004 Syllabus and typical generic calendar

Syllabus
Typical generic calendar of events

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Syllabus

• Required materials: Scientific calculator.
• Recommended optional materials: Sunglasses, ruler, digital watch with chronograph.
• Typical office hours: Monday, Wednesday 2-5, by walk-in, or appointment
• Instructor: Dana Lee Ling
• Email: dleeling@comfsm.fm
• Web site: http://www.comfsm.fm/~dleeling/physci/
• Course blog: http://danaleeling.blogspot.com/search/label/physci
• Social media: http://www.facebook.com/danaleeling
• Phones: 320-2480 extension 228 | Cell SIMs: 922-1858, 970-5318 | Home phone: 320-2962
• Attendance: Seven MWF absences results in withdrawal from the course. A late is one third of an absence. Thus any combination of MWF absences and lates that adds to seven will result in withdrawal. For example, twenty-one lates would result in withdrawal. Missing more than three laboratories will also lead to failure of the course.
• No betel nut in class nor on campus except in the cultural huts.
• Evaluation and assessment: Quizzes, tests, and midterms are given every Friday that there is not a test. Quizzes and tests can and do occur on a Wednesday wherein Friday is a holiday. Lab practical examinations are on lab days.
• Grading policy: Grading is based on the percentage of points attained. Understanding how points are distributed is useful. Spring 2008 was a typical term in physical science. There were 1098 points spring 2008. The source of points earned include daily attendance, homework, quizzes, and tests.
  Daily attendance is worth one point per hour of course contact time. Homework was worth 1 to 8 points and is checked at the start of the next MWF class. Pop cloud quizzes were worth 3 to 6 points. Quizzes are usually worth around 35 points. Numeric answers award 2 points for the correct value, and one additional point if the units are included. Tests are typically worth 35 to 50 points. The final was worth 38 points, only 3% of the overall points. By term end 36% of the points were in quizzes, tests, the midterm, and the final. 60% of the points were in laboratories. Both are important in this demanding and difficult course.
  This course places more value on work done over the term than on a cumulative final examination. This course is about researching a system and writing a report on the findings. The course requires the discipline of mind of the distance runner. Success in this course depends on consistent completion of work throughout the term. There is no way to bring a grade up late in the term. Your grade is a reflection of a body of work during the term. The final letter grade is based on the standard College policy: Obtain 90% of the points or more to obtain an A, 80% to 89% for a B, and so forth.
• Laboratories: Laboratories are central to the course. To the extent possible, each week focuses on the laboratory with lecture in support of the laboratory exploration. Laboratories are marked using a rubric. Each lab has its own rubric, all are based to a lesser or greater extent on the generic rubric. Laboratory write-ups are composed of a single word processing document created with Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org Writer. Tables, graphs, and analysis done in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc should be copied and pasted into the word document in the appropriate order. Laboratories are due a week after the laboratory at the next laboratory period. Laboratories can be sent by email, this does not change the due date/time or submission guidelines. Laboratories turned in after the start of class for the next laboratory are late. Late laboratories can be turned in up to the start of the Friday class period the next day, but incur a five point penalty. After the start of the Friday class period the late penalty increases to ten points. Laboratories can be turned in up to a week late (14 days after the lab) but incur a ten point penalty. Laboratories more than 14 days late are not accepted. Laboratory reports CAN be turned in for labs for which you were absent! Get data from a colleague to complete the report, do your own analysis and write-up to the best of your ability.
• Academic Honesty Policy: Cheating on an assignment, quiz, test, midterm, or final will result in a score of zero for that assignment, quiz, or examination. Due to our cramped quarters, the course operates by necessity on a system of personal integrity and honor.

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Typical calendar of events