INTRODUCTORY COURSE CONTENT AND GOALS

A nationwide survey of introductory Psychology instructors showed that introductory courses are remarkably uniform in structure and content, with few differences across instructors and institutions. Instructors ' most important goal was to ''engage students In scientific inquiry a bout psychological processes,'' bur instructors said that what the cou rse does best is to survey the field and the different approaches to i t. A survey of introductory students showed that most expected to lear n about People and relationships and to gain useful skills and knowled ge. At the end of the term, most described the course as a survey, and the course fell short of many of their expectations.