General Information and Grading System, Fall 2014

EXAMINATONS: There will be four (4) one-hour examinations, as indicated in the schedule and the final exam. The final exam will be comprehensive, i.e., cover the entire semester's work. Note: Graphing calculators will NOT be allowed to be used during examinations! Only calculators with single line displays can be used when taking an examination in this course. Cell phones must also be put away, in a purse, manpurse or pack.

NO MAKE-UP EXAMS: Only illness, court dates, and University sponsored events are acceptable excuses for missing an exam. Forgetting the exam is NOT an excuse. Family trips, vacations, weddings, work, etc. are NOT reasons for missing an exam! You MUST take ALL exams in this course. You must contact Dr. Gelder in advance if you can not take an exam for an excused absence! Not contacting Dr. Gelder in advanced of an exam that you know you can/will not take will result in a zero for that exam. In calculating your total points for the course, an excused, missed one-hour exam will be replaced with your final exam percentage. Therefore, the final exam score counts twice, once for the final exam score and once for a missed hour exam. If you should miss TWO hour exams, you should see Dr. Gelder as soon as possible to discuss your situation. Make-up exams will NOT be scheduled. Feeling like you are not prepared to take the exam is NOT an excuse. Suck it up and take the exam! A make-up exam may be utilized for a common excused absence from an exam by a subset of students in the course.

BEFORE CLASS EXPLORATIONS: A BCE is a web-based activity that must be completed before class. BCEs will begin on Thursday, August 21, 2014 and continue every lecture day for the remainder of the semester. To count, a BCE must be completed before class begins. BCEs will typically be posted 24 hours before class begins. A BCE consists of a series of questions that will cover the content of that day's class discussion. The questions will typically progress from easy to more difficult. The questions in the BCE will not be graded right or wrong. You will be judged as completing a BCE if you have made a reasonable effort to answer the questions on the BCE and you have taken a reasonable amount of time to answer those questions. I expect most BCEs will take 10 minutes or more to complete. Although I will not GRADE the BCEs I will assess them. BCEs are intended to help me better understand what you know about a particular topic we are going to discuss in lecture. Your responses will provide me with an idea of how many students understand the concept(s), how many students are having difficulty, which ideas are not clear, and what kind of misconceptions you have. If the majority of students have demonstrated understanding of a particular concept, that concept will not be covered in great detail in class. BCEs will help you prepare for class by giving you some questions that you want answered in class. You are welcome to use your book, or other resources when completing a BCE. Your personal web page will track how many BCEs you have completed and it will allow you to review any completed BCE at any time during the semester.

DURING CLASS INVENTIONS: A DCI is an activity that will be worked on, during class, in small groups. All DCIs are in the During Class Invention and Computer Laboratory Activities Workbook that you are required to purchase from the Student Union Bookstore, Cowboy Book, or the Book Trader. DCIs consist of a set of questions that will either help invent a concept to be discussed in class, or will apply the concept discussed in class. One or more DCIs will be completed during every class. DCI will normally not be graded (see Homework below). This semester we will be using some new DCIs. These will be distributed during the designated class.

AFTER CLASS APPLICATIONS : An ACA is a web-based activity that must be completed following class. ACAs will begin on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 and continue most lecture days for the remainder of the semester. To count, an ACA must be completed by midnight of the day before the next class meeting. ACAs will typically be posted after class ends. An ACA consists of a series of questions that will cover the content of that day's class. The questions will typically progress from easy to more difficult. The questions in the ACA will not be graded right or wrong. You will be judged as completing an ACA if you have made a reasonable effort to answer the questions on the ACA and you have taken a reasonable amount of time to answer those questions. I expect most ACAs will take 10 minutes or more to complete. ACAs are intended to help me better understand what you understood about a particular topic after we discussed the concept in lecture. This will be accomplished by asking questions that will require you to apply the concept(s) discussed in class. If you can answer the questions on the ACA that would suggest you have a good understanding of the material. Your responses will provide me with an idea of how many students understand the concept(s), how many are having difficulty, which ideas are not clear, and what kind of misconceptions you have. ACAs will help you recognize what concepts you do not understand. That way you can better focus your studying and questions. Your personal web page will track how many ACAs you have completed and it will allow you to review any completed ACA at any time during the semester.

HOMEWORK: This semester we will be using a combination Personal Page Problems, BCEs and ACAs, clicker questions and possibly, DCIs. All assignments will have scheduled dates for completion, some of these assignments may not be available following the posted due dates. You will enter the answers to Problem Sets that are picked up on your Personal Page using the HELP! link. The time and day the answers must be completed will be posted on your Personal Page and on the Problem Set. The contribution from BCEs/ACAs will be based on whether the BCEs/ACAs are completed and submitted 'ontime', not on the correctness of your responses. Unannounced In-class activities may occur at anytime during the semester. There are no make-ups for missed In-Class Problem Sets. At least sixteen (16) problem sets will count towards your final grade. Problems Sets will be accessed from your Personal Page on the course web site. Each problem set will be unique, so be sure the problem set you work on has your name on it. Late problem sets will NOT be accepted. Sets of BCEs/ACAs will also count as Problem Sets (4 Problem Sets from BCEs/ACAs). Your score on the Problem Sets based on your BCE/ACA work will be calculated based on the percentage of the BCEs/ACAs that you complete. For example, a Problem Set based on BCEs/ACAs could cover the BCE/ACAs completed during the first 3.5 weeks of class (Exam I material). If you complete 90% of those BCEs/ACAs you will earn 12 points * 0.9. Sets of clicker questions will also constitute a Problem Set. During class one or more clicker questions will be asked. During the semester eight randomly selected clicker questions will be selected for 3 points (each). If you are absent from class you will not be able to makeup the missed clicker question. If you have forgotten your clicker you may hand Dr. Gelder a sheet of paper at the end of class, with your name, section number, the date, and the answer to the clicker question(s). Four randomly selected clicker responses will make-up a set and be counted towards a PS. The highest scores of sixteen (16) problem sets will contribute to your final grade in this course. Each problem set is worth 12 points.

LABORATORY: This semester there are thirteen (13) laboratory experiments. The two lowest laboratory experiment scores, will be dropped. Laboratory quizzes may be given during the semester. The quiz could be worth approximately 10% of the grade for the particular experiment. The majority of laboratory experiments will have a set of pre-laboratory questions that MUST be completed before arriving at your schedule laboratory class. Laboratory write-up and InClass Exercises must be turned in before leaving the laboratory, unless stated otherwise. Any late laboratory write-ups will be penalized 50% for the first day and 90% after the first day. Late InClass Exercises will not be accepted. If you are going to miss a laboratory, you need to make sure any laboratory write-up which may be due is turned in on time or it will be subject to the same point deduction as described above. Questions on examinations will cover material from laboratory. Missing all or any portion of a scheduled laboratory will earn a zero for that missed laboratory experiment.

LABORATORY MAKE-UP: There will be NO make-ups laboratory experiments or InClass Exercises. FOUR OR MORE LABS MISSED ANYTIME DURING THE SEMESTER WILL RESULT IN AN "F" GRADE FOR THE COURSE!

EYE PROTECTION: State law requires approved protection over the eyes at all times in a laboratory in which an experiment is in progress. A student found without goggles/safety glasses may cause the loss of lab points for every student in the laboratory section, and may be asked to leave the lab.

LABORATORY CHECKOUT: If you drop the course, check your locker equipment back to the storeroom within TWO WEEKS, otherwise check out of your locker by the last scheduled laboratory. Failure to do so will result in a $10.00 clearance fee PLUS charges for any breakage or dirty equipment that must be replaced during the cleaning procedure. Charges accumulated during the semester will also be added. The Bursar's office will receive an invoice of these charges.

GRAPHING CALCULATORS: If you have a graphing calculator you are encouraged to take advantage of its capability. Graphing calculators can greatly simplify many sophisticated mathematical relationships used in chemistry. You are encouraged to use your graphing calculator in lecture, laboratory, and on problem sets and laboratory write-ups. Note: Graphing calculators will NOT be allowed to be used during examinations! Only calculators with single line displays can be used when taking an examination in this course.

WEB (intro.chem.okstate.edu): We will take advantage of the Internet/WWW to handle many administrative details associated with CHEM 1314. Additionally many resources will be available from our class web site to aid you as you learn chemistry this semester. The strength of our class web site is it will have many features that will supplement our classroom discussions. What will you need to take advantage of the resources on our web site? To access some of the digital resources available this semester you must have a reasonably fast computer, some memory, a audio headset, and a fast internet connection (cable modem, DSL or T1 line). If your computer is not able to handle the video resources bring your audio headset and use campus computers. To access the video resources you will need the latest version of QuickTime. Additional animations will require MacroMedia's ShockWave Plug-in for Director. You will also need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view the answers to problem sets, in-class exercises and sample examinations. Check the plug-ins link on our web site to locate these resoures. All campus computers will have these accessories for your browser. The Gas Law laboratory experiment will require the latest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Some video resources will only be accessible through the campus network.

PODCAST: Check your Personal PAge for the link to a video for each lecture, and to sample exams.

JAVA RUNTIME PLUG-IN: Anyone running Windows OS Internet Explorer browser needs to check this information to access some software the class will be using this semester. Go to http://introchem.chem.okstate.edu/DCICLA/GLHeNeAr.htm and see what happens in the IE window. If the IE browser window shows a boxed section with a small ‘X’ icon in the upper left corner, this means the simulation can not load properly due to the missing Java Runtime Environment for IE. If there is any problem with the simulation window you will need the more current version of the Java RunTime Environment for Windows. To get the latest version for this hardware go to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre7-downloads-1880261.html. In the right window select JDK 7 update 67 for your particular platform. You will have to accept the licensing agreement before you can begin the download of the JRE. This will download to your computer and automatically accessorize IE so it will open the simulations. NOTE: To check the current version of Java on your PC search for Java, and select Java Console and check the tabs. You may have to enter http://introchem.chem.okstate.edu as a site that is allowed to run Java applications.

DROP POLICY: (See the OSU Syllabus Attachment for more details. )

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: OSU has implemented an Academic Integrity policy to demonstrate a committment to students, staff and faculty that mature, honest behavior is expected of everyone, and that anyone charged with a violation of the Academic Integrity policy is treated fairly. The details of the Academic Integrity Policy can be found at http://academicintegrity.okstate.edu. Everyone should be aware of the types of violations and the levels of sanctions for such violations.

a. Level one sanction
Level one sanction: award a grade of "zero" or "F" for the assignment or examination for violations including but not limited to the following:
1. Copying a few sentences of material (1-5 sentences or a minor portion) from a written or Internet source without proper citation.
2. Cheating on a quiz or minor assignment.
3. Receiving unauthorized help on an assignment.
4. Working on an assignment with others when the instructor asked for individual work.
5. Using a false excuse to obtain an extension on a due date.
6. Signing an attendance roster for someone who is absent or asking someone else to sign the roster to avoid being counted absent.

Dr. Gelder's re-statement of the above in terms of his course.

Copying answer(s) to problem(s) on a problem set, question(s) on a laboratory experiment.

I encourage students to work together on problem sets...but you must NEVER copy answers. Work together to understand how to solve a problem, but write up the solution for your particular problem independent of other students. Word for word answers, or identical mathematical seetups and solutions will be interpreted as a violation of the Academic Integrity policy.

b. Level two sanction
Level two sanction: award a grade of "F!" for the course for violations including but not limited to the following:
1. Turning in a paper copied from another student.
2. Turning in a paper obtained in full or in part from a term paper “mill” or website.
3. Copying material almost word for word from a written source and turning it in as one’s own work.
4. Fabricating or falsifying a bibliography.
5. Getting questions or answers from someone who has taken an examination.
6. Obtaining an unauthorized copy of an examination in advance.
7. Using unauthorized notes during an examination.
8. Having another student take an examination.
9. Inappropriate use of technology (camera phones, text messaging, programmable calculator, etc.) during an examination.
10. Copying from another student during an examination with or without his/her knowledge.
11. Helping someone else cheat on an examination.
12. Stealing an examination or problem answer from the instructor.
13. Altering a grade or scoring on an examination or paper to obtain unearned credit.
14. In a course requiring computer work, copying another student’s program rather than writing one’s own.
15. Fabricating or falsifying laboratory or research data.
16. Inappropriately sharing or using work on an online assignment or examination.
17. Turning in work done by someone else.
18. Submitting substantial portions of the same assignment to more than one class without permission of the instructors.

There is a specific procedure for charging students for Level ONE and TWO violations consisting of notification, meeting(s) with an Academic Integrity facilitator, and a specific appeals process. All of this is available at the http://academicintegrity.okstate.edu web site.

ALL members of the academic community are expected to preserve and uphold Academic Integrity of this institution.

The expectation for all students in this course is that complete integrity will be demonstrated at all time. You should be aware that both 'taking' and 'giving' assistance during an examination constitutes a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. Copying answers on problem sets constitutes a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. Do not allow another student(s) to copy your answer(s)! Do not ask another student to copy their answers! If I believe students have copied answers I will charge both students with violating of the Academic Integrity Policy. You are welcome to work together, but write up your answers independently. Students who are caught cheating on examinations will be charged with violating the Academic Integrity Policy.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS: OSU is committed to serving the needs of students with disabilities. Federal Law protects individuals with disabilities and states that the University must provide appropriate academic accommodations. According to the OSRHE Task Force on the Americans with Disabilities Acts, it is the responsibility of each student with a disability to notify the University of his or her disability. If any member of this class has a disability and needs special accommodation of any nature whatsoever, the instructor will work with you and the Office of Student Disability Services, 326 Student Union, to provide reasonable accommodation to ensure fair opportunity to perform in the class. Please advise Dr. Gelder of any disability following the first week of scheduled classes.

ATTENDANCE: While attendance will not be taken during lecture it is strongly recommended students attend all lectures. Important information regarding examinations, homework and laboratory will be announced in class. In addition insightful, stimulating discussion of chemistry concepts will occur during the lecture period. Lecture is the student's opportunity to ask questions over the material. Students are encouraged to inform Dr. Gelder when attendance in lecture is not possible. Missing lecture could result in not turning in a During Class Invention activity. A missed During Class Invention activity will result in a loss of one fourth of a problem set. Attendance in laboratory is mandatory. Four missed laboratories will result in an "F" in the class, independent of student's performance on examinations and homework.

SCHEDULE: The lecture schedule is tentative. Depending on rate and extent of coverage the date of coverage for a particular topic may change. The order of topics will not be changed significantly. All tests will be given on the dates shown and all problem sets and laboratory reports will be due on those dates given in class or on your CHEM 1314 personal page.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: It is the student's responsibility to communicate to Dr. Gelder any potential problems that result in missing lecture, laboratory, problem sets or exams. Pay close attention to course withdrawal dates. Any extra credit opportunities will be available to all students. No individual student will receive any 'special' treatment for missed work. All course policies will be applied consistently to students. Requests for deviations from course policy should not be made. Contact Dr. Gelder if any extented, continuous periods of missing class occur.

Total Point Breakdown

Tentative Grade Distribution

POSTING SCORES: Exam, problem set and laboratory scores will be accessible through a Grades Database. The Grades Database is linked through each student's Personal Web Page. Students can communicate their Secret Identification number/name to Dr. Gelder by completing the SID#/N form on the Web. You are not required to have your scores posted, however, reviewing posted scores is an excellent way to know exactly what scores Dr. Gelder is using to determine your course grade. Along with your scores Dr. Gelder will also calculate your predicted course percentage (your final grade). This calculation is only a prediction and is usually based on the assumption that your future performance will be the same as your performance up to the time the percentage is calculated and posted. Sometimes Dr. Gelder can screw this calculation up (if he is not careful), although extreme care is taken so such a possiblity is unlikely. So be careful interpreting this prediction. It is strongly recommended that you keep all of your exams, homework and laboratory write-ups so that in the event of any recording error you can support any change.