Lecture:
Mondays & Wednesdays Room: SCIC 125 Time: 5:30-6:45 PM
Instructor: James Neff (SCIC 144; 953-5325; neffj@cofc.edu)
Office Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays: 3:15-4:45 PM
Textbook: Universe (9th Edition), by Freedman and
Kaufmann. This is a required
text, and we will be making extensive use of it.
Websites: (1)
The primary home page for this course can be found at... https://neffj.people.cofc.edu/ASTR129/. Some required material might be
available only through this site, so I highly recommend that you check it
regularly. (2) The OAKS site for this course may include on-line exercises,
chat rooms, etc. (3) Finally, you should visit the textbook's website, which
has very valuable study materials... https://www.whfreeman.com/universe9e/.
Course Objectives: My principal objectives
in this course are (1) to develop an appreciation for modern scientific methods
by providing an overview of motions and cycles in the sky and then surveying
the solar system, (2) to develop your ability to critically evaluate scientific
and technical information, and (3) to make you more aware of your physical
environment and to inspire you to learn more on your own. I will emphasize HOW we develop
scientific knowledge through discovery, experimentation, and various levels of
"proof". Attached is a
detailed statement of the department's goals
and objectives for this course.
Pre- and Co-requisites: This course is the first half of a two-semester sequence.
You must be registered for (or have previously taken) a laboratory section. The
lecture and laboratory are independent courses, and you will receive a separate
grade for the lab section.
However, I will be teaching both lab sections as well. While this course is NOT math
intensive, I will assume a working knowledge of high-school algebra,
trigonometry, and geometry.
Lecture Material, Required Reading, Chapter
"Pre-Quizzes: You will be expected to
read the chapters in the text before
they are discussed in class. We
will have a quiz over the text material at the beginning of each chapter.
Lectures will supplement and inter-relate the material in the text
rather than repeating it. In-class
projects, quizzes, and class participation will account for a significant
portion of your final grade. Your
attendance and participation in class is vital.
Recommended Activities: I will periodically assign "recommended"
activities for you to do outside of class. These will not be graded, but they might form the basis for
future "in-class" activities, and several questions on each exam will
be based on these recommended activities.
Exams: This
course is divided into 3 topical sections, and there will be an exam at the end
of each section. Exams may cover
ALL of the material from the text AND from lecture, as well as the recommended
activities. I realize that there
is a lot to remember, so I will prepare a study guide before each test that
summarizes the material that I consider to be most important for you to review
and understand. No make-up exams
will be given, and you MUST take all 3 mid-term exams. A comprehensive final exam will be
given during finals week. This
final exam will be optional.
If you chose to take it, I will drop the lowest of your 4 exam grades in
calculating your final grade for the course.
Grading:
3 Mid-term Exams + Final Exam 75 % In-class projects, quizzes, attendance 25 %
Special Needs: If
you have any special needs or disabilities that might require special
arrangements to be made for any aspect of this course, please let me know at
the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of them.
Lecture Schedule: The preliminary schedule is attached. You can always find an up-to-date version on the course home page. This lecture schedule is subject to change, but the exam dates will not change unless there is a compelling reason to do so.