Psyc 257: Psychology of Human Sexuality

Syllabus for Spring 2003

Revisions: two revisions made 1/23/03 based on the class discussion of Issue Team Presentations and Website Reviews

NOTE: There may be adjustments and changes in this syllabus.  You are responsible for any changes announced in class (even if you miss a class for an excused absence).

[Please note that this syllabus has been prepared for my website (noted below) and contains links to other handouts on the website.  These handouts are indicated in boldface italics.  To see the handouts, click on the links at the end of this document or go to the website and find the list of handouts for this course.]

Catalog number, title, and CRN: Psyc 257/01.  Psychology of Human Sexuality. CRN 1108.

Meeting time and place: TuTh 4:00-5:15 pm, Fitzelle 206.

Catalog Description ( from Undergraduate Catalog): An overview of human sexual behavior.  Topics include sex and gender, biological factors, sexual development, interpersonal relationships, intimacy and love, communication, sexual orientation, pregnancy and birth, contraception, abortion, sexual dysfunction, sexual diseases, sexual exploitation, legal and ethical issues.  Gender differences and sex role behavior will be discussed, with special attention to the question of whether male and female behaviors differ, and how best to explain such differences.  Prerequisite: "C" or better in PSYC 100. 

Required Texts.   Two texts are required.  (Note: Be sure you get the correct editions.  Second hand books may be the wrong editions.)

Byer, C. O., Shainberg, L. W., & Galliano, G. (2002). Dimensions of Human Sexuality (6th Edition).  New York: McGraw-Hill.  (Note: a CD is sometime packaged with this text.  It usually comes with no extra cost to you, and it is ok to get it, but it is NOT required for this course.)

Taverner, W. J. (2002).  Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Human Sexuality (8th Edition). Guilford CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.

Instructor:

Final examination.   Final exam times for each course are printed in the college course schedules.  You should plan for these when you register for a course, so there should never be a need to request adjustments or changes in final exam times for any course!  In this course I will make no adjustments in final exam times except for truly unpredictable emergencies.  If this is not acceptable to you, drop the course now.

Attendance policy:  Students are expected to attend all classes.  If you miss a class, even for an excused absence, you are responsible for finding out about any class announcements, including those about changed requirements or due dates.

Lateness policy: As described below, late work normally will not be accepted, and you should plan in advance for possible problems.  Examinations missed for exceptional and justified reasons may be made up in a manner determined by the instructor; one possibility is by counting the relevant sections of the comprehensive final more heavily. 

Course goals and meta-goals:  The primary goal of the course is to offer you the opportunity to learn basic information about human sexuality as described in the catalog description.  Another set of goals are what I term meta-goals, by which I mean goals that go beyond the subject matter of this particular course.  My meta-goals for you include learning the following skills: writing well (including correct grammar and spelling); thinking critically; challenging assumptions; reading and following instructions; developing listening skills, note-taking skills, reading skills, and study skills; becoming aware of cultural variations; becoming aware of (and sympathetic to) human weaknesses; and increasing your own personal self-awareness.  Any or all of these may be evaluated during quizzes, exams, or by other means and may form part of your course grade.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

Exams:  There are three examinations.  See the Schedule of Topics for dates. See the Reading Guidelines and Schedule of Readings for material to be covered on each examination.  Exams will include material drawn from the text and material drawn from lectures. The Final Examination is a cumulative examination that will cover all the material in the course.

Homework:  occasional homework assignments will be given.  Since these will be in preparation for class discussion, late homework will not be accepted except for official approved absences.

Discussions of Taking Sides text:  each student is expected to attend all six discussion sessions and participate in one Issue Team presentation, as follows:

Preparation and attendance:  We will discuss 18 issues covered in the Taking Sides text, as shown on the Schedule of Topics (3 issues per class for each of 6 classes).  Before each class, Students must read the text on each of the three issues being discussed for that class, and prepare three Issue Analysis Sheets for those issues. These sheets should be prepared in accordance with guidelines on the website and will be graded “acceptable” or “unacceptable” based on those guidelines.  These sheets must be prepared in advance and presented as an “admission ticket” to each class.  Issue Analysis Sheets will not be accepted if they are late.  Since I will be firm about this, students are strongly encouraged to plan carefully and to plan for unexpected problems, and I will accept Issue Analysis Sheets early.

Issue Team presentation: Each student must be a member of one Issue Team that will make a presentation on one issue.  There will be 18 teams of (normally) three students each.  In each of 6 classes, 3 teams will each make 20-minute 10-minute presentations on their assigned issue.  See additional information in the Issue Team Guidelines.

Website reviews:  Each student also will be assigned a different one of the 18 issues, will attempt to locate two good websites related to that issue, and will write a website review sheet on each of those two websites.  Each student must be prepared to give an oral description of the best website on the day the issue is discussed, and must submit the two written website review sheets on the due date shown on the syllabus day that the issue is presented and discussed.  See additional information in the Website Review Form and Guidelines.

Group presentation:  each student must participate in one group presentation during the last four weeks of the semester.  Further details will be given in class.  The initial expectation is that there will be approximately 12 groups of four students each, making group presentations of approximately ½ hour (two groups per class for 6 classes at the end of the semester).  Topics will be selected by the class. 

Class participation:  Students who engage actively in class discussion and class activities may be awarded extra credit at the discretion of the instructor.  Quality of contributions, including fostering an atmosphere that facilitates further productive discussion, is critical.

Attendance at events:  During the semester students are expected to attend two on-campus or off-campus events relevant to the course, such as lectures, presentations, or relevant films (no more than one may be a movie).  For each, submit an Event Attendance Report as described on the website, and be prepared to describe the event in class if requested.  One additional event may be attended and reported for extra credit.  Click here for possible on-campus events.

Optional study cards:  Students may earn credit by preparing study cards for each examination as described in class. Bring the study cards to each examination.

Optional study partner project:  Students are urged to study with a study partner and may earn credit for doing this.  To get full credit, meet at least 6 times with a study partner and submit 6 separate one-page reports, one on each meeting.  Ideally 3 meetings will be in preparation for the first exam and three for the second exam.  Each report must state who met, when and where you met, what you did, and it was helpful.  Each report must be submitted within one week of the meeting, and meetings must be spread across at least two different weeks.

Additional options:  Students desiring to replace or supplement the above requirements or to submit additional evidence of learning may submit a written proposal before the due date shown on the topic outline.  Proposals will not be accepted past the due date.  Approval of proposals will be based on the quality of the written proposal (including quality of presentation, neatness, style, grammar, etc.) and evidence that the student is capable of independent work.

 Grading Scale:      Points to letter grade:                                     Letter grade to points:

 Grading procedure:  The grade will be based roughly on the following weightings.  Each student may select one of two grading options:

 Option 1: Full participation option.  This is the option recommended and expected.

Note: The "points" shown for each component are only a rough approximation of the relative weightings to be given to various course requirements.  The final course grade will be based on my best overall professional judgment about how you performed in the course and what you learned, and will not be bound by a rigid weighting of individual components.  In particular, unusually good or unusually poor performance in any component may increase the weighting of that component.

 Option 2: Exam only option. This grading option is available only after consultation with the professor.  A student may choose this option at any time prior to the selection of groups for group presentations.  If this option is chosen, the course grade is based on the average of the three examinations only, except that the maximum course grade is “C.”  No additional course components are required.

 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL WORK SUBMITTED:  All work submitted for this course must be stapled (not paper-clipped) and must have the following information as high as possible on a single line across the top of the first sheet:

Failure to follow this requirement will result in a grade penalty and return of your work for correction and resubmission.

In addition, I will expect you to keep a copy of everything you submit, keep all work returned, and also keep all drafts used in preparation for papers or other work submitted.

PROOFREAD YOUR WORK!  Papers returned with "C+R" written on top mean you should correct errors and resubmit.  Correct the errors by writing over the original; do not rewrite or retype the whole paper.  The grade for the work will be “E” until the work is resubmitted with errors corrected.

SPECIAL NOTE ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT:  Both of these topics will be examined as part of this course.  Both are especially relevant to this course.  The topic of human sexuality generates strong feelings and sometimes discomfort.  I believe a critical part of any college course is to challenge preconceptions and encourage independent critical thinking.  Therefore in this course I will occasionally say things that are controversial, and we may see films, read materials, and carry out classroom discussions and activities that may make some individuals uncomfortable.  This is not a required course, and all students taking the course must do so voluntarily and with an understanding that these things will occur.  For this reason, we will devote an early class to a more complete discussion of course "ground rules," and all students will be expected to sign a statement that they have read, understand, and agree to these ground rules.

CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, AND COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

I will try to post major announcements on the website under “ANNOUNCEMENTS.”  However, I am not always able to do that.  For this reason, you must make arrangements to find out about any announcements in classes you miss, as described above and in the first class of the semester.

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LINKS TO RELATED DOCUMENTS 

SYLLABUS PART 2: Schedule of Topics

See the separate handout with the planned Schedule of Topics.  The schedule may be changed as the semester progresses.  Changes will be announced in class and MAY also be posted on the website.  You are responsible for changes announced in class, even if you are not present.

SYLLABUS PART 3: Reading Guidelines and Schedule of Readings

See the separate handout with the preliminary Reading Guidelines and Schedule of Readings.  The readings required and the due dates for readings may be changed as the semester progresses.  Changes will be announced in class and MAY also be posted on the website.  You are responsible for changes announced in class, even if you are not present.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS CITED ABOVE:

Issue Analysis Sheets

Issue Team Guidelines

Website Review Form and Guidelines

Event Attendance Report

link to SUNY Oneonta on-campus events.