PSYC 2700

Tests are mostly based off lectures so make sure you show up to class.There are two tests and one final for this class. The first test is very easy, whereas the second is very hard. Reading is easy to understand and follow. You read about 20 pages a week.

Discussion section is optional. Lecture itself is interesting, although it tends to get a bit boring when Bonvillian goes on tangents. Midterms and final are reflective of textbook readings and lectures, and although the material itself is very straightforward and easy, the exam questions are not as easy as you'd think. However, Bonvillian allows you to explain your answers and gives some credit. Whatever you do, do NOT take the optional discussion if you have Greenwood; she does not lead or organize discussion sections and simply sits there and tells you that your participation grade is dependent on how many times you open your mouth about the assigned readings, and refuses to do things like summarize the readings or clarify points about the material. She doesn't respond to e-mails either, and grades unfairly, not even bothering to make one mark on graded papers.
Tl;dr, going to Greenwood's discussions is not an easy A despite her complete lack of effort to do her job as a TA, and the discussion is way more work than it's worth. Bonvillian's lectures are quite interesting, but you do need to attend them to do well in the class. Class is an easy A if you do the readings/go to lecture. I recommend the lecture but not the 1 credit discussion.

Bonvillian is a happy old guy who really enjoys what he teaches. However, he goes off topic a lot, there were at least 3 topics listed on the syllabus that he did not cover because he was going over his area of expertise (sign language and language development) too often. In class he mostly tells personal anecdotes about him and famous psychologists. Read the chapter summaries if you want a good grade.

Lecture: Outlines, but he jumps around all the time. Take notes on a computer so it is easier! Also, a good portion of what he lectures about is not in the textbook so pay attention.. or at least try!

Exams: 2 midterms, 1 final. All multiple choice. The final is pretty much only from the last third of the class with a couple of questions from earlier. I recommend reading the book and going to lecture cause he puts questions that you can only answer if you went to class as well as questions you only know if you read text (that he doesn't mention in lecture).

Discussion: like someone said earlier, do not take with greenwood. There are 2 papers and there are very unclear expectation. You have to submit questions on readings on collab and in class every discussion. Your grade is also based on how much you talk in class and it is like a ranking style of much you speak and how relevant it is. Also, she does not give papers back when she says. She forgot them at class after we waited weeks, and then said she would put them in her mailbox immediately after class but then they weren't even there the next day! However, this was her first time teaching this section so I have to cut her a little slack.

Bonvillian: very interesting and knowledgeable man. He is also very nice and tries to make class somewhat fun by cracking silly "jokes." Gotta love him!!

Overall, this class was harder than I thought it would be.

The lecture's are kind of boring, and he gets off topic at times, but the test come straight from lecture, so attendance is important.

The TA was really helpful in the extra discussion section, Bonvillian is a jolly old man that genuinely loves teaching.

I took this class in Fall 2011, and had never taken a psych class before this one. I really enjoyed the course. The class structure was about 45 min of lecture, then a short video, then ten or so more minutes of lecture. Bonvillian is really interested in the use of sign language in language acquisition, so there is a heavy emphasis in the course on this. I thought the tests were pretty easy, having done all of the reading and attended all lectures. If you're looking for a class to take just for fun, I think this is a better idea than taking general intro to psych because the curriculum is more focused. Also, when I took it, there was the option to take it with or without the discussion, and I opted to not take the discussion.

I loved Professor Bonvillian! He is a funny old man with lots of stories who is still stuck in the teaching methods of 20 years ago and uses an overhead projector instead of a powerpoint. If you go to class, take really good notes, skim the book and read in more detail about things mentioned in lecture, and study a few day in advance you'll get an A in the class. He also slightly curved our class so I got curved up to an A. I also took the discussion section which required you to read all the additional readings so I think that helped me a lot when it came to test questions on articles.

Don't take this class unless you have to. This professor just rambles and put you to sleep when most of his test comes from his lecture. So even if you go to a lecture to do well on your test, you will eventually fall asleep. You should actually read your textbook, just in case he just throws random miniscule detail from your textbook. I didn't expect to see an overhead projecter at UVA but he doesn't use powerpoint. T.A.'s review session is very irrelevant to the materials you are being tested on. So just don't go to T.A.'s review session unless you want to waste your time.