College Physics I   

CRN 22048046 (Dow 107)

     General Information and Grading Policies

Fall 2008

Instructor: Dr. Jan Fiala

211 Dow, 774-3496, fiala1j@cmich.edu

Class Times:  Mo, Tu, We and Th  9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Office hours: Mo, Tu, We and Th  8:00 AM - 8:50 AM, or by appointment (see my schedule)

Text: College Physics, 8th ed., Serway, Vuille and Faughn (Brooks/Cole)

Access Code: WebAssign should come with your textbook bought in our university bookstore or it can be purchased separately.

Overview: This course is the first semester of a year-long sequence intended for life science and liberal arts majors.  The sequence also fulfills the physics requirement for pre-professional programs in the medical sciences.  Physics 130-131 is not suitable for pre-engineering students, physics majors, or minors.

An associated laboratory sequence PHY 170-171 is available.  The lab course is not required for PHY 131.  However, it may be required for your academic program.

The goal of the course is two-fold: to develop a sound conceptual understanding of the principles and to develop the problem-solving tools necessary to apply the principles to practical situations. Lectures will be used to present concepts and to illustrate problem-solving techniques. The format of the lectures will assume that you have read the relevant material in the text before class and thus have some familiarity with the lecture topics.

Homework: Homework assignments will be administered and completed using the WebAssign system. You will be given 14 personalized assignments, each consisting of up to 15 problems. The homework assignments will be posted on Sundays and the deadlines are the following Saturdays (due midnight). You will submit your solutions to the problems over the Internet. The WebAssign system gives you instant feedback, telling you whether your answers are correct. If not, WebAssign allows you to try again without penalty, up to a certain limit set for each problem. Diligent students can earn all the available points from homework. Homework points will count for 20% of your final grade. I encourage students to work together on their homework.

Quiz: There will be one quiz every week. It will be administered and completed using WebAssign. Every quiz will be short and time limited assignment posted on Sunday and due to the following Friday. Quiz points will count for 15% of your final grade. 

Exams: There will be four exams (three mid-terms and one final), held on the following dates:

The exams will consist of multiple choice/short answer questions and problems. Both quantitative and conceptual questions will be asked. The problems will be similar to problems solved in class, HW or in quizzes. Exam points will count for 65% of your final grade.

No make-up exams will be given. If you must miss an exam for a legitimate reason and you notify me of the situation within two days of the exam date, I will not count that exam toward your final grade. However, you may miss only one exam during the semester.

Calculators may be used on the exams. You may also bring in one index card to the exam, containing only equations with its units and description. The tests will be aimed at assessing your understanding of physics, not how well you memorize formulas.

The exams will be challenging. Expect averages between 50% to 70 %.

Grades: Grades will be shown in Blackboard. Your grade will be determined based on total points earned throughout the semester. The exams will contribute 65% of the total possible points. Homework points will count for 20% of your final grade and Quizzes will count for 15% of your final grade. Final grades are determined according following table:

WebAssign: I am happy to use the WebAssign system for this course. WebAssign gives you immediate feedback about answers to homework problems, helping you to assess how well you understand a given topic. WebAssign also encourages you to make several attempts at solving problems by giving you full credit for a correct answer even if it takes you a few tries to get it. WebAssign also provides you with an integrated suite of learning resources. All this turns WebAssign into a tremendous tool for identifying weak areas in your understanding in a timely way.

WebAssign assignments will have completion deadlines as marked in the Course Calendar below.  However, to get the full benefit of the WebAssign approach, I strongly recommend against waiting until the last minute to do your homework!  The best strategy is to use WebAssign daily to work on the problems related to that day's lecture. This will keep you current with course material and allow you to recognize gaps in your understanding as soon as possible.

Logging on: You will use the Internet to access WebAssign. All you need is an Internet connection and your favorite web-browser. There are hundreds of computers located allover campus you may use. Many of you also have Internet access from your dorm room or apartment. It is your responsibility to locate machines you can use and the hours they are available. Also, it is your responsibility to obtain an access code and register for the class.

To log on to WebAssign, open your web browser and go to the following Internet address:

https://www.webassign.net/login.html

Enter the Class Key cmich 3978 2977. You will only need to complete this once. After you have created your account, you can log in on the main page.  You will be asked for an access code after you register for the class.

Be sure to log out when you finish using WebAssign. And it is a good idea to close your browser. If you leave the browser open, the next person using the computer may have access to your account.

Disclaimers: WebAssign has been used successfully over the past few years in many  Physics Departments and I am confident that it will work fine for this course. However, in the unlikely event that the system fails to perform as planned and homework grades are not available, I will base course grades entirely on the results of the four exams, with each exam weighted equally.

The deadline for homework is absolute. No excuses will be accepted because of computer crashes or power outages, etc. Remember that homework problems are accepted by WebAssign at any time day or night up until the deadline - it is not a good strategy to put your homework off until the last minute!

Tutors: Student tutors are normally available Monday through Thursday evenings in Dow 231. Hours are typically from 6 until 10 PM.

Mathematics: Physics is a quantitative science that requires mathematics in fundamental ways. We will use math freely and it is assumed that you have a thorough understanding of algebra and trigonometry. You should have a calculator for this course and I will assume you know how to use it.

ADA: CMU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in its educational programs, activities or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact me as soon as possible.

Classroom civility: Each CMU student is encouraged to help create an environment during class that promotes learning, dignity, and mutual respect for everyone. Students who speak at inappropriate times, sleep in class, display inattention, take frequent breaks, interrupt the class by coming to class late or leaving early, engage in loud or distractive behaviors, use cell phones or pagers in class, use inappropriate language, are verbally abusive, display defiance or disrespect to others, or behave aggressively toward others may be asked to leave the class and subjected to discipline action.   

Final words: Physics is not an easy subject for most students. The key to success is to work hard to stay caught up. Learning in PHY 130 is cumulative - you need the concepts from the early part of the course to understand what comes later. As a general rule, you can expect to spend at least two hours outside of class - doing homework and reviewing your notes - for every hour of lecture. Remember that some concepts will come easier, some harder, but none will be impossible to understand. If you experience problems, I urge you to seek help as soon as possible. I encourage you to see me during office hours, see the tutors in Dow 231 or consult with others in the class.

COURSE CALENDAR: