Outline of Physics 311, "University Physics I"

Course material can be found online at URL

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys311/phys311.html

Instructor

Michael Richmond
Building 8, Office 3336
Office phone: 475-2538
E-mail: mwrsps@rit.edu

Class hours

   Monday     8:00 -  8:50 am   08-3365  Section 11
   Tuesday    8:00 -  8:50 am   08-3365  Section 11
   Thursday   8:00 -  8:50 am   08-3365  Section 11
   Friday     8:00 -  8:50 am   08-3365  Section 11

Office Hours

   Monday    10:00 - 11:00 am   
   Tuesday    9:00 - 10:00 am   
   Friday    11:00 - 12:00 am    in COS Study Center
   Friday     1:00 -  2:00 pm

You may call to make an appointment. If my office door is open, feel free to enter.

Grading

There are several components to the final score in this course. The list below is not definitive, but a rough guide to the importance of each component.

   20  percent  quizzes 
   20  percent  homework 
   15  percent  test 1
   15  percent  test 2
   30  percent  final exam 
    4  percent  optional extra credit assignments (2 percent each)
   -----------
  104  percent

Course grades are based on a total of 100 percent.

At the end of the course, I shall calculate the total score for each student. Based on the overall distribution of scores in the class, I may use the traditional means of assigning letter grades to scores ("A" for greater than 90%, "B" for 80% to 90%, etc.); or I may slide the grade boundaries downward to some degree.

If you know in advance that you will have to miss a test, or if you miss a test unexpectedly, you may request a makeup test. However, you must provide a letter explaining the reason for your absence, which must be signed by you, your academic advisor and the head of your department. Without such a letter, you will receive a score of zero for the test.

There will be no makeups for quizzes or homeworks.

Textbook

Fundamentals of Physics, by Halliday, Resnick and Walker, Sixth Edition.

Lab course

This course has an associated laboratory course, Physics 375. It meets for a single two-hour period per week. You can find a schedule of experiments on the Physics Stockroom Course Support Page . The lab course has its own handbook. There is also a reference manual, Uncertainties, Error Propagation, Graphing and Vernier Caliper, associated with the lab course. Both are available from the campus bookstore, for about $2 each. You might also look at a brief primer I wrote: Examples of Uncertainty Calculations.

Other resources

There is a Physics Study Center on the first floor of the College of Science. A schedule posted outside the room lists times at which someone will be available to help with questions. You may also contact the Learning Development Center, in the Eastman Building, second floor. The Office of Special Services can arrange one-on-one tutorial sessions for qualified students.

If my office door is open, please feel free to visit.

If you have any special needs, you must inform me during the first week of classes. Otherwise, I may not be able to make arrangements in time to help you. Please contact me after class or at my office.

This page maintained by Michael Richmond. Last modified Nov 30, 2001.