Syllabus ASTRONOMY 1010 Spring 2008
Shaw Office 235 Office hours
Text: Bennett et al. The Solar System (The Cosmic Perspective) 4th ed
You will also need a PRS 'clicker' from GTCO (available in the UGA Bookstore)
e-mail: jss@physast.uga.edu homepage: www.physast.uga.edu/~jss
Below are listed the chapters covered in the course and their tests with their corresponding dates. Tests will be short answer and essay. At the time scheduled for the final, a fourth test will be given, identical in format to the previous three. However, it will be over all the material covered. It may replace your lowest grade. You may use the replacement test as a makeup. Your grade is calculated by averaging your three best test scores then adding your homework/class score (see below). If you are satisfied with your grade before the replacement test is given, you need not take it. Regular make-ups will be given if you have a legitimate reason for missing the test AND you submit evidence for your reason. Again, you may use the replacement test as a make-up.
The UGA grading system has plusses and minuses! Grades will be assigned according to 93-A, 90-A-, 87-B+, 83-B, 80-B-, 77-C+, 73-C, 70-C-, 60-D. Numbers will NOT be rounded up!
We will try to stay fairly close to the following schedule.
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INTRO |
Jan 8 |
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Ch 6 |
Feb 12, 14 |
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Ch 11 |
Mar 25, 27, Apr 1 |
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Ch 1 |
10 |
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Ch 7 |
19 |
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Ch 12 |
Apr 3, 8 |
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Ch 2,S1 |
15, 17, 22 |
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Ch 8 |
21 |
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Ch 13 |
15, 17 |
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Ch 3 |
24 |
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Ch 9 |
26, 28 |
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Ch 4 |
29 |
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Ch 10 |
Mar 4, 6, 18 |
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Ch 5 |
Jan 31, Feb 5 |
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Test 1 Ch 1-5, S1 |
Feb 7 |
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Test 2 Ch 6-10 |
Mar 20 |
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Test 3 Ch 11-13 |
Apr 22 |
Review for Fourth Test Thursday, April 24 Fourth Test Thursday, May 1th, NOON
Before you come to class everyday you need to read the material. At a minimum this is the chapter of the text for that day. In order to encourage this I will post a question (or two) on the web page www.physast.uga.edu/~jss/1010/homework.html. Your job is to make an honest effort to answer the question and e-mail me a reply at ASTR1010@physast.uga.edu. Please put the date and 'astr1010' in the subject line. All submissions are due at 8AM the date of the class! There will not be homework for test dates. You will get one point for a good answer. For especially high quality answer - two points. Usually 100-300 words should do the job, but if you like to write, go ahead. There are 24 'non-test' classes and so there will be 24 questions. Your homework grade on this will be the number of points you earn divided by 4 and will be added to your final average.
For example, if your test average was 86 and you had 20 homework points your homework grade would be 5 and you would have a 91 (A-) in the course.
You may also earn points by class participation. During the term there will be numerous 'clicker questions'. If you answer an average or above number of times you will get 1 point added to your numeric grade. If you come over 80% of the time you will get 2 points. You may also get up to two more points by having a large or very large fraction of the total answers correct. Notice that you can earn up to 4 points this way. That is the equivalent to 12 points on a test.
ADVICE
DO THE HOMEWORK! Come to class and DO THE CLICKER QUESTIONS! In past classes there has been a direct correlation between homework/clicker scores and test scores. Plus, the tests are hard. You are going to need those extra points to pass the class
If a concept, scientific theory, description of how something works,
formula, etc. is presented in class you need to be sure to understand it.
Although much of the material presented in class is also available in the text,
it is unrealistic to expect to learn the material without study outside and
inside the classroom.
In order to efficiently learn what you need to know, you must read the material
before coming to class. This also prepares you to ask questions about
what you don’t understand. Put more effort into understanding what is
being said in class than in taking a verbatim transcription. If the
material is not clear after studying the text and discussing it in class, set
up an appointment for individual help. If you fall behind, spend the time
to catch up. I will endeavor to schedule a help session outside of class
before each test. However, do not wait until just before tests to
introduce yourself to the material. Do not wait until the end of the
semester to try to catch up on all you have
missed! Again,
don’t get lost, get help!
See FAQ for more information. If you ask a particularly good question it might end up in the FAQ (anonymously.)
MISCELLANEOUS POLICIES
Tests
Be on time! You may not take the test after any other student
who has seen the test has left the room.
Incompletes
Incompletes are assigned only if you cannot complete the course work
because of illness or other valid excuse. In order to receive an
incomplete we must come to a WRITTEN agreement on what is necessary to remove
the incomplete. If you have taken three tests, you have completed the
course.
Honesty
Please read