Instructor: Dr. Doug R. Ingram
Lectures: TR 1100-1220 in SWR 357
Text: "College Physics, TCU edition" by Serway and Faughn
Prerequisites: High school algebra and trigonometry or college pre-calculus
Office: SWR 368
Hours: MTWRF 115-215 & by appointment
Phone: 257-7313 (less reliable)
Email:
d.ingram@tcu.edu (more reliable)
WWW:
http://personal.tcu.edu/~dingram/phys10153
Overview: Probably the most important concept in this course is one that is never mentioned in any course guide. In this course, we will learn the basics of problem solving, which is the biggest obstacle any student must learn to overcome before mastering Physics. Unfortunately, it isn't easy. Learning how to solve problems requires lots and lots of practice. Along the way, you will likely learn quite a bit about Physics, and it will be important that you fully understand the concepts we will be discussing in class and applying in howework sets. Remember, though, that the main goal of this course is learning how to apply concepts and solve problems, including how to translate descriptions of problems into (usually) simple mathematical expressions and then solving those expressions and learning to quickly check your answer.
Grading: Different components of the course are tentatively given weights as follows:
Exams will occur on the due date of every other homework and will cover material from the previous two homework assignments. See the Physics 10154 home page for homework due dates (exams when homeworks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 are due).
Course grades are assigned on a scale as follows:
If you are taking this course without the lab, your grade is found by weighting as follows: Reading quizzes/Attendance - 5%, Homework - 10%, Exams - 60%, Final - 25%.
Homework and Reading Quizzes: Homework will be assigned, turned in and graded roughly every other week. Reading quizzes will be given periodically in class as a check to ensure you are reading and understanding the text. Exam questions are typically very similar to homework questions and concept tests, so practice helps! You need to practice with both problem solving and concepts to succeed in this course.
Exams: In the event of an unavoidable and documented medical or legal reason for missing an exam, I will consider the issue on an individual basis. Exams will be given on the day the homework is due for a given section. See the course web page for a schedule of homework due dates.
Cheating: I will give you all the formulas you will need to know, so I don't expect cheating to be an issue there. Since I give out different exam versions, it is extremely difficult to copy answers from another student during exams, but in some sense cheating during exams and reading quizzes is possible. If I feel that cheating is a problem, I will give you one warning. In the unlikely event it progresses beyond that, I will resort to nuclear weapons (e.g. getting an academic dean involved).
The only other real possibility of cheating is intellectual dishonesty associated with homework assignments. If you fail to work through the homework solutions largely on your own, then your exam grades will certainly show the effects of this. I cannot really prevent you from cheating off each other on homework assignments, but I can promise that such behavior will cost you enormously on exams. Please keep in mind that the fundamentals of problem solving you're going to learn in this class will be applied in VIRTUALLY ALL of the science and/or technical classes that follow it. If you don't learn the material now, you'll really be doomed later on.
Advice: Try to budget your time wisely in this course. Realistically expect to spend at least six hours per week outside of class either studying or doing homework for this class (even more if you are having trouble). If it helps, take comfort in the fact that I will also spend about six hours per week outside of class on this material. Always attend class and arrive on time. Your reading quiz/attendance grade will reflect your attendance (since you get a "0" on any quiz you miss). Speaking from experience, I know how much it can hurt your grade to skip classes. So don't skip. Don't even think about skipping. Just fix it in your mind from the start that this is the one place you have to be every single MWF from 900-950 with absolutely no exceptions! I promise I will make it worth your while with clear, concise explanations and many helpful examples.
Academic Misconduct: I would like to remind you about policies and procedures regarding your rights as well as responsibilities that are published in the TCU Student Handbook. You may have a paper copy but it is also available on line at http://www.studentaffairs.tcu.edu/handbook/handbook.htm. Specifically I would like you to review Section 3.4 regarding Academic misconduct, i.e. cheating, plagiarism etc.
Disabilities Statement: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. If you require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services, located in Sadler Hall 11. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at 817-257-7486.
Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations. Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator. Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM.
Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.