Tips for Success in PSY 101

Psychology, the field that carefully, scientifically sheds light on how and why we act and think, is an extremely interesting subject with many fascinating topic areas, as well as being a popular major in undergraduate programs. The introductory course in psychology, exploring much of the broad discipline, is a challenging course and a necessary prerequisite to further study. We want you to succeed when you take PSY 101, and many of you will have to work harder at it than you expect. The material in Introduction to Psychological Science is scientific, detailed, precise, and frequently explained in a language of its own. In addition, the course moves quickly from topic to topic, so we ask that you come prepared to focus and work hard. We think you need to invest an average of around six hours each week outside of class time on reading, studying, and reviewing material. If you are prepared and committed to succeeding, consider the following advice:

Read the Book

Seems obvious, doesn't it? But remember that all the material you will be tested on in this course comes from the textbook (and two additional readings in Module 1). If you know and understand what's in the book, then you will be prepared for the tests. Read the material before class, so that lectures will seem like a review, and if something in the book isn't clear you can ask your professor about it in class. And read carefully, preferably taking notes as you do: we don't test you only for highlighted material in the textbook; if you're reluctant to write directly in your book, use post-it notes, 3X5 index cards, a notebook, or a print copy of the study guide to write notes pertaining to every page of assigned reading. The more actively you read the book (meaning: taking notes while reading, quizzing yourself after sections, etc.), the better you'll score on the tests. If the material is in the textbook, and mentioned in the study guide, then it might show up on your test, so you need to do everything you can to understand it and commit it to memory. Active reading is a big part of that. If your reading skills are weak, we strongly recommend taking a reading skills course alongside or prior to taking PSY 101. And read what we have described in the Study Guide on study skills, and take our advice seriously.

Go to Class

It also seems obvious, but it needs saying. Very few students can read the book and take the tests and get A's, and for them this is fine. Almost all students, however, perform better on tests when they attend class. And if you aren't doing well, and you aren't going to class, there's probably a connection. We've seen a strong correlation between the number of classes students attend and their grades; online this translates to the frequency of logging in and grades. In other words, students who attend class regularly tend to get higher grades than those who don't, and this pattern is verified by test score data. Coming to class will allow you to get a better understanding of the material in the book. While in class, take notes (from lectures, or online discussions, or any material your professor posts online), even if you feel that you don't need to.

Use the Study Guide

It will help you navigate through all the material in the book. The study guide lists the 10 objectives for each unit, and there will be two questions on each objective on each unit test. The study guide provides questions for you to try answering, addressing the textbook sections and concepts within them that we expect you to understand. Use these questions to guide your reading, paying attention to the page numbers listed after each one. Also, try to answer the study questions after reading the section in the book. You will need to know the material well enough to understand it when applied to a fictional scenario; if you find yourself merely reciting definitions without understanding them, you don't know the material well enough.

Use InQuisitive

Specially designed by the textbook publisher, InQuizitive is an online study tool, and we have modified it as much as possible to aid your learning of material that appears on our graded tests. Sure, it's optional, but it is a great study aid. Complete the module assignment in InQuizitive prior to taking your graded test for that module. InQuizitive can be accessed through the testing center class BrightSpace page if you purchased a book with an access code (otherwise it will cost $25).

Ask for Help

There are other things we can do to help students who are trying hard but not getting the kind of grade they want. Ask your professor for help before too many tests go by. We can help, but we can't undo weeks and weeks of poor scores. Also take advantage of MCC tutoring options, which will probably be all online during the pandemic.

And Help Yourself

Study skills are generally universal; what works for one professor's students typically works for another's. Google "study skills" and read through the advice you find (if you have a little time, take a look at this "How-to-Study" video series). Read what we've said about it on the Study Guide; take our advice to heart.