Most of these books were written as a contribution to an ongoing conversation in the field of psychology. The authors will refer to other works with only short summaries, they will often use words you haven't yet encountered, and they sometimes make statements of fact that are currently considered incorrect. This handbook will help you put each book in its place in the history of psychology and help you understand why it was written and why it is still important. In addition, it will help you prepare for the exams and for the class sessions. The class is actually very interesting.
Most students find they can go through the texts with a minimum of difficulty.
There is lots of help, both in this handbook and in class sessions too. And finally, Chuck is a nice guy and will glad to help you if you ask. Here are my short answers to the standard questions. You bet your boots it is. At least, most academic psychologists think of themselves as scientists.