
privacy about the details of the nature of the illness. You can submit a different form (like a letter
from the doctor), as long as it is an original document, and it contains the same information as
the VOI. For more information, please see http://www.illnessverification.utoronto.ca/. If you get a
concussion, break your hand, or suffer some other acute injury, you should register with
Accessibility Services as soon as possible.
Accommodation for Personal Reasons
There may be times when you are unable to complete course work on time due to non-medical
reasons. If you have concerns, speak to me. It is also a very good idea to speak with an advisor
in your College Registrars office; they can support you in requesting extensions or
accommodations, and importantly, connect you with other resources on campus for help with your
situation.
Cell phones and laptop usage
Technology can support student learning, but it can also become a distraction. Research indicates
that multi-tasking (texting, surfing the Internet, using social networks) during class time can have
a negative impact on learning (Clapp, Rubens, Sabharwal & Gazzaley, 2011; Ellis, Daniels,
Jauregui, 2010; Hembrooke & Gay, 2003). Out of respect for your fellow learners in this class,
please refrain from using laptops or mobile phones for entertainment during class and do not
display any material on a laptop which may be distracting or offensive to your fellow students.
Laptops may be used only for legitimate classroom purposes, such as taking notes, downloading
course information from Portal, or working on an assigned in-class exercise. Checking social
media, email, texting, games, and surfing the Web are not legitimate classroom purposes. Such
inappropriate laptop and mobile phone use is distracting to those seated around you and is
unprofessional.
Email Policy
Please check the syllabus, the class materials posted on Quercus, and the Quercus discussion
boards before sending an email. You will find answers to most of your questions there. I am
available to answer questions about lecture material during the lecture break, right after class,
and during office hours. If you cannot make it to office hours, you may send me an email to request
an appointment.
You may send email about the following issues to the TAs: problems with the online quizzes or
any other malfunction of Quercus or notifications of illness for test days. Clarifications of
assignments or test materials should be asked in the relevant Quercus discussion board.
Please do not send email to tell us that you have to miss class, that you’ve missed an online quiz,
to inquire about your grade (it’s on Quercus), to ask questions about class material (come to class
or office hours), or any question answered in the syllabus or on Quercus. You may send a polite
follow-up email if you haven’t received a response within 48 hours.
Finally, please consider email as professional correspondence. Send email only to the two email
addresses listed in the syllabus. Use a meaningful subject line and start it with “PSY280”. Use a
proper greeting and sign with your name. State your concern clearly and succinctly. Proof read
your email for spelling and grammar. Remember, emails last forever and cannot be unsent.
Turnitin
Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to Turnitin.com for review of
textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays
to be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database, where they will be
used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University’s use
of the Turnitin.com service are described on the Turnitin.com web site.