14 January 2013 There are a few students who added the CFB 3333 course since our last email, so please forgive some repetition. We also have an update on the course textbooks: I have just been to the SMU campus bookstore. There are about 25 copies of Browne and Keeley, and 25 copies of Schick and Vaughn. The bookstore does not plan to order any more even though I told them the course enrollment is 60 students. Our advice is to purchase the books online. Please find below the information needed to get started in this course. Website: --------------- http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/ Syllabus: --------------- The syllabus lists all the reading, due dates, homework, etc. PLEASE READ IT. It will also list the lecture topics as we proceed. http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/syllabus.html Reading/Books: --------------- Get the books BEFORE the first class. There are three. We will use Browne and Keeley first, then Sagan (which is available for free online), and finally Schick and Vaughn. We have available the first three chapters (including the preface) of Browne & Keeley: http://www.physics.smu.edu/~scalise/P3333sp03/papers/BrowneKeeley01.pdf http://www.physics.smu.edu/~scalise/P3333sp03/papers/BrowneKeeley02.pdf http://www.physics.smu.edu/~scalise/P3333sp03/papers/BrowneKeeley03.pdf http://www.physics.smu.edu/~scalise/P3333sp03/papers/BrowneKeeley04.pdf GET THE PASSWORD AND USERNAME FROM THE INSTRUCTORS!!! Attendance Policy --------------- Read it, memorize it, live it: http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/attendance.html You get ___6___ unexcused absences (burn them as you see fit, but DO NOT burn the majority of them before mid-term or you will be in danger). On the 7th unexcused absence, you automatically fail the course. Keep track of your absences. We're serious. Office Hours, etc. --------------- All other course information is available from the website, including the office hours for Prof. Cotton and me. Please take advantage of these office hours! It's a chance for us to get to know you and have a one-on-one discourse about course material, writing research papers, etc. Our observation has always been that students who talk to us during office hours do better than those who never make the time. If you have a conflict with all of our office hours, you need to tell us so we know to try to meet with you at other times. Regards, Profs. Cotton and Scalise