Spring 2014 syllabus
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This course syllabus outlines the requirements for a graduate school preparation course. Students must complete weekly assignments in verbal, quantitative, and graduate school preparation categories, and bring proofs of completion to the weekly meeting. Additional requirements include full-length practice GRE exams, a curriculum vitae, and vocabulary quizzes. Students can earn bonus points through optional extra work or high scores on GRE practice tests. The grading system is based on percentages in different assignment categories, with a minimum grade of an A required in each to receive an A for the course overall.
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(you will still have to pay for the one-credit, but you will not have to go to an
additional class).
A folder of extra worksheets can be found in the student folder. Be sure to
track how long you spend doing each packet of worksheets.
Another way to earn bonus points!
o Score above 138in each category (verbal, quantitative) on the GRE pre-test
and receive 5 bonus points to be applied to a category of your choice
(excluding quizzes).
Score above 145 in each category and receive 10 bonus points!
o Improve your score in each category by 3 points between pre- and post-test
and receive an additional 5 bonus points in any category except quizzes.
Improve your score by 5 points in each category and receive 10 bonus
quiz points!
BACC Appointment (Behavioral Academic and Career Counseling)
You have the option to attend a BACC appointment this semester. If
you have never had a BACC appointment, you should set one up with a
graduate student in order to establish your goals and receive
feedback on what you should be doing to achieve those goals.
Additional BACC appointments can be counted as one of your grad
school tasks for any week.
You must fill out and bring a copy of the How to Achieve Your Goals
form to your BACC appointment. It should be filled out before the
appointment begins. This form is found under “Relevant forms” in the
Student Folder.
Academic Dishonesty
“You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the
policies and procedures in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs that
pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication,
falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and
computer misuse. [Please see<http://www.wmich.edu/catalog> under
Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If there is reason to
believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred
to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to
review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have
the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with your instructor if you
are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of
an assignment or test.”
For more information visit http://osc.wmich.edu<http://osc.wmich.edu> and
www.wmich.edu/registrar <http://www.wmich.edu/registrar> to access the
Code of Honor and general academic policies on such issues as diversity,
religious observance, student disabilities, etc.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/spring2014syllabus-140126211849-phpapp02/85/Spring-2014-syllabus-5-320.jpg)
Spring 2014 syllabus
- 1. Course Syllabus Spring 2014 PSY 4010Graduate School Preparation 12877Monday 4:00 - 4:50 Dunbar Hall02202 12878Tuesday 1:00 – 1:50Wood Hall02908 Instructor Joseph McDonald joseph.a.mcdonald@wmich.edu Mailbox in the BATS lab: Wood Hall 2536 (inside 2506) Supervisor Jeremy Walker jeremy.f.walker@wmich.edu Mailbox in the BATS lab: Wood Hall 2536 (inside 2506) Objective This self-management course is designed to help you study for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and prepare you for graduate school. This course provides guidance, instructional materials, study tips, testing strategies, and other relevant information pertaining to the GRE. To receive points each week you will need to bring to class: 1. TVF (filled out prior to class) 2. Proofs (anything you completed for your required hours and homework; any work done on the computer must be provided in printed form for proof of completion) 3. Kaplan bookand Coursepack(when we have homework assignments due, you must bring in your book and show your work to receive points for completion) 4. Yourself (you are required to attend class to receive points for assigned work each week) See attendance policy section. TVF ○ You will need to bring a completed task verification form to each class. On this form, you will write out: everything you have completed for the week, along with your proofs the number of hours you spent completing each task ○Formsareincluded in the weekly sections of your coursepackas well as in the student folder.Refer to the TVF job aid on filling out the TVF. completed TVF is worth 5 points per week Breakdown of Assignments into Categories o In addition to your TVF you must complete other assignments for each class (which you will list on your TVF). You will have assignments in three categories: verbal, quantitative, and grad hour. Usually, you are required to complete one task from each category. The tasks required each week are listed in your assignment guide
- 2. Assigned work o You will need to complete all assigned work each week to receive an A in this course. You must also show proof of completion for each task (this includes tasks in each of the three categories: verbal, quantitative, and grad hours) during the weekly meeting/class. If you do not have proofs for your work, you will not receive the points for that week. All work assigned that is done on the computer requires proof in the form of a printed copy (i.e. scores from quiz games, final scores from PowerPrep practice tests, website printouts, etc.) OR a screenshot. When you are assigned work from your Kaplan book or coursepack, you will be required to bring your book or coursepack to class to show proof of completion. If you also complete some of the work on scratch paper, please bring these to class as well. All assigned reading will require proof of completion. For example, written notes (either in the book or on scrap paper-NO HIGHLIGHTING!) from the reading will count as proof. o You will need to complete all assigned GRE work (verbal and quantitative) plus one hour per week working on materials to prepare for graduate school (i.e. looking up schools and programs, filling out applications, meeting with professors, BACC appointments etc.). This weekly task fulfills your grad hour. All grad school preparation work will also require proof of completion in order to receive points each week. The assignment guide will outline what types of tasks you should be completing for that week. o Refer to your student assignment guide for a list of your weekly assignments. o 10 of each week’s verbal or quantitative problems will be graded for accuracy. For each answer that is incorrect you will lose 2 of the possible points from that section. o If you need to make up for missed hours/points see Missed Points/Hours section below. The quantitative and verbal categoriesare each worth 15 points per week; the grad hour is worth 10 points. Quizzes o There will be a quiz on the second day of class covering the material on the syllabus. ○There will be quizzes in class over the homework material and the Kaplan flashcards. If you miss a class period there will be no opportunity to make up that particular quiz. ▪ There will be optional bonus quizzes covering supplementary homework materials. ▪ Quizzes will be worth approximately 15 to 20 points each Vocabulary Quizzes: Beginning with week 3, there will be vocabulary quizzes over the required Kaplan flashcards. A list of the terms to know each week is found in your coursepack. Each week a list of words will be provided to study. The quiz will
- 3. include most, but not all of the words on the schedule. The quizzes are not multiple-choice. You will be required to write out a short definition. Some quizzes will include review terms from previous quizzes for bonus quiz points. These review terms will always come from the previous week’s vocabulary quiz. Additional Assignments o You will complete 2 full-length GRE practice tests during the semester You will be required to download the practice tests from the ETS website. Instructions for downloading are included on a job aid in your coursepack (under Week 1). A print-out or screen shot of your scores is required to receive points for each test. See the print screen job aid for printing instructions. If you do not turn in both of these practice tests, your final grade will drop ½ a letter grade (for each missed test.) o You will also be required to create a curriculum vitaand personal statement by the end of the semester that will count as part of your homework grade and will not be able to be made-up. Weekly Meeting/Class o There will be a weekly meeting, during which we will go over your TVF to make sure you have achieved your goals for the week, including: completion of all assigned GRE hours (verbal and quantitative), grad/writing hours, Grad School Info Tracking form, etc. Attendance at weekly meetings is mandatory to receive full credit for completed work. If you miss class, late work (assigned hours and homework material) can be turned in the following week. However, it will only be worth half of the original point value. See Missed Class section below. Attendanceis worth 10 points each week o Tardiness may result in deduction of attendance points. Missed Class o You will be allowed to make up 2 classes; if you miss more than two classes, you will lose those points and will not be allowed to make them up. o Missed work and the make-up tasks must be turned in the following week or you will lose all points. ○ Make-Up Procedure for Missing Class Attendance points (10 points) can be made up by either: o Attending another section of the class during the same week OR o Completing 1 hour of extra GRE (not Grad hour) work, including proofs Task points (15 from quantitative, 15 from verbal, 10 from grad) o Turn in all assignments from the missed class period (this alone will give you half credit for each task) o PLUS, submit two Analytical Writing samples (see Kaplan book)
- 4. o TVF points (5 points for TVF) o You CANNOT make-up points for the TVF Quiz points (15 points) o You CANNOT make-up points for missed quizzes IncompleteTasks o Make-Up Procedure for Incompletetasks 1 incompleteassignment/hour: complete the missed work plus one extra hour of GRE work including proofs 2 incompleteassignments/hours: complete the missed work plus two extra hours of GRE work including proofs 3 or more incompleteassignments/hours: complete the missed work plus 3 extra hours of GRE work including proofs Incomplete tasks can be made up no more than two times. Optional Activity Points(OAP) ○You can earn OAPs by spending additional timepreparing for the GRE. This means that if you completeextra GRE work, above and beyond what was assigned for that week, you can earn extra points in the form of OAPs. ▪ Make sure you have proof for, and keep track of how long you spent on, each additional task. ○ Each additional hour spent preparing or studying is worth 5 OAPs. You can accumulate OAPs and use them at the end of the semester to replace missed points. Here’s how… o ▪ If you accumulate 50 OAPs by the week before finals, you can allocate 10 points to one category of your choice to help raise yourgrade. If you accumulate 100 OAPs bythe class of the week before finals, you can allocate 20 freebie points towards one category of your choice to help raise your grade. However, OAPs may not be used to replace missed points for any of the 3 practice tests, thevita assignment, or quizzes. Also, OAPs cannot be earned by completing extra make-up work. All OAPs must be earned from extra work completed on time and presented in class. You can earn 25 OAPs just by showing proof that you have signed up to take the GRE (regardless of when the test date is). When you sign up, you should receive a confirmation e-mail or letter. Bring that confirmation to class to receive 25 OAPs! SUPER A (1 credit of an A) o If you accumulate 300 OAPs you can earn a Super A! This means your instructor will register you for one credit of an A the following semester
- 5. o (you will still have to pay for the one-credit, but you will not have to go to an additional class). A folder of extra worksheets can be found in the student folder. Be sure to track how long you spend doing each packet of worksheets. Another way to earn bonus points! o Score above 138in each category (verbal, quantitative) on the GRE pre-test and receive 5 bonus points to be applied to a category of your choice (excluding quizzes). Score above 145 in each category and receive 10 bonus points! o Improve your score in each category by 3 points between pre- and post-test and receive an additional 5 bonus points in any category except quizzes. Improve your score by 5 points in each category and receive 10 bonus quiz points! BACC Appointment (Behavioral Academic and Career Counseling) You have the option to attend a BACC appointment this semester. If you have never had a BACC appointment, you should set one up with a graduate student in order to establish your goals and receive feedback on what you should be doing to achieve those goals. Additional BACC appointments can be counted as one of your grad school tasks for any week. You must fill out and bring a copy of the How to Achieve Your Goals form to your BACC appointment. It should be filled out before the appointment begins. This form is found under “Relevant forms” in the Student Folder. Academic Dishonesty “You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. [Please see<http://www.wmich.edu/catalog> under Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with your instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.” For more information visit http://osc.wmich.edu<http://osc.wmich.edu> and www.wmich.edu/registrar <http://www.wmich.edu/registrar> to access the Code of Honor and general academic policies on such issues as diversity, religious observance, student disabilities, etc.
- 6. ●Grading o Your grade is comprised of 5 sections. You MUST have an A in each of the following sections in order to receive an A in PSY 4010. Attendance (10 points per week) TVF (5 points per week) Quantitative (15 points per week) Verbal (15 points per week) Grad Hour (10 points per week) Quizzes (15 points each) Grade Matrix Minimum % in Attendance and TVF Minimum % in GRE, hours, 92 and quizzes 92 A 87 BA 82 B 77 CB 72 C 67 DC 62 D <62 E 87 82 77 72 67 62 <62 BA B CB C DC D E B CB C DC D E CB C DC D E C DC D E DC D E D E E Required Material for GRE study -Kaplan GRE Premier 2014 Edition (Earlier editions should be OK) -Kaplan GRE Exam Vocabulary in a Box (set of 500 pre-made flashcards – you may skip buying the flashcards and make them yourself using the definitions in the Kaplan book) -4010 Coursepack(Bernhard Center Bookstore) Suggested Tasks and Proofs for Extra or Make-up Hour Requirement: Hours Task Proof GRE Studying vocabulary Note cards, list of words, etc., GRE Study math problems Bring worked out math problems GRE Practice exercises on CD Printout of results GRE Games on GRE CD Printout of results GRE Practice tests on CD, online, or in book Printout of scores, or completed paper copy
- 7. GRE Practice on www.GRE.org Printouts or Printscreens GRE Study review sections from text Bring notes of material
- 8. Suggested Tasks and Proofs for Grad School Hours: Hours Task Proof Grad School Internet searches Bring printout of sites GradSchool Fill out an application Bring completed application Grad School Work on personal statement Bring copy of draft Grad School Work on research project Bring record of work signed by the head of the project Grad School Read journal articles on interested topics Bring notes Grad School Read books relevant to field Bring notes Grad School Ask for letter of recommendation Bring signature of teacher Grad School Get stuff together for letter of recommendation Bring stuff for letter Grad School Search for scholarships Bring any information you’ve found Grad School Attend Psi Chi Bring signature of Psi Chi member GradSchool Attend BAAM, and/or ABA Bring proof of attendance GradSchool Attend computer skills workshops Bring proof of attendance Grad School Read books or journal articles relevant to area of study Bring notes on the material read Grad School Fill out scholarship applications Bring filled out application Grad School Visit or make contact with schools Bring in materials gained from contact with the school Grad School or GRE Other: must be approved by instructor Approved by instructor