17 Jan. 2014 Welcome! Friday's first class was fun, and chock full of important information to help you get started in the class. If you missed the first lecture, see the information below about our attendance policy. Please see us before class on Wednesday. There is a lot of paperwork to do to get you started in the course. Much of that paperwork is available from the introductory lecture page: http://www.physics.smu.edu/devel/pseudo/Intro/ * Astrology info - you can fill this out now, and ask us about code numbers on Wednesday. * Survey of Beliefs - please see us before class on Wednesday if you missed this, so we can give it to you. Please find below some important information needed to get started in this course. Website: --------------- Everything you need to know for the course is available from our 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 forward. 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 Battersby. 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 USER NAME FROM THE INSTRUCTORS!!! Without it, you cannot access the files. 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, your final grade in the course drops automatically by a letter grade (if you were going to get an A, the best you can now do is a B). On the 8th absence, your final grade drops by 2 letter grades. This continues with each additional unexcused absence. Keep track of your absences. We're serious. More --------------- All other course information is available from the website. Regards, Profs. Cotton and Sekula