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The questions are organized into three groups: questions about classroom routines, questions about the tests and grades, and questions about the psychology learning center.

 
Questions about classroom routines:
1.   Why is the course information sheet so long?
2.   Do I have to come to class?
3.   Do I have to bring my book to class?
4.   I have an old copy of the textbook. Is that okay?
5.   I can't stand my teacher. Can I change sections?
6.   It's the 10th week and only half the class shows up. Did they all withdraw?
7.   Do people fail this class?
8.   Who's the easiest teacher for PSY 101?
9.   Why do some of my friends have long handouts from their PSY 101 class?
10.  Where can I get another teacher's handouts?
11.  How do I know which material will be on a test?
12.  What's the difference between the "self-quiz" at the end of each unit in the green study guide and the "practice tests" on yellow paper?
13.  What does my teacher mean when she says I'm an adult now?
14.  The people sitting behind me talk all the time and the teacher doesn't tell them to be quiet; what can I do?
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Questions about tests and grades:
1.   I missed my B test. Can I make it up?
2.   I missed a whole unit, will that hurt my grade?
3.   How do I know what my overall grade is?
4.   So, where do I take the "A" test? (I didn't pay attention when you described this in class.)
5.   Is there extra credit?
6.   Is there a midterm?
7.   Who made up the tests?
8.   Why is the C test always harder than the A and B tests?
9.   Why do I always do worse on the C test?
10.  Why do I always do better on the practice tests?
11.  What score do I need to pass?
12.  How can I see what I got wrong on a test?
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Questions about the learning center:
1.   Where do I get the practice tests?
2.   How many different practice tests are there?
3.   I don't have a photo ID; can I still take the C test?
4.   The course information sheet says I have to bring a pencil to the learning center for tests, but they're all on computer. Do I need a pencil at all?
5.   Isn't there supposed to be a teacher there who can help me?
6.   What's with the Ψ all over the place?
7.   My mother knows I'm special; why don't I get my way in the learning center?
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Questions about classroom routines:
 

1.   Why is the course information sheet so long?

It contains all the rules and regulations governing the course. You should read it. Some teachers will hold you to it and expect that you know what's in it. Others will remind you about things that are in it. Think of it as the PSY 101 rulebook.
 

2.   Do I have to come to class?

Do you want to pass? Your teacher can withdraw you due to non-attendance if you're failing. Most teachers will probably leave you in class as long as you're taking the unit tests and maintaining a passing average. But no student does as well on the tests on their own as they do when they are consistently attending class.
 

3.   Do I have to bring my book to class?

No, you don't have to, but it often helps. And you certainly needn't carry the whole thing. Most of us buy a small 3-ring binder and only carry one or two units' worth of chapters at a time. If your teacher tends to ask you to look at specific things in the book during class, then get in the habit of bringing it.
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4.   I have an old copy of the textbook. Is that okay?

Depends. As of Fall semester, 2007, we're using the 7^th edition. Anything older than that will cause too many problems - some of the material is different, and all the page numbers will differ from what we assign. If you bought a used copy of the 3-ring bound special MCC edition, watch out - there's no guarantee that all the pages are there. If you find something is missing, complain to the bookstore, since they sold you very damaged goods. (The bookstore wasn't supposed to be buying these 3-ring bound versions back from students and selling them used, but it happened.) All chapter and page numbers listed in the course objectives are the same whether you have a hardcover book or the 3-ring version. The new 3-ring version is better, though, because it has the study guide at no extra cost.
 

5.   I can't stand my teacher. Can I change sections?

Only if another section has openings. Occasionally you'll have a teacher who you just can't tolerate, and you might really benefit from switching. More frequently it's just a first-impression problem. Give your teacher some time. And if you do withdraw without getting "green-slipped" into a different section, there's no guarantee you'll have a class at all. Try to change sections only if you really really have to.
 

6.   It's the 10^th week and only half the class shows up. Did they all withdraw?

Nope. Some have withdrawn or quit or been withdrawn by the teacher; most of those who aren't showing up are either lazy about it, or have had some rotten things happen in their lives. Most of the ones missing are still taking one or two unit tests, but they're generally not doing as well as they could have been had they been in class.
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7.   Do people fail this class?

Yes. Most of those who fail don't do the work and don't take all the opportunities offered to them to pass. Some fail despite that. The tests are all multiple choice and straight from the book, but that doesn't mean they're easy. I've had some students who re-took the class three times before they passed. You'd better study and use the materials made available to help you pass.
 

8.   Who's the easiest teacher for PSY 101?

No one's easier or harder, because the tests are all the same no matter who your teacher is. (Well, not the same as in you can cheat with your friend from another class section, but the same as in from the same test bank - see the section on test questions below.) But some teachers will teach more directly to the test than others. Some just describe material that's on the test and others bring in thoughts, ideas, facts, and stories that are pertinent, but for which there are no specific test questions. Whether one of these styles is easier for you or not, I do not know.
 

9.   Why do some of my friends have long handouts from their PSY 101 class?

Each teacher teaches the same material on the same schedule, but each teacher has his or her own method, own style. Some teachers provide students with lengthy handouts that summarize all the material in the unit objectives. Some teachers have shorter sets of handouts. Some teachers have no handouts at all. Feel free to use anyone's handouts you get access to, but don't hold your teacher accountable for another teacher's handouts.
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10. Where can I get another teacher's handouts?

There is no depository for these. Some teachers have them available on E-reserves through the library, which is password-protected. Some keep copies on the "M-drive" (MCC's computer mainframe). Others only hand them out in class. Your best bet is probably a fellow student in another teacher's class.
 

11. How do I know which material will be on a test?

Be sure to consult the list of unit learning objectives that you can find at the beginning of the study guide (the study guide is the set of green sheets in the 3-ring bound text packet). Each learning objective is numbered (there are 20 per unit), and next to the number is a page number (or numbers). You will not be tested on material that is not listed there. In the practice part of the study guide you'll also see these objective and page numbers repeated.
 

12. What's the difference between the "self-quiz" at the end of each unit in the green study guide and the "practice tests" on yellow paper?

The practice test questions are more like the real test questions, but both are there to help you see if you know the material well enough. Use them both. The end-of-chapter quizzes in the main body of the textbook, however, are not limited to our (MCC's) learning objectives, so they might be a little misleading in their scope of focus.
 

13. What does my teacher mean when she says I'm an adult now?

I think it means you'll be expected to assume responsibility for the events that happen to you. You know, like if you miss a test, you can expect your teacher to think that you made a rational adult-like decision to miss the test. It sort of also means that you'll be treated like a low-wage employee working for a heartless corporation where we teachers are management. Pretend that you need the job, okay?
 

14. The people sitting behind me talk all the time and the teacher doesn't tell them to be quiet; what can I do?

First, tell your teacher what's going on. A lot of times we teachers just don't hear the incessant talking. After all, we're running our mouths quite a lot ourselves, and then the rooms are generally structured to project sound from the front (the stage) out to the audience (where you sit), but not the other way around. So let your teacher know it's going on and that it bothers you. Second, see if you can sit elsewhere. Some inconsiderate students won't stop talking until they're threatened with extreme sanctions (I've had to threaten to call security before some students would learn to behave respectfully) - and though we teachers have the right to remove misbehaving students from class, many teachers are reluctant to be so heavy-handed.
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Questions about the tests and grades:

1.   I missed my B test. Can I make it up?

No. B tests are only given in class on the scheduled date. If you miss it, you miss it. Take the A and C tests for that unit.
 

2.   I missed a whole unit, will that hurt my grade?

If you do nothing about it, yes. You can, however, ask your teacher if you can get a "makeup C test permission slip." It's up to your teacher to give you one, and there are ultimate deadlines that even your teacher can not violate. You can then take that permission slip to the learning center and request the makeup test. If you skip this, you'll get a zero for the unit, and that's not good for your grade at all.
 

3.   How do I know what my overall grade is?

Grades are posted to the "Courses" folder of the M-drive, which all students have access to; look for the "PSY" folder and then the "PSY 101 Grades" folder inside that. They're usually posted and updated the Wednesday or Thursday after the C-test deadline for the most recent unit. Find your class by section number, and then find your grade by your "last four" (of your MCC M number). You'll see a number below your ID showing your overall average (out of 100%) and a list of each test raw score that you've taken (some number from 0-20). Check this regularly to make sure there aren't any errors. You can also ask your teacher for your grade, but your teacher might not be carrying a copy of the grades.
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4.   So, where do I take the "A" test? (I didn't pay attention when you described this in class.)

This question is most amusing when asked around the 12th week of class. The psychology learning center is inside the main learning centers in 11-110 (or at Damon, 4259). At Brighton, log in at the main learning center desk, then turn left. The psychology learning center is all the way in the back corner to the left.
 

5.   Is there extra credit?

Nope. Every teacher follows the same course rules. Your teacher might give you a point for good attendance, but there are no additional assignments, no papers, no homework, and no extra credit projects.
 

6.   Is there a midterm?

No. Just the 10 unit tests. The highest score on each will be averaged together to form your course grade.

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7.   Who made up the tests?

Evil little people who live in faraway places. We have a very large test bank, and individual tests are created by choosing one question for each learning objective, randomly, from this test bank. Every test has 20 questions. Every question represents one unique learning objective as defined in the study guide. They are in random order, of course.
 

8.   Why is the C test always harder than the A and B tests?

It's not. Sometimes it just seems that way. Keep trying. One test might be harder than another, but that will be a random effect. Like I just said in question 7, above, we have a very large test bank, and individual tests are created by choosing one question for each learning objective, randomly, from this test bank.
 

9.   Why do I always do worse on the C test?

Because you expect it to be easier. You don't always do worse on the C test, but sometimes it might seem that way. A lot of students will rush to the C test while the material is fresh on their mind after taking a B test, or they'll put it off until the deadline and then hurry in without having studied additionally for it. Study between tests and in the long run, you'll do better.
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10. Why do I always do better on the practice tests?

I'll admit it: they're easier.
 

11. What score do I need to pass?

Your score on any one test doesn't matter. What matters is the overall average you have after the highest score from each unit has been calculated. If you score a 14 (raw score) or 70% on a test, you have what's needed for a C there, but that doesn't mean you'll have a 70% average after the next unit. If you're happy with a C, think ahead: you might get a unit where your highest score is still an F; that will pull down your average. So when you get a 70%, you need to aim for a higher grade to help you out when you get lower grades.
 

12. How can I see what I got wrong on a test?

If it was a paper-and-pencil test (such as the in-class B-test), take your "feedback sheet" or "receipt" to the study side of the psychology learning center and ask the teacher on duty to go over it with you. If it hasn't yet been scanned into the system, the teacher will have access to a paper copy. If it was a computerized test, you don't need any feedback sheet, just ask the teacher on duty, who will bring up your test on a computer and you can see exactly what you did wrong, and get some help at the same time.
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Questions about the learning center:

1.   Where do I get the practice tests?

You already have one in the yellow section of your 3-ring textbook. A second practice test is available on paper in exchange for a photo ID when you are in the study side of the psychology learning center - just ask the people working in the small office that connects to the testing side (at Brighton; Damon is a little more obvious). You can also sit at one of the computers in the learning center and access another practice test from the publisher's web site - an icon should be readily available on the computer screen (or see the link from the home page of the psychology learning center).
 

2.   How many different practice tests are there?

Three: the one that came with your book packet, the one on paper at the learning center, and one available at the publisher's web site (which, by the way, you can also access from home or anywhere).
 

3.   I don't have a photo ID; can I still take the C test?

Not a chance. No A test or C test will be given without a photo ID. (However, it need not be an MCC student ID.)
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4.   The course information sheet says I have to bring a pencil to the learning center for tests, but they're all on computer. Do I need a pencil at all?

Occasionally the computer system crashes and then we have to give paper tests like we do the B test. Be prepared.
 

5.   Isn't there supposed to be a teacher there who can help me?

That depends on what your problem is and the time of day. There won't always be a teacher on hand, but most hours during the week are covered; Fridays are generally a bad time. A schedule of duty assignments is posted on the wall of the learning center (at Brighton) facing the student desks (on the study side). Now and then an assigned instructor will be absent, but mostly, if one is assigned for the hour then they'll be there. Some times are busy, however, and you might not get a chance even though a teacher is on hand.
 

6   What's with the Ψ all over the place?

The Greek letter Ψ ("psi") is frequently used as a shorthand symbol for "psychology," so you're bound to see it in various forms, creatively designed or not, in conjunction with professional psychology.
 

7.   My mother knows I'm special; why don't I get my way in the learning center?

Have you ever considered that your mother might be wrong?

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