Fall 2014
CHEM104 Chemistry & Problem Solving (Owens) Syllabus
This
syllabus is a living document; students must check the syllabus posted on the
Department web site http://chem.winthrop.edu/
for any changes prior to every class attendance
- Three
lecture hours per week, three credit hours
- Dates
reflect T, R lecture days for Fall 2014 semester
Instructor:
Pat Owens (owensp@winthrop.edu) Phone:
three, two, three, four, nine, two, five
Office Hours: SIMS312A- MF 2:00-3:00 PM
Course Texts: Introduction to Chemical Principles, 11th Ed, H Stephen Stoker, 2014
Calculator: This course requires an
inexpensive ($8-$12) non-graphical, non-programmable science calculator for all
classes and tests. It should have capabilities for square roots, logarithms,
exponentiation (antilogarithms), and exponential (scientific) notation
operations. Graphical and programmable calculators cannot be used during exams.
Course Objectives:
- Gain an understanding of
chemistry's central role in modern science
- Develop intensive study
habits and develop problem-solving skills to prepare for advanced science and
engineering courses
- Understand the process
used by scientists and civilizations to observe, to learn about, and to
understand the physical world
- Demonstrate an
understanding of the fundamental principles that underlie the modern chemical
sciences
- Understand molecular
structures and changes that govern physical properties and processes
- Develop
an intuitive appreciation for how chemistry affects our daily lives in so many
wonderful ways
Course
Outline:
- This is an intense college-level course that focuses upon
the fundamentals of chemistry and problem-solving, a
rigorous chemistry course for incoming science majors. Chemistry is a problem
solving discipline that requires a firm foundation in quantitative thinking. The class will provide a
broad overview of chemistry and will focus on problem solving strategies that
are critical to success in subsequent math and science courses. The
development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills that is the central
focus of CHEM104 is also the first of Winthrop's four University-wide student learning objectives.
- Because of its
relevance, students usually find this material to be quite interesting. For example, over 80% of our nation's energy needs come from
chemical energy production; most of the rest from nuclear power. We will
examine these subjects and develop a fundamental understanding of these
processes.
- During the
semester, we will examine these specific subjects:
- Units and Dimensional
Analysis
- Subatomic Particles and
Nuclear Chemistry
- Electronic Structure and
Chemical Periodicity
- Chemical Bonds and
Molecular Structure
- Chemical
Nomenclature
- Mole
Concepts and Stoichiometric Calculations
- States of Matter,
Intermolecular Forces, and Energy
- Gas Laws
- Solutions
- Acid-Base Chemistry
- Oxidation-Reduction
Chemistry
Schedule:
- Class lectures are scheduled TR at the appointed hour in the appointed room.
The course syllabus schedule provides the specific class lecture schedule,
topics, announced graded exercises, and assignments. All course
information is posted on the chemistry department's web page
(chem.winthrop.edu).
Final Exam:
- Students must take the final exam with their section
- CHEM104 class that meets
Tuesday at 12:30 PM will have its final exam at 11:30 AM, Thursday, December 11,
2014
Class
Preparation:
- You are responsible for all assigned material and for
all material discussed in lecture. You are expected to take detailed
notes during each lecture and will be responsible for everything discussed in
class throughout the remainder of the course. For each class I recommend
that you do the following:
- Read assigned lesson for
upcoming lecture, take notes
- Work assigned problems;
take whatever time is required to understand and to quickly demonstrate an
understanding of the assigned exercises for the upcoming lesson
- Review previous lecture
notes and take whatever time is required to master the material covered in the
previous class
- Rework
previously assigned problems
Student
Competencies:
- Assigned chapters, class discussion, homework, problem
sets, unannounced quizzes, announced quizzes, tests, and the final exam will all
center on development and evaluation of student competencies. Students should
expect to face challenging and unfamiliar questions on all graded work; this is
done to focus attention on competencies that students have not yet fully
mastered. Students can be evaluated five to six separate times on a
given competency: homework problems, unannounced quizzes, problem sets,
announced quizzes, tests, and the final exam. Students are urged to not fall
behind and to master each competency as soon as it is first examined.
- The course web
site will itemize chapter sets of student competencies to more effectively
focus student study and to allow student self-evaluation of progress. Links to
quizzes given to date will be added to the syllabus schedule as they are returned.
Solutions to problem sets and to quizzes will not be posted since more
effective student learning occurs through working through these problems
individually. Class time will be used to review the quiz and test questions
that challenged students most. Periodically, as time allows, graded problem
sets will be reviewed in class.
Course
Requirements and Graded Exercises
- Unannounced 20-30 point
quizzes will be periodically given at the beginning of class to evaluate
student understanding of the previous lecture and student understanding of
pre-learning exercises assigned for that day's lesson.
- ALEKS Chapter Assignments and period assessments will be required. 100% completion of each separate assignment will earn a 10/10; 0/10 will be awarded for ALEKS assignments that are less than 100% complete by the due date. Students are expected to do these early and to allow sufficient time for completion. By the exam day, all students must have completed at least 80% mastery of the course ALEKS knowledge pie in order to receive a passing grade for CHEM104. The ALEKS overall completion grade will be weighted 50 points.
- Graded problem sets and
homework exercises listed on the syllabus schedule are due at the beginning of
class and will be worth 20-30 points each. Students are expected to work
problem sets on their own without assistance from the instructor or other
students.
- Chapter quizzes will be
listed in the syllabus schedule and worth 25-40 points each; no makeups will be
given.
- Three 150
point tests will be given on the dates noted in the syllabus; no makeups
will be given.
- The
final exam (part may include an American Chemical Society test) will cover the
entire semester and will be worth 450 points. Students must take the final exam
during the scheduled class final exam period to be eligible to earn credit for
this course.
Grades:
- Percentages will be calculated based upon total earned points divided by total
points tested.
- You must score better than 50% on the final exam to pass the
course.
- You must score an A on the final exam to earn an A in the
course.
- The following grade range will be used: A = 93-100%; A- = 88-92%;
B+ = 85-87%; B = 80-85%; B- = 76-79%; C+ = 72-75%; C = 66-71%; D = 56-66%; F =
<56%
Attendance:
- You are expected to attend all class meetings for the full scheduled
time. A student who is absent for any reason is responsible for obtaining
the assignments from the instructor or a classmate. Roll will be taken
occasionally and the attendance practices of students will be taken into
account when final grades are assigned.
- Absence from a test or quiz without a
written doctor's excuse or similar external agency valid documentation is
inexcusable. An unexcused student absence will result in a zero for the
missed grade AND a deduction of 20-100 points (determined by the weight of the
missed test) from the student's previously earned points in the course.
For excused absences, missed exercises will not be included for neither earned
nor total points when calculating overall course grades.
- Makeup tests and
quizzes will not be given.
Students
with Disabilities:
- Winthrop University is dedicated to providing
access to education. If you have a disability and require specific
accommodations to complete this course, contact Services for Students with
Disabilities, at 323-3290. Once you have your official notice of
accommodations from Services for Students with Disabilities, please inform me
as early as possible in the semester.
Student
Conduct Code: