PSYC W2280

No weekly homeworks, etc. There were three in-class writing assignments (20% of grade, drop the lowest), two midterms (40% of grade, drop the lowest), and one final (40% of grade). The in-class writing assignments were similar to a AP Psychology free-response question, and the tests were multiple choice. Studied moderately but overall the course didn't take too much of my time.

The reading and lecture material is quite a lot. There's a midterm (~30%), a final (~40%), and a bunch of take-home writing assignments (~30%) that are spread out throughout the year, and a few throw away points for regular attendance. Her exams cover a lot of material and you are expected to have a grasp on all of it, but her MC midterm/final questions aren't real brain busters. She doesn't curve those grades (or anything), but the class average is on par with what's expected. And unlike a lot of other classes, the writing assignments are not giveaways to pad your grade. If you're even just a little sloppy, she and her TAs who she's apparently trained in her vigilantic image will be all over it. If you want to get an A on them, you need to demonstrate that you understand the concept inside and out, not just rephrase textbook material. I learned that the hard way on my first few, but actually putting energy into them paid off on exams and in other long-term senses. All of her assignments are really useful and worth your time.

For Summer: Midterm and a final, each worth 45%. Participation worth 10% (but it's a lecture class, so...). A lot of textbook reading of dubious necessity. She ended up assigning a 2 page paper reflecting on a NYT article worth up to 10 points on your midterm score.

a section of a lab due every couple of weeks. lab comes with observations at the toddler center that you make on your own free time. A group project and oral presentation along with final lab report at the end of the semester

Course covered many different areas within developmental psychology. Strong emphasis on important studies in the field, and we would be tested on these studies on the exams. I learned a lot, and I could say each lecture I looked forward to learning something new. Prof. Tottenham is a great lecturer and she makes the lectures quite interactive and invigorating, often incorporating personal examples/stories to help get her point across.

Putnam's class is in no way a sleeper class or slacker-friendly, but it has absolutely been one of my favorites in the department. Every lecture requires your full attention. I was afraid to miss even one because of how vital her explanations are. Her slides themselves can be a little sparse at times but, personally, I think that's just to make sure people are really listening and not just assuming they can download the slides later and learn from them alone. But Putnam makes up for it in a rich, engaging lecturing style that's very aware of how her lessons (and students' understanding) are progressing. She uses illustrative examples and goes at a really great pace, making sure that you get take-away points from everything she covers and that you remember the big picture of the course. And she holds herself accountable to really admirable standards, wasting no time and no energy. If it's superfluous material, you won't find it in lectures or your reading. Even every video clip she plays is worth your attention and a few quick notes. I can't stress enough that for every ounce of energy that Putnam demands you to put in, she gives you back tenfold in a really rich methodology and curriculum. In that respect, the woman is no less than a force of nature. Her lectures and syllabus are meticulously designed. I don't think I've ever seen a more rigorously maintained and organized Cou…

She's not that bad. I took her course over the summer and yes, it is DULL, but it's not entirely her fault. She's pretty funny, actually, and her parenting stories break up some boring material. True that she does basically recite what's in the textbook (by reading it off the ppt slides), but part of that is attributable to trying to squeeze a lot of information into a short period. I personally find developmental psych monumentally dull, so I don't blame it on her. And whoever said the text book was more interesting must have had a different book, because the one we used made me want to blind myself to be able to stop reading. The tests were also not that hard, and she offered extra credit because she very obviously wants everyone to do well. She IS, however, pretty disorganized, often forgetting to send us things she'd promised or sending them so late as to almost be useless. In short, the class is not the nightmarish experience the other reviews make it out to be. I wouldn't take it for kicks but if you need it, don't dread it, it'll be fine.

Yes, the class was annoying and lengthy, even the days when we got to leave an hour earlier. Yes, this woman is the pickiest person I have ever encountered, but then it's APA style. If you intend to be a psych major, then you better learn how to write a lab in APA style. With that said, Fabiana wasn't too much of a help throughout the semester. But she really wasn't as horrendous as the other reviews made her sound. In fact, midway into the semester when I CULPAed her, I was surprised by the other reviews. Maybe this semester she's trying to do things differently, maybe she's read her own reviews. The lab isn't the best experience int he world, but it certainly isn't the slow and painful death the other reviews make it out to be. One thing, it can be frustrating if you haven't taken a lab before and aren't sure how to write a lab report. Fabiana tries to prepare you for the final lab report, but I still felt wholly unprepared writing it at the end of the semester. It was frustrating throughout the semester to work really hard on the parts of a lab report and feel as htough you're not getting the hang of writing APA style. This class is a gamble, but at the same time I feel as though Fabiana was at the very least trying to be helpful. Not the most approachable at times. I wouldn't recommend this for your first psych lab. Take another one, get used to APA style and lab writing t…

Three very straightforward and lowkey easy in-class writing assignments, lowest dropped (20%) Two midterms (all multiple choice), lowest dropped (40%) Final exam (all multiple choice) (40%) 1 point extra credit from taking and passing both midterms 1 point extra credit from completing all three of the writing assignments

Midterm and Final Portfolio, Midterm and Final Exam