Chemistry 102 (Section 1860) Schedule - Spring 2009
Dr. Donald Robertson (DONinLA@pacbell.net)
Lecture: TTh 2:00-4:45 p.m. OC3609; Lab: TTh 2:00-4:45 p.m. OC4505
Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-2:00 p.m. OC4502 

Date (lec)	Lecture - Monday	Date (lab)	Lab - Wednesday - (Lab Protocols)	Exp.
Jan 20	Intro; 11.1-11.5	Jan 22	Safety; Organic Nomenclature	---
27	12.1-12.6	29	Lab check in; Molecular Models	Exp 1
Feb 3	13.1-13.4	5	Properties of Hydrocarbons	Exp 2
10	14.1-14.5; Review	12	Exam I (11-14)	---
17	Holiday	19	Organic Recrystallization & Extractions	Exp 3
24	15.1-15.6	26	Alcohols, Aldehydes and Ketones	Exp 4
Mar 3	16.1-16.5	Mar 5	Distillation of Isopropanol	Exp 5
10	17.1-17.4; Review	12	Exam II (15-17.4)	---
17	Spring Break	19	Spring Break	---
24	17.7-17.8; 18.1-18.5	26	Lab Exam I	---
31	19.1-19.6	Apr 2	Bioethics Report Presentations (Info)	---
7	20.1-20.6; 21.1-21.3	9	Carboxylic Acids and Esters - Aspirin	Exp 7
14	21.4-21.10; Review	16	Exam III (17.7-21)	---
21	22.1-22.8	23	Saponification and Making Soap	Exp 8
28	23.1-23.5	30	Online lab assignment	---
May 5	24.1-24.5	7	Amino Acids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids	Exp 9
12	24.6-24.10; Review	14	Exam IV (22-24) - Lab Exam II - Check Out
19	Final Exam: Tuesday - May 19 - 2:30 p.m. in OC3609 (given in the lab)
Lecture, lab and exam schedule subject to change during the semester

Text: General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry (2nd Edition) - Karen C. Timberlake
Lab: Chemistry 102 Experiments - Donald L. Robertson
(Lab Protocols: Download Experiments from Internet)

 Chemistry 102 is the second semester introductory chemistry course covering organic and biochemistry for allied health and nursing majors. This class introduces the concepts and principles of organic and biochemistry. Topics include organic compounds and structures, organic functional groups such as alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins, metabolism, and nucleic acids. The objective of this class is to provide a theoretical and functional understanding of organic and biochemistry. Students will reinforce problem solving and laboratory skills.

Miscellaneous Information:

Special Needs: A student with a verified disability may be entitled to appropriate academic accommodations.  Please contact your instructor and/or the Disabled Students Program & Services Office at (760)795-6658, or the office of the ADA Coordinator at (760)795-6866.  Additionally, students at the San Elijo Campus may contact Alketa Wojcik at (760)994-4449, extension 7768, and students at the Community Learning Center may contact Denise Plant at (760)795-8709 or Raquel Chavarria at (760)795-8746. Some lead time will be necessary, so please make arrangements as early as possible, preferably during the first two weeks of classes.

Office Hours:  Office hours are 3:00-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 2:30-3:00 p.m. on Thursday in OC4502 (my office is inside OC4505).  Please come in if you have questions about the class lecture, laboratory, anything related to chemistry or just to chat.  You can come in unannounced during my regular office hours (if the door to OC4505 is locked, just knock).  I will be available at other times, but you will need to make an appointment.

Homework Problems: The assigned problems are the odd-numbered problems within each section of the text and at the end of the chapter.  While there are many problems assigned, you do not need to solve every problem, but you should solve at least some of the problems from each section in order to obtain an understanding of the concepts being covered. If you understand the concepts (by getting correct answers, based on the solutions at the end of the book), move to the next set of problems. Homework is not graded for accuracy, but you will be given credit for handing them in on time. Homework is due the lecture period after the lecture when the chapter was completed (based on the syllabus). Homework handed in late will receive no credit.  As indicated above, you should attempt to solve all of the odd-numbered problems in each chapter, both the in-text problems and the end-of-the-chapter problems.

Lab Attendance: You need to print your Experimental Protocol  for each experiment from the Internet prior to coming to lab (you cannot use the lab printer).  Please read the protocol before coming to lab.  Chemistry is an experimental science, and lab attendance is mandatory.  The laboratory section must be passed in order to pass the course. If you miss two or more labs, you are subject to dismissal from the class. You need to hand in your completed lab notebook for every experiment to receive credit for that experiment.  Prepare your notebook before coming to class and fill in data as you perform the experiment.  Do not take notes and then transfer data to your lab notebook later.  Lab notebooks are due one week after the experiment was completed (based on the syllabus). Lab reports turned in late will be deducted 20%, if turned in within one-week of when they were due.  Lab reports turned in after this date will be deducted 50% as a late penalty, but lab reports cannot be turned in for credit later than one week after it was originally due (that is, two weeks after the lab was completed). Format for your Laboratory Notebooks and the Formal Written Lab Reports is online.

Additional Lab Information:

1. Chemical splash goggles must be worn whenever anyone in the lab is working with chemicals. If you don’t have goggles with you and cannot borrow a pair you have two options–go to the bookstore and buy a pair or don’t do the lab that day.
2. All students must sign a copy of the MiraCosta College Laboratory Safety Rules before being allowed to work in the lab.
3. Come to lab prepared with chemical splash goggles (these can be stored in your locker), lab notebook (or handout), pen or pencil and calculator. Lab experiments must be read and understood before lab.
4. Any Pre-Laboratory Questions must be solved prior to coming to lab.
5. You will often work with another person, who will be your lab partner. Experiments that are done in pairs will be done with that person. Some experiments may be done solo.
6. There will be no makeup labs. If you miss a lab, it will be the one dropped. If you miss more than one lab, you will forfeit the points for that lab.
7. Students who are absent for more than two lab experiments during the semester may be dropped from the course or be assigned a failing grade.
8. During the lab you will record all data and observations directly in your lab notebook.  Your instructor may request to view your notebook or data collection prior to leaving lab.
9. Each week’s lab and lab report is worth a total of twenty (20) points. The minimum score for attending lab, collecting and recording data is ten (10) points.  You are also graded on the neatness and organization of your lab notebook.
   
   • Lab notebooks are turned in for each experiment. They should be done in ink. Please show your calculations, with units, to get full credit. Lab notebooks will usually be due one week after the experiment was completed (using the syllabus as the schedule) for that particular experiment. A laboratory notebook handed in within one week later than due date, will be assessed a 20% penalty.  Notebooks handed in after that one-week grace period will receive only credit for doing the experiment (50% point reduction).
   • You cannot write your lab reports or notebook with your lab partner.  You must show the data that you personally collected. Do not share your actual data and observations with anyone other than your lab partner, unless you also want to share (split) your score. Both the sharer and the sharee will be penalized.
   • Write your lab partner’s name under yours in the lab notebook.  Your partner is the person with whom you actually performed the experiment that day.
   • Some of the experiments include post-lab questions. Please answer these questions and turn them in with your laboratory notebook.  They may be worth up to ten points. Most points on lab notebooks are lost as a result of missing or incomplete information, including not using the correct format, which includes the Results and Discussion section and a Conclusions section.  More information about laboratory notebooks can be found online for Laboratory Notebooks.
   • Laboratory reports are separate from the lab notebooks.  When you turn in a Lab Report, you also must turn in your Lab Notebook, as they are graded separately.  Information about Formal Written Lab Reports can be found online.

Cheating: You are expected to abide by the MiraCosta College Honor Code. Cheating includes the copying or exchanging of information during exams or quizzes or plagiarism (copying another's work and turning it in as your own). If you are caught cheating you will be removed from class, disciplined by the Dean of Students and you may fail the course.

Student Learning Outcomes: As part of an ongoing program here at MiraCosta College, we are asked to determine at least one (out of many possible) measureable outcome that each student should learn exceedingly well while taking a particular course.  For chemistry, we are basing our outcome on the following: "Analyze and Interpret the periodic table to predict and explain an element's physical and chemical properties." So, as we go through the semester, think about anything that we do that relates to the above statement.  Hopefully you will be a better student learning to think critically, logically and objectively.

COURSE GRADING POLICY:

Exams (450 pts): Four exams will be given, but only three of these exams will be counted towards your final grade. If you miss an exam, that will be the exam you drop.  Missed exams cannot be made up or taken at a different time (a missed exam due to medical emergency, or other legitimate causes, may be made up at the discretion of Dr. Robertson).  If you believe the exam is missed for a legitimate reason, please contact Dr. Robertson before the exam. Dr. Robertson will be the only judge of whether the exam can be made up. Exams will include material covered in lecture. There may be times when a specific question was not covered in class, but if you learn to apply what you know from lecture, the application of this knowledge to these questions will allow you to answer these questions. If you have concerns about exam grades, please return it to me and I may regrade it, but I have the option to regrade the entire exam.

Quizzes (100 pts): Quizzes will be given during classes, and may be unannounced.  Quizzes will cover material covered in the previous lecture, and are used to assess the understanding of the class on covered material.  Quizzes are also designed to give you a feel for what you need to know and help prepare you for regularly scheduled exams. Missed quizzes cannot be taken late or made up. At least one quiz will be dropped, and this will be the lowest score, or it will be your missed quiz.

Homework (25 pts): Homework problems are not graded, but you are given credit for handing homework in on time. Homework is due the lecture period after the lecture for the chapter was completed. Homework handed in late will receive no credit.

Lab (225 pts): You must pass the lab in order to pass the course. Your lab grade will depend on your preparedness, technique, safety, lab notebook and your written reports, including any assigned problems. You can drop one lab. Since labs cannot be made up, a missed lab will be the one dropped. If you miss other labs, you will forfeit the points for that lab. Properly filled out lab notebooks and lab exercises, are worth 75 points total. There will be a lab mid-term and final exam covering experiments, techniques and lab equipment; both exams together will be worth 75 points.  A bioethics report (Online Information), on a subject of your choice, is worth 75 points overall, including your oral presentation and the written report.

Final Exam (200 pts): A comprehensive final exam covering all lecture material must be taken to pass course.

Final Grade: Your course grade will be based on the weighting described above.  Letter grades are assigned according to the percentages shown here.

A 90% B 80% C 70% D 60% F <60%

For students whose Total Score at the end of the semester is within one percentage point (1%) of a grade cutoff (e.g., you have an 89% average, and a 90% score is required for an "A" grade), I will use your Final Exam percentage to determine your grade (but only if you are within 1% of the higher grade). For example, if your Final Exam score is 90% or higher, you will get an "A" grade.  If your Final Exam is below 90%, you will receive a "B" grade.  (Similar comparisons will be made for "B" or "C" grades, near 80% or 70%, respectively.)  (Your Final Exam score will be used as the deciding factor for your course grade only if your Total Score is within one percentage point of the higher grade (i.e., if you are more than 1% below the grade cutoff, you will receive the grade your Total Score determines).

Preparation and Study Time Required: Depending on your background, how easily you grasp the material and how effectively you listen, take notes, and study, the time you will need to spend outside the class will vary. A good estimate is at least 1-2 hours outside studying for each hour in lecture. The amount of time you need to spend depends upon how well you use your time, and your preparation. If you are struggling, you probably need more study time.  I look forward to teaching you. I hope you enjoy learning chemistry. I'll be glad to discuss concerns or suggestions regarding this class or related topics. I encourage you to set goals for yourself, stay current in the class. Be sure to read the assigned chapter prior to lecture.

Attendance and Drops:  It is your responsibility to drop the class if you do not wish to continue enrollment.  If you do not officially drop the class, but just stop attending, you will receive an "F" when grades are turned in. Since this course is a lab course, if you drop the class, you must also check out of the lab or you will be assessed a $10 checkout fee.

Online Course Information: Important class information, including grades, review information, sample quizzes and exams, and other useful chemical information is online at http://home.pacbell.net/doninla or http://www.miracosta.edu/home/dlr/ .  If you forget this URL, you can go to my web pages from the MCC Chemistry Homepage, or the online MiraCosta College full-time faculty directory. You can E-mail me at: DONinLA@pacbell.net or DonRobertson@miracosta.edu.

Extra Credit information: You will get credit for one quiz (50 points) when you submit your responses to an online questionaire.  This questionaire will be posted online after 5 pm Thursday January 22.  You can use this form for submission (and to receive credit for one quiz) for a period of one week (until January 29). Therefore, in order to recieve credit for this exercise, you must fill out this form, and submit a picture of you at that same time.  Please follow the instructions with the form but in order to receive credit, in addition to answering a series of questions about you, you must be prepared to submit a picture.  If you do not have a picture of you (in jpeg format), please arrange to have a pic taken before filling out the form.  Thank you.

Thanks for being in the class.

(This page was last modified on: 08/28/2009)

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