This book is designed to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. The focus on behaviour and empiricism has produced a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books. The beginning of each section includes learning objectives; throughout the body of each section are key terms in bold followed by their definitions in italics; key takeaways, and exercises and critical thinking activities end each section.

This book presents recommendations for teaching the introductory psychology course, developed by the Introductory Psychology Initiative (IPI) task force appointed by APA's Board of Educational Affairs (BEA). Case studies illustrate the application of recommendations to learning goals and outcomes, course design, teacher training, and student transformation.

There is simply no other textbook as effective in getting students excited about and involved with psychology as Plotnik's exceptional text. Using his hallmark "multimedia on the printed page" approach, Rod Plotnik makes the concepts of psychology come to life! Plotnik's book is far more than just a good read and a compelling presentation--it is also a book written by a teacher committed to helping students master the content of psychology. From the side-by-side visual summaries to the concept reviews, Plotnik's text is designed throughout for student mastery. Professors report that all the important content is covered in the Plotnik book--in a way that "hooks" students and gets them to read on. And Plotnik's commitment to teaching extends into the ancillaries that accompany the text. The activities in the Instructor's Manual are exciting, original, and offer truly innovative ways to get students involved in the concepts of the course. In many of today's psychology classrooms, the printed pages are just the beginning! In this exciting new Sixth Edition, the Learning Links feature references to the exciting NEW text-specific PowerStudy CD-ROM, developed by Rod Plotnik himself, in conjunction with Tom Doyle. Guided by the CD-ROM and the in-text references, students will launch into whole new worlds of interactive learning and exploration.

A Guide to Teaching Introductory Psychology focuses on the critical aspects of teaching introductory psychology to undergraduate students. It includes ideas, tips, and strategies for effectively teaching this course and provides useful answers to commonly asked questions. A concise and accessible guide to teaching introductory courses in Psychology Begins with an orienting history of the course· Evaluates current trends in teaching and offers suggestions for developing personal techniques Addresses a number of relevant issues, including how to teach difficult topics; linking course content to everyday experience; developing and using class presentations, lectures, and active learning ideas; and increasing interest in course topics Supported by a website that provides links to useful websites and handouts that instructors can use in their classes (http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/teachpsychscience/lucas/)

The editor's goal in compiling this book was to invite authors to articulate their philosophies, course designs, and teaching techniques for the introductory psychology course. The authors were told to write a chapter for all introductory psychology teachers and to address how the teaching of introductory psychology could be made more rewarding to students and teachers alike. A few authors comment specifically on the writing process of introductory textbooks, and the parallels they have found between the classes they teach and the material they write. It is hoped that these chapters help to shed light on any introductory textbook's underlying purpose, goals, and organization and thus enable teachers to use these essential texts more effectively.

This new book provides a scholarly, yet practical approach to the challenges found in teaching introductory psychology. Best Practices for Teaching Introduction to Psychology addresses: • developing the course and assessing student performance • selecting which topics to cover and in how much depth • the effective use of teaching assistants (TAs) and efficient and fair ways to construct and grade exams • choosing the best textbook • assessment advice on how to demonstrate students are learning; • using on-line instruction, writing exercises, and class demonstrations • teaching majors and non-majors in the same classroom. This book will appeal to veteran and novice educators who teach introductory psychology as well as graduate students teaching the course for the first time. It will also serve as an excellent resource in faculty workshops on teaching introductory psychology.