Psychology 4420F-001 (Online for 2020-21)

Bullying and Victimization

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

1.0    CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

This course involves critical evaluation of research and theory on physical, social, and cyber bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence. We examine physiological, psychological, and social risk factors for bullying and victimization, social processes that maintain bully-victim relationships, psychological consequences of victimization, and current prevention and intervention efforts.

Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E, or both of Psychology 2800E and Psychology 2810, plus registration in third or fourth year Honours Specialization in Psychology or Honours Specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.
Other Psychology students and Psychology Special Students who receive 75% in the prerequisite courses may enrol in this course.

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.

Antirequisite: Psychology 4490F if taken 2008/09, 2010/11 or 2012/13.

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.

3 seminar hours; 0.5 course 

2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor:                                                         Lynne Zarbatany      

Office and Phone Number:                               Westminster Hall (WH) 322; (519) 661-3664

Office Hours:                                                    By appointment       

Email:                                                                lynnez@uwo.ca

 

Course Delivery Format:                                   Synchronous (students must be present/online at the same time)

Time and Location:                                           Wed, 12:30-3:30, Zoom

 

Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the system requirements for Zoom. Information about the system requirements are available at the following link: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us

Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor.

                                                                                   

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western

http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.

3.0  TEXTBOOK

Required course readings are available on the course website.

 

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

The primary purpose of this course is to critically evaluate research and theory on physical, social/relational, and cyber bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence. We will examine social, psychological, and physical factors that predispose children to become bullies and victims, group social processes that help to maintain bully-victim relationships, and physiological, social and psychological consequences of persistent victimization. We also will assess the success rate of evidenced-based and non-evidence based intervention and prevention strategies being employed to address face-to-face and cyber bullying. Students will practice and refine several scholarly skills, including critical thinking, research design, writing, oral presentation, and scholarly discussion.


   4.1    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

By the end of this course, successful students will be able to

 

Learning Outcome

Learning Activity  and Assessment

Depth of Knowledge.

Critically evaluate current research on social and psychological antecedents, processes, and sequelae of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence

 

Participate in weekly class discussions of assigned readings; generate and answer questions, and lead discussion; develop a research proposal to advance the field

Knowledge of Methodologies.

Evaluate contributions of original research based on research designs and methods used. Differentiate and evaluate evidence-based and non-evidence-based bullying interventions. Select an appropriate research design, method and data analytic procedure for addressing a research question.

 

 

 

Carefully read the method and results sections of assigned readings. Contribute to weekly class discussions; choose discussion questions; develop a research proposal based on careful reading of related research and theory.

Application of Knowledge.

Generate a hypothesis that addresses an important knowledge gap in the field of bullying and victimization based on a thorough assessment and synthesize of existing literature. Apply knowledge of research design, methods, and data analysis to design a study to test the hypothesis.

 

Participate in class discussions; lead discussion; develop and present research proposal

 

Communication Skills.

Orally present prepared material in a formal academic settings using visual aids, and make in-the-moment contributions to scholarly discourse.

 

Write papers demonstrating correct use of the English language and adherence to discipline-specific (APA) writing requirements

 

 

 

Participate in class discussion; lead class discussion; present brief report and research proposal.

 

Written brief report; answers to discussion questions; research proposal.

Awareness of Limits of Knowledge.

Identify limitations on interpretation of findings imposed by research designs and methods.

 

Participate in class discussions; lead discussion; develop and present research proposal.

Autonomy and Professional Capacity.

Demonstrate courage to use their scholarly voice in a public setting

 

Participate in class discussion; lead class discussion; present brief report and research proposal

 

5.0     EVALUATION

Note: In the event that we return to lockdown, there will be no changes to the course grading scheme. 

 

Class Participation (20%)

 

Each week we will meet on Zoom to share our opinions, impressions, and critical evaluations of the readings. To facilitate discussion, class participation will count for 20 percent of your final mark. Your participation mark will be based on attendance, quantity, and (especially) quality of your contributions to the intellectual activity of the class. Your classmates’ discussion question(s) will be circulated at least two days prior to class each week, and you should formulate a response based on your own interpretation of the readings prior to class. To do this effectively, you must read the material prior to class. You also may bring other discussion topics to class each week to ensure you have an opportunity to speak (this is especially important for shy members of the group). After each class, I will give you a score from 0 to 4 using the following scale: 0 = absent, 1 = present but silent, 2 = minimal participation, 3 = moderate participation, 4 = made an important substantive contribution to the scholarly discourse. I use fractions as well as whole numbers). The two lowest participation marks will be dropped, and the remaining scores averaged to form 20% of your final mark. You may email me at any time for advice about improving your participating mark, if applicable.

 

Note: Our Zoom classes will not be recorded by the instructor, and students are not to make individual recordings.

 

Discussion Questions (15%)

 

You will prepare one or two (max) discussion questions and lead a 30-min class discussion based on one week’s readings (date to be assigned). You also will submit a 2-3 page (maximum) typed write-up of your questions and answers. Questions should stimulate critical evaluation of KEY theoretical-conceptual and/or empirical issues or problems in the week’s readings. In your paper, you must articulate your question(s), justify their importance, and offer thoughtful scholarly answers. You might consider the following while conceptualizing your discussion questions: What were the most important contribution(s) of the paper? What are your major criticisms? What do you still find incomprehensible or problematic for the research area? Do you see any connections with other papers from this or other? Do the authors solve problems unresolved in papers we’ve read previously? Do the authors fail to take into account important ideas or findings put forward by others? If major theoretical or empirical problems remain unresolved, what type of study could help to resolve them? (I would smile upon efforts to generate new research ideas to resolve old problems J). Your questions are meant to stimulate critical thinking in your classmates about ideas, theories, and/or empirical strategies and findings. Feel free to do additional reading to formulate answers to your questions. Scholarly answers tend to be more persuasive than purely opinion-based answers. I will evaluate discussion questions for quality of (a) questions raised; (b) written answers to the questions, and (c) writing style. Marks for the discussion questions will form 15 percent of the final grade.

 

Notes:

 

  1. I will post discussion questions to the class no later than Monday mornings. Consequently, you must send me your discussion question(s) no later than 9:00 am on the Sunday preceding your discussion session. Along with your question(s), you must submit an outline of your answer(s) so I can assess whether or not the topic is likely to generate productive discussion, and whether or not you are on the right track to answer your own question(s). [Consider sending me your questions alone even earlier so you don’t waste time answering questions that may be changed].We may need to correspond before your questions are finalized, so if you are not available on Sunday to discuss any necessary changes to your questions, then you must submit your questions to me earlier. Papers containing discussion questions and completed answers must be submitted to OWL no later than noon on the day of the discussion (lynnez@uwo.ca).

 

  1. A good discussion paper does not involve simply summarizing the reading(s). You may begin with a quick summary and then quickly move on to your critical analysis.

 

  1. Please organized your discussion paper so that the question appears before the answer (single-spaced), and the answer is double-spaced. Develop your answer in sufficient detail so that I have a good sense of your meaning and direction. If you can’t answer your questions adequately in the space provided, then pose fewer questions. [You may raise more questions in the discussion with classmates than you answer in your paper].

 

  1. Include a reference list.

 

  1. See course website for pointers on effective discussion leading (under Resources).

 

 

First Report: Bullying and Victimization in Everyday Life (15%)

 

As an introduction to the topic of bullying and victimization, you will write and present a brief report on one of the following topics (a) a case study of a school shooting or “bullycide” (suicide motivated by bullying), (b) a description of a particularly promising anti-bullying prevention or intervention program currently in use by a school board within Canada, or (c) a comparison of a helpful and unhelpful anti-bullying website. Requirements of the report will depend on the topic you choose (see below), but you may use research material from newspaper archives, the internet and libraries as appropriate. You will present your report within the first 5 weeks of the term for a maximum of 10 minutes plus a 5-minute question/discuss period. The written version of the report should be no longer than 2-3 double-spaced pages, plus references) and must be submitted to OWL before class on the date of your presentation. You must also email me your slides before class. I will grade your report for quality of analysis and writing. Marks for this report will form 15 percent of the final grade. To avoid repeats, please register your topic with me as soon as possible.

 

  1. Case study: School shooting or “bullycide.” Tell us what happened. Who were the victims/perpetrators? What was the victims’ experience of bullying prior to the shootings or suicide? What was the response of the school/school board? Did the event prompt any policy changes in the school (or beyond) regarding bullying/victimization? For helpful references on this topic, see:


      Leary, M., Kowalski, R. M., Smith, L., & Phillips, S. (2003). Teasing, rejection, and

 violence: Case studies of school shootings. Aggressive Behavior, 29, 202-214.

 

            Langman, P. (2009). Rampage school shooters: A typology. Aggression and Violent

 Behavior, 14, 79-86.

 

  1. Report on anti-bullying programs in the schools.  Choose a school board anywhere in Canada and report on measures currently being taken to reduce bullying, harassment, and victimization in schools. The report should include a description of the curriculum content, the exercises and activities included (if any) to reduce bullying, length of program, ages at which program is aimed, socialization mechanisms used to foster anti-bullying behavior (e.g., rewards, sanctions), and any other pertinent information. You should indicate whether or not the program’s effectiveness has been demonstrated based on experimental or quasi-experimental research.

 

  1. Comparison of two anti-bullying websites. Many websites (e.g., http://www.prevnet.ca/; http://www.stopabully.ca/) have been developed to provide information about bullying and victimization to children, parents, and educators, and strategies for dealing with these problems. Have a look at a few of these websites, and then briefly describe one you think is particularly effective, and one you think is ineffective, and tell us why you prefer one more than the other.

 

Research Proposal: Prospectus (5%), Presentation (15%), Paper (30%)

 

Research Proposal Paper (30%)

 

For your major assignment, you will write a (10-12 page) research proposal that aims to further our understanding of causes, consequences, or cures for bullying and/or victimization, or the group processes by which these maladaptive relationships are maintained. The introduction should summarize the state of current knowledge regarding the focal problem, identify a knowledge gap and provide justification for filling this gap (i.e., it should be clear why filling this gap is theoretically important), briefly describe the research plan, and articulate a set of hypotheses. The method section should include a description of the proposed research population, research design, measures, and procedures. In a separate section, you should describe the statistical analyses you will use to describe your data and test your hypotheses. Given that these are proposals and not actual projects, you are free to develop a research strategy that maximizes your ability to address your research question in a convincing manner (e.g., experimental or longitudinal approaches). See course sample topics below.

 

Written research proposals must contain title page, abstract, introduction, method, proposed analysis, and reference sections. You may also include Figures represented your hypothesized results. The paper must be no longer than 12 double-spaced pages, excluding title page, abstract, references and figures. I will judge the paper for both style (i.e., writing proficiency) and content. The research proposal is worth 30% of your final grade.

 

You must submit your research proposal paper to OWL by 5 pm on Dec. 9, except for students who present on Dec. 9.  The latter group must submit papers no later than 9 AM on Dec. 12.

 

Research Proposal Prospectus (5%)

 

At least two weeks before your presentation (and preferably earlier), you must submit to OWL a 500-word maximum (plus references) description of your research question and why it is important, as well as a brief sketch of the method you’ve selected to address your question. I will sign off on your plan or suggest revisions, and send references if I know of any that are pertinent to your research question. The prospectus is worth 5% of your final grade.

 

Research Proposal Presentation (15%)

 

Beginning on Oct. 14, students will present their research proposals in class. Presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes plus a 10-minute discussion period. Details regarding the presentation will be available on the course website. You must meet with me to go over your slides prior to your presentation. Because this process often results in changes to the slides, you should allow ample time to make revisions. Consequently, I recommend that you book a meeting with me at least several days prior to your presentation, and at minimum two days ahead. You must email me your final slides no later than noon on your presentation day.  I will print these and use them for note-taking during your presentation.

 

I will judge presentations for style and primarily content. Feedback on the presentation should be taken into account during preparation of the paper. The presentation will be worth 15% of your final grade.

 

General Notes Regarding Paper Submissions

 

  1. Check your writing for grammatical and spelling errors as these can lower your paper marks. Always use APA format (6th or 7th Ed) when writing papers for this course.

 

  1. When naming documents that you submit to me, your own name should come first, and then the document name (e.g., Sarah McLachlan Discussion Paper.docx; Drake Brief Report.docx; Alessia Cara, title of research proposal.docx). Include your name on the first page of each document, and always number your pages.

 

  1. Submit all documents in Word rather than PDF.

 

Penalty for Late Papers

 

All papers are due at the times indicated above. Late papers will receive a penalty of 3% per day out of 100%.

 

Summary of Course Requirements

 

Requirement                                      Percent of Final Mark

 

  1. Class participation             20
  2. Discussion Questions 15
  3. Brief Report                                     15
  4. Research Proposal Prospectus   5
  5. Research Proposal Presentation 15
  6. Research Proposal Paper 30

PLEASE NOTE: Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments must be at least 50%. This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty.

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:

70%     1000-level and 2000-level courses
72%     2190-2990 level courses
75%     3000-level courses
80%     4000-level courses
   
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):

A+  90-100      One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A    80-89        Superior work that is clearly above average
B    70-79        Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C    60-69        Competent work, meeting requirements
D    50-59        Fair work, minimally acceptable
F    below 50    Fail

NOTE: Grades will not be rounded.


6.0  ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE

There are no examinations in this course.

 

7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

CLASS SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

 

Sept. 9             Organizational Meeting (we will be assigning presentation dates today).

                        Introduction to the course.

Assignment of presentation dates.

                        Film: Bully

 

Sept. 16           Overview and Definitional Issues

Olweus, D. (2001). Peer harassment: A critical analysis and some important issues. In J.

Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 3-20). New York: Guilford.

 

NOTE: The section on “Glimpses from the North American Tradition” (pp. 7-10) is now obsolete; no one treats victimization and peer rejection as the same phenomena.

 

Griffin, R. S., & Gross, A. M. (2004). Childhood bullying: Current empirical findings and future directions for research. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 9, 379-400.

 

Smith, P. K. (2004). Bullying: Recent developments. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 9, 98-103.

 

 

Sept. 23           Characteristics of Bullies and Victims

 

Veenstra, R., Lindenberg, S., Oldehinkel, A. J., De Winter, A. F., Verhulst, F. C., &  Ormel, J. (2005).

Bullying and victimization in elementary schools: A comparison of bullies, victims, bully/victims and uninvolved preadolescents. Developmental Psychology, 41, 672-682.

 

Pepler, D., Jiang, D., Craig, W., & Connolly, J. (2008). Developmental trajectories of bullying and associated factors. Child Development, 79, 325-338.

 

Supplemental Reading on Heterogeneity of Bullies:

 

Peeters, M., Cillessen, A. H. N., & Scholte, R. H. J. (2010). Clueless or powerful? Identifying subtypes of bullies in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 1041-1052.

 

 

Sept. 30           Causes (?) and Consequences? of Bullying and Victimization

 

Shields, A., & Cicchetti, D. (2001). Parental maltreatment and emotion dysregulation as riskfactors for bullying and victimization in middle childhood. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 349-363.

  

Hanish, L. D., Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Spinrad, T. L., Ryan, P., & Schmidt, S. (2004).

The expression and regulation of emotions: Risk factors for young children’s peer victimization. Development and Psychopathology, 16, 335-353.

 

Wolke, D., Copeland, W. E., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2013). Impact of bullying in childhood on adult health, wealth, crime, and social outcomes. Psychological Science, 24, 1958–1970.

 

 

Oct. 7              Consequences of Victimization, cont’d

 

Snyder, J., Brooker, M., Patrick, M. R., Snyder, A., Schrepferman, L., & Stoolmiller, M.

(2003). Observed peer victimization during early elementary school: Continuity, growth, and relation to risk for child antisocial and depressive behavior. Child Development, 74, 1881-1898.

 

 

Ouellet-Morin, I., Wong, C. C. Y., Danese, A., Pariante, C. M., Papadopoulos, A. S., Mill, J., &

Arseneault, L. (2012). Increased serotonin transporter gene (SERT) DNA methylation is associated with bullying victimization and blunted cortisol response to stress in childhood: A longitudinal study of discordant monozygotic twins. Psychological Medicine (pp. 1-11). Epub ahead of print.

 

Geoffroy, M-C et al., (2018). Childhood trajectories of peer victimization and prediction of mental health outcomes in mid-adolescence: A longitudinal population-based study. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190, E37-43.

 

Supplementary reading on academic outcomes of victimization:

 

Ladd, G.W., Ettekal, E., & Kochenderfer-Ladd, B. (2017). Peer victimization trajectories from kindergarten through high school: Differential pathways for children’s school engagement and achievement? Journal of Educational Psychology, 109, 826-841.

 

Supplementary reading on DNA methylation:

 

Marzi et al. (2018). Analysis of DNA methylation in young people: Limited evidence for an association between victimization stress and epigenetic variation in blood. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175, 517-529.

 

 

Oct. 14                        Cyber Bullying

 

Slonje, R., Smith, P. K., & Frisen, A. (2013). The nature of cyberbullying, and strategies for prevention. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 26–32.

 

Olweus, D. (2012). Cyberbullying: An overrated phenomenon? European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 9, 520–538.

 

Kim, S., Colwell, S. R., Kata, A., Boyle, M. H., & Georgiades, K. (2018). Cyberbullying victimization and adolescent mental health: Evidence of differential effects by sex and mental health problem type. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47, 661-672.

 

 

Oct. 21            The Complexity Increases: Child and Environment Perspectives on Bullying and Victimization

 

Ball, H. A., Arseneault, A. T., Maughan, B., Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T. E. (2008). Genetic and environmental influences on victims, bullies and bully-victims in childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 104-112.

 

Sugden, K., Arseneault, L., Harrington, H., Moffitt, T. E., Williams, B., & Caspi, A. (2010).

Serotonin transporter gene moderates the development of emotional problems among children following bullying victimization. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49, 830-840.

 

 

Oct. 28            Group Dynamics of Bullying and Victimization

Huitsing, G., Veenstra, R., Sainio, M., & Salmivalli, C. (2012). “It must be me” or “It could be them?”: The impact of the social network position of bullies and victims on victims’ adjustment. Social Networks, 34, 379-386.

 

Vaillancourt, T., McDougall, P., Hymel, S., & Sunderani, S. (2010). Respect or fear? The relationship between power and bullying behavior. In S. R. Jimerson, S. M. Swearer, & D. L. Espelage (Eds.), Handbook of bullying in schools: An international perspective (pp. 211-222). NY: Routledge.

 

Volk, A. A., Camilleri, J. A., Dane, A. V., & Marini, Z. A. (2012). Is adolescent bullying an evolutionary adaptation? Aggressive Behavior, 38, 222-23.

 

 

Nov. 4             Fall Reading Week. No Class.

 

 

Nov. 11                       Bullying, Victimization, and Other Relationships

 

Rinehart, S. J., & Espelage, D. L. (2016). A multilevel analysis of school climate, homophobic name-calling, and sexual harassment in victimization/perpetration among middle school youth. Psychology of Violence, 6, 213-222.

 

Wolke, D., & Skew, A. J. (2012). Bullying among siblings. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 24, 17-25.

           

Foshee, V. A., Reyes, H. L. M., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Basile, K. C., Chang, L.-Y., Faris, R., & Ennett, S. T. (2014). Bullying as a longitudinal predictor of adolescent dating violence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55, 439-444.

 

Supplemental Reading on Precursors of Sibling Bullying:

 

Dantchev, S., & Wolke, D. (2019). Trouble in the nest: Antecedents of sibling bullying victimization and perpetration. Developmental Psychology, 55, 1059-1071.

 

 

Nov. 18           Intervention

 

Kärnä, A., Voeten, M., Little, T. D., Alanen, E., Poskiparta, E., & Salmivalli, C. (2013).

Effectiveness of the KiVa Antibullying Program: Grades 1–3 and 7–9. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105, 535–551.

 

Yeager, D. S., Dahl, R. E., & Dweck, C. S. (2018). Why interventions to influence adolescent behavior often fail but could succeed. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13, 101-122.

 

Garandeau, C. F., & Salmivalli, C. (2019). Can healthier contexts be harmful? A new perspective on the plight of victims of bullying. Child Development Perspectives, 13, 147-152.

 

 

 

Nov. 25                       Prevention

Craig, W. M., Pepler, D. J., Murphy, A., & McCuaig-Edge, H. (2010). What works in bullying prevention? In E. M. Vernberg & B. K. Biggs (Eds.), Preventing and treating bullying and victimization (pp. 215-241). NY: Oxford University Press.

 

Supplementary readings on teachers’ and students’ perspectives on prevention programs:

Cunningham, C. E., Vaillancourt, T., Rimas, H., Deal, K., Cunningham, L., Short, K., & Chen,

  1. (2009). Modeling the bullying prevention program preferences of educators: A discrete choice conjoin experiment. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 929-943.

 

Cunningham, C. E., Vaillancourt, T., Cunningham, L. J., Chen, Y., & Ratcliffe, J. (2011).

Modeling the bullying prevention program design recommendations of students from grades five to eight: A discrete choice conjoint experiment. Aggressive Behavior, 37, 521-537       

 

Dec. 2              Class Presentations

Dec. 9              Class Presentations and Wrap-Up

Dec. 9              Your final paper must be submitted to Turnitin AND emailed to me no later than 5 pm on Dec. 9, except for students who present on Dec. 9. The latter group must submit papers no later than 9 AM on Dec. 12.

 

 

8.0  STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

 

9.0  POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
  2. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
  • For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

 

Students seeking academic consideration:

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;  
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hoursafter the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence

 

10.0      Contingency Plan for Return to Lockdown

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online as determined by the course instructor.

 

11.0      STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:

  • please “arrive” to class on time
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants.  To participate please consider the following:

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
  • Self-identify when speaking.
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).

 

General considerations of “netiquette”:

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.

 

12.0      OTHER INFORMATION

 

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca 

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca

 

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html

 

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct

- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations

- Policy on Attendance

- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines

- Policy for Assignments

- Short Absences

- Extended Absences

- Documentation

- Academic Concerns

- 2020-2021 Calendar References

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.