Math 115a-05: Section Policies - Spring 2008

Instructional Rules and Decorum: The University seeks to promote a teaching and learning environment free from material and substantial classroom disruptions. The following activities are prohibited: talking during lectures or having cell phones turned on, eating, newspaper reading, entering the classroom late or leaving early without authorization, refusing to be seated as directed by the instructor and/or refusing to following any reasonable directions or instructions given by the instructor. Students disrupting class will be subject to disciplinary action and will not be eligible for any grade adjustments described herein. Refer to http://web.arizona.edu/~policy/disrupt.shtml.

Class Attendance: Attendance is an important component of this course and attendance will be taken every day by circulating an attendance sheet and each student is responsible to see that he/she has signed it. Each student is responsible for all announcements made in class or sent by email and all material covered in class during any absence. Students who are enrolled in the course but fail to attend class will receive an E grade.

Administrative Drop: At the instructor's discretion students may be dropped from the course for the follwing reasons:

·  Any student who misses the first class, or with more than 2 unexcused absences without prior arrangements.

·  Students who fail to enter into a "team contract" (see "Teams" below) or who fail to attend team meetings.

·  Students who fail to submit or contribute to homework assignments.
Also see Administrative Drop policy at http://catalog.arizona.edu/2006-07/policies/classatten.htm.

Email: Students are required to have a university email account and this address will be used for email correspondence. This account can be set up for mail forwarding if another email account is preferred (review CCIT instructions). A class listserv has been established with the following address:m115a-05@listserv.arizona.edu. A message sent to this address will be routed to everyone in class. Also refer to Official Student Email Policy.

Textbook: See "Course Information." Students need to bring their e-text CD to each class period.

Course Materials Needed: See "Course Information."

Calculator:  A calculator is required for this course. The TI-84Plus is recommended. Students need to bring the calculator to each class. Calculator sharing on tests and quizzes is NOT permitted.

Quizzes: Various in-class and/or take-home quizzes will be given. To provide for legitimate or excused absences one score will be dropped. Make-ups are not available.

Individual Homework Procedures:  Print and submit in class individual homework in Word document format together with a cover sheet showing the name of the student and the student's signature.

Team Homework Procedures:  The cover sheet will be used to determine whether or not a team member contributed to the assignment. Each team will show the names of the contributing students by printing the names of such students in Word format on the cover page and recording the student’s signature. If a student's name is not printed on the cover sheet or there is no signature then the student will not receive credit. Handwritten insertion of a name will not be accepted. Team homework may not be submitted on an individual basis.

·  Print and submit in class in Word document format showing the names of the contributing students as described above. The cover page is to be signed in ink by each of the contributing students.

·  Submit a copy of team assignment in pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format to Turnitin, as set out in the Turnitin section below, and record the "paper number" assigned by Turnitin on the cover sheet in the space provided.

 

Late homework:  Homework is due at the start of class on the date shown on the Syllabus.

Late homework will be accepted as follows:

1.    by delivering a written copy to room 108 in the Math Bldg by 4:30pm on the date due – 10 % reduction;

2.    by submitting an electronic copy by 11:59pm on the day following the due date to the LATE HOMEWORK folder for that assignment folder at Turnitin.com – 25% reduction.

Turnitin: Each student is required to register with Turnitin.com and a member of each team will submit a copy of all team homework and written reports (in pdf format) to the Turnitin web site. Instructions on how to do this are contained in the Student Guide on the Turnitin web site. Links to the Turnitin web site and the Student Guide are on the course web page. You may also submit files in Word format but if you do you may exceed the Turnitin limit of 2Mb. Your Word document should be well under this amount unless you have "live links".

Examinations: Two midterm examinations will be given on the dates shown in the Syllabus. The date of the final examination is listed in "Course Information" and will be held in a location to be announced.

Missed Examinations: If a student misses one midterm exam and has a valid explanation, the student will receive a replacement score based upon the results on the final examination. A second missed midterm exam, or a missed final examination, will result in a score of zero for that work.

Teams: Teams consisting of approximately four students each will be formed to complete the team projects and homework assignments. Working together in randomly selected teams is a course requirement and students are expected to be available outside of regular class at reasonable times as determined by his/her team and to enter into a "team contract" in the prescribed form. Students will not be on the same team for both projects and should not expect to be placed with friends or travelling companions. Each team will give both preliminary and final reports on the projects and each team member is expected to participate, and to dress and act in a businesslike manner.

Reports: Preliminary reports on the two projects will be oral using PowerPoint and last for 7-8 minutes and will have a possible score of 20 points. Final oral reports using PowerPoint will last for about 15 minutes and have a possible score of 60 points. Teams will provide the instructor with a handout of the PowerPoint slides printed 4 or 6 to a page at the start of each presentation. Final written reports in Word format will have a possible score of 40 points. After completion of the final oral report a project quiz worth 30 points will be given. A total of 150 points is available for each project.

Peer Evaluation: Both the preliminary and oral reports will include a peer evaluation component of approximately 1/3 of the available grade. Students will provide their evaluation of the presenting teams. The instructor will assess how well each student prepared the evaluation form, based on the variation of the scores and the comments recorded.

Due Date of Written Reports: The written reports for Project 1 and Project 2 are due from ALL teams on the first day of the oral presentations in Word format, and copies are to be submitted to Turnitin by the due dates. Note that while only cover sheets are required for team homework assignments, a full printed version of the written reports for project 1 and 2 are required to be submitted in class.

Course Grades: If you earn at least 55% of the possible points for individual work and at least 55% of the possible points for team work, then your grade will be calculated as follows:

·  Quizzes - 50 points

·  Computer Quiz - 50 points

·  Class Participation and Individual Homework - 50 points

·  Team Homework - 100 points

·  Project 1 - 150 points

·  Project 2 - 150 points

·  Midterm Exam 1 - 100 points

·  Midterm Exam 2 - 100 points

·  Final Exam - 200 points

·  Total - 950 points

 

Questions regarding the grading of any assignment or exam must be addressed no later than 2 days after the assignment or exam is returned.

Students who achieve an overall grade average of 85% on all work and an average of 90% on the examinations (Exam1, Exam2, and Final) may be granted an A at the discretion of the instructor.

Incomplete Grades: A grade of Incomplete will be given only according to University Policy as described at http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/gradepolicy/incomplete.htm.

Dropping/Withdrawing from the Course:  Students may drop the course with a deletion from record prior to Feb 12 using WebReg. From this date to Mar 11 students may withdraw with a grade of W, with the instructor's signature using the Drop/Add procedure. Withdrawal after Mar 11 is generally not possible and is done by application directly to a student's college dean.

Documented and Excused Absences: If a student misses part or all of one oral presentation due to extenuating circumstances that can be documented, then the student will be given a replacement grade equivalent to the grade achieved on the final exam. If a student misses two oral presentations then a grade of zero will be assigned to both presentations.

Index Card:  Students may use one 4” x 6” index card containing notes and formulas on any quiz or test except the final exam. This card may contain formulas, notes and definitions and may be replaced or updated from time to time.

Academic Integrity Policies and Codes: The following links provide student information on policies and codes at The University of Arizona. Students are responsible to familiarize themselves with prohibited conduct and practices. Documents submitted to Turnitin will be checked for code violations.

Code of Academic Integrity and Code of Conduct
Policy on Disruptive Behavior in an Instructional Setting
Policy on Threatening Behavior by Students
Final Exam Regulations and Information

These codes and policies prohibit all forms of student academic dishonesty, including but not limited to:

·  CHEATING - intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids.

·  FABRICATION - intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation.

·  FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY - intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of the Code of Academic Integrity.

·  PLAGIARISM - intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own.