Principles of Chemistry - McCord
#50950, 50960, 50965

Fall 2011

Instructor: Dr. Paul McCord
Office: WEL 5.239
Hours: MWF 10-11am
email: mccord301@cm.utexas.edu
website: http://mccord.cm.utexas.edu/courses/ch301

Textbook: Chemical Principles 6th Edition, Steven S. Zumdahl, Houghton Mifflin (2008).

2 Ways to get a New Textbook (eBook)

(1) You may go directly through the publisher, Cengage, and purchase from their website at: http://www.cengagebrain.com/micro/utchem You're buying an eBook (electronic book that you view via a web browser) but a hardcopy (loose-leaf b/w copy) is provided by Cengage. They will ship the hardcopy to you for free.

(2) Go to the University Coop Bookstore located at 2246 Guadalupe St. or to their website at: http://www.universitycoop.com/ You'll have to navigate through the Textbooks menu to our class on their website. The Coop will sell you the eBook as well although they will already have the loose-leaf hardcopy for you to take. You'll also receive an access code to gain access to the online eBook.

Chapters to be Covered: Chapters 5, 9, 10, 12-14, 16, breaking down roughly in the following ways..
Exam 1 : Chapter 5 - Gas Laws, plus some fundamentals from Chapters 1-4
Exam 2 : Chapter 12 and 13 - Atomic Theory, Introduction to bonding
Exam 2 : Chapter 13, 14, and 16 - More on Chemical Bonding,VSEPR Theory, MO Theory, Intermolecular Forces, Solids and Liquids
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. ALEKS tested and assessed you on this subject matter.

iClicker2: All students must have an iClicker2. Only an iClicker2 will work and no other types or brands! We have officially switched to the iclicker2 (not the original iclicker) - see picture to the left. The Co-op has these listed for $46.65 new. That is the ONLY cost. There is no registration fee. You can use ANY iClicker2 for this class. You will need to register the iClicker2 serial number via the web (www.iclicker.com) and then you are good to go.

sci-calc nographing Calculator: All students must have a SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR and no more than that for exams. If you don't already have one, I'd suggest getting a TI-30xa or something like it (picture shown at the left, very simple to use and cheap). You cannot use any type of graphing calculator for our exams. You just need a simple scientific calculator. Also, know HOW to use your calculator.

Overall Scoring for the Course

Your overall score will be determined from your Homework Average, iclicker Average, Exam Average, and a FINAL EXAM. Your overall score (and letter grade) in the course will be calculated by two methods. The HIGHEST score of these two methods will be the one that counts. Your score is calculated to the nearest 1/100th - that's 2 places PAST the decimal.

Method 1

  • 20% (Homework, iClicker, and Learning Modules)a
  • 60% Exams (3-exam average)b
  • 20% Final

Method 2

  • 0% (Homework, iClicker, and Learning Modules)
  • 80% Exams (4-exam average)c
  • 20% Final

Note a: The 20% will be = 8% Homework, 8% iClicker, and 4% Learning Modules.
            OR - 10% Homework, 10% iClicker, and 0% Learning Modules (which ever one gives the highest score)
Note b: The 3-exam average is your best 3 out of 4 exams averaged (1 dropped exam).
Note c: The 4-exam average is all 4 exams averaged with no drops.

Grade Breaks

Course grades will be determined according to the following scale or cut-offs:
These are the FINALIZED grade breaks. There was never any change in the breaks for the whole semester.

Your score is calculated to the nearest 1/100th - that's 2 places PAST the decimal. So the only digit that is rounded "up" is the 1/1000th's digit.

Exam Schedule

The class exams will be held in various rooms around campus. ALWAYS check our website to find out WHERE you go for your exam.

Final Exam

Homework

You are expected to work the homework problems and complete the assigned readings throughout the semester. Homework is administered via the web (Quest, see below) and will count as 8% of your overall grade. Three of your lowest homework scores will be dropped in computing your overall homework average.

Your performance on the exams will depend heavily on how well you understand and can fully work the homework problems that are assigned. You should also really try working ALL the problems at the end of each relevant chapter in the book.

Quest (cost: $22)

This course makes use of the web-based Quest content delivery and homework server system maintained by the College of Natural Sciences. This homework service will require a $22 charge per student for its use, which goes toward the maintenance and operation of the resource. Please go to http://quest.cns.utexas.edu to log in to the Quest system for this class (there is also a link provided on the menu bar on our course website).

After the 12th day of class, when you log into Quest you will be asked to pay via credit card on a secure payment site. You have the option to wait up to 30 days to pay while still continuing to use Quest for your assignments. If you are taking more than one course using Quest, you will not be charged more than $50/semester. Quest provides mandatory instructional material for this course, just as is your textbook, iclicker, etc. For payment questions, send an email to: quest.fees@cns.utexas.edu

iClicker Quizzes

Quizzes will be given in class via the iClicker2 remote. There WILL be questions that the older iclicker version-1 will NOT work on, so you MUST purchase an iClicker2 remote. Quizzes will count 8% of your overall grade in the class. You MUST bring your iclicker2 to class everyday. If you don't have an iclicker you will receive a zero for that day's quiz (no exceptions to this rule!). You should also watch your battery level on the iclicker2. Running out of power is no excuse. You can only have ONE clicker in class. Do NOT try to operate 2 iclickers for class - this is considered cheating (see further down). You MUST also register your iclicker2 on iclicker.com. You might have to register the iclicker number in some other places as well for your other courses - like on Quest for chemistry labs. We will drop 7 iclicker quizzes in the overall average for iclicker.

Learning Modules

Learning Modules will be administered through Quest and will have a total value of 4% or 0% of your grade. There will be lots of these modules throughout the semester (actually 14 total). This means that several will be dropped in the averaging of this score (exactly 4 scores dropped in the average). Learning Modules are posted and due in a SHORT time frame. They are also very short in the number of questions in them.

Exams

The four exams will be given in the evenings from 7-9 PM on the scheduled days. The class(es) will be split between two or three rooms.These rooms will be posted soon after the first class day and at least a week before the exams. You must go to the correct room for your specific section of CH301 or you will receive a zero on the exam.

Be sure and bring your (non-graphing, non-programmable) scientific calculator to the exam. We do NOT provide calculators. You CANNOT use your phone or any other "smart" as your calculator. All electronics MUST be stored completely away and turned off.

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 overall 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 number (it's impossible). It is therefore very important that you keep your copy of each of your exams and any associated material (scratch paper used during the exam). You need to keep your copy of the exam 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.

There could be exams that we KEEP the exam copy. For those exams, you will have to turn in the exam copy, your bubblesheet, and your scratch paper. It is important that you sign each of those items before you turn them in.

Final Exam

The final exam for CH301 WILL be comprehensive and a mandatory part of your overall grade in the course. This means that all the material covered during the course will be on the exam. The final exam will be counted as 20% 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 - it is a mandatory part of the course. 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.

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. The official wording is this: The University of Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-6441 TTY.

Drop Date

The last day to drop the course for academic reasons is Tuesday, November 1, 2011. This will require you to go to your college and get a drop form. You then must bring the form to me and get my approval and signature. After this deadline, students must go to the Dean's office, WCH 2.112, to begin the appeal for substantiated 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.