PHYS 1313 – Fundamentals of Physics

RULES

• The course web homepage is at http://www.physics.smu.edu/~sdalley/1313/1313home.html where all relevant information will be posted.

• Cell phones must be turned off and put away at all times during lectures, laboratories, and exams (or they become property of the lecturer).

• I will use your official SMU e-mail address to communicate with you, so please check it regularly.

• For each lecture you are required to bring your own textbook and your own scientific calculator.

• You must use your own calculator on each exam. Sharing a calculator will be considered cheating by both parties.

• This course operates a policy of zero tolerance toward Academic Dishonesty in any form in any exam (quiz, test, etc.), lab, or homework. It will always result in an automatic F grade for the course and a filing with the Honor Council. It will upset me, too.

Grading Policy

·         Homework: 20%

·         Quizzes: 10%

·         Mid-term 15% Final 25%

·         Labs: 30%

Lowest 2 quiz, 1 lab, and 2 homework scores are dropped when computing final course grade. This includes absence for any reason.

Grade Boundaries

Immutable boundaries are set at A > 90% > A - > 85% > B + > 80% > B >75% > B - >70% > C+ > 65% > C > 60% > D > 50%>F,  except that  less than 50 % in labs alone is automatic F course grade. Requests to increase your grade for moral reasons, such as `I think I deserve it’ or `I attended all the classes’, etc., will serve only to annoy me. 

HOMEWORK

Homework is assigned after each lecture and must be turned in at the beginning of lecture on the due date to gain credit. A homework question receives full credit only if your answer is completely correct and follows the format guidelines of the Exemplary Homework. A homework question receives ½ credit if an honest attempt is made following the guidelines of the Exemplary Homework. In particular, you must show your work explicitly and neatly as illegible answers or answers without work shown will receive no credit. Homework solutions will be posted on the web for one week only after the due date, to encourage you to keep up with the course.

QUIZZES

Simple multiple-choice quizzes will be given in most lectures.  They will be based on the lecture material to ensure that you are a) present b) conscious c) paying attention. You may use your own lecture notes, textbook and calculator.

EXAMS

Exam questions will be based on the homework and quiz questions. The Mid-term consists of 30 multiple choice questions in up to 1 hour 30 minutes; it covers the 1^st half of the course (mechanics). The Final consists of 50 multiple choice questions in up to 3 hours; it is comprehensive but will contain a greater proportion of questions from the 2^nd half of the course. Exams are closed-book and closed-note; use of your own calculator is required. Data will be provided but formulas will not. However, you may bring one piece of letter–sized paper to each exam with anything written on both sides.

LABS

Each week there is a lab that illustrates the material covered in lectures. You are responsible for printing the lab manual and writing an Abstract ahead of time. The Abstract must be submitted upon entry to the lab. An average score of less than 50% on the lab component of the course will result in an F grade for the whole course.  See separate sheet for further information about labs.

Disputes about the quality of grading will only be entertained if they are submitted in writing in a timely manner, explaining why you think you are entitled to more points. If we accept your request, we will regrade all your answers. This implies that your score may go up or down. You have been warned!