Principles of Chemistry I

Textbook: Chemical Principles 5th Edition, Steven S. Zumdahl Houghton Mifflin (2005), Can be the "Special UT Edition with EduSpace" available at the UT Co-op, OR the regular 5th edition available at various online sellers like Amazon. Refer to my Help Sheets page on the key differences in these 2 books. Chapters to be Covered: Chapters 5, 9, 10, 12-14, 16, breaking down roughly in the following ways.. Exam 1 : Chapter 12 - Atomic Theory Exam 2 : Chapter 13 and 14 - Chemical Bonding, Ionic and Covalent, Molecular Geometries, VSEPR Theory, MO Theory Exam 3 : Chapter 5 and 16 - Gas Laws, Solids and Liquids (intermolecular forces) Exam 4 : Chapter 9 and 10 Thermodynamics - 1st and 2nd Laws Final Exam : Comprehensive - all covered chapters Please also note that you are responsible for all the material and topics covered in Chapters 1-4 of this book. WEB PAGE:  http://courses.cm.utexas.edu/pmccord/fall2008/ch301      (case sensitive!)

Calculator:  All students must have a SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR. If you don't already have one, I'd suggest getting a TI-30xa or something like it (very simple to use and cheap). Will I allow graphing calculators this year? Yes. However, please make sure that the memory is cleared before all exams.

iClicker:  All students must have an iClicker. Only an iClicker will work and no other types or brands! These are long, white, and skinny with only 6 buttons See picture to the left. The Co-op has these listed for $35.35 new. That is the ONLY cost. There is no registration fee. You can use ANY iClicker for this class. You will register the iClicker number via the web and then you are good to go.

Homework
You are expected to work the homework problems and complete the assigned readings throughout the semester. Homework is administered via the web and will count as 5% of your overall grade. One or two of your lowest homework scores will be dropped from your average. All course homework and assignments will be administered through Quest which can be found at the web address http://quest.cns.utexas.edu. You will need a relatively recent version of a web browser (versions 5 and up). You will also need a "pdf" viewer/printer application. Your performance on the exams will depend heavily on how well you understand and can fully work the homework problems. You should really try working ALL the problems at the end of each chapter in the book.

Quizzes (iClicker)
Quizzes will be given in class via the iClicker. Quizzes will count 5% of your overall grade in the class. You MUST bring your clicker to class everyday. If you don't have a clicker you will not get credit. You should also watch your battery level on the clicker. Running out of power is no excuse. You can only have ONE clicker in class. Students that are operating TWO clickers during class will be given an F and reported to the Office of the Dean of Students (see Cheating below).

Exams
The four exams will be given from 7PM to 9PM on the scheduled days. Rooms will be posted on the web site a week before the exam. You must go to the correct room for your specific section of CH301. Your exam average will be equal to the average of your 3 highest exams (dropping your lowest exam score). Be sure and bring your calculator to the exam. We do NOT provide calculators. You CANNOT use a PDA, or cell phone as your calculator (or any other gadget that is NOT a calculator - especially not iPhones or iPods). You CANNOT make-up a missed exam for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER. If you have a University approved conflict that requires rescheduling an exam, you must notify the instructor within the first 2 weeks of the course. You get to drop one exam score from your average, so for whatever reason you miss, that particular exam score (a zero) will be your dropped exam.

Each student will receive a unique exam copy with a specific version number on it. There is a different exam version for every student in the class, no two students can have the same version numbers. It is therefore very important that you keep your copy of each of your exams. You need this copy in order for us to verify you as the owner of that copy and version number. We only do this verification when we have a case of two or more students with identical version numbers on their exams. Each student must verify their copy in order to receive a grade, otherwise their score will be changed to a zero for that exam AND they will be reported to the dean as suspect of cheating.

Final
The final exams for these CH301 sections WILL be comprehensive. This means that all the material covered during the course will be on the exam. The final exam will be counted as 30% of your overall grade. If you keep up with the material for the semester, the final will not be any more difficult than the four exams. It will be extremely difficult if you try to cram for it one day ahead. Keep up and make the grade. You cannot reschedule or drop the final exam grade. The time for the final is published when the course schedule is made and you certainly could have chosen NOT to take the course. Since you did decide to TAKE the course, you will TAKE the final at the designated time. Unless, of course, you qualify for a final exam exemption.

Final Exam EXEMPTION
You CAN be completely exempt from taking the final exam IF you meet the following criteria. You MUST have a class average greater than or equal to 88.75. If you do meet this criteria, I will send you an email informing you of this and you will receive an "A" in the course. Your score will be 5% homework average, 5% iclicker-quiz average, and 90% of your FOUR-exam average. Yes, you must count all FOUR of the sememster exams for your FOUR-exam average. If you don't receive an email from me (Dr. McCord), then you WILL need to take the final exam.

Add-ons, Mystery, Special
All of these strange catagories are basically extra points. They are made available at random times throughout the semester. You MUST be present in order to get these points. They will count in the way that I say they will count. Most of them will be points that you get to ADD to your exam scores.

Cheating
If you get caught cheating in any way whatsoever you will have to discuss the situation with me. If you plead no contest, I will usually offer a reasonable solution. However, if the student denies the allegation, I will proceed by presenting the evidence to the Office of the Dean of Students as is the policy. A hearing will ultimately result. It is possible to be expelled from the University on such matters. Yes, read the General Information Catalog about scholastic dishonesty (i.e. cheating). If found "guilty" the University can go so far as to bar you from enrollment for life. Take home lesson, don't cheat.

Students with Disabilities
Please notify me of any modification/adaptation you may require to accommodate a disability-related need. You will be requested to provide documentation to the Dean of Students' Office, in order that the most appropriate accommodations can be determined. Specialized services are available on campus through Services for Students with Disabilities.

Drop Dates
The last date to drop the course without possible academic penalty is Wednesday, September 24, 2008. The last day to drop the course for academic reasons is Wednesday, October 24, 2008 (requires Instructor Approval which is my signature). After this, students may go to the Dean's office, WCH 2.112, to appeal for non-academic reasons.

Observance of Religious Holidays
Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin that the student must notify each instructor at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates he or she will be absent to observe a religious holy day. For religious holidays that fall within the first two weeks of the semester, the notice should be given on the first day of the semester. The student may not be penalized for these excused absences but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to complete satisfactorily the missed assignment or examination within a reasonable time after the excused absence.