Course organization, grades, et al.

Because you and your fellow students have different goals, needs, and interests, this course allows a variety of ways to learn physics.   Within certain limits, you will select what you do.   While this will give you choices normally made by the instructor, you will also be more responsible for your own fate.   You may of course seek as much advice as you desire.

Experiments:

Experiments may reveal hidden aspects of nature.

Experiments often show the beauty of nature.

Repeating key experiments helps understand theory.

Doing experiments helps understand scientific methods.

Doing experiments is often fun!

Experiments involve detailed procedures investigating either a more complicated, or a more thorough study of nature.   Suggested procedures will be provided either by handout or in the back of the textbook.   A written report is necessary to receive credit.

Experimentation by professional scientists differs in several key ways from the activities and experiments described above.   Scientists develop their own directions;  their experiments often extend over considerable time;  and the outcome is not well established at the beginning.   This kind of experimentation that most nearly approximates true science, is typically called a project.   It is recommended you to do such a project each quarter.   A formal printed or typed report is appropriate.   Each team may also be asked for a brief oral report to the class.

In every case, be sure to secure approval of your plans with the lab supervisor BEFORE experimenting. As true for all scientists, to garner credit for your research, submit a written report including the experiment's (or extra credit activity's) purpose, relevant background information, procedure (including diagrams), results (using tables and graphs), and conclusion. Credit will vary depending of what you report, the difficulty, and your devotion to accuracy, detail, and analysis.   Each student should submit their own UNIQUE activities and experiments reports.   (If you experiment with a team, you obviously share team observations and measurements.   You must do your own reports.   Copying will be penalized!  You should do your own calculations or at least check those you rely on in your report.)

Readers:

1. the identity of the article,
2. a brief summary,
3. ideas you find new, and
4. a brief analysis how it fits the rest of what you're studying.

Problems:

1. describe the problem,
2. identify any equations used,
3. demonstrate the solution of the problem,
4. give the answer, and
5. describe the significance of the answer.

Tests:

Because this course allows you to make many decisions traditionally made by teachers, the grading system is more complicated than most.   You need to do AT LEAST 50 POINTS of activities, experiments, problems, and readers including a quarter project. Submitting for grading less than 50 points worth of lab work will reduce your grade and may jeopardize course credit! (At least 25 points of lab work should be submitted by midterm.)

Your test score will determine the balance of your grade.   Since your test average is likely less than 100%, you will raise your grade if you earn more than 50 points from activities, experiments, projects, problems, and readers!

The instructor anticipates determining the actual grade by a formula close to the following.   The formula may be useful to estimate your course letter grade.

Let T = average test %; P = project points; A = all other points.
If A < 35, then grade = A + P + 50T, (Note, too little effort hurts!)
If 35 < A < 65, then the grade = A + P + T (85 - A) ,
else, (if A > 65) then the grade = 65 + 0.2 (A - 65) + P + 20T
(Note, extra effort always raises the grade some.)

Quarter letter grade curve:

FINE PRINT: The instructor reserves the authority to evaluate each students work and assign the letter grade the instructor determines to be most appropriate. The curve above should be considered a guide normally followed closely.