Physics IV [2704]: Spring 2018
- Course Work:
- This is a 4 semester-hour course with lab (or 3 semester-hour course
w/o lab). CLAS guidelines are that
students should expect to spend two hours per semester-hour on study
outside of class. This means 8 hours per week on homework, reading, and
other course preparation.
- Exam Schedule:
- Midterm 1: Wednesday, February 21, Ch. 1-4
- Midterm 2: Wednesday, April 4, Ch. 5-7
- Final Exam: TBA, Ch. 1-10
- Grading
- Homework 25%
- Labs 20%
- Midterms 15% Each
- Final Exam 25%
- Participation Extra Credit (see below)
- Homework
- Weekly homework assignments will be due in class on Fridays
(assignments can also be turned in early in my office or mailbox). Late
homework will not be accepted, but the lowest scoring assignment of the
semester will be dropped. Homework assignments will be long form,
hand-written and hand-graded. Partial credit may be assigned for
solutions that follow correct logic but make an error at an
intermediate step. Therefore, showing your work completely,
carefully, and logically is crucial. You are allowed to work
with other students on the homework, but each student must write out
their own complete solutions.
- Labs
- The laboratory assignments are a key part of the course, to be held under the
supervision of your teaching assistant, who will also grade the laboratory
reports. Questions about laboratory grading should be directed to your TA.
Eating and drinking in the laboratory is not allowed. There will be no
makeup labs; however, the lowest scoring
lab of the semester will be dropped. Lab materials will be available on ICON.
- Exams
- Midterm exams will be held during regular class hours on the dates specified
above. The final exam will be two hours, scheduled during finals week at a time
and location to be announced. Midterm exams will cover the material
specified above, and
the final exam will be comprehensive. Exams may cover material not explicitly
discussed in class - reading is important! There will be no make-ups for the one-hour
exams except in truly extraordinary circumstances for which the student comes
to the instructor before the exam to plan a make-up.
- Exams will be closed book (an equation sheet is allowed, which each
student is responsible for preparing),
will be long-form hand-written, and will
include
both conceptual questions and questions requiring calculations. Absolutely
no cheating on exams will be tolerated. Anyone caught copying or allowing
someone else to copy from his or her exam will receive a zero for the
exam, and may face disciplinary action.
- Reading
- Reading assignments should be completed before lecture. Completion of the
reading is essential for class discusion to be productive, and tests may
include material not explicitly covered in class. Reading is important!
- Participation
- Participation will be tracked by student's response to clicker questions during
class. These questions are un-graded, so any response counts as participation. Extra
credit worth up to 2% of the total possible class points will be awarded based upon your participation,
with
the exact formula specified in the syllabus.
- Absence Policy
- Attendance is encouraged but not required for all regular class meetings, but
any opportunities for extra credit through class activities will not be
made up for any reason in the event of
absence. Attendance during scheduled exams is required and make-up exams
will only be given if the student comes to the instructor with appropriate
justification before the exam to plan a make-up.
- Communication
- Students may communicate with the professor by phone, e-mail, or in person.
However, e-mail messages and phone calls may not always be answered immediately (other
than in true emergencies). Students with issues or questions should if at all
possible raise them in person, in discussion, by attending office hours, or by
scheduling an appointment with the professor.
- Physics Tutorials
- Teaching assistants are available for free assistance in the TILE
Commons
Room, 310 Van Allen Hall, during posted hours.