Course Syllabus

Lab:  The laboratory cannot always be tightly linked to lecture topics, though we do our best. Lab exercises will be introduced, no new information will be assumed beyond what is given in the lab manual itself.  All lab materials will be posted on the same Canvas page as lecture.  Please notify your instructor BEFORE missing a lab, so that they can inform you how you will make up the lab you miss.  This may be by watching some videos online and answering questions.  For more detailed information on lab policies, please see the lab syllabus.

Incompletes:  An incomplete grade is only given when course work cannot be finished at the end of the semester, such as the final exam, for a documentable reason.  All previous grades in the course are retained and a final course grade is given once the work is made-up.  This grade is NOT a way to retake the class.

Course Withdrawals:  You have until Monday 6/6 to withdraw from this course.  After that a late withdrawal is only allowed with my permission.  These generally are not given unless you can document extreme extenuating circumstances.

Instructor Responsibilities:
~ Facilitate student learning
~ Make you aware of course objectives and logistics
~ Prepare intellectually challenging and stimulating lecture content
~ Finish lectures within class time
~ Grade work in a timely and fair manner
~ Be available to answer questions and deal with concerns

Student Responsibilities:
~ Read the textbook before attending class, take notes while reading, and review after lecture.
~ Attend lectures each week in a timely manner.  Take notes during lecture.
~ Get organized and know when all assignments are due, as well as taking exams and quizzes within the required time
~ Do not miss exams or quizzes, make-ups will be given at my discretion with a documented excuse for illness, family death, court appearance, or University activity.  No other excuses will be accepted.  You must let me know IN ADVANCE via email or writing. 
~ Ask for help if you need it, my job is to help you do your best and I want you to succeed in this course.
~  Keep your email account up to date, as I will communicate with you this way
~  Check Canvas for announcements and other important information
~  Your grades will be kept using the Canvas Gradecenter.  Be sure to monitor your point ttotals to keep track of how you are doing in the course, plus to check for input errors.  Please notify me via email if an error is found.

Academic Integrity:  As students of the university you must conduct yourself in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty by a student will not be tolerated and will be treated in accordance with the BSU Student Code.  To access the full academic integrity policy please visit https://www.bsu.edu/about/administrativeoffices/vice-provost/student-services/academic-integrity#accordion_review.

An ethics violation, depending on the severity, can lead to a zero for the assignment at the minimum, failure of the course, and suspension or expulsion from BSU.  Per University policy, all ethics violations, even if resolved at the instructor level, are reported to the University.  Everything you turn in must be your own original work.  If you are unclear about this policy and my expectations, you must notify me immediately.  Claiming that you did not understand the concepts of plagiarism, proper referencing, or cheating will not be an acceptable defense after you have already turned in an assignment.

Statement on the Importance of Diversity and Inclusion:  Ball State University aspires to be a university that attracts and retains a diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the community are welcome, through valuing the various experiences and worldviews represented at Ball State and among those we serve. In addition, if you celebrate any religious holidays that the university does not observe, please talk to me within the first week of class.  We promote a culture of respect and civil discourse as expressed in our Beneficence Pledge and through university resources found at http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/multiculturalcenter (Links to an external site.).

FERPA:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act insures the security and confidentiality of your student information, including your grades.  As you are adults, I am not allowed to discuss your performance in this course with anyone outside of the University without your explicit written permission.

Tips for Success:

~  Read the assigned pages in the book BEFORE attending lectures

            ~  Form a study group early!!!

            ~  When studying, focus on the concept first and then work your way down to the details

            ~  Know when to ask for help, the earlier the better

Special Accommodations:  If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please contact me as soon as possible. Ball State's Disability Services office coordinates services for students with disabilities; documentation of a disability needs to be on file in that office before any accommodations can be provided. Disability Services can be contacted at 765-285-5293 or dsd@bsu.edu. Also, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

Course Work:

4 Exams                                             50 pts each                           200
Final                                                   50 pts                                    50
Quizzes                                             2.5-5 pts each                       55
Attendance                                       ~25 pts per week                 120
In class checks                                  ~25 pts per week                 115

Lab                                                                                                    250

890 Total Points

Grading Scale:

A   93.00-100%         B+  87.00-89.99%    C+ 77.00-79.99%     D+  67.00-69.99%    F <59.99%

A-  90.00-92.99%     B    83.00-86.99%    C    73.00-76.99%    D    63.00-66.99%

B-   80.00-82.99%    C-   70.00-72.99%    D-   60.00-62.99%

*Please note that grades will NOT be rounded up.  (For example, an 89.99% is still a B+.)

Extra Credit:  There will be a total of 25 bonus points throughout the semester.  NO OTHER extra credit will be available.  These bonus points will be awarded at my discretion throughout the semester.

Lecture participation and discussion:  Because, this is a fast-paced course, you are required to attend every lecture and lab.  If you have to miss a lecture or lab, please provide a documented excuse and coordinate with the professor to make up the assignments.

Aside from an attendance grade, there will also be in-class checks (ICCs).  These will be mostly group-based but some may be individual.  ICCs will be assignments based on the lecture material learned in class.

Quizzes:  Most lecture days will culminate in a short 2.5-5 point quiz to determine if you have learned and retained the information taught that week.  These short 15 minute quizzes will be done online through Canvas and Respondus Lockdown Browser.  You are not to use any resources, since these are to test if you have learned the material.  The quizzes can be taken an unlimited number of time until they are due.  The highest score will be retained.  Quizzes will typically open after class and be due the following day by 11:59 pm.

Exams:  Your exams will be administered via Respondus Lockdown Browser in class.  This is to ensure that you are not using additional resources on the exams which would be unfair to other students.  Anyone caught cheating on exams will be in violation of the Academic Integrity policy posted later in the syllabus.  Please note that you will have 75 minutes in which to take your exam.  Exams will only be reopened for individual students if there is a documentable reason provided for missing the exam.  If you do not have a computer compatible with Respondus, you may be given an alternative exam that tests the same material.  The format of this alternative exam may greatly differ and may consist of mostly short answer/essay questions.  The Final Exam will be given on Friday, June 16 in class using Respondus.

Exam Schedule:

Exam                         Date                                       Chapters Covered

1                               May 22                                   1-3

2                               May 30                                   3-5

3                                Jun 5                                      6, 10, 14, 15

4                                Jun 12                                    9-12

Final                          Jun 16                                    6, 7, material on exams 1-4