Math 160 Class Policies

Steven M. Hetzler

OFFICE HOURS:






 I strongly encourage you to take advantage of these hours, whether it is for homework help, or exam studying assistance, or general questions about the class. We can also make appointments for other times. At other times, feel free to stop by, but the best way to be sure is to call ahead. Other assistance is also available through the Web Site for this class and via e-mail. E-mail will be an extremely effective method for contacting me, even weekends and evenings!


 

WORK EXPECTED:

Attend and participate in class.
We will use group work frequently in class and computer labs in a discovery-based learning process. You must be actively involved in this process in order to benefit from it.
If you must miss a class, make sure you find out what happened from another student and what reading and homework has been assigned.
Complete the activity from lab, even if it means working on the activity outside of class.

Study all sections of the book that we cover. Notice that I didn't say "read all sections," and "to study" means something different from "to read." Understand the examples in detail. In fact, try to predict each step that is applied in the example. Highlight or transcribe and then learn new vocabulary.
I will identify the relevant sections and examples for you in class. I will do some examples in class that aren't in the book. This means:

  1. we won't have time to cover all the book's examples,
  2. you should study your class notes and the examples in the book while doing homework problems and while studying for an exam.

Solve lots of problems.
A student’s mission in a mathematics classroom is to learn how to solve problems and communicate reasoning and solutions. Students who complete homework assignments on time learn the material and are better prepared for the exams. Use the solutions to odd-numbered exercises in the textbook as a guide while you are doing the assignments.

Your final grade for the course will be based on 4 components:
  1. Homework (Worth 10% of final grade): There will be homework assigned daily. No late homework or labwork will be accepted.

  2. Quizzes (25% of final grade):
    There will be five in-class quizzes, approximately alternate days, beginning with the second day. Each quiz is approximately fifteen minutes long, and most will occur at the end of class. On some quizzes, there will be no calculators allowed.
  3. Midterm Exams (40% of final grade): There will be three in-class mid-term exams during the semester. These exams consist of two parts:

    Part I: No calculators allowed. Short answer, minimal calculation, sketch the basic shape of some important graphs. Approximately 10 minutes long.
    Part II: Calculators allowed. A student may begin Part II as soon as she completes Part I. More involved calculations, somewhat more complex problems than Part I. Approximately one-quarter of the grade for any exam is for Part I.


    All exams in this course have a cumulative nature; you are responsible for all material we've learned up to that point in the course.
  4. Final Exam (25% of final grade): Comprehensive. Somewhat less than twice as long as the midterm exams. Consists of two parts, with the same two-part format as a Midterm In-Class Exam.

If you have sufficient reason for missing an exam or quiz, and if you contact me before it is given, a make-up will be scheduled within a week after the originally scheduled date.


WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: Writing is a tool used throughout mathematics and its applications for Learning and Communicating. Approximately 20% of any homework/quiz/exam grade will be your ability to effectively communicate mathematics in written form. We will discuss and implement "Writing to Learn" throughout the semester.

ACADEMIC HONESTY & INTEGRITY: Incidents related to these issues will be dealt with in accordance with the "SU Policy ... on Academic Integrity."
In an attempt to protect some of the integrity of the exams and quizzes, there will be no cell phone use allowed during any exam or quiz. Students are to turn off all such devices before any quiz or exam begins.

FINAL EXAM: The Final Exam will take place in the classroom on Thursday, 1/23 at classtime.

GRADES:
Homework: 10%
Quizzes: 25%
Exams: 40% 
Final: 25%
Please be aware that Friday, January 11th, is the end of Schedule Adjustment Period:
the last day to drop a course and receive a "W" grade.

Please mail me when you have read this document.