Information
Click the buttons above to get the course
syllabus, etc.
General information for Physics 25100, Spring
2012
Class schedule:
Lecture meetings are in LD010 MWF from 12:00 -
12:50
Recitation meetings are in LD010 and LD004
TR from 12:00 AM - 12:50 PM
Lab meetings are in LD011 M, W 1:00 - 2:50 PM and R
2:00 - 3:50 PM. Please make sure you know which
section you have been assigned to.
Web site:
This web site is an important method for
communication among faculty and students in 25100.
The URL for the home page is
http://webphysics.iupui.edu/251/251sp12/phys251home.html.
The site can also be reached conveniently through
http://webphysics.iupui.edu/introphysics.
In addition to basic information, the web site
includes access to all assignments and schedules,
the course objectives page, a course bulletin
board, and instructor contact information.
Lecturer:
Dr. Andy Gavrin, agavrin@iupui.edu,
274-6909, Office Hours: Any time I am in, please drop by!
Recitation
Instructors:
Dr. Yogesh Joglekar, yojoglek@iupui.edu,
274-6911, Office Hours: Any time I am in, please drop by!
Dr. Fangqiang Zhu fzhu0@iupui.edu,
274-6900, Office Hours: any time I am in, please drop by!
Dr. Jeff Ou zou@iupui.edu,
274-2125, Office Hours: any time I am in, please drop by!
Lab Instructor:
Mr. Yu Ding
SmartPhysics:
Rather than a traditional (heavy, expensive and boring) textbook, we are using SmartPhysics. The SmartPhysics system includes prelecture videos (which replace traditional reading assignments), Checkpoints (which help you get started thinking about the material before class), and online homework. You earn points for each of these activities, as detailed below. Smartphysics is written by Gladding, Selen, and Stelzer of the University of Illinois, and published by WH Freeman (2012).
Please visit the SmartPhysics site as soon as possible and get registered for our course. The access key for our course is 251sp12. There are detailed instructions in the resources folder for this class in OnCourse.
Prerequisites:
PHYS 152, MATH 166. Co-registration in Math 261 is
strongly encouraged. Expertise in algebra,
trigonometry, and calculus is essential.
Organization:
There are three lectures, two recitations, and one
laboratory per week. Most of the submissions for
this course are done electronically. Our web site
can be reached from http://webphysics.iupui.edu/introphysics.
Click on the link to "Phys251" for the course home
page. The Course Information link takes you to this
page. Check out all the buttons to see what they
do.
Writing:
You will have to do a moderate amount of writing
in this course. You will write two full lab reports
and write text responses to questions in lab each
week. The checkpoint exercises require written answers,
and the puzzles (extra credit) require written
answers as well. In all written assignments, you
should write as if you were writing a technical
memo in a business situation. Please see the writing page for more
information.
Tests:
25100 tests will be closed book. No notes or
materials of any kind will be permitted. However a
formula sheet will br provided for use on the test.
Only basic scientific calculators may be used.
Graphing calculators, calculators that are capable
of storing significant quantities of text,
calculators that can manipulate symbolic
expressions, and calculators with infrared
communications capability are not permitted. If you
are unsure about a calculator you plan to use,
please check with the instructor. PDA's, smartphones, tablets, and computers are all prohibited, and cell phones must
be turned off (not just set to vibrate) during
exams.
No makeup tests will be given. If you must miss
a test, please contact the lecturer or the physics
department office (275-6900) before the test, or as
soon after as is possible. If you have a valid, documented reason for missing the test, you will receive credit for that test equal to your average score on
the other two tests. If you miss a second test, you
will be given no credit except under extraordinary
circumstances.
Clickers:
We will use "clickers" during both the lectures and the recitations. On average, there will be points awarded during each class meeting. Clickers are available from the bookstore. Also note that the clickers used in 152 and in Chem 105 are fine for use in 251. Please be sure to register your clickers for this class in Oncourse. You must register for both the lecture and the recitation.
Homework assignments:
Homework is due through the smartphysics website on most Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The access key for our course is 251sp12. Occasionally, a "special assignment" will be given when the Smartphysics system does not completely meet our needs. These assignments can be found on the assignments page.
The Checkpoint assignments are also due through
SmartPhysics. Please take seriously the portion in which you write an answer to the question "Explain your reasoning." We will make use of these answers in class, and you may lose credit if your answer is not serious. You do not have to be correct, but you do have to explain in physics terms why you chose the answer you did.
The Checkpoints have have a few objectives:
- They introduce you to the new material, and
get you started thinking about important
topics
- They help you get motivated to stay caught up
in the reading
- Your answers give me a sense of what topics
requirre the most stress during class
- They give us a few common "talking points" to
refer to in class
- They encourage you to put your ideas about
the material into words, a process that often
helps you clarify your thoughts
- They give you a little practice with your
writing skills
Grading:
There are a few basic policies for this courses.
Please be sure to ask the instructor if any of
these policies are not clear to you.
- At the end of the semester, there is a single grade for the course including the laboratory.
- To pass you must have a combined
total of 50% (250 points) on the three hour tests and
the final.
- Attendance in the lab is mandatory.
Unexcused absence will result in an F for the
course. Please contact your instructor if you
must miss a lab
- Extra credit points will become part of your
total credit.
- A total of 1000 points are available:
Three one-hour tests (100 points each) |
300 points |
Comprehensive Final Exam (two hours) |
200 points |
Homework |
150 points |
Checkpoints |
100 points |
Clicker questions (recitation and lecture) |
100 points |
Laboratory |
150 points |
TOTAL |
1000 points |
We will drop your three lowest clicker scores in each category, and your two lowest homework scores. At the end of the semester, the total points in each category will be multiplied by a scale factor to reach the totals above, so please do not worry about how many assignments there will be, and the total number of points in each assignment.
In addition, approximately 60 points of
extra credit will be available, primarily
from Puzzles (due Fridays, through this web
site).
Cutoffs:
At the end of the semester, the following grade
cutoffs are guaranteed. These cutoffs may be
lowered at the discretion of the faculty, but we
promise that they will not be raised.
900 or above: |
A- |
800 or above: |
B- |
700 or above: |
C- |
600 or above: |
D- |
Withdrawal:
Withdrawal policy is the same as for most other
IUPUI courses. Students may withdraw from the
course up to the halfway point in the semester with
just their advisor's signature. For the third
quarter of the semester, the signatures of he
advisor and the instructor are required. During
this third quarter, students wishing to withdraw
from 25100 will be given a W (rather than an F)
regardless of their performance to that point.
Students should check with the registrar or the
School of Science to determine the exact dates
affecting withdrawal.
There is no administrative withdrawal policy in 25100. If you wish to withdraw, you must complete a withddrawal form.
University College Freshman (those with
25 hours or below completed) are subject to an
additional limitation regarding withdrawals: Such
students may not drop more than one course per
semester. This policy will be enforced through
advisor sign-off on drop requests. The policy does
not include course adjustments made during the
first week of class nor does it apply to classes in
which a student has been "administratively
withdrawn". If you have any additional questions,
please check with your advisor.
This site is made possible by
funding from the National Science Foundation
(DUE-9981111).
©2012 A. Gavrin, all
rights reserved.
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