WEB-BASED INI COURSE Section 200, 4 Credit Hours
Comer, R. J. (2005). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology (4th edition). New York : Worth. (ISBN 0716786257)
Note: Make sure you pick up the textbook for section 200 of Psy 3121
VanVoorhis, C. R. & Nicolai, K. M. (2005). Student Workbook to accompany Comer’s Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology 4th edition. (ISBN 0716786966)
CD-Rom that accompanies Comer’s Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology 4th edition. This is optional because the book company has given me permission to upload the instructor’s resource videos. Some of these are also on the CD-Rom. If you desire a CD-Rom, make certain you purchase a text that includes the CD-Rom. The CD-Rom also has other components that can help you study. Please note that the videos are property of the publisher and should not be downloaded and shown to others without the permission of the publisher.
There is also a student resource for studying using the book publisher’s website.
Comer’s is well known for his textbook on abnormal psychology. If you look in the inside cover of the text you will see that he is a Full Professor at Princeton’s Department of Psychology where he received the University President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. Besides directing the undergraduate psychology program at Princeton, he also is a clinical psychologist consulting with organizations in many New Jersey communities.
The hardbound version is commonly used in the classroom setting. I chose the fundamentals version of Comer’s abnormal psychology textbook for the ease of reading for students. If you compare the hardbound version with the softbound-fundamentals version you can see that some detail has be eliminated. Other attributes of Comer’s book are the very interesting videos and the excellent workbook that accompany it.
You will need the textbook, a computer account with UMD and a computer with access to the Internet. This access can be dial-up modem or hardwire connection. However, when you are taking exams, there is a chance that you will be interrupted or loose connection with the dial-up. You will need QuickTime player (available on the CD-Rom). Microsoft Office will make communication a bit easier. It is available to UMD students through ITSS’s site license.
You will be viewing videos and completing worksheets. You will be reading 16 chapters on topics such as defining abnormality, diagnosis and treatment, problems of anxiety and mood, substance-related disorders and problems across the life-span. You will be taking several exams that cover the videos and the textbook. You will be writing a short paper related to diagnosis.
You also must learn and feel comfortable using WebCT. This is University of Minnesota’s way of delivering this course to you online. To assist you, staff in our psychology department has developed a tutorial on WebCT which includes a practice test. You will complete these before you can start the first lesson.
This is an upper level course requiring 4 hours of class per week. Please plan to spend at least 4 hours reading, watching the videos, completing the worksheets, taking exams each week and working on your paper.
Note: If you have problems with time management, self-motivation, procrastination and unstructured learning environments taking this course in the classroom at UMD rather than online may be your best route for success.