PH205 General Physics II: Assignments and Information

Lecturer: Gary P. Agin
Office: Fisher 103
Phone: 487-2907
Office Hours: By Arrangement
E-mail: gagin@mtu.edu
Homework Answers: telnet physerver.phy.mtu.edu 2000

Course Grade

Your grade for the course will be based on your performance on the hour exams, recitation work and the final exam. The weight attributed to each segment of the course is as follows:

For each of the four segments of your grade, you will be given a numerical score from 0 to 100. For a rough indication of your standing relative to the class, you may use the following table:

Letter grades for the course will be based on the above scheme with the provision that the cutoffs are subject to change. All questions regarding the grading policy for the course should be addressed to the lecturer. Questions regarding the grading of specific exams and quizzes should be addressed to your recitation instructor.

Lecture and Recitation Sections

Before going to lecture, read the assigned sections. Reading and homework problem assignments are found on the assignment schedule. Answers to the odd-numbered problems are found in the book. Answers to all the problems are posted in the PH205 display case between rooms 023 and 024 Fisher. You are expected to have worked on the assigned homework problems before attending recitation. Recitation is the place that questions can be posed to and by your instructor. It is vitally important that you attempt to understand and solve all the assignments.

Your recitation instructor will set the policy for the determination of the recitation part of your grade. This may consist of some combination of short quizzes and collected homework. Quizzes will frequently consist of problems similar to those assigned as homework and will be graded by your recitation instructor. Variations in length, difficulty and frequency of quizzes will occur among the recitation instructors. An attempt is made to overcome these variations with the requirement that the scaled average recitation score for any one section be equal to the average of the adjusted hour exam scores for that section.

Hour Exams

The times set for the hour exams are as follows:

Since these times were published in the scheduling booklet when you enrolled in this course, it is your responsibility to appear at the scheduled times to take the exams. Any conflict should be cleared by changing the conflicting event. No late exams will be given. Your recitation instructor will inform you of the location of the exam for your section.

The door will open 5 minutes before the scheduled time and everyone should be seated in the assigned seat and ready to begin work 5 minutes later. Papers will be collected after one hour. An unexcused absence from an exam will be graded zero. Questions and problems on the exams will be similar to the questions at the end of the chapter and the assigned problems from the textbook. A photocopy of your exam answer sheet is made before it is returned to you.

The Society of Physics Students (SPS) sells a collection of old hour exams and finals with answers about a week before the first hour exam. You may find it helpful to study from these though the style of exams and the topics covered change somewhat from term to term.

During a recitation class following each hour exam, you will be given an opportunity to earn "redemption points" which will be added to the score you receive on that exam. Come to class ready to rework all problems on the exam.

Final Exam

The final exam is scheduled during final exam week. The time and location will be published by the University. You may ask you recitation instructor about the location of the exam for your section. The exam will be a full two hours long. The structure and grading of the final will be similar to the hour exams. The essential difference is that more answers will be required. An unexcused absence from the final exam will be graded zero.

Equation Sheet

You may bring only one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with equations and data on it (both sides) that you have prepared yourself to each hour exam and to the final exam. Do not include any solved examples on this sheet.

Extra Help

If you are having difficulty and wish additional help, the Physics Learning Center is located in Fisher 019B. They have both appointment and "walk in" service. The appointment schedule fills early in the term. If you feel you need this, go to the Learning Center to sign up. The "walk in" hours are posted on the door of Fisher 019B and you can get occasional help this way. Do not expect the coaches to do your homework for you. They know which problems are on the assignment and will not work those specific problems before recitation.