If you have any questions, please send it to my email atqhteo@gmail.com, or leave a comment below. Don't worry, there are no stupid questions! I've received many emails asking me all sorts of questions. I reply all of them :)
The modules covered in this post:
PL4880G (Positive Psychology)
PL4880F (Addictive Behaviors)
GEK1063 (The Singlish Controversy)
PL4880F (Addictive Behaviors)
GEK1063 (The Singlish Controversy)
(I only took 3 modules this semester as I'm working on my Honors Thesis, which is a year long project and worth 3 modules)
If you want to see previous reviews for
Do note that modules do vary across semesters, depending on which professor is taking it, so I will include the name of the professor for your benefit.
PL4880G (Positive Psychology)
Prof: Dr Grace Lee
What is it about?
You learn about what makes people happy, and what it means to be happy. Topics include Money and hedonics, subjective well-being vs psychological well-being, optimism, self-esteem, positive relationships, mindfulness and resilience, affective forecasting and choice.
How’s the workload?
One 3-h seminar style lecture a week. One weekly thought question (50 word limit, based on readings for that week, before she has taught it), 3 essays (500 words each), two class presentations, one closed book final exam.
It may seem like a lot of components, but it turned out quite manageable. The annoying thing was that the standard for presentations was set really high, so expect to put in a lot of time making your presentation very creative and entertaining. Oh yes, presentations are not supposed to be the standard use-Powerpoint and just talk for 15 minutes kind, needs to be creative and different.
How difficult is it?
The topics are really manageable and easy to understand, and it's fairly intuitive at times. (e.g. being optimistic leads to a happier life). Essays may be difficult due to her very specific requirement of essay style that will probably be quite different from what you're used to writing. My scores for my essay were 11, 14, 17 - you can see the learning process here.
Presentations as I said are quite competitive, so it pays to have someone creative in your group.
E.g. My group made a short film for one of our presentations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCegYKMjXJo
Miscellaneous Tips / Exam
Listen to lectures. She actually tested quite a few things that she exclusive mentioned in her lectures (not in readings, not even in lecture slides so you have to copy down).
Her exam questions were very.... smoke-able, at least for the essay portion. I'll try not to reveal the exact wording as I heard she doesn't change her questions much, but it's basically an applied sort of question like 'imagine you are ABC and you are telling a group of people how to lead a happier life'.
Should you take it?
Yes. Workload may seem heavy but it's really quite manageable. The topics you learn are quite relevant and applicable for your life too - teaching you how to pursue the right things in life to maximize your happiness. Go for it!
Predicted Grade : B/B+
With my low initial essay scores, and my group's second presentation was only average or subpar, I am expecting an average score. Depends on how well I smoked in my final exam I think.
PL4880F (Addictive Behaviors)
Prof: Dr Marlene Lee
What is it about?
You will learn to answer the question ' what is an addiction?' (not as simple as you think), the two main groups of addictions - substance and behavioral addictions, their etiology, treatment, prevention, and some ongoing controversies and issues in the addictions field.
How’s the workload?
One group paper (about 12 pages), one group presentation based on your paper (20-30 minutes), finals (open book; 2 essays, 1st qn compulsory, 2nd qn is 2C1)
Readings are about 2-4 each week, about standard Honors level reading workload
How difficult is it?
The group paper is entirely up to your group to decide the topic (about addictions of course, and after prof's approval), and you need to be creative in presentation delivery (not standard PPT slides). The final exam questions are quite manageable if you prepared well for her 'style' of questions.
I wasn't really enjoying the content much as I'm not a clinical psych kind of person, but as I was preparing for the exam I realized what we were required to answer wasn't really what the readings were saying, and some of her lectures were useless for finals, e.g. one entire lecture where she talked about the properties of many drugs, their effects, etc. And since it's an open book exam, there's no need to memorize anything much. :)
Any miscellaneous tips/How was the exam?
Be creative, and keep within the time limit for your presentation. Do note that she does follow the 5 criteria she set out in IVLE (e.g. Creativity, Time, etc) when giving you your marks.
My group made a video for this:
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVczsz5ki3M
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ02nt4IsB8
Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM2g8cW4aU8&feature=youtu.be
(I'd recommend only watching Part 1 and Music Video, as Part 2 is abit technical)
For the exam, the compulsory question asks something along the lines of the different conceptualizations of an addiction, and asks you to explain the controversies and existing issues and the implications. (Same for two semesters that I've seen the questions)
The 2C1 questions can include: Can ABC be an addiction? ; Something about how to help individuals to change (MI, Transtheoretical model stuff) ; Some application kind question, like Imagine you are planning a nationwide prevention programme for internet addiction, what would you have in place, what would you consider.
Should you take it?
If you plan on doing clinical next time, I guess this is a natural module to want to take, since you learn about the current status of the field. I'm kind of ambivalent about it - I felt lectures were generally boring as I had little interest, and the prof has a droning voice, but I did quite well for the CA components.
Predicted Grade: A-
I'm really hoping for an A considering I did really well for my CA components (about 98%). It depends on my finals.
GEK1063 (The Singlish Controversy)Prof: Dr Lionel Wee
What is it about?
You learn about the Singlish debate in Singapore - what is the Government doing with the SGEM and how they tried to bash Singlish, why this is problematic, and learn some other general issues about language.
How’s the workload?
I've a feeling this may change as this was the first time this module was offered. But there was only one reading per week, and only readings/lectures up to Week 6 were tested for the mid terms AND finals. So effectively the second half of the semester is useless, just revision stuff which I didn't attend.
One essay (2k words), one mid term (1 essay in an hour), one finals (2 essays) closed book.
How difficult is it?
The ideas are relatively easy to understand, but you need to pick up and internalize the main themes well and be able to apply (as many of ) them to your quiz/exam. I didn't apply enough of them apparently for my mid terms, and only got 5/10. My essay got 19/20 though.
Plus he repeats things so the content tends to overlap over the weeks, so the overall content isn't really a lot.
Any miscellaneous tips/How was the exam?
Go for lecture and pay attention to what he keeps repeating - he emphasizes certain things repeatedly. Those are the main arguments you can use in your essays.
Should you take it?
My general feel of the module is that it's very 'smoke' - like it's just how well you phrase your arguments about certain themes. If you have a keen interest on language issues, this may interest you. Otherwise... maybe not.
Expected Grade: B / B-
Didn't really put in much effort to this because I intended to S/U it. Hope I get a B-!
--
Results are out on 24th Dec, I will post them and you can see how my predictions compare with my actual grades. :S
EDIT: Results are here http://alanzzzz.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/nus-ay-1314-semester-1-results/
- PC1323/GEK1510, GEM2901, PL4207, LSM1303, PL3231, click this link
- PC1325/GEK1508, MKT1003X, PL3252, PL3234, PH2211, click this link.
- GEk1519, SE1101E, PL3236, PL3233, PL3240, click this link.
- PL1101E, NM1101E, PH1102E, LAF1201, PL2131, click this link.
- For PL2132, PL3232, SSB2216 , PL3235, PH2110, click this link.
Do note that modules do vary across semesters, depending on which professor is taking it, so I will include the name of the professor for your benefit.
PL4880G (Positive Psychology)
Prof: Dr Grace Lee
What is it about?
You learn about what makes people happy, and what it means to be happy. Topics include Money and hedonics, subjective well-being vs psychological well-being, optimism, self-esteem, positive relationships, mindfulness and resilience, affective forecasting and choice.
How’s the workload?
One 3-h seminar style lecture a week. One weekly thought question (50 word limit, based on readings for that week, before she has taught it), 3 essays (500 words each), two class presentations, one closed book final exam.
It may seem like a lot of components, but it turned out quite manageable. The annoying thing was that the standard for presentations was set really high, so expect to put in a lot of time making your presentation very creative and entertaining. Oh yes, presentations are not supposed to be the standard use-Powerpoint and just talk for 15 minutes kind, needs to be creative and different.
How difficult is it?
The topics are really manageable and easy to understand, and it's fairly intuitive at times. (e.g. being optimistic leads to a happier life). Essays may be difficult due to her very specific requirement of essay style that will probably be quite different from what you're used to writing. My scores for my essay were 11, 14, 17 - you can see the learning process here.
Presentations as I said are quite competitive, so it pays to have someone creative in your group.
E.g. My group made a short film for one of our presentations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCegYKMjXJo
Miscellaneous Tips / Exam
Listen to lectures. She actually tested quite a few things that she exclusive mentioned in her lectures (not in readings, not even in lecture slides so you have to copy down).
Her exam questions were very.... smoke-able, at least for the essay portion. I'll try not to reveal the exact wording as I heard she doesn't change her questions much, but it's basically an applied sort of question like 'imagine you are ABC and you are telling a group of people how to lead a happier life'.
Should you take it?
Yes. Workload may seem heavy but it's really quite manageable. The topics you learn are quite relevant and applicable for your life too - teaching you how to pursue the right things in life to maximize your happiness. Go for it!
Predicted Grade : B/B+
With my low initial essay scores, and my group's second presentation was only average or subpar, I am expecting an average score. Depends on how well I smoked in my final exam I think.
PL4880F (Addictive Behaviors)
Prof: Dr Marlene Lee
What is it about?
You will learn to answer the question ' what is an addiction?' (not as simple as you think), the two main groups of addictions - substance and behavioral addictions, their etiology, treatment, prevention, and some ongoing controversies and issues in the addictions field.
How’s the workload?
One group paper (about 12 pages), one group presentation based on your paper (20-30 minutes), finals (open book; 2 essays, 1st qn compulsory, 2nd qn is 2C1)
Readings are about 2-4 each week, about standard Honors level reading workload
How difficult is it?
The group paper is entirely up to your group to decide the topic (about addictions of course, and after prof's approval), and you need to be creative in presentation delivery (not standard PPT slides). The final exam questions are quite manageable if you prepared well for her 'style' of questions.
I wasn't really enjoying the content much as I'm not a clinical psych kind of person, but as I was preparing for the exam I realized what we were required to answer wasn't really what the readings were saying, and some of her lectures were useless for finals, e.g. one entire lecture where she talked about the properties of many drugs, their effects, etc. And since it's an open book exam, there's no need to memorize anything much. :)
Any miscellaneous tips/How was the exam?
Be creative, and keep within the time limit for your presentation. Do note that she does follow the 5 criteria she set out in IVLE (e.g. Creativity, Time, etc) when giving you your marks.
My group made a video for this:
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVczsz5ki3M
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ02nt4IsB8
Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM2g8cW4aU8&feature=youtu.be
(I'd recommend only watching Part 1 and Music Video, as Part 2 is abit technical)
For the exam, the compulsory question asks something along the lines of the different conceptualizations of an addiction, and asks you to explain the controversies and existing issues and the implications. (Same for two semesters that I've seen the questions)
The 2C1 questions can include: Can ABC be an addiction? ; Something about how to help individuals to change (MI, Transtheoretical model stuff) ; Some application kind question, like Imagine you are planning a nationwide prevention programme for internet addiction, what would you have in place, what would you consider.
Should you take it?
If you plan on doing clinical next time, I guess this is a natural module to want to take, since you learn about the current status of the field. I'm kind of ambivalent about it - I felt lectures were generally boring as I had little interest, and the prof has a droning voice, but I did quite well for the CA components.
Predicted Grade: A-
I'm really hoping for an A considering I did really well for my CA components (about 98%). It depends on my finals.
GEK1063 (The Singlish Controversy)Prof: Dr Lionel Wee
What is it about?
You learn about the Singlish debate in Singapore - what is the Government doing with the SGEM and how they tried to bash Singlish, why this is problematic, and learn some other general issues about language.
How’s the workload?
I've a feeling this may change as this was the first time this module was offered. But there was only one reading per week, and only readings/lectures up to Week 6 were tested for the mid terms AND finals. So effectively the second half of the semester is useless, just revision stuff which I didn't attend.
One essay (2k words), one mid term (1 essay in an hour), one finals (2 essays) closed book.
How difficult is it?
The ideas are relatively easy to understand, but you need to pick up and internalize the main themes well and be able to apply (as many of ) them to your quiz/exam. I didn't apply enough of them apparently for my mid terms, and only got 5/10. My essay got 19/20 though.
Plus he repeats things so the content tends to overlap over the weeks, so the overall content isn't really a lot.
Any miscellaneous tips/How was the exam?
Go for lecture and pay attention to what he keeps repeating - he emphasizes certain things repeatedly. Those are the main arguments you can use in your essays.
Should you take it?
My general feel of the module is that it's very 'smoke' - like it's just how well you phrase your arguments about certain themes. If you have a keen interest on language issues, this may interest you. Otherwise... maybe not.
Expected Grade: B / B-
Didn't really put in much effort to this because I intended to S/U it. Hope I get a B-!
--
Results are out on 24th Dec, I will post them and you can see how my predictions compare with my actual grades. :S
EDIT: Results are here http://alanzzzz.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/nus-ay-1314-semester-1-results/
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