CHEM 101 – Applying Chemistry to Society

Fall 2009

 

Course: CHEM 101 004 Applying Chemistry to Society, 3 credit hours

Class: MWF 11:00-12:15, Sims—113B

Instructor Information: Kristen Kull, Sims 107B,

Office Hours: T 9:30 -1:00, F 9:30-10:30, or by appointment

Contact information: kullk@Winthrop.edu (best) or 323-4921

Required Textbook: Investigating Chemistry: A Forensic Science Approach, any edition, Johll, Mathew E.;  Publisher: W H Freeman & Co; ISBN-10: 0716764334 or ISBN-13: 9780716764335, 1st or 2nd edition

 

Final Exam: 8 am, Tuesday Dec. 15, room 113B

 

Course Goals: Applying Chemistry to Society is a course designed to familiarize the student with the basic principles of chemistry and how these principles apply to the world around us. Establish an understanding of how basic chemistry applies to significant societal-technological issues

 

Student learning outcomes: Students will acquire knowledge about chemistry in the world around them, specifically geared toward consumer chemistry.  Students will be provided an explanation into the differences in the products, from a chemical perspective, in hopes that financial reasons are not the only criteria used in their purchases.  All the students will be consumers, but their subsequent career paths are diverse.  These individuals may serve in positions in which key political, environmental, legal, and economic decisions are made; the hope is that they bring the chemical impact perspective to the discussion table.

·         Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills

·         Develop an appreciation for how chemistry is involved in our daily lives

·         Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles presented in each of the selected chapters.

 

Course requirements:

            Administrative supplies: A basic scientific calculator is required for this course, graphing calculators are not necessary.  Cell phones/PDAs may not be used as calculators. 

            Required Textbook: Investigating Chemistry: A Forensic Science Approach, any edition, Johll, Mathew E.;  Publisher: W H Freeman & Co; ISBN-10: 0716764334 or ISBN-13: 9780716764335, 1st or 2nd edition

            Performance Measures:

                        Exams:  There will be three exams. If you miss one exam, that missed exam grade will be replaced with your final exam grade.  Make-up exams will only be offered to students on their second missed exam if they have an excused absence. Excused absences are: 1) personal family crises which must be confirmed by the office of the Dean of Students, 2) participation in an event sanctioned by the university which must be confirmed via letter from the faculty/staff member giving oversight to the event.  Tentative exam dates are noted on the syllabus. 

                        Quizzes: There will be 7 quizzes worth 15 points each. There will be no make-up quizzes. A missed quiz is a zero.  The 2 lowest quiz scores will be dropped.

                        Chapter Summaries: This is one 8 1/2 x 11 in piece of paper on which you may hand write any notes you wish.  Notes may be written on both sides.  These will be graded and returned.  They may be used on the test and final.  They must not be shared.  Any deviation from these guidelines will result in a zero on the graded event.

                        Oral Presentation: This is to be a 5-10 minute power point slide show on a current topic related to Chemistry and the Consumer.  The length should be 5-15 slides.  You must include what chemistry is involved, what is the issue, and how does it affect the consumer?  A copy of the source document and the slide handouts/thumbnails must be submitted prior to the presentation.

                        Final: There will be a comprehensive final exam.  You must take the final exam to pass the course.  You must score better than 50% on the final exam to pass the course. 

                        Chapters Covered: 1-7, 9-11, 13

                     

Exams and Grading:

Assignment

Exam 1

Exam 2

Exam 3

Final

Quizzes

Presentation

Chapter

Summaries

Total

Occurrences

1

1

1

1

7

1

7

 

Percentage

15

15

15

15

28

5

7

100

                       

Grading system: Letter grades will be assigned as follows: A = 93-100%; A- = 88-92%; B+ = 85-87%; B = 80-84%; B- = 76-79%; C+ = 72-75%; C = 66-71%; D = 56-66%; F = <56%

Attendance policy: I highly encourage daily class attendance.  You are responsible for all material covered in class and in the scheduled chapters and homework problems, as well as for all announcements made in class. Absence or tardiness does not excuse you from this responsibility.  When attending class, please be courteous and attentive - no newspapers, cell phones, sleeping, etc. 

Course Materials

      Tentative Course Schedule 

            Syllabus change policy: This is a tentative guideline, as I want to keep the flexibility to modify the pace and add special topics as appropriate. Exams do not share this flexibility.  I reserve the right to make changes to the schedule.  Notification will be made during class and through e-mail.  The schedule is tentative and may be modified to keep with the pace of the class or special topic introduction.

            Equation sheet

 

Administrative notes

            Class Preparation: You will get more from a class period if you spend time preparing ahead of time. Therefore, before each class, you should: read the related textbook material, review previous lecture material, complete recommended and assigned homework problems, and take good notes.

            Cell phones and pagers are strictly prohibited during class and exams. 

          Score replacement:  If your score on the final is higher than your lowest exam, that score will be replaced. 

            Missed quiz/exam policy:  All missed quizzes and course exams will result in a recorded zero score until the end of the course. At the culmination of the course, the top 5 of 7 quiz grades will be applied to the score.  The final score will replace a zero for one missed exam.  All students must take the final exam for a grade. Moreover, once a student has been handed a quiz or exam, the event will be graded.

            Homework: You are expected to read each of the scheduled chapters and attempt all scheduled homework problems.  All of the questions listed are reasonable questions on material that might be on the quizzes or exams. Homework problems will NOT be collected and graded unless specifically highlighted.

          You should carefully read the Winthrop University Student Conduct Code printed in the Winthrop University Student Handbook.

          Communication: If you have any questions, please stop by and see me during office hours. If these hours are not convenient, see me in class or e-mail me to set up an appointment. The easiest way to contact me is through Winthrop e-mail.  I read my e-mail regularly throughout the day and over the weekend. I do not regularly check messages sent through WebCT. 

Course Withdraw: October 23 is the last day to withdraw from a fall semester course with an automatic N grade issued.  Students may not withdraw from a course after this date without documented extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.

Students with Disabilities:  Winthrop University is dedicated to providing access to education.  If you have a disability and need accommodations, please contact Gena Smith, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 323-3290, as soon as possible.  Once you have your Professor Notification Form, please tell me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first exam.

 

Student code of conduct:  As noted in the Student Conduct Code:  “Responsibility for good conduct rests with students as adult individuals.” The policy on student academic misconduct is outlined in the “Student Conduct Code Academic Misconduct Policy” in the online Student Handbook (http://www2.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/handbook/StudentHandbook.pdf).  More explicit policies relative to a specific discipline/department may also be posted in a syllabus.