help students make the most of their studies. There are workshops at variouspoints in the year on such topics as time management, oral presentations, exam revision,exams with essays. Details of these workshops and of effective learning resource materialscan be found at: http://www.tla.ed.ac.uk/services/effect-learn/advice.htm

Library ProvisionFirst year students are provided for in the Reading Room of the Main Library in GeorgeSquare. There you should find copies of many of the references suggested in lectures, mostof them in multiple copies. Ask at the Library Information desk if you cannot see what youwant. Some copies at least will be kept in reserve so that they may always be consulted in the

Reading Room; others may be borrowed on short-term loan.

The main (borrowing) stock of psychology books and periodicals is housed on the third andfourth floor; the books are available for loan; the main journals are confined to the Library, butthere is now access to electronic copies of psychology journals via the library website athttp://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/resources/collections/serials/ejintro.shtml.

There is also study space on the third and fourth floors; on the same floors will be found thebiology and physiology collections which may be of interest. If you cannot get hold of areference, try to find out why not (e.g. on loan, temporarily missing, not known by Library staffetc); if you do not, it is very difficult for Psychology staff to be of any help.

Occasionally, new references may not reach the Library by the time they are mentioned in thecourse, due to delays in ordering from publishers overseas. Make a note of these and tryagain in about a months time (they rarely require immediate attention) or ask the lecturer foran alternative reference.

Students who experience any difficulty with the Librarys provision in Psychology that theMain Library staff cannot deal with, or who find a serious shortage of a particular book orarticle, should get in touch as soon as possible with the Course Organiser by electronic mail.


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Computing and IT

The University is committed to the promotion of Information Technology (IT) skills in all of itsstudents, and we encourage students to take every opportunity to make use of the ITresources which are available. In particular, your attention is drawn to the various public-access computer areas in the Central Area and at Kings Buildings.

The Computing Service has a helpdesk in the main library and a web-page covering supportfor students at: http://www.students.ucs.ed.ac.uk/helpdesk/student/system/show.cfm

The World Wide Web, MyEd & WebCTSome resources for you (including a copy of this paper document) will be found on thedepartments website: http://www.psy.ed.ac.uk/. However, the key point of contact for thiscourse is WebCT. WebCT is the main point of reference for all information related to thecourse and it is one of the services provided by the University through myEd, the portal for allIT services (www.myed.ed.ac.uk ). It is essential that you log in the system as soon aspossible when you arrive at Edinburgh.

Electronic MailAnother of the services provided via the myEd Portal is the email system. All students of theUniversity are automatically registered at matriculation for use of electronic mail. It is stronglyadvised that you make use of this opportunity to cultivate an important skill and to use emailas a means of contacting your lecturers and tutors. If you already use email we stronglyencourage you to familiarise yourself with the system at the first opportunity.


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Appendix 1


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Guidelines for Psychology 1 EssaysAn essay is a formal attempt to answer the question given. So much is obvious, but thequestion remains "how"?

StructureEssay writing is essentially story-telling. A story normally has a beginning introducing thecharacters, a middle which develops their relationships and a conclusion tying all endstogether. Thus with an essay, the introduction sets the ground, with descriptions of the basicarea(s) to be covered and usually an outline of what the competing bodies of evidence will be.In the middle section or sections, these themes are developed, with details of experimentsand, more importantly, the logic which determines how the experiment fits into the story.Although, as in a novel, new "characters" or twists in the logic of the story may be introduced,remember that these must also fit into the tale. There is little more irritating in both novel andpsychology essay than characters (or experiments) brought in with no explanation or clear

reason.

The ending is more difficult and critical. Tying loose ends together is a common problem,often solved in an essay by saying that the conclusion is a bit of this and a bit of that; i.e.,every explanation is both right and wrong. While this may well be so, it is a very weak ending.Try to demonstrate what bits are right and wrong, and how the components fit together toproduce the final story.

For example, take an essay which centres around biological vs. social constraints on humanbehaviour. In some very real sense, both approaches or sides are correct. However, in manyof the examples given it can be seen that while biological constraints may define the outline ofthe tale (or the ultimate cause), we can see that particular social or psychological structureshave arisen which act as the immediate reason (or proximal cause). There are strongbiological reasons for us not to marry close relatives, especially when population densities arelow (increase in disease through recessive gene combinations, loss of 'hybrid vigour', etc.).What would a 'genetic constraint' on marrying close relatives be, though? One problem is tofirst recognise your close kin. Fox found that children reared closely together in Israelikibbutzim did not intermarry even though they were not closely related. They had lived closelytogether as if they were one family, and the explanation that Fox put forward was that theythus recognised each other as close kin. Thus the biological need, to prevent in-breeding, isserved by the social one of recognition of family members. The latter occurs when people liveclosely together, so the anthropologists are to some extent right when they say that kinship isa social, not biological, phenomenon. In order to make sense of the story, both explanationsare needed, and we can describe the part played by each.

One area in which the essay and novel differ is in personal experience. It is very rare for theexperience you have, either directly or second-hand, to be useful in answering scientificquestions. This is especially dangerous in psychology, when every man or woman in thestreet (and the dog) has an opinion about the reasons others behave in the way they do. Thisis not to say that experience is useless, or that nave observations are worthless. What itshould do is lead us to ask the appropriate questions. For example, violent videos were foundin the homes of the two boys who killed Jamie Bulger. A Tabloid reaction was "Ban thesekiller videos", but we don't even know if the boys watched them. Do other children in the areahave such videos in the house? What was different about the home background orpersonality of the boys? Have other children gone close to committing similar atrocities?


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These are all relevant questions which we need to ask, and should be raised by thatobservation.

RangeThe expected length of an essay is around 1500 words. A common question asked is, "How

much detail (experimental or otherwise) is needed?" The answer is, of course, it depends.Often an essay can be answered either by a surface skimming of lots of different material, orby an in depth analysis of a small area. Clearly the detail required in the second is muchlarger than the first. In the first case the answer will centre on the logic of the results obtained,described very broadly. Of course, there may be instances where it is the detail of theexperiment which must be used to show the crucial flaws in an argument. Here the detailneeds to be given.

SourcesThe common sources for an essay are a) lectures and handouts b) the course text (at themoment Introduction to Psychology (3rdEdition) by G Neil Martin, Neil R Carlson, and William

Buskist, published by Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow, Essex, c) other books or articles thatlecturers may refer to in this handout or in lectures and d) other sources that you may find foryourself (e.g. by searching the University Library catalogue using keywords or by following upsome of the relevant references from Martin, Carlson & Buskist).

ReferencesWhenever you refer to previous work in the text, you must credit the source of theinformation, e.g.

"Eysenck (1965) has suggested..." or "It has been suggested that extroverts are lesscortically aroused than introverts (Eysenck, 1965)".

If you quote directly from a source, then the quotation must be in inverted commas and youmust give the relevant page number, e.g. (Eysenck, 1965, p.25).

Then, on a separate sheet headed References at the end your essay, you should list (inalphabetical order by authors surname) all of the sources you have referred to in the textusing the following formats:

Journal Articles:Barch, A.M., Trumbo, D. and Nangle, J. (1957). Social setting and conformity to a legalrequirement. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 55, 396-398.

Chapter in Book:Berscheid, E. and Walster, E. (1974). Physical attractiveness. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.),Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol. 17. New York: Academic Press.

Book:Eysenck, H.J. (1965). Fact and fiction in psychology. London: Penguin.

The above examples are given to illustrate different reference formats depending on thepublication source. However, the Reference section of your report should notbe sub-titled.Don't forget, only references you have mentioned in your report should be included.


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Primary and secondary sources:The primary source is the publication in which an empirical study was originally reported or aparticular theory was first advanced. A secondary source is a publication that gives asecond-hand (and usually selective) account of work that has previously been publishedelsewhere. For example, if you read a summary in Martin, Carlson & Buskists textbook of the

findings from a study that Bloggins carried out and published in a journal article, then theBloggins article would be the primary source and the Martin, Carlson & Buskist textbookwould be your secondary source. In your essay, you should reference both sources in the textusing the following format: e.g. Bloggins (1972) cited in Martin, Carlson & Buskist (2007).For the purposes of Psychology 1 essays, you need only provide the details of the secondarysource in the reference list at the end of your essay. Of course, if you have actually managedto get hold of and read the primary source, then you should refer just to that (in both the textand the reference list). The reason why it is important to refer to primary sources is that itshows you are drawing on scientific studies which have been published in the scientificliterature, rather than relying on anecdote or personal experience. Remember that a crucialfeature of an essay in psychology is that it must consist of a piece of coherently argued

scientific writing. It is not a piece of journalism, so do not adopt a journalistic style. Instead,refer to scientific evidence and make this explicit by citing appropriate sources.

English GrammarPsychology essays are not formally marked down for grammatical errors. However, poorgrammar can affect your mark in 2 ways:

a) If the grammar renders a section incomprehensible, then the marker must assume you donot know the correct story.

b) All essays are marked to some extent subjectively. A continuous series of grammatical

errors, which the marker has to waste time deciphering and then correcting in the text, willproduce a feeling of irritation (quite rightly) and this will affect the final mark (again, quiterightly). We do assume that you can write standard English, and you can at least use a spellchecker on your word-processed essay.

FINALLY, DO REMEMBER THAT WE NEED CERTAIN INFORMATION ON THE FRONTSHEET OF THE ESSAY. THIS IS;

1. Your NAME2. Your Matriculation Number.3. Your TUTOR'S FULL NAME.

4. The title of the essay.


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Appendix 2Additional Information

Plagiarism

Computing help for students

Change of address

Students with special needs

Examination timetable

Examination appeals procedure & procedure for notifying extenuating circumstances

Examination results Extended common marking scheme

British Psychological Society accreditation

Safety

Telephone/room numbers for 2009/2010 Semester dates for the 2009/2010 academic year


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PLAGIARISM

Please read the following sections regarding plagiarism. Each piece of work submitted will require thefollowing form to be attached (copies will be available in the department).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Declaration of own work

This sheet must be filled in (each box ticked to show that the condition has been met), signed anddated, and included with all assessments - work will not be marked unless this is done.

This sheet will be removed from the assessment before marking.

Name: _______________________________________ Matric No.:_________________

Course/Programme: ________________________________________________________

Title of Work: _____________________________________________________________

I confirm that all this work is my own except where indicated, and that I have:

Clearly referenced/listed all sources as appropriate

Referenced and put in inverted commas all quoted text of more than three words (from books, web, etc)

Given the sources of all pictures, data etc. that are not my own

Not made any use of the essay(s) of any other student(s) either past or present

Not sought or used the help of any external professional agencies for the work

Acknowledged in appropriate places any help that I have received from others (eg fellow students, technicians, statisticians, external sources)

Complied with any other plagiarism criteria specified in the Course handbook

I understand that any false claim for this work will be penalised in accordance with

the University regulations

Signature: ________________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________

Please note: If you need further guidance on plagiarism, you can: Consult your course book

Speak to your course organiser or supervisor

Check out http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/Plagiarism/Intro.htm


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What plagiarism is and why the University takes it seriouslyIt is very important that all students understand the Universitys rules about plagiarism. Studentssometimes break these rules unintentionally because they do not realise that some of the ways inwhich they have incorporated other peoples work into their own, before they came to this University,may be against the rules here.

Plagiarism is the act of copying or including in one's own work, without adequate acknowledgement,intentionally or unintentionally, the work of another, for one's own benefit. Plagiarism is a seriousdisciplinary offence and even unintentional plagiarism can be a disciplinary matter.

The full text of the University's policy, and a statement of the steps which the University may take incases where a candidate uses or is thought to have used the work of another person or persons inhis/her work, are listed in full in the section on Plagiarism and Cheating in the examination regulationswhich can be found at the following url:http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/exam.htm

Guidelines on good practiceThe guidance given below is intended to clear up any misunderstandings you may have aboutplagiarism in relation to Psychology. The Universitys general guidance for students about plagiarismcan be found at:http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/Plagiarism/Intro.htm.

This includes the Universitys regulations, procedures for dealing with different kinds of plagiarism andadvice about what to do if you are accused of plagiarism. If you are still unsure about how to avoidplagiarism, having read these guidance notes, then you should approach the relevant CourseOrganiser for further advice.

The key to avoiding plagiarism is to make sure that you give correct references for anything that youhave taken from other sources to include in your academic work. This might include, for example, any

ideas, theories, findings, images, diagrams or direct quotations that you have used. In Psychology,we expect you to use the American Psychological Association referencing system. You should usethis system to signal, within the text of your work, the origins of any material taken from anothersource, even if you have put it into your own words. If you take any material word for word fromanother source it is essential that you make it clear to your reader that this is what you have done.

If you take material from another source, change a few words and then include the reference you maystill have committed a plagiarism offence because you have not made it clear to your reader that youhave essentially reproduced part of the original source. You should either express the ideas fully inyour own words and give the reference or else use clearly labelled direct quotes. Bear in mind that ifyou include too many direct quotes in your work this may reduce your grade, as the marker will find itdifficult to see evidence of your own understanding of the topic. You must also include a references

section at the end of your work that provides the full details of all of the sources cited within the text.You should be aware that, for work done in your other subject areas, you might be expected to use adifferent referencing system.


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As referencing is something which students often find confusing, here is a series of examples ofcorrect referencing and of different forms of plagiarism to set you on the right track.

A guide on using information from literature sources1. The following is a direct quote from an original source: S. van Heyningen (1982) "Similarities in

the action of different toxins", in "Molecular Action of Toxins and Viruses", (P. Cohen and S. vanHeyningen, eds.) Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Cholera toxin is a simple protein easily purified from culture filtrates of Vibrio cholerae. Its mainbiological property, as discussed in Chapter 2, is to activate adenylate cyclase in all types ofeukaryotic cell. It has a complicated subunit structure (reviewed in detail in [1,2]). There arefive B-subunits of molecular weight 11,600; they have been sequenced and have oneintrachain disulphide bond. There is also one A-subunit (molecular weight 27,000). Subunit A issecreted by the V. cholerae as a single polypeptide chain, and can be isolated as such if careis taken to minimize proteolysis during the purification. It is however rapidly cleaved into twopeptides A1 and A2, which are linked by a disulphide bond. Peptide A1 has a molecular weightof about 22,000 and has been partially sequenced, while the molecular weight of peptide A2 is

about 5,000.

If you are quoting a passage such as this, you must enclose it in quotation marks and give theauthors surname, the date of publication and the page number in the main body of youressay/report, as well as including full reference details in the reference list at the end of yourpiece of work.

2. The next example is a use of that quote in an essay, and is an example of pure plagiarism cheating. A few trivial changes have been made, but the text is almost unaltered and noacknowledgement has been made of this fact.

Cholera toxin is a protein easily purified from culture filtrates of Vibrio cholerae. Its main

biological property is to activate adenylate cyclase in all types of eukaryotic cell. It has acomplicated subunit structure with five B-subunits of Mr 11,600. There is also one A-subunit(Mr 27,000). Subunit A is secreted by the V. cholerae as a single polypeptide chain, which canbe isolated as such if proteolysis during the purification is kept to a minimum. It is howeverrapidly cleaved into two peptides A1 and A2, which are linked by a disulphide bond. PeptideA1 has Mr about 22,000 and has been partially sequenced, while peptide A2 has Mr about5,000.

3. This is another example that is also plagiarism. Reference has been made to the originalsource, but it is not explained that it has been copied almost directly from the original.

Cholera toxin is a protein easily purified from culture filtrates of Vibrio cholerae (van

Heyningen, 1982). Its main biological property is to activate adenylate cyclase in all types ofeukaryotic cell. It has a complicated subunit structure with five B-subunits of Mr 11,600. Thereis also one A-subunit (Mr 27,000). Subunit A is secreted by the V. cholerae as a singlepolypeptide chain, which can be isolated as such if proteolysis during the purification is kept toa minimum. It is however rapidly cleaved into two peptides A1 and A2, which are linked by adisulphide bond. Peptide A1 has Mr about 22,000 and has been partially sequenced, whilepeptide A2 has Mr about 5,000.

4. Nobody could accuse the following of plagiarism, since the writer makes it quite clear that thematerial has been copied; however the writer couldn't expect to get much credit for this "copyand paste" job, which shows no evidence of any thought or understanding.

Cholera toxin is an interesting protein with a complex structure. Van Heyningen (1982) hasexplained that it is "a simple protein easily purified from culture filtrates of Vibrio cholerae. Its


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main biological property is to activate adenylate cyclase in all types of eukaryotic cell. It has acomplicated subunit structure. There are five B-subunits of molecular weight 11,600; theyhave been sequenced and have one intrachain disulphide bond. There is also one A-subunit(molecular weight 27,000). Subunit A is secreted by the V. cholerae as a single polypeptidechain, and can be isolated as such if care is taken to minimize proteolysis during the

purification. It is however rapidly cleaved into two peptides A1 and A2, which are linked by adisulphide bond. Peptide A1 has a molecular weight of about 22,000 and has been partiallysequenced, while the molecular weight of peptide A2 is about 5,000".

5. The following is not wonderful, because careful examination could show that the writer had usedonly one source (guess which?), but it is not plagiarism, and it is not cheating.

Cholera toxin is an interesting protein that can be purified quite easily from the medium inwhich Vibrio cholerae is grown; it is an activator of the enzyme adenylate cyclase in eukaryoticcells, and has a complex structure (van Heyningen, 1982). The protein is made up of fivesingle-chain B-subunits (molecular weight 11,600), whose sequence shows them to have onedisulphide bond, and an A-subunit (molecular weight 27,000), which can be isolated from the

V. cholerae medium as a single chain if proteolysis is avoided, but is easily cleaved into twopeptides A1 (molecular weight about 22,000) and A2 (about 5,000).

(To show that we practice what we preach, we should acknowledge that this section on plagiarism isbased on guidelines produced by the Edinburgh School of Biology and on the Universitys guidelineson plagiarism. The idea for the illustration of using information from literature sources comes from DrDavid French, Department of History, University College London, whose own text used an examplemore relevant to History).

Further guidance on these issues can be found at:

http://dissc.tees.ac.uk/Plagiarism/Plag-4.htm

http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/plagiarism/CitingElectronicSources.htm

This process of referencing may seem rather complicated and arbitrary, if it is new to you, but it shouldbegin to make more sense as you progress through your studies here. In order to assess your workand to give you useful feedback your marker needs to have a clear sense of what ideas you havedeveloped for yourself and what comes from elsewhere. To be fair to all of the students on the courseit is important that each student is given grades that accurately reflect their own efforts. As you learn toproduce work at a university standard, you are developing the skills that will allow you to participatewithin wider communities of scholars. In these communities new knowledge and understanding isoften developed by building on the work of others. By properly acknowledging earlier work you givecredit where it is due and help to maintain the integrity and credibility of academic research in thisarea. Clear referencing also allows readers to learn about the wider literature through your work. It isoften the case that understanding the ways in which particular scholars have contributed to thedevelopment of the literature makes it much easier to make sense of the current state of play.

In Psychology there are certain facts which are so well known that it is not necessary to providereferences for them in your work. This is what is known as the common knowledge of this subjectarea. At first it can be difficult to know what is and is not common knowledge and it is better to err onthe side of giving references if you are in doubt.

Sometimes, even when students know what plagiarism is, they find it hard to know what to do instead.In other words, it can be hard to understand how to develop and express your own ideas in anappropriate manner for your assessed work. You may wonder, for example, what you can add to thedebate on a topic when the authors whose work you are reading seem to know much more than youdo. This is something you will be learning to do gradually over the course of your studies. One way to


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learn about this is to pay close attention to the ways in which your lecturers generate arguments orsupport their points. You might also want to read about current debates to see how claims andcounter-claims are made. To start you off, here are some questions that you could ask yourself to helpto develop your own views about a topic -

Can I learn anything from comparing and contrasting these rival points of view?What do I find particularly convincing about this authors argument?Could the criticism made by author A of the work of author B also be applied to author C?Do I believe the claims made from this study, given the sample with which it was conducted?What is the author's purpose in writing this article?What has the author focused on and what is left out?Does what the author is saying fit with my own experiences?Have any claims or predictions been tested?Is the evidence given to support the arguments convincing?Is the author trying to argue by unfair means, for example, by oversimplifying or misrepresenting anopposing viewpoint?

Students sometimes wonder where to draw the line between discussing their ideas with their peers(which can be an excellent learning experience) and unacceptable collusion. The time to beparticularly careful is when you are preparing work for assessment. You need to be certain that thework you submit represents your own process of engagement with the task set. You may get intodifficulty if, for example, reading another students plan for their work influences you, or if you showthem your plan. Assisting another student to plagiarise is a cheating offence. You can read moreabout this issue in the FAQ at the end of the Universitys general plagiarism guidancehttp://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/Plagiarism/Intro.htm

As a student, you are part of a community of fellow students, academics and other people. So, we DOwant you to talk to one another, to share experiences, and to discuss problems - including theassignments you have been set. If you find a useful source of information in the library or on the World

Wide Web, etc., then you SHOULD let other people know about it. That's what being in a community isall about - co-operating and learning together, helping one another to gain the most from your time atuniversity.

BUT the crucial point is that, when you come to producing the piece of work that will be assessed, itmust be entirely your own work, written by you in your own words, and containing your owninterpretations, ideas, approaches etc. If you use other people's words or major ideas, then you shouldstate clearly where they come from. If you use diagrams or photos from published works (as youshould do, when appropriate) then you should state where the diagram or photograph came from, andalso add your own caption or footnotes to it, not those of the original source.

In other words, it is quite easy to avoid plagiarism, while also being a good friend and neighbour! All

you need to do is make sure that you put your own effort into the material you submit for assessment,and that you acknowledge the sources on which your work draws. (More detailed guidance onreferencing format etc. will be available from staff at relevant points in the course.)

Accidental plagiarism is sometimes a result of a student not yet having fully come to terms with how tostudy effectively at university. For example, the ways in which students take their notes sometimesmakes it difficult for them to later distinguish between verbatim quotes, paraphrased material and theirown ideas. A student may also plagiarise unintentionally because they have been feeling daunted by apiece of work and so have put it off for so long that they have had to rush to meet the deadline. If youthink these kinds of wider issues may be relevant to you then you should discuss this with your tutor ordemonstrator. You may also wish to look at the web site of the Universitys Centre for TeachingLearning and Assessment which gives details of workshops and resource materials about effective


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learning at university, some of which are relevant to plagiarism (www.tla.ed.ac.uk under forstudents).

Computing help for studentsFirst year students who need help with computing should contact the Universitys Information Services

student support team:http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/student/web-based helpdesk: http://www.students.ucs.ed.ac.uk/helpdesk/student/system/show.cfmor through the Student Helpdesk (in the Learning Resource Centre in the Main Library)

Second and third year students should also use these contacts if they wish for help with aspects ofcomputer use that are not covered by departmental training.

Fourth year students who have specialised requirements in connection with their projects shouldapproach their supervisor to ask which member(s) of departmental staff can be approached for help.

Change of addressDirectors of Studies, tutors and the department/School Administration often need to write to students.It is therefore essential to send details of any change in either home or Edinburgh address by [email protected].

Students with special needsStudents with special needs are advised to discuss their needs with their Director of Studies and tomake themselves known to the Disability Office at the earliest opportunity:http://www.disability-office.ed.ac.uk/email: [email protected] South College Street, Edinburgh (Tel: 0131 650 6828).Students who think they may be dyslexic or who received special examination arrangements prior toentry should also speak to their Director of Studies in the first instance. It is important to do this asearly as possible in the academic year to allow time for special examination arrangements to beimplemented should these be recommended.

Examination timetableStudents are responsible for ascertaining their examination times. Examination timetables arepublished by Registry on their website http://www.registry.ed.ac.uk/Examinations/. It is possible thatsome examinations will be scheduled on Saturdays. As stated in the University's Degree ExaminationRegulations, "candidates for degree examinations may not appear for examination at times other thanthose prescribed, or at a place other than the designated one, except in cases of serious illness, injuryor physical handicap, or on grounds of religious scruples or unavoidable overlapping of examinationhours, or in other exceptional circumstances". Any students who think they will be affected by

exceptional circumstances of this type should notify the Course Organiser at the earliest possibleopportunity.

Examination appeals procedure & procedure for notifying extenuating circumstancesThe University's appeals procedure regarding examination results is outlined fully in theUndergraduate Assessment Regulations http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/exam.htm. Students shouldparticularly note the following extract from the regulations:

16.1 This Section sets out the mechanism and grounds for appeal. For the purposeof this Section, examination is understood to include any written, practical ororal examination, continuously assessed coursework or dissertation which

counts towards the final assessment.


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16.2 Factors which may adversely affect a students performance in an examinationor in assessed coursework over the year, such as personal illness or theillness of a close relative or partner, must be drawn to the attention of theExaminers in writing by the student as soon as possible and, in any event,before the meeting of the Board of Examiners. (See 9.11 to 9.13.)

16.3 A student may appeal against an examination result on the grounds of:

(a) substantial information directly relevant to the quality of performance in theexamination which for good reason was not available to the examiners whentheir decision was taken. Ignorance of the requirement mentioned in paragraph(16.2) above to report timeously factors which may have adversely affected astudent's performance, or failure to report such factors on the basis that thestudent did not anticipate an unsatisfactory result in the examination, cannever by themselves constitute good reason; and/or

(b) alleged irregular procedure or improper conduct of an examination. Forthis purpose conduct of an examination includes conduct of a meeting of theBoard of Examiners.

Students who consider that they may have grounds for appeal are advised to consult theirDirector of Studies and a student advisor in the EUSA Advice Place in the first instance.

Examination resultsAs soon as the results for degree examinations are available, they will be issued by Registry tostudents via the Edinburgh Student Portal (MyEd). In addition, lists showing final honours degreeclasses (for Psychology 4) will be posted on the department of Psychology noticeboards. Please do

not telephone Registry or departmental staff to ask for your results. It is not University policy todivulge results over the 'phone, and phone calls slow down the processing of results. In cases ofexceptional difficulty, you should consult your Director of Studies. Psychology 4 students will benotified towards the end of the second semester of the date when the final honours results will beposted on the noticeboard. Year 1-3 results are usually available from Registry via the EdinburghStudent Portal sometime in mid June but it is not possible to specify exact dates.

Psychology 3 honours students' results contribute to their final degree class at the end of Year 4.Results from the December exam diet are provisional until they have been considered and approvedby the Examination Board which meets in the summer. Interim results for December will be madeavailable during the second semester.

Resit examinations (for non-honours courses) usually take place during August. Students are stronglyadvised to avoid making holiday plans etc. which might conflict with resit examinations until they knowtheir April/May examination results. NB: There are no resit examinations for honours levelcourses. However, Year 3 Honours students who are absent from one or more examinationsdue to medical or other special circumstances, may, at the discretion of the Board ofExaminers, be permitted or required to sit these examinations as a first attempt in the Augustdiet.


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University of Edinburgh Extended Common Marking Scheme

EXTENDED COMMON MARKING SCHEME: from session 2005-6

Passed by SENATUS

Extended Common Marking Scheme

Letter

GradeRange Descriptor Degree Class

A1 90-100

A2 80-89

A3 70-79

Excellent 1st

B 60-69 Very Good 2.1

C 50-59 Good 2.2

D 40-49 Pass 3rd

E 30-39 Marginal Fail

F 20-29 Clear fail

G 10-19

H 0-9Bad fail

Comments for markers and students

These descriptors are guidelines for assessing work on similar criteria across the range of marks, butthey do not provide a formula for generating a mark. It is clear, for example, that a piece of work maybe excellent in one respect and substandard in another. Markers will have to make decisions onaggregate. Note that some descriptors will be more appropriate for essay or project assessment thanfor examination answers.

Notable changes from our old criteria include:

(1) More emphasis on scholarly apparatus Failure to acknowledge sources properly via in-textreferences and bibliography can fail an essay.

(2) A view on irrelevant material. - Students are not at liberty to answer exam questions which werenot set. Irrelevant answers should normally be assigned a failing mark.

Markers should note that, for those examination scripts with a sticker stating specific learningdifficulties, no penaltiesfor poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation should be incurred, unless theseare being directly assessed and are core to an understanding of the course (see http://www.disability-office.ed.ac.uk/guidelines/markingexams.cfm) This request is a reasonable adjustment under theDisability Discrimination Act and is particularly important in examination situations, where support forspelling/grammar is unavailable or is not assured.


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A1 90-100 Excellent

Outstanding in every respect, the work is well beyond the level expected of a competentstudent at their level of study. It

Shows creative, subtle, and/or original independent thinking

Demonstrates breadth of knowledge and deep understanding of the subject matter

Draws on a wide, relevant literature base

Demonstrates an excellent standard of synthesis and evaluation and a critical andinsightful analysis of the literature

Is well focused, with concentration on the main issues to be addressed

Presents a compelling case by means of clear logically structured argument or debate,well supported with evidence

Is written with flair

Has, where appropriate, complete and correct referencing

Is flawless in grammar and spelling

A2 80-89 ExcellentOutstanding in some respects, the work is often beyond what is expected of a competentstudent at their level of study. It

Shows original, sophisticated independent thinking

Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the subject matter

Draws on a wide, relevant literature base

Demonstrates critical and insightful analysis of the literature


Presents a strong case by means of clear, logically structured argument or debate,supported with evidence

Shows a good standard of academic writing


Shows a high standard of grammar and spelling

A3 70-79 ExcellentVery good or excellent in most respects, the work is what might be expected of a verycompetent student. It

Explores the topic under discussion fully

Shows some complex and/or sensitive independent thinking Complexity and or sensitivityis reflected in the argument

Demonstrates a sound understanding of the subject matter

Draws in a wide relevant literature base

Demonstrates critical analysis of the literature


Presents a good case by means of clear logically structured argument or debate,

supported by evidence


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Shows a competent standard of fluent academic writing


Shows a good standard of grammar and spelling

B 60-69 Very GoodGood or very good in most respects, the work displays thorough mastery of the relevantlearning outcomes. It

Demonstrates a good understanding of the area in question

Draws on adequate references

Demonstrates good synthesis, analysis, reflection and evaluation of the literature

Concentrates on the main issues to be addressed

Presents an adequate case by means of clear, well structured, logical argumentsupported with evidence.

Has, where appropriate, complete and correct referencing of sources

Shows a good standard of grammar and spelling

C 50-59 GoodThe work clearly meets requirements for demonstrating the relevant learning outcomes. It

Shows evidence of sufficient knowledge and understanding of the material

Uses references appropriately to support the argument, though they may be limited innumber or reflect restricted reading.

Demonstrates limited critical analysis and evaluation of sources of evidence.

Addresses the area in question clearly and coherently Has satisfactory structure, presentation, and expression

Has, where appropriate, complete referencing of sources, though there may be minorflaws in referencing technique

D 40-49 PassThe work meets minimum requirements for demonstrating the relevant learning outcomes. It

Demonstrates a sufficient level of knowledge and understanding but at a basic level, andthere may be minor inaccuracies

Lacks detail, elaboration or explanation of concepts and ideas.

Displays limited synthesis and analysis of the literature

Presents a highly descriptive account of the topic with no real critical analysis

Presents a weak argument which is not logically structured or which lacks clarity or isbased on unsubstantiated statements

Has, where appropriate, complete referencing of sources, though there may be flaws inreferencing technique.

Has largely satisfactory expression, though there may be minor spelling or grammaticalerrors


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E 30-39 Marginal failThe work fails to meet minimum requirements for demonstrating the relevant learningoutcomes. It

Does not demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge and understanding

Utilises only limited reference sources and offers poor analysis of them May not adequately address the area in question, because its content is too limited or

because there are some inaccuracies

Presents a poorly structured, poorly developed, or incoherent argument, or no argumentat all

Has an awkward writing style or poor expression of concepts

Has incomplete or inadequately presented references

Shows a lack of attention to spelling and grammar.

F 20-29 Clear failThe work is very weak or shows a decided lack of effort. It

Displays very poor or confused knowledge and understanding

Does not address the area in question.

Presents no argument or one based on irrelevant and erroneous content

Displays an unacceptable academic writing style and /or presentation

Has incomplete or inadequately presente

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