Behavior Deviation in Children:

(Abnormal Child Psychology)

Psychology 338-01

Professor: K. Daniel OLeary

Graduate Teaching Assistants:
Ashley Greene & Jiaqi Zhou
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants:
Edward Liu & TBA
Room: Frey Hall 102
Time: Tues and Thurs 4:00 to 5:20

Office Hours of Dr. OLeary: Tues and Thurs: 3:00-3:50, and by

appt. Psychology A Room 110
Text: Mash & Wolfe, Abnormal Child Psychology, 5th or 6th
Edition
As of August 16, 2015, there are a number of options for
use of the above 6th edition of the book above with a
range of options varying in cost from $82.49 to $218.75.
You can rent an electronic book or you can order a second
hand copy. Any of the book versions is fine with me,
including a 5th edition. The book is available at the
University Bookstore and you can also check Amazon for
other sales of the 5th and 6th edition of the text. Second
hand books are certainly less expensive than brand new
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copies, and it is fine with me if you can obtain second

hand versions of the text.
Prerequisite: Psychology 220, Developmental Psychology
You will be responsible for reading the text (composed of 14
chapters) and attending lectures. Examinations will be objective,
i.e. True-False and Multiple Choice, and the exams will cover
material from the book and from the lectures. The lectures include
clinical case examples and stories about developments on in
the field. These case examples and stories will definitely be part
of the quizzes and exams as they are used to convey substantive
issues in the field. There will be two exams: a midterm and a
final, and there will be four quizzes, to assist you in getting an
idea of the types of exams you will have and to help you keep
current in your studying for this course. The quizzes will count in
your grade. The midterm and final each account for 35% of your
grade (70% in total). The quizzes account for 30% of your grade.
Extra Credit Paper. You will also have the opportunity to write a
10 page double spaced paper on topics in the course and if you
have an acceptable grade (7 of 10 points) on that paper, you can
increase your grade by a half letter (e.g, B- to a B; D to C+, A- to
A). That paper is due by November 13, 2015. We will give you
topics that you may write about and you should discuss the topics
and your outline with one of the teaching assistants. The
minimum of 10 double spaced pages does not include the title
page, abstract, the references, or any figures. You will need to
follow the Publication Manual format of the American
Psychological Association; this book is required reading for
Psychology 310, Research Methods, and it is available at the
campus bookstore.
Upper Division Writing Requirement. The extra credit paper
will satisfy the upper division writing requirement if you get an
acceptable grade 7 of 10 points on the extra credit paper. If you
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write a superior paper (9 or 10 points), and if you do well on the

exams, the TAs or Dr. OLeary will be happy to write a letter of
recommendation for you.
Quizzes: The first quiz will be on September 08, 2015; the second
quiz will be September 29, the third quiz will be on October 20,
2015, the fourth quiz will be on November 11, 2015.
Exams. The first exam will be on Tuesday October 8, 2015; the
final will be in December during the Final Exam Period, i.e.,
Monday December 14, 2015 from 2:15 to 5:00. If you do not take
the exam at the scheduled time, you will need a letter from your
physician giving the reason for your absence.
Online Course Information. The course is registered on
Blackboard. Announcements of any changes from the syllabus will
be posted there and noted in class. You can log onto Blackboard
at http://blackboard.stonybrook.edu
Minimal Undergraduate Student Responsibilities
By accepting responsibility for their education, students enhance
the development of their academic, social, and career goals. It is
expected that students accept responsibility for their academic
choices as part of their educational experience at Stony Brook.
Services are available to assist students with academic advising,
long-range goals, and career exploration. Students are
responsible for reviewing, understanding, and abiding by the
Universitys regulations, procedures, requirements, and deadlines
as described in official publications, including, by way of example
only, this Undergraduate Bulletin, the University Conduct Code,
the Student Handbook, and class schedules.
Responsibilities in the Classroom
Students are expected to attend class regularly unless other
arrangements are made; arrive for class on time and leave the
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classroom only at the end of class; engage in class discussions

and activities when appropriate; exhibit classroom behavior that
is not disruptive of the learning environment; secure and turn off
all electronic communications and entertainment devices during
class time unless otherwise directed by the course instructor. Any
use of a cell phone or other unauthorized electronic device during
an examination may lead to an accusation of academic
dishonesty.
Absentee Policy
Students are expected to report for their examinations and major
graded coursework as scheduled. If a student is unable to report
for any examination or to complete major graded coursework on
time, the student must contact the faculty member immediately.
If the student cannot reach the faculty member, then s/he should
contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Although faculty will consider each students request on its own
merits and not attempt to define ahead of time the validity of all
possible reasons a student might give for missing an examination
or the date to turn in major graded coursework, instructors are
expected to accept an excuse of significant illness, tragedy, or
other personal emergencies and to make reasonable alternative
accommodations for the student. It shall be the students
responsibility to provide sufficient documentation to support any
such request. Accommodations for other reasons will be at the
discretion of the faculty.
Course Responsibilities
Students are expected to observe the requirements for the course
and consult with the instructor if prerequisites are lacking; obtain
and understand the course syllabus; keep up with the coursework
and take all scheduled examinations; address any conflicts in
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syllabus and exam scheduling with the instructor as soon as

possible; review all graded material and seek help if
necessary; notify the instructor as soon as possible of any
disabilities that might interfere with completion of
coursework; complete the course evaluation form fairly and
thoughtfully.
Minimal Instructional Responsibilities
Instructors at Stony Brook have teaching responsibilities that
involve a broad range of methods. The following list of
responsibilities does not define good teaching; it defines only a
minimal set of conditions and practices that faculty members and
teaching assistants are expected to observe in performing their
teaching functions.
Classroom and Conference Responsibilities
Instructors must meet their classes regularly and promptly, at
times and places scheduled.
Classes should be canceled only for the most serious reasons,
and students should be given advance notice, if at all possible, of
instructors absences.
Instructors must schedule and maintain regular office hours to
meet their students needs, minimally three hours per week in the
instructors office or another officially designated space on
campus at times convenient to the schedules of as many students
as possible. The instructor may choose to augment these hours
with electronically based communication.
Office hours should be announced in class and posted outside
instructors offices and in department offices.

 Instructors should be available for appointments with students

who are unable to meet with them during regularly scheduled
office hours.
Instructors are responsible for careful supervision and classroom
preparation of teaching assistants assigned to their courses.
The policy on electronic devices, described in the section
Minimal Student Responsibilities, shall be announced before each
course examination.
Course Definition and Requirements
Instructors must adhere to the course descriptions in the
Undergraduate Bulletin.
Prerequisites that are not stated in the Bulletin or the
Supplement or the Class Schedule may not be imposed.
A written syllabus that clearly defines the content, goals, and
requirements of each course must be distributed at the beginning
of the course, made readily available throughout the Add/Drop
period, and kept on file in the department office. The syllabus
should include the Provosts Americans with Disabilities Act
statement and information about examination dates and times,
the policy on make-up exams, office hours, and the basis for the
final grade.
Instructors are required to assign grades on the basis of the
body of work for which all students are responsible, as described
in the syllabus.
Instructors must conduct any teaching and course evaluation
survey that has been approved by their departments, or by the
College or University Senates. The results of class evaluations

should be used in periodic reviews and revision, when

appropriate, of the course.
Assessment of Student Performance
Homework assignments, examinations, and term papers should
be evaluated and returned promptly. Written comments,
explaining the instructors criteria for evaluation and giving
suggestions for improvement, should be provided.
Instructors are responsible for providing students with
appropriate and timely notification about their academic
performance in a course. An examination or other assessment
measure should be administered, graded, and returned to
students before the end of the ninth week of classes.
Examinations and term papers submitted at the end of the term
should be graded and either returned to students or retained for
one semester.
Any change to the course grading policy during the semester
must be announced and made available to all students enrolled in
the course. Assigning additional work to individual students who
wish to improve their grades, during or after the semester, is
prohibited.
Instructors must observe the Final Examination Schedule
available at http://www.stonybrook.edu/registrar. Instructors of
courses taught on the semester schedule may only give a unit
exam in class during the last week of the semester if a final
examination is also given during the Final Examination Period.
Instructors must observe state laws, federal laws, and University
policies regarding accommodations as noted in the Bulletin (e.g.,
student participation in University-sponsored activities or
equivalent opportunity/religious absences). Accommodations such
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as make-up exams, assignments, or other coursework that fall

outside of the purview of these laws and policies are at the
discretion of the instructor.

Scholar Athletes. Scholar athletes who anticipate missing any

class need to inform me and provide written documentation of the
dates you anticipate missing. Such information should be signed
by your coach within by the third class this semester.
Writing Assistance: The Writing Center on campus is available to all
students for additional help with their writing skills and composition.
Their website contains hours of availability and additional information:
http://www.stonybrook.edu/writrhet/writingcenter.shtml

Academic Dishonesty: The University provides severe penalties for

cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty. Any form of
academic dishonesty will be treated as a serious matter and will be
reported to the appropriate college judiciary committee. Academic
dishonesty consists of any act that is designed to obtain fraudulently,
either for oneself or for someone else, academic credit, grades, or
other recognition that is not properly earned, including but not limited
to, cheating or plagiarizing. It is your responsibility to be fully aware of
the University policies on academic conduct. If you are unfamiliar with
the University policies in this area, please see me, or consult an
appropriate advisor. Please respect yourself, your peers, and me
by refraining from any form of academic dishonesty.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using others ideas or words without clearly

acknowledging the source of that information. Students are continually
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engaged with other peoples ideas: they read them in texts, hear them
in lectures, discuss them in their classes, and incorporate them into
their own writing. As a result, it is very important that each student
give credit where it is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is
considered academic dishonesty and all instances will be reported to
the Academic Judiciary. To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit
whenever you use another persons idea, opinion, or theory; any facts,
statistics, graphs, drawings, or any other pieces of information, that
are not common knowledge; quotations of another persons actual
spoken or written words; or paraphrase of another persons spoken or
written words should of course be cited properly. Citing all sources and
putting direct quotations in quotation marks are ALWAYS required. For
further information on plagiarism and the policies regarding academic
dishonesty please see the Academic Judiciary website at
http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/CAS/ajc.nsf
(From http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/CAS/ajc.nsf/pages/syllabus)

Special Needs (Americans with Disabilities Act): If you have a

physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact
your course work, please contact Disability Support Services, ECC
(Educational Communications Center), room 128, (631) 632-6748. You
and their staff will determine what accommodations are necessary and
appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.
Students who require assistance during emergency evacuation are
encouraged to discuss their needs with their professors and Disability
Support Services. For procedures and information go to the following
website: http://www.ehs.sunysb.edu and search Fire Safety and
Evacuation and Disabilities.

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