Physics 3020

Great Scientists

Summer 2008

Daily 9:50-10:50

Richard Quay

 

 

Assignments

 

Syllabus

 

Instructor:   Richard Quay

 

TeacherŐs Assistant:   

 

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

 

Email Addresses:   Instructor- rrquay@yahoo.com

 

 

Website:  WebCT 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 WebCT:  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 and What do you care?

 

Assignments:

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

2.    Web or library: On these assignments you should use your own resources to do some reading on the scientist. Please reference your sources in your papers.

3.    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 scientistŐs main contribution as well as some insight on the scientistŐs 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.

4.    Submission of Assignments: Assignments are due the class before the person or theme is discussed. This will not be possible for the first class but will be enforced starting with the Richard Feynman assignment due June 13th. Assignments are to be handed in at class time.  Assignments more than one week late will not be accepted. Points may be deducted for late assignments (less than one week). Assignments may be emailed prior to the class due, but they must be sent in Microsoft Word.

5.    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 proposal indicating your choice for the term paper is due by July 14th. 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 two should be library based.

6.    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.

7.    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.

8.    Do not email me by WebCT! I will not respond!

 

Exams: There will be two exams scheduled as indicated. These are closed-note

    tests.

Grading:                    Midterm Exam       100

                              Final Exam            100                         

                                    Short Papers         150

                                    Term Paper           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.