Students

PSY 246 – Cognitive Processes I

2016 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff unit convenor
Sachiko Kinoshita
Contact via by email or 9850 8004
AHH Level 3 south Room 3.803
Mon 8-10; Fri 8-9
lecturer
Jon Brock
Contact via by email or 9850 6869
AHH Level 3 south Room 3.821
guest lecturer
Thomas Carlson
senior tutor
Bianca De Wit
tutor
Jasmina Vrankovic
tutor
Daniell Steinberg
tutor
Anna Fiveash
guest lecturer
Teresa Schubert
tutor
Nicole Dargue
tutor
Jessica Reeve
guest lecturer
Bill Thompson
Andrea Chan
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
[PSYC104(P) and PSYC105(P)] or [(STAT122(P) or STAT170(P) or STAT171(P) or PSY122(P)) and (PSY104(P) or PSYC104(P)) and (PSY105(P) or PSYC105(P))] or admission to GDipPsych
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit introduces major topics of cognition including mechanisms of visual and auditory attention, varieties of short and long term memory, language processes such as reading and written word recognition, and storage and retrieval of knowledge of concepts and reasoning. We cannot attend to everything that impinges on the senses so we select and attend only to part of the available input. Selected information must be encoded, used, stored and retrieved. Although the main focus of the unit is on normal adult cognition, disorders of cognitive processes are also examined and these include acquired dyslexias and various forms of memory impairments. The unit is taught by means of lectures and practical classes. The latter demonstrate phenomena and research findings from various areas of cognition.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire an understanding of limits of human cognition

General Assessment Information

General

  • The due dates of Assignment, Midsemester test, and the Final exam are fixed. You must sit the Midsemester test on the specified date.
  • With the exception of Research Participation, if you are unable to meet the assessment requirement by the due date (e.g., not be able to sit the exam, or complete the assignment) due to a serious and unavoidable cause, you may submit a Disruption to studies notification to seek an extension to the assignment or to sit a supplementary exam.  This needs to be submitted along with supporting documentation (e.g., medical certificate) through https://ask.mq.edu.au/ within 5 days of the commencement of the disruption.
  • Your request will be assessed by the Faculty Student Office.

Assignment Extension

  • For the assignment, the maximum extension given is 1 week.  Late submission without an extension will incur a late penalty of 5% of the total mark for the assignment per day (i.e., 1% per day of the total assessment.)  No submission will be accepted once the marks are released and feedback is given.
  • For detail of the Disruption to Studies Policy, see the link under Policies and Procedures below.

Supplementary exam

  • The supplementary midsemester test is scheduled for April 27, 2016.
  • The supplementary exams for the undergraduate psychology units in Semester 1 are scheduled on July 14 and 15, 2016.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Assignment 15% March 24, 2016
Midsemester test 20% April 6, 2016
Research participation 5% throughtout semester
Final examination 60% Session 1 examination period.

Assignment

Due: March 24, 2016
Weighting: 15%

Short answer questions based on a set journal article.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Midsemester test

Due: April 6, 2016
Weighting: 20%

Multiple choice questions based on the lecture and tutorial materials covered up to and including Week 5.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes

Research participation

Due: throughtout semester
Weighting: 5%

Participate in cognition experiments (max. 2.5 hours, 30 minutes = 1%)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire an understanding of limits of human cognition

Final examination

Due: Session 1 examination period.
Weighting: 60%

Multiple choice and short essay questions based on the lecture and tutorial materials for the whole semester


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes

Delivery and Resources

Lectures are held weekly starting on Week 1 on Wednesdays 4-6 pm in the Lotus Theatre.  Lecture recordings are available via Echo360/iLearn.

Practicals (= tutorials) are 1 hour duration and held fortnightly starting on Week 2 (or Week 3, depending on class). 

You will need access to the internet, for accessing the unit homepage, lecture recordings (Echo360), online submission of assignment, communication with staff (Dialogue) and fellow students (Discussion forum).

Unit Schedule

Week

Lecture

Lecture topic

Practical topic

1

March 2

Introduction & research methods in cognition

-

2

March 9

Attention

Stroop effect

3

March 16

Working memory

Stroop effect

4

March 23

Episodic memory

Assignment due

Phonological similarity

5

March 30

Visual attention and object recognition (TC)

Phonological similarity

6

April 6

Midsemester test

Levels of processing

 

April 11-25

Recess

 

7

April 27

Semantic memory

Levels of processing

8

May 4

Concepts and categories

Change detection

9

May 11

Word recognition and reading

Change detection

10

May 18

Language production (WT)

Exam essay writing practice

11

May 25

Thinking and reasoning (JB)

Exam essay writing practice

12

June 1

Cognitive neuropsychology (TS)

Lexical decision

13

June 8

Revision

Lexical decision

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • By the end of this unit students will acquire an understanding of limits of human cognition

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • By the end of this unit students will acquire an understanding of limits of human cognition

Assessment task

  • Research participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Midsemester test
  • Final examination

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Final examination

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • By the end of this unit students will be able to: demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes
  • By the end of this unit students will acquire skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Final examination