Course Syllabus
PSB 4250: Animal Cognition
Florida International University Fall 2018
Professor Eliza Nelson
elnelson@fiu.edu
Course Meetings
Mondays 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm GC 280
Course Description and Purpose
Throughout this course, we will try to answer the question What makes humans unique? We will explore similarities and differences between humans and other animals for a variety of cognitive abilities such as learning, memory, reasoning, tool use, and language using primary scientific evidence.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Describe and explain basic and complex processes in cognition
- Critically compare and contrast cognitive abilities in animals
- Understand comparative research methods and interpret original data
Important Information
Before starting this course, please review the following pages:
- Policies
- Technical Requirements and Skills
- Accessibility and Accommodation
- Academic Misconduct Statement
Course Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Exam Policy
There are three non-cumulative exams in this course. All exams are face-to-face on the dates posted on the syllabus.
Textbook and Course Materials
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Fundamentals of Comparative Cognition Sara Shettleworth (2012; 176 pp.) ISBN 978-0-19-534310-6
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You may purchase your textbook online at the FIU Bookstore. Note: There is no e-book. However, there are affordable used options online.
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Reduced Cost/No-Cost options discussed in first course meeting. |
Expectations of this Course
This is a hybrid course in which instructional materials are delivered in face to face course meetings and on Canvas. Please maintain a courteous and professional manner in all aspects of the course. Time spent on this hybrid course is no different from time you would expect to spend in a typical face to face course.
Students are expected to:
- Be responsible for their own learning
- Read assigned articles/sections in the textbook prior to course meetings
- Attend face to face course meetings
- Log in to the course at least two times per week
- Follow the course calendar
- Interact in person and online with instructor/s and peers
- Respond to emails within two business days
- Submit assignments by the due date
The professor will:
- Deliver instructional materials in course meetings and online
- Log in to the course at least two times per week
- Respond to emails within one business day
- Grade assignments within three days of the due date
- Be available in office hours and by appointment for course questions and concerns
Office Hours Policy
Dr. Nelson has scheduled office hours Mondays 11:00 am - 1:00 pm in DM 201A during the Fall 2018 semester. You can also make an in-person meeting for another time, or schedule a phone meeting. If you are struggling with the material, please contact Dr. Nelson ASAP (elnelson@fiu.edu). If a significant personal or medical problem arises, do not wait to contact Dr. Nelson to make appropriate arrangements. Do not wait until it’s too late to get help!
Email Policy
Please address your email “Dear Professor Nelson” and sign your name at the bottom. Include your PID in all correspondence. Dr. Nelson and any teaching assistant staff reserve the right not to respond to unprofessional emails. In this course, the response time for an email is 1 business day.
Lecture Notes Policy
Dr. Nelson posts lecture notes on each module discussion board. To access the notes, students must post an answer to one of the study questions. Students are encouraged to answer all of the study questions in preparation for the exam. Module discussion posts are ungraded, but appear on the student's to do list/calendar.
Assignment Policies
For details on online module assignments, Turnitin, and the Dognition project, please review the important information about assignments page.
Grading
This course uses the FIU Early Alert System. Alerts are sent to students and their advisors after the first exam. Dr. Nelson may also send you a personal email if you are struggling in the course. It is your best interest to respond to these efforts to help you through the course. FIU does not allow an A+. Psychology majors are required to earn a C or higher (i.e., at least 348 points in this course). Standard rounding to the nearest percentage is used to determine final letter grades. Requests for exceptions to the grading policy will not be honored. Extra credit is available in this course. All extra credit is due by 11:59 pm on November 30th.
| Course Requirements | Number of Items | Points for Each | Total Points Available | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module Assignments (Drop Lowest) | 11 | 10 | 100 | 20% |
| Non-Cumulative Unit Exams | 3 | 100 | 300 | 60% |
| Take-Home Essay (with Exam 3) | 1 | 25 | 25 | 5% |
| Dognition Project | 12 | 5 to 20 points | 75 | 15% |
| Total | 27 | Varies | 500 | 100% |
Please note that the Total column in Canvas may not accurately reflect your performance until the course is complete. You can contact Dr. Nelson anytime for your standing.
| Letter | Range% | Letter | Range% | Letter | Range% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 95 or above | B | 83 - 86 | C | 70 - 76 |
| A- | 90 - 94 | B- | 80 - 82 | D | 60 - 69 |
| B+ | 87 - 89 | C+ | 77 - 79 | F | 59 or less |
What happens if I miss an assessment?
Make-up work is only permitted for excused absences with dated documentation. An excused absence includes, but is not limited to:
- doctor’s visit (for yourself or immediate relatives)
- pet emergency
- athletic events
- FIU-related scholarly events (e.g., conference)
- death in the family
- religious observances
- car accident
Examples of unexcused absences:
- forgetfulness
- weather
- traffic
- parking
- vacation
As soon as you are able to, contact Dr. Nelson directly by email (elnelson@fiu.edu). Work-related excuses will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Approved work-related excuses are one-time absences, not regular occurrences. Do not take this class if it conflicts with your work schedule. Do not wait until the end of the semester to discuss an ongoing situation with your professor. If you have an issue completing online work due to technical problems, email Dr. Nelson immediately.
How does extra credit work in this course?
It is possible to improve your grade by 8% (40 points), which may make the difference in your final letter grade. There are multiple opportunities for extra credit in this course:
- Attendance at the guest lecture on 9/11 while Dr. Nelson is away at an NIH grant review (5 points).
- Participation in the Psychology Department Participant Pool (up to 2 research credits; each credit is worth 5 points). See additional instructions below.
- Writing press releases for scientific articles. You can submit up to 5 press releases (5 points each). See additional instructions below.
Psychology Department Participant Pool (Sona Systems)
To sign up to be a participant in online or face-to-face research studies being conducted in the Department of Psychology, go to the Sona systems website. Read the announcement carefully. Do not contact Dr. Nelson about issues with Sona systems. The deadline to participate in studies is the last Friday of classes in each semester. You can earn up to 2 research credits, which translates into 5 points per credit towards your total in the course. These credits are added at the end of the semester. You must specify Dr. Nelson's PSB 4250 UHA course to receive credit. Be advised that studies close when the maximum number is reached and few, if any, studies will be available at the end of the semester. If you are not eligible for a study or chose not to participate, you can submit 2 additional press releases (see below).
Instructions for Writing Press Releases: For each assignment, you will search for an interesting article in the journal Animal Cognition. The paper must have been published in the past 3 years (2015-2018). If you are searching on campus, you will be automatically tied into the FIU library holdings. If you are searching off campus, you can either log into the library system or look for articles that are open-access or reposted to other sites (e.g., ResearchGate, Academia.edu). Do not pay for a journal article! If you get stuck, please reach out to Dr. Nelson for help getting the paper. Once you have your article, the assignment is to craft a punchy 200-word press release. The objective is to bait your reader to download the study for themselves. Use a direct headline and focus on the takeaway message. You should mention the research technique(s) used in the study, but do not get caught up in the nitty-gritty details of how the work was done. Aim for big impact! Make sure to include the citation and/or link to the article that you chose. All press releases are due by 11:59 pm Friday November 30th via email to Dr. Nelson (elnelson@fiu.edu). Keep in mind that email is timestamped, and 12:00 am is considered late. Format your work as a single attachment (.pdf, .docx, or .doc only). Name your file with your first and last names and your panther ID. Please use only Arial 12 point font with 1-inch margins. Failure to follow formatting directions will result in your work being returned. Dr. Nelson processes extra credit in the order it was received. You will get a confirmation email when your points have posted. Do not send your assignment more than once. You are encouraged to submit your press releases early in the semester.
FIU Panther Care and CAPS Services
If you are looking for help for yourself or a fellow classmate, Panthers Care encourages you to express any concerns you may come across as it relates to any personal behavior concerns or worries, for the classmate’s well-being or yours. You are encouraged to share your concerns with FIU’s Panthers Care website.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free and confidential help for anxiety, depression, stress, and other concerns that life brings. Learn more about CAPS. Professional counselors are available for same-day appointments. Don’t wait to call 305-348-2277 to set up a time to talk or visit the online self-help portal.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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