FAQ

If you don't find the answer you need here, contact your teacher or call the Psychology Learning Center at (585) 292-3264.

Do I really need to get the book?

The short answer is, YES! Why? Not only does the book contain all the information you will be tested on, but the MCC custom version contains the Learning Objectives you will need to use in studying the material and study materials and practice tests to help you do so. No matter how wonderfully your teacher explains things in class, or how great the teacher's notes are, they cannot cover everything you will need to know. You will be tested on the material in the book, whether or not your teacher covered it in class.

What can I do if I missed a test deadline?

If you haven't taken a C test on a particular unit, and the deadline has gone by, ask your teacher about getting permission to take that C test late. The teacher can't give you permission to take an A or a B test late, but can, under some circumstances, let you take the C test late. There are strict dates after which the Learning Center will not administer a late test, even with a note from the teacher. The decision to grant a late test is entirely up to the individual teacher.

Why do I need to keep my feedback sheets?

The feedback sheets are those pieces of paper you get when you take a test, showing your score. For the tests taken in class they are small papers in various colors; for the tests taken in the Learning Center, they are full-size sheets, generally orange in color. In addition to providing you with a record of your score on the test and which questions related to which Learning Objectives, they will provide crucial information we will need to track down your test if a score is missing or incorrect. So keep them until you see the score posted correctly on the printouts!

I heard something about checking my printouts. What's that all about?

After a unit is completed (generally on the Thursday after each C-test deadline), a new printout is posted showing all the scores you have recorded for all your tests and your current average. Find these printouts at the Brighton campus on the bulletin board between the hallway and the sign-in desk of the ELC; at the Damon campus, they are posted on the glass outside the Psychology Learning Center, in the ILC. Check them by finding the pages that refer to your class section, and then scanning down to find the last four digits of your M-number. It is very important to check these printouts regularly! If the computer mis-scores one of your tests, or if a test score is missing completely, we will never know anything is wrong unless you come to us to let us know about the problem. (See the section below on reporting a problem with your grade record.)

Can I find my grades by calling or emailing the Learning Center?

The short answer is, No, you can't. We are not allowed, by federal privacy laws, to give out grades by phone or E-mail. You will need to come to the Learning Center, but you don't have to come during our hours of operation; the grade printouts are available whenever the Electronic/Integrated Learning Center is open. (For those whose classes don't meet on either campus, see your professor; they often bring printouts to extension sites to save students a trip to campus.)

How do I correct a problem in my grade record?

If the computer printout shows that one or more of your test scores is missing or incorrect, you need to go first to the place where you took that test (go to your classroom teacher for a B test, or to the Learning Center for an A or C test). Bring your feedback sheet for the test that is missing or incorrect; this provides useful information to help us find your test. We will look for the test that is missing or incorrect and you'll need to check back with us to see if anything was discovered.

I'm not happy with my test scores. What can I do to improve my grade?

We have a whole page of hints, called Tips For Success. Probably the most useful thing to do is to follow this plan:

• Use the list of learning objectives to study the sections of the book that will be covered on our tests
• Take the practice test on the unit given in the book, and ask a teacher (your own in-class teacher or one of the teachers in the Learning Center) to explain anything that's not clear
• Take the practice test available in the Learning Center, and again ask a teacher to explain anything that's still not clear
• Take the A test. Get a high score? If so, you're done! If not, go over that test, question by question, with a teacher in the Learning Center.
• Take the B test. Again, you can stop if you get a high score, or you can go over the test in the Learning Center, as long as you bring your feedback sheet in with you. Going over tests after you take them and before you take the next one is very important. It allows you to figure out what you don't yet know well, and to work on that before you take the test again.
• Take the C test. Even if it seems your C test scores are always lower than your A or B test scores, on the whole, students gain close to 5% per unit when taking a C test after taking an A or a B test.

What if I have more questions that aren't answered here?

There are lots of people who can answer your questions. You can talk to your class instructor before or after class, or to any of the professors during their hours in the Learning Center. The Learning Center staff will also be glad to help you out. You can call the Brighton Learning Center at 292-3264 or the Damon Psychology Learning Center at 262-1557.