Course Information & Syllabus

Course Information&Syllabus

Prerequisites • Math • Physics

Materials • Loose leaf paper for homework • Scientific/Graphing Calculator (not a cell phone, iTouch, etc) • Textbook

Homework • Assigned on web http://www.austincc.edu/bechtold/ • Due at beginning of class on due day (see class calendar) • No late homework (one is dropped) • Homework is spot checked

Reading • Alternate textbooks (Alibris.com, Goodwill, Halfprice Books, garage sales, etc.) • Hyperphysics • Wikipedia • Physics Classroom • & many others

Studying • http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~turner/classes/HowToStudyPhysics.htm • Have a schedule • Study everyday • Move on when you get stuck (but write down your problem) • Test yourself by re-solving problems on blank paper with no aids

Getting Help • Form a small study group • Use the Learning Center • If your lab finishes early, stay and study and ask questions

Academic Honesty • Study collaboration is encouraged, however, all work on exams, quizzes, worksheets, and labs must be the original work of the student.

Class & Class Preparation • Survey the topics that will be discussed and think about them before class • Take outline notes only so you can listen • Go over your notes after class • Repeat examples done in class

Test Preparation • Go over class notes • Attend the review and study the topics I review. • Look at all problems, examples, & questions. • If after reading the question, you are unsure of it, then repeat it. • Review as needed in text or other source

Grading Policies • The correct answer by itself is worth nothing. • Credit is based on your individual work and explanations. • Recitation from the text or other sources is not an explanation. • All calculations must begin with a written formula or concept.

Grading Policies cont. • Express homework final answers in the form of a complete sentence, with the correct units and number of significant figures. • disorganized, hard to read, will receive little or no credit.

Exam Policies • No makeup exams are given. However, one low or missed exam will be replaced by the Final Exam score • Exams cover all of the class e.g. a question might begin with “As done in lab…”, “As discussed in class…”, etc. • Graphing calculators and scientific calculators are allowed. • Phones/wireless devices (itouch, iphone, blackberry), etc. are not allowed. • No talking or sharing of materials during the exam.

Exam Policies cont. • I will not comment on your work during the exam and will not give hints. • “Am I doing this right?”, “Is this the right formula?”, etc. will not be answered. • All exams are given during regular class times. If you know you will need more testing time you should contact OSD http://www.austincc.edu/support/osd/. • Exams are given in class (not in testing center) • The Final Exam is comprehensive (by departmental policy).

Lab • Labs will be handed out in class • Lab score is weighted average of labs and lab quizzes. • Up to 3 labs can be made up. Friday 9-12 is the official time for makeups. • You are responsible for learning the Lab Safety information and signing the form with risk of being withdrawn for failure to do so.

Attendance/Participation • Counts 5% • Good attendance and effective participation can help you in borderline grade decisions • Students may be withdrawn after the 4th unexcused absence.

Class Grade • You must earn a “C” in the Lecture and the Lab portion of the class in order to get a “C” in the class. • If you are at or above 70% in Lecture & Lab then your score is 75% of Lecture + 25% of Lab. • A (90-100), B(80-89), C(70-79), D(60-69), F(0-60)

Lecture Score • Lecture score is sum: • 65% Mid-term test average • 20% Final Exam • 10% Homework • 5% Attendance/Participation • End

Course Information & Syllabus