Class Meetings: MWF 1:00PM-1:50PM, Physics Room 203
Required Reading: "How Thinks Work" - Available at Newcomb Hall Bookstore (Text is a draft manuscript by Lou Bloomfield)
Instructor: Lou Bloomfield, Associate Professor of Physics
Office Hours:
Discussion Session: Wednesday 2:00PM - 2:50PM, Physics Room 203
World-Wide Web: http://www.phys.virginia.edu/classes/105/home.html
Newsgroup: uva.phys.phys105
Evening Help Sessions: Lead by Biff Lyons, Physics Graduate Student, Tuesday and Wednesday, 6:00PM - 8:00PM, Physics Room 205
Course Work:
A. Problem Sets: Five guided questions per problem set.
Questions will required independent thought on your part in order to answer them correctly.
You are encouraged to discuss problem set problems with one another. However, you are expected to write up your answers separately. Don't hand "xerox" someone else's work (you won't learn anything and will be docked points).
Each problem set will be issued on a Friday and will be due 10 days later on a Monday.
Problem set 1 is due on Monday, Sept. 18, 1995, 1:00PM
Problem set 2 is due on Monday, Oct. 23, 1995, 1:00PM
Problem set 3 is due on Monday, Nov. 13, 1995, 1:00PM
B. Term Paper: An original discussion of how something works.
Term paper may be written alone or in a group of 2 or 3 people.
Length for Individual Term Paper: 1500-1750 words (approximately 5 typed, double spaced pages of text).
Length for a Group Term Paper: 3000-3500 words (approximately 10 typed, double spaced pages of text).
Details about what is expected appear elsewhere in this packet, along with a list of topics that are not permitted and a sample grading sheet for the term paper.
You do not need to get my permission when selecting a topic but I will be glad to assist you up until Monday, Nov. 20, 1995.
The term paper is due on Friday, Dec. 1, 1995, 1:00PM.
C. Midterm Exam: A fifty-minute, closed-book, in-class examination given on Friday, Oct. 6, 1995, 1:00PM-1:50PM.
Two-thirds of the grade will involve multiple choice questions.
One-third of the grade will involve short answer questions.
The exam will emphasize understanding of concepts so that memorization will be far less valuable for answering the questions than basic insight into how things work.
Compelling reason for an alternate midterm exam time will be considered only up until Friday, Sept. 29, 1995.
D. Final Exam: A three-hour, closed-book examination given during Finals Week on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1995, 9:00AM-12:00Noon.
Two-thirds of the grade will involve multiple choice questions.
One-third of the grade will involve short answer questions.
The exam will emphasize understanding of concepts so that memorization will be far less valuable for answering the questions than basic insight into how things work.
Compelling reason for taking the final exam late, as a 1 hour oral examination, will be considered only up until Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1995. You must obtain permission from the Dean. No early final exams will be given.
Late Policy: Specific grade deductions for late work and final deadlines are discussed on the list of course rules.
Exceptions for illness, family illness or death, religious holidays must be obtained IN ADVANCE. You must contact me before something is due or before you miss an examination.
Meeting Place: If you do not know anyone with whom to discuss the problem sets, meet in Clemons Library on the 4th floor at 2:00PM on the Saturday before a problem set is due. Look for other people carrying my lecture notes.
Guests and Visitors: Guests and visitors are always more than welcome (except during the exams, naturally). No special permission is required.
Grading Information: Course grades will be based on individual performance. There is no curve and no quotas of A's, B's, or C's. If everyone does A work, everyone will receive an A. If everyone does C work, everyone will receive a C. Because you are not competing against one another, I encourage you to help one another learn the material. However, please be responsible about doing your own work.
Course Grade Calculations and Letter Grade Assignment:
I determine your numerical grade by summing your numerical grades on the problem sets, the exams, and the term paper (weighted by the factors mentioned previously):
(Problem Set #1 Grade)·0.10
(Problem Set #2 Grade)·0.10
(Problem Set #3 Grade)·0.10
(Midterm Exam Grade)·0.15
(Term Paper Grade)·0.25
+ (Final Exam Grade)·0.30
Course Numerical Grade
I then use your numerical grade to assign a letter grade:
>87.33 is A+, >82.00 is A, >78.67 is A-
>75.33 is B+, >72.00 is B, >68.67 is B-
>65.33 is C+, >62.00 is C, >58.67 is C-
>55.33 is D+, >52.00 is D, >48.67 is D-
If you are taking this course Credit/No Credit, your numerical grade must be at least 58.67 (C-) to receive Credit.
Term papers are assigned letter grades. For the purpose of determining your course grade, an A is 90 pts, an A- is 86.7 pts, a B+ is 83.3 pts, a B is 80 pts, a B- is 76.7 pts, a C+ is 73.3 pts, a C is 70 pts, etc.
To give you some idea of how you are doing as the course progresses, the average grades in a previous semester were:
If you stay at or very near these averages, you will receive a B in the course. To get an A, you should be about 10 pts higher. To get a C, you should be about 10 pts lower.
Work not turned in or tests not taken will receive a zero (0 pts), far worse that a failing grade (typically 30 pts or more).
University Deadlines: