Physics 3020

Great Scientists

Spring, 2009

ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

GENERAL INFORMATION/SYLLABUS

Instructor: Richard Quay

Teacher’s Assistant: Jaimy Tomlinson

Office hours: By Blackboard: Online chat room T,Th 7:00 – 8:00 PM.

Email Addresses: Instructor- rrquay@yahoo.com

Teacher’s Assistant- jaimyt@gmail.com

Website: Blackboard Physics 3020 page.

The class syllabus, assignment schedule and class grade sheet will be available here. Please check this site for class announcements and schedule changes.

To Login into Blackboard: Your ID is your A number used in the Banner/Access system. It is case sensitive. Your password is the six number Pin also used with Banner/Access.

Texts: The Double Helix, Five Equations, Selections from Nobel Women in

Science , What do you care? and QED.

Assignments:

Text Reading: as indicated on Assignment Schedule. Please notice that some are considerable longer than others. Please plan accordingly.

Web or library: On these assignments you use your own resources to do some reading on the scientist. Please reference your sources in all papers. Points will be deducted for failing to document your sources.

Short paper: For each class you must prepare a short paper reacting to your reading. It should not be longer than one page: a full paragraph will do if it is well done. Your response should include information about the scientist’s main contribution as well as some insight on the scientist’s colleagues, relationships, families, personal characteristics etc. Your response should always include one adjective giving your oversimplified sense of the person you are reading about. Box this adjective in the upper right hand corner of your paper. If you would not like your material shared with the class please so state; but I hope you will not use this option often because an important part of the class is based on students thoughts. This is a class where we learn together.

Submission of Assignments: Assignments are generally due the Friday before the person or theme is discussed. Please refer to the assignment list posted on Blackboard for specific due dates. Assignments more than one week late will not be accepted. Points will be deducted for late assignments (less than one week). Assignments must be posted to Blackboard prior to 8 PM on the due date and they must be sent in Microsoft Word. Assignments sent in other file types will not be recognized. This is your responsibility!

Term Paper: A term paper is required as the major project for this course. This can be about a scientist, several scientists, a scientific principle, a theme, or – well whatever! It should be professionally done and its evaluation will constitute a considerable portion of your grade. A formal proposal indicating your choice for the term paper must be emailed to me by 8 PM on March16th. It is essential that your topic be a focused one. A broad theme will be rejected. Also please avoid echoing back to me what we have already covered in class. Please make sure that you obtain my OK before you proceed. Paper should be a minimum of eight double spaced pages excluding title page, sources and abstract. Format should be APA. A minimum of six sources should be used of which at least three should be library based. A grading rubric is provided on Blackboard. This rubric must be attached to your term paper or a ten point penalty will be applied.

Five minute presentations: It is recommended that you give a short presentation to the class as part of your project. Bonus points will be awarded for this. Please make clear in your proposal of your intention on doing this so that we may schedule your time. Please explore the use of media other than the most used ones (PowerPoint etc.) for maximum credit.

Attendance is extremely important for this class. I will draw heavily on the discussions for test questions. Please come to class ready to discuss the scientists indicated. The PowerPoint presentations are only given in class and will not be posted. If you miss a class please get your notes from a classmate.

Do not email me by Blackboard! I will not respond! Use only the Yahoo email account.

Exams: There will be two exams scheduled as indicated. These are closed-note tests. Make ups exams are allowed only under special circumstances.

Grading: Midterm Exam 100

Final Exam 100

Short Papers 150

Term Paper/Abstract 150

Total 500 points

Grade Scale: Grades will be based upon the following points earned.

A 470-500 C 370-384

A- 450-469 C- 350-369

B+ 435-449 D+ 335-349

B 420-434 D 320-334

B- 400-419 D- 300-319

C+ 385-399 F <300

If there is any student in this class who has a disability that will require some accommodation by the instructor, that student should contact the instructor and the Disability Resource Center (797-2444) as soon as possible.