Psychology 351-80, Nina

Welcome Letter for Abnormal Psychology

Hello and welcome to Abnormal Psychology!

Hello and welcome to PSY 351-80, Abnormal Psychology ONLINE! Course Description: This course will provide a broad survey of what is considered to be abnormal behavior. Emphasis will be placed on a scientific, empirical view. The primary focus of the course is the description of various symptoms, syndromes and illnesses, but research and theories concerning etiology will also be covered. Additionally, treatments of abnormal behavior will be discussed. Whenever possible, discussions and assignments will include applied aspects of abnormal psychology so that students will be encouraged to translate theories and concepts into a meaningful context relating to their own lives and experiences.

This course is taught in what is referred to as an asynchronous manner. This means that students do NOT log on to the course at any specific time during the week. You may do so at anytime, though there are specific deadlines for certain assignments that must be met. You may log on and submit your coursework whenever you choose, from wherever you choose, as long as it is received by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on the date it is due. This course is totally online; there will be NO actual physical meetings.

Expectations

In order to be successful in this course, you must be a self-disciplined and independent learner. If you are not such a student, you should consider dropping this section of the course and enrolling in a face-to-face section. If this is the type of learner you are, then I look forward to working with you and having an interesting and exciting summer together!

Texts

Required text: Comer, R. (2010). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, sixth edition, with PsychPortal. Required text: Comer, R. (2010). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, sixth edition, with PsychPortal. Worth Publishers.
Online Access: We will NOT be using the WPU Blackboard website! Instead, we will be using the Publisher?s textbook website, PsychPortal. You have two options to purchase the text/online access (be careful about buying a used text; it probably will not include access to the publisher?s website, which you will then also have to buy). 1) The textbook (a hard copy with online access activation code) is available for purchase at the WPU bookstore. OR 2) You can purchase an online edition of the textbook (complete eBook) with online access activation code (but with no actual hard copy of the text). To purchase online access/text or to register online after you bought the text at the WPU bookstore, go to: http://courses.bfwpub.com/comerfund6e.php
A. After you PURCHASED A TEXTBOOK WITH AN ACCESS CODE FROM THE BOOKSTORE ($140.50).: 1. Go to: http://courses.bfwpub.com/comerfund6e.php then click on ?STUDENTS: REGISTER an Activation Code? 2. Enter your Activation Code, your name, and e-mail address (ONLY use your WPU email!). Your email address will serve as your username for PsychPortal. Do not throw away your activation card until you?ve registered! 3. Create a password. Your password must be at least 4 characters long and should be something you will easily remember, since you will need it to access student materials in the future 4. Select the state (NJ) from the drop-down menu. Then, select your institution (WPU) and then your course (Abnormal Psychology 80 Online Section ? Nina, C. Michael)**. (Do not get it confused with the other section I am teaching: 01.) 5. Click and confirm your account information. 6. Click You are now registered and can begin using PsychPortal!
B. TO PURCHASE ONLINE TEXT w/ PSYCHPORTAL DIRECTLY FROM THE WEB SITE ($64.95): 1. Go to: http://courses.bfwpub.com/comerfund6e.php then click on ?Students: PURCHASE access to PsychPortal? 2. Select the state (NJ) from the drop-down menu. Then, select your institution (WPU) and then your course (Abnormal Psychology 80 Online Section ? Nina, C. Michael)**. (Do not get it confused with the other section I am teaching: 01.) 3. Complete the registration form, including your first and last name, and email address. Create a username and password for yourself that you easily remember for use throughout the term. 4. Enter your payment information including name as it appears on the credit card, card number, expiration date, and billing address. Click ?Next? and confirm all account information. 5. Once you have confirmed payment and placed your order, you will see a screen that says ?Thank You,? and confirms your name, email address, username, and password. You will also receive an email confirming your account.

Grading

Your final grade will be determined by your performance in four areas: 1) Completion of a chapter exam after each assigned chapter in the text (exams must be completed within a certain time period), 2) Completion of a FINAL EXAM, 3) Your active participation in an online Discussion Board (for assigned chapters, I will post a question and you must post your response online, where your fellow students will also be able to read and appropriately comment on your answers), 4) Completion of assigned online multimedia (watching videos).

How to Access Blackboard:
To log on to Bb point your web browser to http://bb.wpunj.edu and click the Login button in the upper left. Then enter your username and password in the spaces provided and click login again -- you'll find your course Bb sites listed on the right.

Some things to be aware of as you work with Blackboard:

1. You probably won't find all your courses listed; the only ones that will appear are those that have been activated by the professor teaching the course. Professors who don't use Blackboard will not activate their courses.
2. Your username is comprised of your lastname and firstinitial, usually appended with a numeral. If you don't know your WPUNJ system username password you can use the Username lookup link at http://bb.wpunj.edu , or go to it directly at: http://www.wpunj.edu/username
3. If you are already logged in to the WPUNJ system through WPConnect you won't have to re-enter your username and password -- just click the first login button.
4. Blackboard documentation can be found in two places: at Bb Home, http://bb.wpunj.edu, before one logs in, and in the Blackboard Support tab after one has logged on.
5. You can always obtain Bb help by using the Problem Report form at http://bb.wpunj.edu , or by going to it directly at: https://liberty.wpunj.edu/bb/support-center/ .

WPUNJ Student Email:
To access WPUNJ Student Email point your web browser to http://wpconnect.wpunj.edu, enter your username and password, then select the Mail tab. If you are logging on for the first time you'll be asked to set your time zone and language.

Blackboard courses will use student email; third-party email addresses will not work on Bb

Good luck and have fun in the course! C. Michael Nina, Ph. D.