SOME OF THIS INSTRUCTOR'S POLICIES
Instructor: Don C. Cathcart
e-mail: DCCATHCART@salisbury.edu
web: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~dccathcart
Office: DH 135
Hours: 8:50 am - 9:50 am Tues & Thurs
Phone: (410)-677-4741 (If no one answers, use e-mail as I seldom listen to my voice mail.)
Attendance
It is important that students attend class regularly – seldom missing a class. It is expected that students will attempt to attend all class sessions and participate actively and constructively in class discussions and activities. The manner of instruction in this course is not strictly lecture format, and assumes active engagement on the part of students. The instructor hopes that each student will construct his/her own meanings and understandings from in-class activities and assignments. Class sessions and assignments are organized to assist students in developing new insights and connecting them with their previous learning. Broad concepts are presented in the context of examples and broken down into specific details and skills. Students are expected to ask questions, carry out experiments, create analogies, and formulate and articulate their own conjectures, generalizations and conclusions.
Copies of notes, handouts, and in-class activities, may not be available to those missing classes. However, assignments, some handouts, and important announcements will be available to you via e-mail or the course web site. Any assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the assigned due date. If you have a good reason for not turning in an assignment, state that fact in writing and give a note or send an e-mail to your instructor prior to the beginning of class on the assigned due date. Late assignments will not be accepted. A few missed classes, activities, quizzes, or assignments probably won't affect your grade. However, frequent absences will certainly lead to a lower grade. Those missing the equivalent of three weeks of class sessions will have their grades lowered by one letter grade. The concepts "excused absence" and "make-up test or quiz" do not apply in this course. Your lowest “one hour” test grade (out of three tests) will not be used in the calculation of your grade. Your final exam grade will be used in the calculation of your grade. You will have opportunities to present solutions for assigned problems to the class.
Decorum
Please do not text, wear a hat, use tobacco in any way, eat, or drink in the
classroom. In general, conduct yourself in a manner consistent with proper
classroom decorum. In particular, arrive on time prepared for productive
participation, don't leave early, do pay attention, show respect and
consideration for others, don't talk while your instructor or a fellow student
is trying to communicate with the class, and turn off cell phones, pagers, and
any other electronic device connected to the internet or satellite.
Even for classes that meet at
Web and E-Mail
Your student account on the campus Novel network must be activated as soon as you begin this class, and you will be expected to check your e-mail on a regular basis. (You may forward your e-mail from your student Novel GroupWise account to another e-mail account if you please.) Additional information about this class -- including assignments -- will be sent out on e-mail or posted on this courses' web site; so you should also use the resources available to you on the course web site. You may communicate with the instructor via e-mail. If you submit information or a request to the instructor via e-mail, print the instructor’s reply to your message and keep that reply as a receipt indicating your message was received.
Study Habits, Assignments, Preparation for the Course, and Course Notebook.
Each week, most students should spend a minimum of 4-6 hours out of class in preparation for a three-credit course (based on a 12 to 15 credit load and a 40 to 50 hour full time week). Expect each homework assignment to take 3 to 4 hours to complete, and do not plan on doing the entire assignment at one sitting! You should carefully read for understanding the assigned sections in the text, and you should work all the assigned exercises - even those you are not asked to write up for evaluation. Keep all your written work related to this course (graded and non-graded exercises, class work, class notes, quizzes, and tests) organized in a notebook. In those cases where answers or solutions are provided in the text, carefully check your work, and ask questions about any exercises you do not understand. In preparing your written work, carefully explain your thought process and provide justifications for your conjectures and conclusions. Identify the meanings of any variables you introduce. Clearly state your conclusions using complete sentences. In each case, be sure you have responded as expected to the challenge presented in the exercise. Neatness, correctness, and style will be considered in the evaluation of your papers. Although you are encouraged to work in small groups on your assignments, all work submitted under your name should represent your current understanding of the problems involved and should not be the copied work of another person. When submitting assignments, attach a cover sheet using the format prescribed for the course. If you need help with writing out your thought processes, you may seek help in the University Writing Center.
Free tutoring is available for MATH
230 and MATH 155. Information on the department's tutoring program
can be found by following the link http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~mathcosc/tutor/.
Of course, your instructor is available during office hours and other hours
by appointment. When you come to
your instructor for help, bring your course notebook containing your worked-out
exercises and solution attempts with you.
Objectives or study guides will be provided for each exam. Your instructor will not usually provide solutions or hints for problems on study guides. It is intended that you master the course objectives and start your test preparation well in advance of the day of the test. Accordingly, your instructor will not be available to answer questions related to a test on the day before or on the day of the test. If you cannot make a scheduled test or exam session, notify your instructor at the earliest possible date. You are not guaranteed the right to a make-up test. Under most circumstances we eliminate your lowest test score (not including the final exam); so a single missed test will simply be the one eliminated. After reading these policies, if you have concerns or questions regarding the way your test was evaluated, please see the sample solutions that are posted on the course web site, and then if necessary see your instructor during his office hours. (Do not try to have discussions regarding the grading of a test either just before or just after class in the classroom. Arrange to have those discussions when proper consideration can be given to your concerns or questions.)
Grading
Keep all graded assignments, activities, quizzes, and tests that are
returned to in your notebook you so you may monitor your grade status in the
course. Your lowest “one hour” test grade (out of three or
four tests) will not be used in the calculation of your grade. Your final exam grade will be used in the
calculation of your grade. In-class
presentations and assignment grades will contribute to your course grade.. Do not call or e-mail your
instructor for information concerning your final exam or final course grade. There
may be unannounced quizzes. If there are
unannounced quizzes, some will be eliminated in the calculation of your
grade. There may also be a few optional
assignments. A grade calculation worksheet
will be provided so you can calculate your grade status in this course. If you leave a self-addressed, stamped
postcard or envelope, your final exam score and course grade will be sent to
you. All discussions relative to grades, grading, and significance of
your grade status in this course must be conducted prior to the last week of
classes. Subsequent to the date of the final exam, if you think your
grade was calculated incorrectly, submit your case, along with appropriate supporting
evidence, in writing; and you will receive a written response. All grade appeals must be submitted
within 30 days of the date grades are posted.
Remember that Friday, April is the last day that you can withdraw from this class and receive a grade of "W."
Link to a Grade calculation Worksheet for MATH 155
Mark/Minimum Grade
90/A
80/B
70/C
60/D
At the University Writing Center (directly above the Fireside Lounge in the Guerrieri University Center), trained consultants are ready to help you at any stage of the writing process. It is often helpful for writers to share their work with an attentive reader, and consultations allow writers to test and refine their ideas before having to hand papers in or to release documents to the public. In addition to the important writing instruction that occurs in the classroom and during teachers’ office hours, the center offers another site for learning about writing. All students are encouraged to make use of this important service. For more information about the writing center’s hours and policies, visit the writing center or its website at www.salisbury.edu/uwc.