Astronomy Today, Vol. I: The
Solar System (7th Edition) by Chaisson and McMillan.
CPS
transmitter. The class participation part of your grade
will be completed using the CPS transmitters during class
to answer
discussion questions. The CPS transmitters are sold in
the Hornet Bookstore. .
Final course grades will be
based upon homework, 3 exams, a cumulative final exam, and
class participation during in-class exercises.
Homework
SacCT
|
15%
|
Average
of Mid Term Exams
|
40%
|
Class participation
|
15%
|
Final Exam
|
30%
|
Homework will be assigned on SacCT by Friday each week, and
will be due before class the next Tuesday. You will
always have the weekend to work on the homework
assignments.
All homework assignments are done using SacCT!!
Exams will be mulitple choice, and you will need to bring a
General Purpose Pearson NCS Answer
Sheet, form no. 4521 (available from the
bookstore), and a number 2 pencil.
You
will also have to bring photo ID to all exams!
Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A
|
>=95%
|
A-
|
>=90%
|
B+
|
>=87%
|
B
|
>=82%
|
B-
|
>=77% |
C+
|
>=73%
|
C
|
>=69% |
C-
|
>=66% |
D+
|
>=62% |
D
|
>=58% |
D-
|
>=55% |
F
|
less than 55%
|
Contacting
Me
The best way is by e-mail,
since I don't check my voice mail very often. Coming
to office hours is also good, and any time my door is
open, please come in.
Attendance:
Attendance is not mandatory,
but is highly
encouraged. If you miss an in-class exercise, then
you will receive zero points for it, which will be
reflected in your grade. Class participation is
one-fifth of your final course grade, and you can't earn
any class participation points if you aren't here!
Each class participation question is worth two
points: you get one point for being here and
answering the question, and an additional point for
getting the answer right.
Make up
Exams:
I will announce exam dates
at least 2 weeks in advance of the exam. If you have
a conflicting activity that cannot be rescheduled, you must see me at least 2
days before the exam. If you don't, there will be
no opportunity to make it up. You must bring me
documentation of your conflicting activity (i.e. if you
have jury duty that day, show me the form they sent
you. If you have a brain transplant scheduled, bring
me a note from the surgeon).
Math:
Algebra is required in this
course. I plan the exams so that you cannot get an A
if you get all the math problems wrong. However, if
you get every math problem wrong, but get everything else
right, you can still get a B
Calculators are allowed on the exams. Smart phones,
cell phones or other devices with math functions are not allowed.
Cell phone:
Please turn your cell phone
to vibrate before class starts. Cell phones that
ring in the middle of class are disrespectful to your
fellow students, and to me. If your cell phone goes
off in class and it is a call you must take, please go
into the hallway to answer it.
Cheating:
The faculty of the Department of Physics and
Astronomy do not tolerate academic dishonesty.
Falsification of data,
copying, unauthorized collaborations, plagiarism,
alteration of graded
materials or other actions (as described in,
but not necessarily limited to the CSUS
Policy Manual) will be promptly reported to
the Office of Student
Affairs. The offending student
will be penalized on the assignment in
question. Serious infractions will
result in course
failure and a recommendation for administrative
sanctions.
Students with
disabilities:
Please see me before the end
of the first week of class.
Chris Taylor :
ctaylor
(at) csus.edu