Textbook: Physical Science by Dana Lee Ling
Required materials: Scientific calculator.
Recommended materials: sunglasses, 30 cm ruler, digital watch with chronograph.
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday 2-4, by walk-in, or appointment
Instructor: Dana Lee Ling
Email: dleeling@comfsm.fm
Web site: http://www.comfsm.fm/~dleeling/physci/
Social media: http://www.facebook.com/danaleeling | http://danaleeling.blogspot.com
Phones: 320-2480 extension 228 | Home phone: 320-2962. | Cell: 922-1858
Attendance: Students who are absent for more than six lecture classes will be dropped from the course. A late is one third of an absence. Thus any combination of MWF absences and lates that exceeds six will result in withdrawal. For example, twenty-one lates would result in being dropped. Student who are absent for more than two laboratories will also be dropped from the course. All absences are initially considered unexcused. Absences can be excused from the six absence limit for medical or official education-related travel. Appropriate documentation is required such as a note from the physician (doctor) or, in the case of education-related travel, some form of written or electronic communication from official sponsors of the travel. First days special attendance policy: Failure to attend one of the first three days of class will result in withdrawal from the course unless the student contacts the instructor during this time period. In other words, absence on all of the first three class days will result in withdrawal from the course.
Drug policy: No betel nut in class nor on campus except in the cultural huts. No chewing of betel nut during class. Chewing betel nut during class can result in dismissal from class for that day.
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: Attendance, homework, quizzes, tests, laboratory reports, and the final are marked and generate points. Spring 2009 generated 965 points. Attendance is a point per hour of class, lecture or laboratory, thus labs are three points. Spring 2009 attendance was worth 91 points (9.4%). Homework is worth 1 to 5 points and, when given, is checked at the start of the next MWF class. Pop cloud quizzes are worth up to 3 to 4 points. Thirteen quizzes worth an average of 19.54 points generated 254 total points (26%). Three tests worth an average of 32.67 points generated 98 total points (10%). The final exam was worth 31 points (3.2%). All quizzes, tests, and the final generated 393 points (39%). Fourteen marked laboratories worth an average of 42 points generated 588 points (60%). Both laboratories and quizzes/tests 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 provided you have not exceeded the laboratory absence limit. 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.