第9章
Some instructors prefer to select a
limited number of chapters from the text and to assign other readings related to the chosen chapters.
Although this provides more in-depth coverage of some areas, it neglects other areas of psychology. As the
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areas covered in the course are reduced, the course becomes less and less the broad survey it is intended to
be.
At the introductory level, most professors assign all or most of the chapters in the text and little or no
outside reading. Because of their familiarity with the material covered in the introductory course, instructors
can underestimate the difficulty of the text for students. Students who do well in the introductory course
study, rather than just read, the text. If you do want to assign some additional readings, be sure that your
campus library can supply enough copies of the assigned material.
Will I make writing assignments?
Your decision concerning writing assignments is likely to be influenced by the size of your class and the
amount of assistance you can expect for reading papers. Writing experience is an important element in
education and if you have the time and resources, you should include some written work in your
requirements. A good option is to assign several short papers rather than a traditional term paper.
DECISIONS ABOUT TESTING
How many tests will I give?
Due to the scope of material, it is best to test frequently in an introductory course. Tests do take class time,
and if you think of tests as purely a means of evaluation, you may feel that frequent testing takes too much
class time. However, tests are powerful pedagogical tools because they inspire students to study and they
provide feedback on the effectiveness of students’ efforts. Marvels of modern technology, like the test bank
accompanying this text, have made testing relatively easy for the instructor. You choose the items from the
test bank and the computer program will print them, number them, scramble them, and provide you with an
answer key, or keys if you use more than one order of items. You can also edit test questions and add your
own.
What kind of tests will I give?
Multiple-choice tests are the standard evaluative method in introductory psychology. Many of the multiple-
choice questions in the test bank that accompanies this text involve application, interpretation, or
conceptualization so you need not feel that you are just assessing rote learning. If you prefer to give essay
tests or combine essay questions with objective items, you will also find a supply of essay questions in the
test bank.
What will my tests cover?
Tests in introductory classes primarily cover the text; you can select and/or edit items from the
professionally written Test Bank to cover the text material. You may also prefer to let students know in the
syllabus that tests will include outside-class assignments as well as anything that occurs in class, such as
lectures, films, demonstrations, and experiments. Of course, you will have to write your own questions to
cover these other aspects of the course.
How long should my tests be?
Most students can read and answer a multiple-choice question in less than a minute, so if your class lasts
50 minutes, the test should have no more than 45 items to allow a few minutes for test distribution. If your
class period is longer than 50 minutes, give a longer test since reliability increases with test length. It is best
to make the test the only activity of the class day.
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No matter how much time is allowed for a test, some students will not be ready to hand in their paper when
the allotted time is up. Tell them you are leaving, and that if they want to receive credit for the test, they must
hand in their papers immediately.
What will I do about students who miss tests?