PH 105 Section 050: General Physics W/Calc I
Summer 2012
4 Credit Hours
Primary Instructor: Dr. Patrick LeClair
Core Designation: Natural Science
Syllabus subject to change.
Exams
There will be three “hour” exams, each covering several thematically consistent chapters. Two of the “hour” exams will be administered during laboratory periods, and one will be administered during the final examination period.
For the hour exams, you are allowed only the following items:
Writing implement(s)
Calculator (no cell phones or PDAs)
One prepared 8.5 x 11 inch formula sheet (front and back sides allowed)
The hour exams may have slightly different formats, but each one is worth an equal amount (viz. 20% of your total grade each). The exam dates will be listed on the course calendar during the first week of classes.
Homework
Several homework problems will be assigned each day, both from your textbook and from other sources, amounting to approximately 15-20 problems per week. These problems will be posted on the course web page. You will turn in each day's problem at the start of the following day's lecture. The lowest two homework problems each week will be dropped. You may collaborate on homework, and are encouraged to, but each student must turn in his or her own work.
Quizzes
Fairly frequently, short in-class quizzes will be given. They will focus on the topics covered in the previous lecture, including but not limited to the problems assigned for that lecture. Quizzes will generally occur during the laboratory sessions, but are not limited to them.
Labs
There will be approximately 9 laboratory experiments through the term. Laboratory experiments will be worked in groups of 2-4. You will choose one experiment per week to write a laboratory report on as a group, due the following Monday at the start of the lecture period. Templates for these lab reports and the grading structure will be provided, though for each experiment there will be specific questions to be answered contained in the laboratory procedure document. Example raw data from the experiment(s) you did not choose to include in your report (e.g., printed data plots) should be included as appendicies in your report as evidence that you completed those experiments.
Each of component of your grade is described above, and their relative weights in determining your overall grade are shown below. The lowest homework problem each week will be dropped.
Grading breakdown
Homework 20%
Labs 10%
Quizzes 10%
Hour exams (3) 20% each
Grading scale (grade/grade points/minimum %)
A+ 4.33 97.5
A 4.00 92.5
A- 3.67 90
B+ 3.33 87.5
B 3.00 82.5
B- 2.67 80
C+ 2.33 77.5
C 2.00 72.5
C- 1.67 70
D+ 1.33 67.5
D 1.00 62.5
D- 0.67 60
F 0.000 0
If you have a legitimate reason for missing a homework assignment or quiz, you will be given the option to make up the homework set at a later date, or receive a 'bye' on that particular assignment. The reason must be documented in writing, and whether it is acceptable or not will be judged on a case-by-case basis. If possible, inform the instructor as soon as possible before the assignment is due.
If you have a legitimate reason for missing a major exam, then you must inform the instructor as soon as possible before the exam occurs. If the reason is acceptable, either the exam will be dropped for you, and the final exam will count proportionately more, or you may make up the exam at a slightly earlier or later date. We reserve the right to administer a modified make-up exam slightly differing from the exam the rest of the class has taken. There is no makeup possible for missing the final exam.
Acceptable reasons must be documented, if possible in advance, and may include but are not limited to: prior athletic commitments, medical issues, off-campus academic commitments, prior commitments to on-campus academic events, band travel, standardized testing, graduate school interviews, and certain personal/family issues. Unacceptable reasons are fairly numerous. Among the least likely to be accepted are oversleeping, leaving early for academic breaks, and fan travel to ‘away’ athletic events.
In-class exercises or quizzes will be given frequently at the end of the lecture period. The lowest 2 quiz scores will be dropped. While attendance is not strictly required for laboratory periods either, it is hard to imagine how you will complete lab reports otherwise.
It is expected that students will attend class having found some utility in it, rather than out of a sense of coercion or obligation. We will not waste your time while you are there.
Extensive notes, example homework/exam probems, video lectures, etc., may be found here:
http://faculty.mint.ua.edu/~pleclair/ph105/
You may also find my related course material useful:
http://faculty.mint.ua.edu/~pleclair/ph125/
http://faculty.mint.ua.edu/~pleclair/ph101/
There is also a course blog at http://ph105.blogspot.com/ which features atom/rss feeds, and anonymous comments. Online calendar (Google Calendar) also available.
Unlikely.
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The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
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