Introduction to Chemistry I, Chem 104

Spring 2009

Dr. Suzanne Theresa Mabrouk

General Information

• Class Schedule: M, W, F 8:00 - 8:50 am in Byrd Hall room 108
• Office Number: Byrd Hall room 401
• Office Hours: If you have difficulty with course concepts or have any questions, please feel free to drop by for help. If my office hours do not coincide with your free time, then schedule an appointment. Keep in mind that regular help will assist you in mastering the material. If you find that I am already helping other students during office hours, ask if you may join. I usually help more than one student at a time, with each student having the opportunity to interject questions. This method makes better use of everyone's time.
  • M 1-2 pm
  • T and R 3-4 pm
  • open door policy
• Phone Number: 953-7788
• Email Address: mabrouks@citadel.edu
  If you need help at night, the best way to reach me is via email.

General Course Information

• Required Text: Chemistry for Changing Times by Hill and Kolb, 11th ed.
• Blackboard Materials: Lecture Notes.
• Required Equipment: Students must bring a calculator to each laboratory meeting, since calculations must be performed on the spot.
• Co-requisite: Chem 114.
• Course Prerequisites:
  • Chem 103 and 113.
  • Students should recall the following fundamentals of chemistry: the names and symbols of the abundant elements, Lewis dot structures, inorganic nomenclature, stoichiometry, and acid-base and redox reactions.
  • Course Content: This course will introduce the student to the following topics: biochemistry and consumer, environmental, organic, and polymer chemistry.
  • Course Objective: By the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
    • name organic compounds
    • write polymer reactions
    • understand ingredient labels on foods and drugs
    • understand the chemistry of air and water pollutants, drugs, food, household chemicals, and some poisons.
• Lectures
  • Lectures have been posted to Blackboard. The notes can be accessed using the student's six-digit CIT number without the letters CIT or any dashes as the username. Initially the password is set to the last four digits of a student's social security number; the password can be re-set at any time by the student.
  • Students must print the notes ahead of time and study them prior to each class. Students must bring the notes to lecture each day so that they can be annotated. The professor will only be highlighting information in the notes, so that class time can be devoted to problem solving or class discussions.

• Suggested Homework Problems: Listed in the third column in the table above are suggested homework problems from the textbook. Although these problems will not be graded, they will provide the student invaluable experience for the in-class tests. Sometimes, the answers to a pop quiz will be the answers to selected suggested homework problems from a chapter. Thefeore, students should work all suggested problems and bring their answers to class. Solutions to many of the assigned questions/problems can be found at the back of the book in Appendix C.
• Test Bank: Old tests can be found in Blackboard. Although topics may be grouped differently on the old tests, they can still be used for practice. Print the appropriate tests, give yourself one hour to work the test, and then consult your notes for assistance with any troublesome problems. The old tests will provide you experience for the in class test.
• Electronic devices: PDAs and laptop computers are allowed in the classroom for note taking only. Cell phones must be set on vibrate or silent. Students must bring a calculator to each class meeting for working problems. The calculator may not be pre-programmed with formulas and no conversion keys on the calculator may be used. Only calculators may be on the desk during a test or the final exam. Only calculators may be used on tests or the final exam (no PDAs, cell phones, and other alterantive electronic devices, which can contain additional aids. Calculators may not be shared. The instructor will not lend calculators to students.

Course Grading Policy

• Honor in the Class: All students will adhere to the Citadel honor code described in The Guidon, and as such will not cheat on any work submitted to the instructor for a grade. Cheating includes discussion of the difficulty level of the test, the emphasis, and questions. Cheating will not be tolerated!
• Individual Learning Exercises (ILE) and Pop Quizzes: Throughout the semester, students will be given individual learning exercises. Students are required to work independently (of any living being) on these assigned problems and to submit the assignment at the next class meeting. If a student knows that he/she will miss class, then the individual should give it to a classmate for submission in class or submit it to the professor ahead of time. No assignments will be accepted late. Pop quizzes will also occur throughout the course. Sometimes, the answers to a pop quiz will be the answers to selected suggested homework problems from a chapter. At midterm, none of these assignments will be used to calculate the grade. At the end of the course, 20% of these assignment grades will be dropped. The remaining grades will constitute 5% of the final course grade. These assignments and pop quizzes are intended to help prepare the students for the tests and final exam.
• Tests: There will be a total of five required one hour long tests. These tests will address material from the lecture notes and any suggested homework problems. At midterm, all tests count. At the end of the semester, the lowest test grade will be dropped and the remaining four tests averaged for 75% of the final course grade.

• Make-up Tests: All make-up tests must be taken by two days after the original test date. Failure to do so will result in a 0 on the corresponding test.
  1. Students who know that a test must be missed, must speak with the professor and establish a make-up test date prior to the absence.
  2. Ill students must contact the professor and make-up the test within two days of the original test date.
     

  Where special arrangements have been made regarding a make-up, this is a contract between the professor and that specific student. This student is not at liberty to pardon other students from taking the test on time.

• Final Exam: The final exam, which constitutes 25% of the course grade, is required. The final exam will cover chapters 9, 10, 12, 13, 15-20. Failure to take the final exam results in a final course grade of F. The final exam will be only be given during the assigned time of Saturday, May 2 at 1 pm, regardless of circumstances. According to Citadel policy, summer furlough begins following completion of the last scheduled exam.
• Laboratory: The grade earned in Chem 104 is independent of the grade earned in Chem 114.
• Midterm Grade: All tests will count towards the midterm grade. No ILEs or pop quizzes will count. Grades will be assigned based on the traditional grading scale, cut-offs on the zero.
• Formula for Determining Course Grade:
  • Final Course Grade = (ILE and Pop Quiz Avg)(0.05) + (Test Avg)(0.70) + (Final Exam)(0.25)

 

• Scale for Final Course Grades: All lecture grades are awarded based on the following fixed scale. This scale does not apply to lab courses.
  • A: 100-87
  • B: 86-77
  • C: 76-67
  • D: 66-57
  • F: 57-0

LD Students

• It is the responsibility of these students to provide the professor with written documentation from the offiice of OASIS regarding special needs. According to Citadel policy, all letters addressing special needs must be processed by the office of OASIS. These letters must be received by this professor at least two days prior to the test and mutually acceptable arrangements must be made by this same timeframe between the professor and the student. All tests will be administered in the presence of this professor.

Teaching Style

A variety of teaching formats will be employed throughout this course, to more effectively transmit the course subject to the students. All of the following will be employed in addition to others as deemed necessary:

• interactive lecture style, lecture with questions
• class work
• class discussion

Classroom Attendance and Etiquette (http://faculty.citadel.edu/mabrouk/etiquette.htm)

• Attendance at each class lecture is mandatory, as described in the college catalog p. 25. Tardy students, not more than 10 minutes tardy, should talk with the professor after class regarding the excuse; the professor will decide if the excuse is legitimate.  If a student is more than 10 minites late, the student is not allowed into the classroom and will be marked as absent. Attendance will be submitted daily on-line.
• Students should arrive on-time if not early.
• Tardy students should enter class quietly and take their seat. They should not ask the professor to repeat previously stated material.
• Students are held repsonsible for all material presented in the notes and discussed in class, even when a student is absent.  Absent students should copy the notes of classmates and discuss any difficulties with the professor.
• Students should not speak while the professor or a classmate is speaking.
• Students should speak respectfully to the professor and all classmates.
• When a student has a question, the student should raise the hand and wait to be recognized.
• Record the question in the margins of your notes along with the professor's response. This information will be invaluable as you study.
• Sleeping is prohibited in this professor's classroom. The first time a student is caught sleeping the student will be directed to the back of the classroom. The second offense by any student will result in the removal of that student and any future sleeping student from the classroom. Sleeping during class prevents one from learning important concepts.
• You are responsible for the condition of your desk. Report any writing on the desk before class begins.
• Food, drink, smoking, and tobacco are prohibited in Byrd Hall.
• The use of profane language is unacceptable in the presence of this professor.
• Spring Break begins following a student's last scheduled class. We will have class on Friday, March 20 from 8-8:50 am.

Student's Attitude

Since you may want a letter of recommendation in the future, conduct yourself in a professional way.  Remember your words, attitude, and work ethic leave a lasting impression in the minds of those around you, including the professor.  Therefore, ...

• be present, both in body and mind (the latter being most important!)
• be presentable (clean and kempt)
• have a positive attitude
• be friendly
• be outgoing
• ask genuine questions
• try to learn the material
• ask for help early
• make good and effective use of your time and the time of others
• have meaningful conversations
• choose your words carefully and wisely
• above all else be genuine

How to Study for Chem 104

Chemistry requires regular study.  Students expecting to study one or two nights before a test and do well will find that this technique results in a test score of F.  If you would like to succeed in Chem 104 study regularly by doing the following...

• attend all classes and if you miss a class copy missed material from responsible and intelligent classmates and discuss any difficulties with the professor
• read the related chapter in the course textbook, jotting questions into the margins
• print and read class notes from Blackboard before the next class meeting, jotting questions into the margins
• stop by the professor's office with questions; bring your notes, flashcards, and textbook with you
• ask questions during class
• prepare and study flashcards of all terms in the Blackboard notes using index cards (place the term on one side and the definition on the reverse side of the card)
• review all  flashcards to date
• work all suggested homework problems (do not read the solutions at the back of the textbook, this action does not count!), a few per day
• re-work all practice problems from the notes by hiding the previous solution and solving the problem fresh
• study with classmates, taking turns to quiz each other on the terms and concepts
• prior to the test, print old tests from Blackboard and work one test in one hour without notes or the textbook; then review missed concepts from the notes

Test Format

Tests will address material from the lecture notes, textbook, and suggested homework problems. The following types of questions will appear on tests, as appropriate:

• multiple choice questions on course concepts and their application, 10-30 questions
• matching, as appropriate, 10 questions
• fill-in the blank, 4-20 questions
• problems, 2-5 questions
• other, 1-6 questions

Tests will be administered on starting at 7:55 am and ending at 8:55 am. This timeframe will provide students one full hour to complete the tests. No additional time will be given, except to LD students with written documentation (see appropriate section below).

Test/Final Exam Attendance and Etiquette

• Arrive early, since tests will start promptly at 7:55 am.
• Do not ask the professor last minute questions before the test, since the professor will be trying to prepare test materials and to start the test on time.
• Regardless of any excuse, late students will only be allowed to work on the test until 8:55 am when time will be called.
• Tests will end promptly at 8:55 am, so any student remaining until this time should submit the test when the professor calls time.  No extra time will be given except to LD students as described above.
• The final exam will only be adminstered on Saturday, May 2 at 1 pm.  The exam will end promptly at 4 pm, when time will be called.
• Tests and the final exam are closed book.
• Tests and the final exam will not be scaled, regardless of class performance.
• Bring a number 2 pencil to each test and the final exam for use on scantron sheets.
• Do not use red pen to write your test, since the professor will be using red ink to grade the test/final exam. Pencil is best, since you can erase mistakes.
• Students may only use scrap paper provided by the professor.  All used scrap paper must be submitted to the professor at the end of the test.
• Be quiet during a test of the final exam.
• If you have a question during the test, leave your seat, bring your test, and whisper your question to the professor. The only legitimate questions are those for which the student is seeking clarification of a test question.
• Print and sign your complete name on the tests, final exam, and scantron sheets, so that a grade can be awarded.
• After you have submitted your test, do not ask the professor to assess the quality of your test answers. Such discussions are distracting to classmates still writing the test. When time is called the professor will be trying to vacate the room and prepare for other activities.
• Students are prohibited from discussing the test/final exam with any Chem 104 student who has not already take the test/final exam.  Discussions include any information pertaining to a test that a student would not have before taking it.  These discussions include the difficulty level as well as the content.
• Test scores will only be made available at the next class meeting and not before.  Tests will not be given to classmates in compliance with FERPA.

Test Taking Strategies

• Prior to starting the test, obtain scrap paper from the professor and jot down any charts or helpful information that may become mangled in your mind later.  Then you can consult this information while writing the test.
• Solve all questions that you know immediately, skipping all others at the present time.  Place a star beside any questions that you are skipping temporarily.
• After solving the easy questions, solve those with a star beside them.
• While answering multiple choice questions, place the answers directly onto the scantron sheet.  No extra time will be granted at the end for the transfer of multiple choice selections.
• Solve mathematical problems multiple times, by covering up your original solution and solving the problem fresh. Enter the data into the calculator multiple times as well. Compare set-ups and final answers, selcting the most appropriate one if there is a difference. Also estimate the calculation, comparing the estimated value to the clauculated value, if they differ, re-check both. Both answers should be in agreement, outside of exactness and significant figures/units.
• Throughout the testing period look at the clock so that you work with regard to the availability of time.  Do not expect nor demand extra time from the professor to complete your test.  No extra time will be granted.

This page was created by Dr. Suzanne T. Mabrouk (mabrouks@citadel.edu) on 8/98 (modified: 1/6/09).