Requirements

  • Attendance is required and is the single most important way to ensure success in this course.

  • Reading: Reading assignments in the textbook are required. I expect you to read the text material and to be able to answer the review questions at the end of the units. 

  • Quizzes: There will be 4 quizzes throughout the semester. Only your 3 highest quizzes will count towards a total 18% of your final grade (you can drop your lowest). The quizzes are multiple choice questions, identical in format to the exam questions, but are much shorter in length and will only take 10 to 15 minutes. 

  • Homework: There will be 6 OWL homework assignments, worth a total of 24% of the final grade. Check the homework assignments regualarly; no late homework will be accepted.

  • Exams: The course is divided into two parts and each covered by a section exam, worth a total of 58% of your final grade. The exams will be multiple choice. Exam questions will be drawn from both class material and reading assignments. Anything discussed in class or in the reading assignments may appear on an exam. The section exams will be administered on an optional "pyramid" basis, in which you may take each exam twice: once in class for 75% of the exam grade, and once at home to be turned in the following class for 25% of the exam grade. 

    The final will be a comprehensive exam covering all of the material covered in the course and will operate in the same way as the section exams during the semester. The exam date is scheduled by the university sometime during the final week. 

    I will use the highest two scores of the three exams (2 section exams + the final) to determine your course grade. The final is "optional" in the following sense: If you are satisfied with your two section exam scores you need not take the final.

    Please bring your ID and a #2 pencil to all exams, since we will be using machine-graded forms. No calculators and reference materials allowed in the in-class exams. The exams will test concepts and some basic math ideas; they are designed to test your understanding, not your ability to push buttons.

  • Makeup exam (or quiz) policy

    • If you miss an exam because of illness or a family emergency, please contact me as soon as possible, and I will set up a make-up time. You must arrange to provide written documentation explaining your absence and provide me with a phone number of someone I can contact regarding your absence.

    • If you must miss an exam because of participation in a university athletic event or other university-related event, you must make arrangements for a make-up exam at least a week in advance and provide written documentation from your coach/event organizer. 

    • For undocumented excuses, oversleeping, etc., you must contact me no later than 24 hours after the exam. In general I will allow you to take the make-up exam with a 10% penalty. 

    • Make-ups may be oral- or essay-style (my option). Persons who do not contact me will receive a zero for that exam.  

  • Extra Credit:  

    Your may earn an up to 5% credit by expressing what you will have learned in this class in your own way and/or finishing OWL extra-credit assignments. The opportunities for extra credit will be announced throughout the semester. 

  • You may earn additional up to 5% credit by actively participating in the in-class and OWL activities.

  • Grades A 1000 total point system will be used.

    Summary of Components of Final Grade (or in the 1000 point system)
    3 of 4 quizzes                        18%  (180)
    2 of 3 exams                          58%  (580)
    6 homework sets                   24%  (240)
    Total                                     100% (1000)

    Your grade = sum (your quizzes, exams, homework, and extra-credit
    points)/1000. The corresponding letter grade will be assigned on a straight scale:

    90% A
    85% A-
    80% B+
    75% B
    70% B-
    65% C+
    60% C
    55% C-
    50% D+
    45% D
    40% D-
    <40% F

  • ACADEMIC HONESTY: It is highly destructive when anyone cheats on an exam. It corrodes the academic environment and cheapens the value of your education. I will not tolerate cheating, nor should you. No one should expect to pass the course if they cheat during an exam. 


Astro 100                                                                                             Daniel Wang