Chemistry 210 (Sect. 2180) Schedule - Spring 2011

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.   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 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons 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.

Chemistry 210 is the first semester of a two-semester organic chemistry course for science majors. The lab consists of experiments designed to teach you standard organic chemistry procedures and reactions.  You are expected to read the assigned material prior to attending lecture.

Student Learning Outcomes: As part of the ongoing program here at MiraCosta College, Student Learning Outcomes is something that we include in every class being taught.  These outcomes are designed to measure several different key components of the course that every student is expected to master during that course.  For this first semester organic chemistry class, the outcomes we will be assessing are:

1. Students will analyze and interpret the periodic table to predict and explain differences in the reaction rates for standard substitution reactions.
2. Students will use knowledge of intermolecular forces and molecular structures to analyze, predict and explain differences in the boiling points and the existence of a trend.
3. Students will use knowledge of acid-base concepts and reactivity of organometallic compounds to analyze and explain appropriate conditions in which these substances are to be kept before certain specific.

Homework Problems: In order to receive credit for homework, you must solve at least half of the in-text problems (the problems present in the textual part of the chapter).  Some of the problems at the end of the chapter should also be solved until you have a thorough understanding of the concepts being covered in the different sections of the text.  You can solve problems alone, with a friend, with a group of friends, or by attending the SI help sessions for this class.  Remember there are no specific problems that must be solved, but a broad scattering of problems in the text and at the end of the chapter should be attempted.  Credit will no longer be given for homework unless there is observable evidence that you have been making a fair attempt at solving the problems.  You don't need to solve all of the assigned problems, but you should do enough to understand the concepts being covered. Homework will not be graded for accuracy, but will be for credit only if handed in on time.  Homework for a particular chapter is due at the beginning of the lab period on the day after the lecture for the chapter was finished, according to the lecture schedule given above.

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. It is your responsibility to purchase goggles. The chemistry stockroom may provide a loaner pair, but only once. Therefore, 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 leave the lab that day, without doing the lab or receiving credit.
2. All students must sign a copy of the Lab 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 book (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 those points.
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 Academic Intregity Policy.  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 may be permanently removed from class, given a zero for that particular occurrence, disciplined by the Dean of Students and you may fail the course. The following is MiraCosta's policy on Academic Intregity:

"MiraCosta College highly values academic integrity.  At the core, this means an honest representation of one's own work. MiraCosta College also promotes the approach that education is best accomplished as a cooperative, collaborative enterprise in which students are encouraged to work with and learn from each other. The line between academic integrity and collaborative education is not always easy to define and may vary from one discipline to the next and from one instructor to the next. Many aspects of cheating and plagiarism are universally recognized, while others are subject to debate. This policy provides some broad, general guidelines and allows instructors to be more restrictive according to their preferences and practices."

 The Academic Integrity Policy is available online, simply click policy now. Any action, based on failure to adhere to these policies can be appealed. To view the MiraCosta College Academic Appeals Policy, click appeals now.

COURSE GRADING POLICY:

Exams (450 pts):  Four exams will be given. Your highest three exams will be counted towards your final grade. If you miss an exam, it cannot be made up and it will automatically be the exam dropped.  Exams will include material covered in lecture.  Every question may not have been covered in class, but if you learn to apply what you know from lecture, you will be able to answer the Exam questions.  If you have concerns about exam grades, please return it to me and I may re-grade it, but I have the option to re-grade the entire exam.

Quizzes (100 pts): Quizzes will be given usually during weeks that no exam is scheduled and may be unannounced.  Some of the quizzes will cover material recently discussed in lecture.  An additional set of quizzes covering organic molecules, nomenclature, and reactions will be given.  Information for these quizzes is available for study from the Online Organic Quiz information, and may be material not otherwise covered in lecture.  Quizzes cannot be taken late or made up.  At least one quiz will be dropped, and this will be the lowest score, or your missed quiz.

Homework (25 pts): As indicated above, homework problems are not graded, but you will be given credit for doing at least some of the suggested problems.  In order to receive credit, homework must be turned in when it is due.  Homework is due the day after the lecture for a particular chapter was completed, based on the syllabus schedule (e.g., if the chapter is completed on a Monday, the homework is due at the beginning of the Wednesday lab).  Late homework 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 those labs.   Grading of your lab notebook and doing the experiments will be worth 75 points total (Lab Notebook Format is available online).  There will be a mid-term  lab exam (Lab Exam I) and final lab exam (Lab Exam II) covering experiments, techniques and related information performed in the lab.  The lab exams together are worth 75 points total.  Three written lab reports, using approved format, will be graded.  Two of these reports must include Experiments V and VII, and any other of the following Experiments: VI, VIII, IX or X.  These formal, written lab reports will be worth a total of 75 points.  Format for the Formal Written Lab Reports is available online.

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. More information is here.

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

If your Total Score at the end of the semester is within one percent (1%) of the cutoff (you have 89% and 90% is required for an "A" grade), I will use your Final Exam percentage to determine your 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.)

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 to plan on 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, and please try to attend the scheduled office hours of your instructor before you get really behind.  I look forward to teaching you. I hope you enjoy learning chemistry. I'll be glad to discuss any concerns or suggestions regarding this class or related topics at any time. I encourage you to set goals for yourself and stay current in the class. You should also read the assigned sections in the chapter prior to lecture.

Attendance and Drops:  In order to pass the class (lecture and laboratory together) you must pass the laboratory portion of the course, regardless of your performance in the lecture portion.  One lab may be dropped automatically (it will routinely be the lab you miss, or the lab with the lowest score). Therefore, it is your responsibility to attend all the labs, and to be on time, since the first part of the lab is usually the time the instructor gives out information pertinent to the lab protocol and sometimes when quizzes can be given.  Proper lab attire (discussed in the MiraCosta College laboratory safety rule) and behavior is required.  If you decide to drop the class, it is your responsibility to drop the class, do not expect the instructor to do this for you.  Please be careful in the laboratory and be certain that laboratory glassware that is used is cleaned and put back into the shared lockers.  Your lockers are used by all other students using that particular laboratory classroom during the semester.  You cannot store personal items in the lockers since they are not checked out to you individually and because the locker drawers do not have locks on them.  Laboratory safety is everyone's responsibility.

Online Course Information: Important class information, including grades, review information, sample quizzes and exams, and other useful chemical information is online at http://mcc.doninla.com 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 questionnaire.  This questionnaire will be posted online after the second week of the semester.  You can use this form for submission (and to receive credit for one quiz) for a period of one week. Therefore, in order to receive credit for this exercise, you must fill out this form, and, if you desire, you can submit a picture of you at that same time.  Please follow the instructions with the online form, but in order to receive credit it must be filled out within the time allotted. Thank you.

Thanks for being in the class.

Copyright © Donald L. Robertson (Modified: 04/18/2011)