Slide2:
To the left is the textbook. I do not follow it too closely, but it is a good textbook that could supplement my lectures. I cover additional material not in the textbook. There exists a study guide and solutions manual, but I don’t require them. The textbook may or may not come with a CD-ROM. It doesn’t matter if you get it or not. You will also need a scientific calculator. Not right away but starting the fourth week. Gain an appreciation of chemistry: its value to society, its role in history, the effort to get this far, and the modern marvels.
Learn about chemistry’s building blocks from light matter/antimatter protons + electrons + neutrons atoms compounds organic vs. inorganic small compounds (CH4, CO2, H2O, SiO2) large compounds (sugars, amino acids, hydrocarbons) macromolecules (starch, cellulose, proteins, DNA)
Learn how to approach a chemistry topic as a blend of building blocks, force & energy, and mathematics.
Learn the fundamental behaviors of atoms: Electrostatic forces, the bizarre world of quantum physics, chemical bonding, and the periodic behaviors indicated in the Periodic Table.
Smarter consumer of chemical products: Better understanding of labels, smarter at reading past the hype or paranoia, and better at recognizing pseudoscience.
Improved chance of survival: Knowledge of neutralizing acids/bases, better avoidance of chemical dangers, better at improvising, better at solving problems, and better at critical thinking. MC185 PS1W Map to Office
Slide3:
Below is the planned schedule; however, unexpected events may change the schedule. Changes announced in class will override this schedule. Also expect daily short quizzes. On Mondays (shaded) the topic will normally reinforce the concepts that relate to the CHM130LL lab of that week.
Slide6:
My expectation is that everyone understands everything on the test and gets it 100% right. Everyone may not get it 100% the first time, but they should get it correct on the 2nd, or 3rd time. It makes no sense to go on when there is something critical missing. Much of chemistry builds off the previous material. Of course, a person who takes three tries to get a question right doesn’t deserve the same amount of credit as the person who got it right the first time. But getting it right the third time still deserves credit.
On problems you missed, you have the opportunity to be retested with a similar problem. You get 85% of the score you would have gotten if you got it right the first time. For example, if you miss a 10 point question but get a similar one correct on the retest, you make 8.5 points, which is much better than losing all 10 points. You just have to make an extra effort to do it again. In short, I’m more interested in you learning the material than giving you low grades. I’m not eager to do extra grading, but I’m willing to do that if you are willing to put in the time to restudy and retest on what you missed. Final grades are not based on a curve, so students who ace a test the first time shouldn’t worry about the students who retake the test to improve their scores. No one likes tests, even teachers. In the old days, when people learned by apprenticeship, there wasn’t a need for tests because the master knew how the apprentice was doing by watching him or her and regularly asking questions. However, in a classroom of 40 students, the instructor may have no idea how much a student has learned, so a test is one way of finding out. One philosophy of teaching is that instructors are only sure that they have taught the subject if they find out that students have learned the subject. In other words, I must ask you a lot of questions to see if both you and I are doing a good job. If you have any special learning needs, let me know, but first visit our Disabilities Resources & Services Office. They will work with both you and me to find ways to help. Deaf students will enjoy the many visuals I use in class. Visually impaired students with some vision can get my PowerPoints so they can view them in the library’s Adaptive Lab. Totally blind students will have a bigger challenge, but I am willing to try some alternatives.
Slide7:
I really hate to talk about points for two reasons: First it takes your attention away from the subject. Second, it implies that grading is accurate down to the last little point. It would be hard to prove that a person with 524 points actually knows more than someone with 523 points. Mathematically it seems accurate, but in actuality grading is approximate. When a teacher says one question is worth 15 points and another is worth 10 points, the choice is rather arbitrary.
With this said, we can use points because it is easy to work with, but it is only approximate.
People who focus only on learning the subject do better than those who worry about grades. That’s because when you worry about points and grades, you are not thinking about the subject. Listen and learn in class and grades will take care of themselves.
In case you are still interested, here is the breakdown of points that will serve as a guide to your grade
Daily quizzes (Attendance): 100 points 3 tests: 100 points each totaling 300 points Final test: 100 points Poster project: 100 points Miscellaneous assignments: 100 points
Total: 700 points
Grades are 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D, Below 60%=F
If your points are close to a better grade, I will always give you the benefit of the doubt and give you the better grade because, like I said, grading is not that accurate.
Notice attendance is a big contributor to your grade because of all of the daily quizzes.
If you miss an exam, I will handle it on a case-by-case basis. It all depends on the circumstances involved.
I again apologize for this much attention drawn to tests and points. Being aware of them is good, but worrying or being fixated on them will actually take attention away from learning and hurt your grade. The best thing is to get interested in the subject and that motivation will help you do good on any tests that come your way. Just like I expect everyone to learn the material well enough to get an A, I also expect everyone to finish the class. However, if you miss three classes in a row without contacting me, I will telephone you and send email to find out what’s going on. Note I can be pretty flexible when you have circumstances that warrant it. But if I can’t reach you, I will have to withdraw you from class. If you disappear a week before class ends, I may just give you a grade based on your work up to that time, but lowered because you missed the final.