Students

PSY 246 – Cognitive Processes I

2018 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor & Lecturer
Sachiko Kinoshita
Contact via email/office phone 9850 8004
AHH Level 3 South Room 3.803
Mon 8-10; Fri 8-9
Lecturer
Kim Curby
Tutor
Jasmina Vrakovic
Tutor
Nikki Dargue
Tutor
Amanda Killian
Tutor
Daniell Steinberg
Tutor
Jessica Reeve
Tutor
Thaatsha Sivananthan
Lecturer
Bill Thompson
Lecturer
Stephanie Howarth
Lecturer
Greg Savage
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
[PSYC104 and PSYC105] or [(STAT122 or STAT170(P) or STAT171 or PSY122(P)) and (PSY104(P) or PSYC104) and (PSY105(P) or PSYC105)] or [COGS100 and COGS101]
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, we will also examine disorders of cognition including acquired dyslexias and various forms of memory impairments. You will learn to approach research findings critically, and in the practical classes you will gain hands-on experience of classic cognitive phenomena.

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, student 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.  

  • Fit to Sit Model: Students who sit an exam and/or in-class test or otherwise submit an assessment, declare themselves fit to do so and will not be eligible to apply for special consideration unless there is evidence that (a) they were unfit to make reasonable judgement on their fitness to undertake the assessment, due to mental illness or other exceptional circumstances; or they were taken ill during the assessment (in the case of an examination or test), and this can be independently corroborated.

  • For other general information about assessment, refer to the university policies (see below for the links to the university policies).  If you were unable to sit the midsemester test or the final examination, submit a request to sit the supplementary test/exam via ask.mq.edu.au.

Assignment extension

  • Assignment submission is on-line, via the Turnitin link on the iLearn PSY246 unit homepage.

  • Assignment submitted past the due date will incur late penalty at the rate of 5% of the maximum mark for the assignment per day (i.e., 0.75% of total assessment mark per day).

  • No submission will be accepted and a mark of 0 will be given for work submitted after the marks and feedback are released.

  • If you are unable to submit the assignment by the due date, seek an extension BEFORE the due date via ask.mq.edu.au, together with supporting documentation.  The faculty student office will assess the extension request based on the supporting documentation.  If the extension is granted, submit the approval notice together with the assignment or if already submitted, email it to the unit convenor.

Midsemester test

  • The midsemester test is held during the lecture time in the lecture location (X5BT1) on Week 7 (April 11).
  • All students, irrespective of whether they are enrolled in live stream mode or the face-to-face lecture mode, must attend the midsemester test in person.
  • There will be 3 sittings, according to the initial letter of the surname.  More detail will be given closer to the date, and will be announced in lecture class, and on the iLearn unit homepage.
  • The supplementary midsemester test is scheduled on 2 May 2018 during the lecture time.  Only students who were unable to sit the original midsemster test, and who have been granted a supplementary test will be allowed to sit the supplementary test.
  • Request to sit the supplementary test should be submitted via ask.mq.edu.au, together with supporting documentation.  It will be assessed by the Faculty Student Office, and you will be notified of the venue and time.

Final examination

  • The final exam is held during the Session 1 examination period (11-29 June 2018).  Draft exam timetable will be released by the university in May.
  • All supplementary final exams for undergraduate psychology units are scheduled on 12 (Thu) to 13 (Fri) July 2018. The Faculty student office will email the details (time, date & venue) to students not later than Friday, 6 July 2018.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assignment 15% No 23/3/2018
Mid-semester Test 20% No 11/4/2018
Research participation 5% No throughout semester
Final examination 60% No Final examination period

Assignment

Due: 23/3/2018
Weighting: 15%

Short-answer questions based on a set journal article.  The target article and detailed instructions are described in the iLearn homepage.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit, student 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

Mid-semester Test

Due: 11/4/2018
Weighting: 20%

Multiple choice questions based on the lecture and tutorial materials up to and including Week 6.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • By the end of this unit, student 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

Research participation

Due: throughout semester
Weighting: 5%

Students sign up for cognition research conducted at Macquarie University, registered with the PSY246 research participation pool.  Signup details are described in the iLearn homepage.  Credit is given at the rate of 1 credit/mark for 30 minutes participation with the maximum of 5 credits/marks  (i.e., a maximum of 2.5 hours).


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: Final examination period
Weighting: 60%

Multiple choice and 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, student 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

Delivery and Resources

Lectures and practicals

  • Lectures are held weekly starting on Week 1 on Wednesdays 9-11 am in X5BT1, and are live streamed. Lecture recordings are available via Echo360/iLearn.
  • You will need access to the internet, for accessing the iLearn PSY246 unit homepage, lecture recordings (Echo360), and online submission of the assignment.  Please refer to the iLearn PSY246 unit homepage for updates.
  • Practicals (= tutorials) are 1 hour duration and held fortnightly starting on Session week 2 (yearly week 10) or Session week 3 (yearly week 11), depending on the class number.
  • Class 1-13 are held on even-numbered weeks starting on Week 2; class 14-26 are held on odd-numbered weeks starting on Week 3.
  • Wednesday classes are held in 12SW (C5C) Room 316 or Room 317; all Thursday classes are held in Room 316.

Textbook

Eysenck, M.W. & Keane, M.T. (2015).  Cognitive Psychology: A student's handbook.  7th Edition, Hove, UK: Psychology Press.

  • E-book version is also available

Unit Schedule

Week

Week

beginning

Lecture Wed 9-11

Practical

2018 prac schedule

1

26-Feb

Intro & Research methods

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2

5-Mar

Working memory

Practical 1

Phonological Similarity

(Working memory)

3

12-Mar

Attention

Practical 1 Repeat

Phonological Similarity

4

19-Mar

Visual attention  (KC)

ASSIGNMENT DUE

Practical 2

Stroop

(Attention)

5

26-Mar

Episodic memory

Practical 2 Repeat

Stroop

6

2-Apr

Semantic Memory

Practical 3

Levels of Processing

(Episodic memory)

7

9-Apr

MID SEMESTER TEST

during lecture

Practical 3 Repeat

Levels of Processing

break

16-Apr

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break

23-Apr

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8

30-Apr

Concepts & Categories

Practical 4

Change Detection

 (Visual attention)

9

7-May

Word recognition & reading

Practical 4 Repeat

Change Detection

10

14-May

Thinking & Reasoning (SH)

Practical 5

Exam essay writing  practice

11

21-May

Language Production (WT)

Practical 5 Repeat

Exam essay writing practice

12

28-May

Cognitive Neuropsychology (GS)

Practical 6

Lexical Decision

(Semantic memory/Word Recognition) 

13

4-Jun

Revision

Practical 6

repeat

Lexical Decision

 

KC = Kim Curby; SH = Stephanie Howarth; WT = Bill (William) Thompson; GS = Greg Savage

 

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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 skills in critical evaluation of research on cognition

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

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

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Research participation

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 outcomes

  • 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

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, student 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

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Mid-semester 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, student 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
  • Mid-semester Test
  • 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 outcomes

  • 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

Assessment tasks

  • Mid-semester Test
  • Research participation
  • Final examination

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 outcome

  • By the end of this unit, student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of research findings and theories about foundational aspects of cognitive processes

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • Mid-semester Test
  • Final examination

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

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

Assessment task

  • Research participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

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