CHEM 110, Fundamentals of Chemistry: Course Policies

Text

Exams, Quizzes

Homework

Absences

Grading

How to Pass Fundamentals of Chemistry

Text

General, Organic and Biological Chemistry, 4th edition. Stephen Stoker, 2007.

Exams and Quizzes

Quizzes are given weekly, as indicated on schedule or in class. There will be 10 quizzes each worth 10 points. Your lowest 2 scores will be dropped. Exams are given on Fridays (to be announced). Each exam's coverage will be announced in class during the week preceding. The final examination will be comprehensive and will last 2 hours.

 MAKE-UP EXAMS and QUIZZES:

 There will  be one make-up exam which would replace one of your tests.  Make-ups will not be given for quizzes.  

Material for quizzes and examinations:

• Exams and quizzes are closed book.
• You will need a calculator to use for this course for homework, quizzes and exams. This must be a scientific calculator with exponent (EE or Exp) and log functions. This type of calculator is available at nominal cost. Learn to use your calculator and/or talk with the instructor about use of your calculator.
• Programmable calculators are permitted, but, since you must show ALL WORK on the paper, they save little time. Answers without supporting work are worth nothing.

Homework

Reading, practice exercises and assigned exercises will be assigned from the text. You are encouraged to work together. Practice exercises will be assigned from the study guide frequently. While not all of these will be collected for credit, the practice will help you learn the material. In addition, you may find questions from the study guide on exams.

Absences

Attendance is required for this course.  Absences are excused only for illness (with written doctors permission). Exams, homework or quizzes missed because of an unexcused absence are given grades of zero.

Grading

Grade Weights:

• Quiz Average = 80
• Hour Exam = 100 each (of three)
• Group Work, Misc. 70 points
• Final = 150
• Total points for semester = 600

Grade Cutoffs: (in percentages of total points at the end of the semester)

• A  87- 100%
• B  75-86%
• C  60-74%
• D  50-59%
• F  below 50%

Persons within 1 point of a borderline may, at the instructors' discretion, be given the next higher letter grade IF the final exam grade is well above the criterion for that grade range.

How to Pass Fundamentals of Chemistry

• Read assignments before lecture; reread them afterwards.
• Attend class regularly; do not fall behind.
• Do the problems! Each assigned problem illustrates an important concept -- careful rereading and study of the text is usually required to work problems. You cannot learn by reading or copying problem solutions any more than you can learn to swim or play the piano by watching someone else. Do all the problems assigned, not just the ones you must turn in. Do the problems! Do the problems! Do the problems!
• Attempt problems immediately after covering the material; if you can't do them, reread the material. If you still can't do a problem, seek help immediately.
• Study all text examples carefully, filling in the missing steps and checking units at all stages.
• Consider problems to be diagnostic: if you can't do them, you have missed something important; copying from someone or a book will not help.
• Students are reminded that, the minimum penalty for cheating is an F for the entire course. Any incident of cheating or suspected cheating will be reported to university authorities for appropriate action.