Physics 152.02 Syllabus

Supplies: The time spent in class will be divided among such activities as lecture, laboratory, problem session, computer modeling, and hands-on demonstrations. To successfully complete this course, you should have the following supplies with you in class: Textbook, notes on the reading assignments, PC disk or data stick, scientific calculator, laboratory notebook, various colored pens, straight edge and protractor, and an open mind and willingness to learn!

Attendance and the students' responsibility:

Your prompt attendance is presumed at each session of this class. If you are unable for a legitimate reason to attend, it is your obligation to contact the instructor at the earliest possible time to arrange to make up any missed work. Excessive absences may lead to a failing grade in this course. You are responsible for all assigned readings and exercises at the times they are due, as indicated in the course schedule below. Please note that discretionary absences are not considered a legitimate reason for missing scheduled readings, exams, or laboratory work. There will be no make-up exams. If you have a legitimate reason for missing a scheduled exam (e.g. team travel for varsity athletics, serious illness, indictment for a capital crime, etc.) the weighting assigned to the final exam will be increased accordingly.

You are expected to take charge of your own learning - indeed, your engagement is the only guarantee of success in this course. Homework sets will be assigned using the on-line WebAssign system with which you should already be familiar, plus an additional written problem to be handed in. Above all, come to class prepared to engage actively in the learning process. Bring an open and inquiring mind, a willingness to explore and ask questions, and a sense of adventure!

Homework: As noted above, homework will be assigned using WebAssign. The web site will automatically record your score on the assigned questions and problems. This work will contribute 20% of your course grade.

A homework set will consist of two components:

o WebAssign Assignment (typically 6 problems)

o One homework problem solved on paper

Each problem will be given equal weight, i.e. the written problems will average in as 1/7^th of the overall homework grade.

· WebAssign

o Login at https://www.webassign.net/login.html

o Username: first initial and last name

for example: if your name is Tom Smith, your username would be tsmith

o Institution: rmc

o Password: same as username

PLEASE CHANGE THIS ON YOUR FIRST LOGIN!

o You will need to purchase an online access code. Directions on this procedure can be found once you log into the system. Note: you will have free access to your account for the first two weeks of the semester.

o You will have five chances to answer an on-line problem correctly

Keep a notebook of your work. This would be useful in preparing for an exam as well as used in the event WebAssign continues to mark the problem wrong and you are confident that you did it correctly. I would like to review your work and adjust the WebAssign score if appropriate.

· Written Homework Problem

o While students may discuss the problem among themselves, each student must turn in a distinctive solution. Violation of this will be handled through the Code of Academic Integrity. This also includes downloading or copying the solution from an internet site or other resource.

o It is recommended that the homework problem turned in for a grade have the following form:

i. Begin problems with a diagram (when appropriate), identify what you know (the “givens”), what you don’t know (the “unknowns” – sometimes there’s more than one, requiring intermediate steps), and the ultimate result desired (the “answer”).

ii. Show ALL of your work leading to the final answer. Provide a narrative telling how you move from one step to the next.

iii. Clearly indicate your final answer with appropriate units.

o Neatness is a must! The instructor’s interpretation of your handwriting is final.

· Late homework will not be accepted.

· Solutions to the homework assignments will be posted on the course website (http://www.rmc.edu/Academics/physics/phys152/index2008.aspx )

Exams: There will be two mid-term exams, on 2008 March 1, and April 22. Each exam will contribute 15% of your course grade. There will be no make-up exams. If you miss an exam for a legitimate reason, those points will be reassigned to the final. The final exam will take at 2:00 pm on 2008 May 21; this exam will contribute 25% of your grade.

Laboratory:

· All students are required to have a laboratory notebook. This should be a standard loose leaf notebook for keeping data, handouts, printed graphs, etc.

· Students will record the data collected from the lab along with any additional notes in preparation for data analysis and the writing of the laboratory report.

· Specific details on the material to be turned in for each laboratory exercise will be distributed to the students at the time when the experiment is conducted.

· While students will work together to gather the data, each student is responsible for processing the data for the laboratory assignment.

· All students must have their lab notebook to begin a laboratory exercise

· Again, discretionary absences from lab are not permitted.

· Laboratory will contribute 25% of your course grade.

Determining your grade: In summary, your grade will be assigned based on the following:

• Homework 20%
• 2 Exams @ 15%, total 30%
• Final exam 25%
• Laboratory 25%

Since grading is a measurement process with some inherent uncertainty, the instructor reserves the right to adjust grades up or down by half a letter grade based on intangibles such as apparent attitude, regular attendance, courtesy, etc.

Grading: All work in this course will be graded on a numerical scale from 0 - 4, corresponding to the 4.0 = A, 3.0 = B, 2.0 = C, 1. 0 = D, 0.0 = F scale used in computing your GPA. These criteria are necessarily subjective on the part of the grader. Hence, if a solution is presented which appears intermediate on this scale, half-point grades will be awarded, e.g. 3.5, 2.5, 1.5. The grade 0.5 will not be used. After grades are accumulated and averaged, the cutoffs for mapping numerical results into letter grades are:

For on-line graded homework, the following conversions will apply:

Grades of A+ or D- are awarded at the instructor's discretion. I reserve the right to adjust final grades up or down by one category. For example, a numerical B+ may be recorded as A- or B if the overall record justifies it.

Special Note: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other Federal laws require Randolph-Macon College to provide a "reasonable accommodation" to any individual who advises us of a physical, psychological, or learning disability. If you have a physical, psychological, or learning disability that requires an accommodation, you must first register with the Office for Disability Support Services, located in the Higgins Academic Center. Please arrange a meeting with the course instructor to discuss your needs and how to register for these support services.