Phys104 Syllabus, Fall 2009

Phys104 - How Things Work
University of Maryland, College Park
Fall 2008

Professor: Ted Jacobson
Room 4115 (Physics Bldg.), 301-405-6020, jacobson_at_umd.edu
Office hours: After class, or by appointment.
Class meetings: TuTh 2:00-3:15pm, Room PHY 1410
Grader:

Textbook: How Things Work, 3rd Edition, by Louis A. Bloomfield
John Wiley and Sons, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-471-46886-8
Textbook companion website: http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=index&itemId=047146886X&bcsId=2880
Some options for purchasing the book.

Course web site : Homework assignments, class notes, supplements, and solutions will all be posted at the course web site, http://www.physics.umd.edu/grt/taj/104a / .

E-mail: I encourage students to make use of e-mail for quick correspondence with me regarding lecture material, homework problems, or whatever. I will also use e-mail to communicate with the class at large. I can often be reached at night or on weekends by email. Students are responsible for making sure I have their correct email address and checking their email daily. Important messages will sometimes be sent to the class by email.

Homework Policies:

Usually assigned weekly.
Please make sure you include your name and the homework and course numbers, and staple the pages together.
Late homework accepted only under dire circumstances: if you know it will be impossible to turn in an assignment on time

you must discuss this with me in advance of the due date

Homework must be turned in to Dr. Jacobson (not to our grader).
You are encouraged to discuss the homework with others, but do not just copy. You should understand your answers, and verbal answers or calculations should be your own formulation of the solutions.
It is strictly forbidden to make any use of solutions from previous classes.
See Academic Honesty section below for consequences of violation.

Exams: Two mide-terms and a final exam (Thursday Dec. 18, 10:30am-12:30pm). If you know ahead of time that you will miss an exam you must notify me before the exam. For emergencies, I will accomodate those with valid, doumented excuses and who have given me timely notification.

Grading: The course grade will be based on the homework and exams. The lowest two homework scores will be dropped. The exam grades will be uniformly "shifted upwards" if I deem necessary. The relative weights will be adjusted at the end of the semester to maximize the total for each student, with the homework in the range 30 +/- 5%, the two mid-terms in the range 20 +/- 10% and the final 30 +/- 10%. The letter grades corresponding to numerical scores will be determined after reviewing the class performance as a whole.

Tips for doing well :

Freely ask questions in class.
Read the textbook.
Do all of the homework problems. This is mostly where you learn, and there is a strong correlation between homework and exam grades.
You are allowed and encouraged to discuss the homework with anyone you wish but, to optimize learning, make a serious attempt to solve the problems by yourself first.
Seek help immediately if you don't understand the material.

Academic honesty: The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.

The University has adopted an Honor Pledge, which is a statement undergraduate and graduate students are asked to write by hand and sign on examinations, papers, or other academic assignments not specifically exempted by the instructor. The Pledge reads: "I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination." In this course it is assumed that all students have entered the University agreeing to the honor principle which would apply in general to all campus activities, so usually no specific statement is required. As for this course in particular, note that although you are encouraged to discuss homework with others, the work you turn in should be your own formulation and should reflect your own understanding. This is perhaps a fine line to judge in some cases. Please ask Dr. Jacobson if you have any questions. Also, it is strictly forbidden to make any use of solutions from previous classes.