Virtual College - CHEM 100 CA - Chemists' View of the World
Summer 2008, Course Syllabus

Class Schedule Description:

This general education course is designed to introduce the science of chemistry and its impact in the technological world. The textbook will explain basic principles of chemistry in a non-mathematical way, how these principles help explain phenomena observed in every day living, and how these principles are used to improve the quality of life. Included in the course requirements will be two short papers exploring the role of chemistry in the world.

Fort Hays State University Course Catalog Description:

100. The Chemist’s View of the World. (3) An introduction to the major concepts of scientific thought as exemplified by the discipline of chemistry. Concepts include the scientific method of inquiry, the structure of matter and the major natural laws with application to current issues. The course utilizes an approach of quantitative reasoning that requires a minimum of mathematical skill. A student receiving credit for graduation in this course may not also receive credit toward graduation in CHEM 112 or CHEM 120.

Course Instructor:

The Chemistry Department main office is 341 Tomanek Hall. My office is 341b. If you are calling and I am not in my office, my phone will transfer to the department’s phone after four rings. There, it will either be answered by the department secretary or picked up by the department’s voice mail. Please be patient: your call will always be answered. If you are using e-mail, due to the number of e-mails I receive, I will not normally send a reply unless your e-mail specifically requires a reply or you request a confirmation that I received your note. Please include "CHEM100 CA" as part of the subject line to help me identify your mail as important. I do read my e-mail everyday, so this is a good way to get in touch with me directly.

Course Objectives:

Upon completing this course the student should be able to:
1) define chemistry and its role in the natural sciences. Students should understand the specific tasks undertaken by chemistry as opposed to other disciplines of inquiry, and how chemistry contributes to the world in which we live;
2) describe the major discoveries of chemistry that have lead to our understanding of the structure of nature at the atomic and molecular level, and the methods of inquiry used to learn about this structure;
3) understand the basic concepts of chemistry and how they apply to phenomena the student experiences daily and the relevance of these to the other natural sciences;
4) use mathematical skills in the description of chemical phenomena and understand the critical thinking skills chemists use in problem solving;
5) understand the scientific method, including the aspects of experimentation, validation of data and results, and the proper application of knowledge gained to personal and social issues; and
6) read, understand, and apply scientific information through thinking more critically, discussing more meaningfully, arguing more persuasively, and writing more effectively.

Method of Instruction:

Because this is a Virtual College course, the DVD-ROM entitled “Conceptual Chemistry Alive!” will be used to supplement the textbook. These videos are intended to motivate and pace the learning process, but they are not expected to convey all the content of the course. For that reason, the textbook will be used as a reference work and the main source of information. The textbook was designed to be a stand-alone text in a traditional class but also to be used with the videos. The subject matter is the same as that found in any traditional, introductory chemistry course for liberal arts majors. The learning process will be enhanced with question/problem assignments, examinations and two essay assignments.

Course Materials:

Textbook: Conceptual Chemistry, 3rd Edition with DVD-ROM, John Suchocki; Benjamin Cummings Publishing; San Francisco; 2007. For the textbook with DVD-ROM: ISBN 0-8053-8221-6.

Unit Guides: Each of the first 12 chapters in the textbook is considered a unit. The instructor will provide students with a guide to lead them through each unit. The guides will set the focus on what should be learned from each unit, and the assignments that must be completed.

Grading:

This section provides information concerning the method of determining grades:

A. Components:
1. 4 Major examinations 100 points x 4 = 400 Points
2. Average of Unit Assignments 100 points x 2 = 200 Points
3. 2 Writing assignments 100 points x 2 = 200 Points
Total Points 800 Points
Course % = Student Points / 8

B. Notes:
1. Examination 1 will cover Units 1 - 4.
2. Examination 2 will cover Units 5 - 6.
3. Examination 3 will cover Units 7 - 9.
4. Examination 4 will cover Units 10 - 12.
5. The criteria for the writing assignments will be made available on Blackboard, as will the topics of each assignment.

C. Grading Scale: While the instructor reserves the right to adjust the grading scale, the target cut-off scores are as follows:

A 90% to 100%
B 80% to 89%
C 70% to 79%
D 60% to 69%
U < 60%

Actual cutoff scores will be determined after all work for the semester has been evaluated. Cutoff percentages may be lowered, but they will not be raised.

Assignment Completion Schedule:

1. Completion of Units 1-4 and Examination 1 must be postmarked by June 13.
2. Completion of Units 5-6 and Examination 2 must be postmarked by June 27.
3. Submission of Writing Assignment 1 must be postmarked by July 3.
4. Completion of Units 7-9 and Examination 3 must be postmarked by July 10.
5. Submission of Writing Assignment 2 must be postmarked by July 18.
6. Completion of Units 10-12 and Examination 4 must be postmarked by July 25.

Important information on assignment completion, submission and academic honesty:

Due to the number of students currently enrolled in this video course and the dates set by FHSU for submission of grades, late completion of the assignments outlined above will result in continuous loss of points according to the following schedule:  each class day past the assigned completion date will result in a loss of 10% of the total possible points.  For example, if an assignment or exam is taken one class day late, the maximum possible grade will be 90%.  If the assignment or exam is taken up to two class days late, the maximum possible grade will be 80% and so on.  For those students who are submitting their work and exams by mail, the above dates correspond to the date by which the work must be postmarked.  A penalty for submission of late work will not be assessed only if prior arrangement has been made by the individual student with the instructor. However, assignments received after July 25 may not count for any points, due to insufficient time for accurate assessment.

You should know that the purpose of Safe Assignment is designed to detect plagiarism. You should not use large blocks of text from reference material or it will be flagged as suspicious. Rather, put it into your own words. If your other assignments are being submitted by mail, make arrangements with me prior to mailing the writing assignments.

            All students enrolled in this course are expected to abide by the Fort Hays State University Academic Honesty Policy.  A copy of this policy may be found in the University Catalogue and online at:  http://web.fhsu.edu/universitycatalog/gen/academichonesty.asp.  More specifically, it is expected that all work submitted by students is their original work and not obtained from any other source, including but not limited to:  the Internet, previously published materials or other students, both current and former.  Any work found not to be original to the student submitting it will, at the least, earn a grade of zero.  At the instructor’s discretion, the matter may also be directed to the Office of Student Affairs for further action.