Chemistry 211 Lecture Syllabus

GENERAL REMARKS:

This is the first of a two-semester chemistry course for science majors. It is designed to help the student learn the fundamental principles of some important areas of chemistry. It is the same in fundamentals to courses that have been taught at many other universities for several years. If the work seems overwhelming at times, take heart there have been many of us who have survived and become successful afterwards. I hope you find this course hard but enjoyable. Please feel free to discuss any aspect of the course with me during office hours.

A serious student will read the textbook and work problems at the end of each chapter-spending about ten hours per week on these. Problem solving is a very important part of learning in any science course. If a student intends to pass this course, (s)he will spend a lot of time solving the problems at the end of the chapter so that (s)he can understand the intent of each problem. Usually, the problems start out being reasonably easy. Make sure you work some of these and then move on to the section listed as "General Problems", which are more challenging especially if the other problems seem quite easy. Many of "A" students in the past have worked all of the problems at the end of the chapter. We will work problems in class after each chapter, if time permits. The student should be prepared to work problems on the board. When the student finds that (s)he cannot work certain problems or understand certain concepts, the student is urged to contact me during office hours. I feel the instructor's duty is to assist the student in the learning process. Thus, when the student comes for help, I will expect the student to demonstrate that a reasonable effort has been made to understand the concepts. The student is not expected to have wasted hours on a problem, however, before coming to me. I will be more than glad to provide any help that I can as long as I feel that you are putting forth a reasonable effort. Please purchase a spiral notebook for working problems; then when you come to me (or the tutors) for help we can easily try to understand where you are having difficulty. I will expect to see some evidence of previous effort and this will be good evidence of effort.

The most successful students will make use of many learning aids. This person will discuss difficulties with fellow students, will read the text and other books, will work problems at the end of the chapter and be active in class- asking and answering questions. The student must take responsibility for the learning process and work at finding every possible way to learn the CONCEPTS. The lecture is nothing more than a learning aid and does not control how much you learn - you do. Instead, it is the instructor's duty to clarify concepts that students do not understand and to provide a fair way to evaluate the student's progress. The course is outlined in the lecture syllabus. Anything in those chapters may be on the tests. Summaries of methodology will often be presented on overheads.

To provide the student with a little more guidance, homework assignments must be completed. The homework assignments can be accessed from the Internet using a link on the General Chemistry web page or at http://www.gmu.edu/departments/chemistry/genchem.html.

Testing and Tutoring Center (TTC) Quizzes will be taken on a computer in room 2002 in the Student Union II; it will be the student’s responsibility to take them when (s)he feels ready.  Deadlines for taking them will be announced in class and on the WEB (at the genchem web site).  Usually, the deadline will be a few days after finishing the Chapter in class about which you will be taking the quiz or working on homework.  Don’t procrastinate so that you can avoid the crowds. There may be additional (unannounced) quizzes given in class.

You must bring a photo ID with you and show it to the testing center personnel.  Then, you will start the program, enter your "G" number without the "G" to take the quiz; it is Windows based and thus it is helpful to have some knowledge of how to find things using "point and click" procedures. You are allowed to use a your calculator (non programmable) and scratch paper (provided by us). You are not allowed to ask anybody for help and should not use your book. You must deposit all personal effects including cell phones in the storage area of the room. You are not allowed to copy the problem and take it with you. Try not to focus excessively on the mechanics of individual problems as much as on the problem solving strategy.

If you don’t do as well as you would like the first time, you may take the quiz over again for a total of 4 tries; don’t procrastinate so that there will be time to try it again. Probably each time you take the quiz, it be quite different so that you must do more than memorize how to work a specific problem; you must learn concepts for a given chapter to do well

In-class quizzes will be given very often - in fact you should assume there will be some sort of in-class quiz every period. Students must purchase the i>clickers (personal response devices) and bring it to every class to record the individual answers to the quizzes. The i>clicker automatically records your answers to each quiz. If you do not have an i>clicker, you will not be able to complete the quiz.

Once you obtain your i>clicker you need to register it. On the back of your i>clicker find your unique registration
number (at the bottom). This registration number must be assigned to your name on the class roll sheet. If this is not completed, you will not get credit for your answers. To register, go to the following URL: www.iclicker.com/registration. Complete the registration form. Enter your G# for student ID (including the G). Grading for quizzes will be done as follows: 3 points for each correct answer, and 2 point participation point will be given for each answer -whether it is correct or incorrect. No points will be given if a question is not answered. Because the i>clicker is also a measure of lecture attendance, there will be no make ups and written answers will not be accepted.

Midterm examinations will be computerized with 80 minutes allotted for an examination in which one would normally be given 50 minutes. After finishing the examination, you can take it again as long as it is before the deadline, but after a required study time. They are administered in the same room as the quizzes under the same format and consist of 16 problems.

Final Examination: The final examination is cumulative and will be a nationally standardized examination produced by the American Chemical Society(ACS). The Chemistry club sells ($12) copies of an ACS published study guide for this final examination; please contact the Chem club if you want to order a copy.

Copies of old examinations are posted on the WEB at my WEB page. You should refer to it frequently for this or other late breaking news. The address is: http://osf1.gmu.edu/~jschreif. You should go to the GenChem site to find out tutoring center schedule, lecture and laboratory syllabi.

Laboratory grade: Students, who have not taken this course before must be enrolled in a laboratory section and earn a laboratory grade. Students, who have taken the class before, may be allowed to use their previously earned lab grade - as long as it is at least a 70%. These students, will need to fill out a lab waiver and leave a copy with the Chemistry admin in S&T I room 343 as well as with me. A special waiver form is also taken to the registrar so that the lecture can be taken without a lab.

Successful Studying Strategy

A student, who really wants successfully complete this course should design a well-thought out studying strategy.  This should include reading the chapters, studying worked problems, and working other problems at the end of the chapter prior to finishing the homework, quizzes or exams.  More specifically try the following:

1. Spend about a half-hour skimming the contents of the chapter to familiarize yourself with very general concepts.   

2. Read the chapter through completely, but do not spend much time working problems.

3. Study how the worked problems are solved.

4. Work problems at the end of the chapter until you can solve most of the ones you encounter.  Make sure you focus on concepts.  You should go back to the section from which the problem is derived and look at worked problems to help learn how to solve these.

5. Work the homework problems.

6. Ask for help from the tutors at the tutoring center, which is next door to the testing center. Hours for the tutoring center will be available through the genchem web page.

7. Practice quiz CD is available in the bookstore and has been found useful as a preparation for the quizzes; it is nearly idential to the actual quiz program used for a grade.

GRADING

A student, who finds it necessary to miss an examination, must notify me as soon as possible before or immediately after the examination and bring in documented proof of the problem. Otherwise the student will receive a zero for the missed examination. Calculators are allowed for examinations, but small computers are not. Use of a large calculator or small computer will be considered an honor code violation.  In the event that there is a bomb scare, class will not necessarily be cancelled. Instead, all of the class should assemble outside the front entrance to the building until I have dismissed it. Otherwise the student will receive a zero for missed work. Students, who have more than one final examination scheduled at the same time, should bring proof of the conflict before it can be rescheduled. The final grade will be determined as indicated below: The grading scale for the homework and examinations will be curved.

Tentative Lecture Syllabus

Approximate Midterm Examination Deadlines: Oct. 3, Oct. 31 and Dec. 3

FINAL EXAMINATION: Dec. 10 - Final Exam. 10:30-1:15

Note: Students must enroll and obtain a passing grade in a laboratory section to complete the course. To more fairly grade all students the laboratory grade will be normalized.