Adapted from an actual CGCC syllabus

SYLLABUS / SPRING 2007

MAT 999

Imperial Math

ROOM 123: PECOS CAMPUS

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Chewbacca Lowies

PHONE: 480- 555- 1212

FAX: 480-867-5309

E-MAIL:

OFFICE: E - 302

OFFICE HOURS:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Tuesday/Thursday: 2:15: P.M. – 3:15 P.M.

Or by appointment.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Millennium Falcon: A Textbook for Math

CALCULATOR: TI-83, TI-83 plus or similar graphing calculator.

Note: All calculator instructions and handouts will be based on the TI-83.

CAREFULLY READ ALL THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS SYLLABUS. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT CAN IMPACT THE FINAL GRADE YOU EARN IN THIS CLASS.

ATTENDANCE

This course meets only twice a week and is EXTREMELY FAST PACED. Missing class is one of the greatest contributing factors to lack of success in a math course; therefore, 3 absences are the maximum allowed without affecting your grade REGARDLESS OF THE REASON ORCIRCUMSTANCE. This includes but is not limited to “Family Emergencies”, and “Doctor/Dentist Appointments”. A fourth absence is allowed, however; IT WILL impact your grade. Upon your fourth absence, your final grade point total for the semester will drop by 20%. At the instructor's discretion, extreme medicalemergencies may be considered excused provided valid documentation is provided. Do not use your allotted absences frivolously; you may need them during the semester for emergencies. Upon your fifth absence you will earn a grade of “F” for the semester unless you initiate and complete a signed withdrawal slip for the class. Failure to withdraw from the course will result in a grade of “F” for the semester. It is your responsibility to make sure you officially withdraw from the course.

NOTE: The last day for a student initiated withdrawal without an instructor’s signature is Friday, March 2nd. The last day for a student initiated withdrawal with an instructor’s signature is Monday, April 23rd unless special arrangements have been made with the instructor.

CLASS BEGINS PROMPTLY AT 9:50. Arriving late or leaving early is extremely disruptive. As such, you are expected be on time and stay until the end of class. At the beginning of each class period, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to sign in on the attendance sheet provided. Failure to sign in on the providedattendance sheet will count as an absence. Being late twenty or moreminutes will be marked as an absence. If arriving late or leaving early becomes a problem I will speak to you in private. If the problem persists I will withdraw you from class.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The focus of the course will be on developing a mathematical and conceptual understanding of the material and applications presented during the semester. In addition to the activities and assignments provided to assist your learning of the course content, there will be graded out of class activities designed to enhance and assess your critical thinking skills and aspects of your personal development as they relate to this class. You will be engaged in individual and/or group tasks that will help you understand and assess your own growth in these two areas. In addition, Writing and Maple assignments will be required as part of the coursework. Due dates for activities/assignments will be provided as assigned. It is your responsibility to read the required material prior to attending class and to obtain and make up any missing work, activities, or class assignments.

Assignments for this course will be posted on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to check Blackboard on a regular basis. In the event changes are made to assignments, due dates,exam dates etc., they will be posted on Blackboard. If it is not possible for the assignment to be posted on Blackboard I will leave copies outside of my office door.

Assignments on Blackboard can be found under the following headings:

Course Documents: Syllabus, Course Outline

Assignments: Homework, class assignments, study guides

External Links: Internet links for class assignments, miscellaneous math links

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS. ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AT THE START OF CLASS REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ASSIGNMENT WITH YOU AT THE START OF CLASS PLEASE DO NOT ASK IF IT CAN BE TURNED IN LATER THAT DAY. IT CANNOT. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU BRING YOUR ASSIGNMENTS TO CLASS WITH YOU ON THE DAY THEY ARE DUE. Being absent does not exempt you from turning in an assignment on time. In the event you will not attend class on the date an assignment is due, arrange for a classmate to turn in your assignment, e-mail me the assignment if applicable, or fax me the assignment at 480-857-5122 along with an e-mail indicating you have done so. FAXED AND/OR E-MAILED ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE START TIME OF CLASS TO BE ACCEPTED. Every assignment is a crucial to your final grade. Taking a zero on an assignment adversely affects your overall grade, therefore be sure and turn in all assignments on time.

HOMEWORK

The homework assignments are designed to supplement the course materials covered in class. Your homework assignments are to be kept in a binder/notebook and will be collected at random during the course of the semester. Include you name and the section number of the course on all homework.

Problems will be chosen at random from the homework problems. In order to receive credit, the random problems chosen must be completed with all work shown. If any are missing or incomplete you will receive a score of zero for that problem. Homework problems will be worth from 2-3 points each. Have your homework binder ready to turn in on a moments notice. No time will be given in class to organize your binder. As with other assignments, homework packets will not be accepted late. To receive full credit all work must be shown and be done in pencil only, standard three-hole notebook paper must be used and all work must be neat and organized.

The home work assignments provide practice on the skill sets needed to solve applied problems. Sloppy work will be returned as unacceptable. In addition to the assigned homework, supplemental worksheets/activities may be used to reinforce the material covered. The same quality standards required for homework apply to all work submitted in this class.

Note: A notebook containing your notes, writing projects, homework, tests and test corrections should be kept during the semester. It will be a valuable asset at the end of the semester as for preparing for the final exam. A well organized notebook can be divided into the following sections:

Homework

Exams

Worksheets/Group activities

Lecture notes by chapter

EXAMS

A noted earlier, the home work assignments provide practice on the skill sets needed to solve applied problems. As such, you will be tested on the materials and concepts discussed in class, your conceptual understanding of the concepts covered and your ability to think critically and apply what you have learned in an applied setting. A study guide will be given prior to the exam but please note that the study guide will not list or provide suggested practice problems. Instead it will provide you with a list of topics and/or skill sets that can be used to construct a personal list of examples, applications and conceptual ideas to be used in preparing for the exam. You are expected to do your own work on all exams. Take care of all personal needs prior to the start of the exam, ONCE YOU BEGIN THE EXAM YOU CANNOT LEAVE CLASS UNLESS YOU ARE TURNING IN YOUR EXAM AS COMPLETED. After each exam you will be asked to complete an “Exam Self Review” in which you will need to asses your performance on the exam, make corrections and reflect on your learning. ( 8 Points each )IMPORTANT: IF YOU WILL BE ABSENT ON EXAM DAY you must call or e-mail me PRIOR TO THE START TIME OF THE CLASS to inform me you will not be in class to take the exam. Include your name, course and section number when phoning or e-mailing. Failure to do will result in a score of zero for the exam with noopportunity for make-up. Late exams will be taken to the TestingCenter and must be taken the next day unless special arrangements have been made with the instructor. Failure to complete the exam by the end of the next day will result in a score of zero. Out of fairness to students who take the exam on the scheduled date, all late exams will incur a deduction of 7% in exam score regardless of circumstances.

COMMON FINAL EXAM

It is assessment that drives instruction and curriculum. Therefore, to ensure consistent curriculum use and instructional practices in the MAT 220/221 course, a common final exam must be given to all students expecting to earn credit through CGCC. The final exam will be comprehensive and include two parts: 1) Derivative Test (formerly called Gateway) 2) Comprehensive Common Final Exam(graphing calculators allowed). We believe that students should demonstrate understanding of calculus concepts numerically, graphically, and symbolically as well as to apply these concepts to solve a meaningful problem. Furthermore, students should be able to explain their mathematical reasoning in written form. These explanations allow students to communicate mathematically, which we believe is as important as doing the mathematics itself.

Note: Calculators are not allowed for the “Derivative Test” portion of the final. You will have two attempts to score as high as possible on this test. Your score will count 20% towards your final exam grade.

You must earn a score of 60% on the final exam to earn a grade of C or better for the course. The date for the final exam for this course will be on Tuesday, May 8th from 9:00 –10:50 A.M. Do not plan an early vacation; you must take the exam on the scheduled day. If you miss the exam on this date you will receive a score of zero for the final.

TIME MANAGEMENT / EFFORT

Allow enough time in your schedule for this course. Because this is an extremely fast paced course it is imperative that you set aside adequate time for homework and study. I am available during office hours if you need assistance

So please free stop by if you needed help with the course material. Free tutoring is also offered by the college in the LearningCenter. The CGCCLearningCenter's mission is to support students' academic learning by providing free tutoring and resources to reinforce and supplement classroom instruction and to assist CGCC students to achieve academic success. Free tutoring services are available for many CGCC courses including math. The LearningCenter is located on the second floor of the Library, rooms L227, L228, and L229. The Center also provides instructional support resources in the form of videotapes, software, and print materials. For a schedule of tutoring hours, additional information or assistance contact the LearningCenter at (480) 732-7231, or visit their website at:

GRADES
Points will be earned based on the following assignments:

Exams:140 points unless otherwise noted

Exam Corrections/Reflection after each exam: 8 points each.

Final Exam: 20 percent of your total semester grade

Derivative Test: 20 percent of your final exam grade.

Homework: 2 – 3 points per problem chosen

Quizzes: 6 Points Each

Points for all other assignments will be determined on a per assignment basis.

Group Assignments designed to incorporate the topics and concepts learned in class. These will include problem solving, critical thinking, and writing components. In addition, they may require the use of “Maple” software.

Miscellaneous Assignments

The following scale will be used:

90 -100%A

80 -89%B

70-79%C

60-69%D

0 - 59%F

A grade printout will be provided to you after each exam.

Note: When a quiz is given it will begin at the start of class. Once the quizzes are collected there will not be an opportunity to make up the missed quiz if you arrived late to class or were absent. There will be a quiz each Friday unless otherwise noted.

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING

Cheating and or plagiarism will not be tolerated. If it is suspected that you have committed plagiarism or cheated on an exam or any other class assignment you will be asked to schedule an appointment with me to discuss the situation. This includes any take-home assignments where you have been asked not to solicit any outside help. Being guilty of either will result in a grade of “F” and/or possible suspension from the college.

STATEMENT REGARDING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students with disabilities are required to register for services in the Disability Resources Services (DRS) office in the StudentCenter at the beginning of the semester. Do not wait to visit the DRS office if you want support with any CGCC classes. The DRS office will meet with you to determine accommodations based on appropriate documentation. This must be on file before any accommodation will be provided to students. You can contact the DRS office at (480)857-5188.

Faculty are not authorized to provide any accommodations nor can they approve any accommodations for students in this class.

STATEMENT REGARDING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT

The faculty and programs at CGCC are dedicated to effective teaching and successful learning with emphasis in the following areas: reading, speaking, listening, writing, mathematics, science, computer application skills, humanities, problem-solving, information literacy, critical thinking, and personal development. Periodically, students will participate in formal and informal assessment activities that will help faculty improve programs and teaching strategies. These activities are designed to facilitate student growth in whatever combination of the above outcomes applies to a course.

BEHAVIOR

Cell phones/pagers are to be switched to silent mode and stored out of sight for the duration of the class. If your cell phone is not put away I will ask you to do so. If the problem persists you will be withdrawn from class.

While in attendance be courteous and respectful. THIS IS A COLLEGE COURSE. AS SUCH, DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. If behavior becomes a problem I will speak to you in private. On the second occurrence I will ask you to leave class. A third occurrence will result in a withdrawal from my course.

If you have questions or concerns, please stop by to see me. I have no way of knowing what is on your mind if you do not let me know.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1.ATTEND CLASS, BE ON TIME, TURN IN QUALITY WORK

2.TAKE GOOD NOTES, ASK QUESTIONS

Taking notes means more than writing down worked examples. Pay close attention to what the key concepts are and focus on the process not theproblem. Be sure you understand all terms and definitions and concepts. Don’t understand something? Please ask. If I cannot answer your question sufficiently in class I will gladly meet with you when class is over or during office hours.

3.STUDY REGULARLY, FORM STUDY GROUPS

Looking at your notes is not studying. You must work and solve problems, understand concepts, definitions and apply what you have learned. DO NOT CRAM FOR EXAMS: This is not studying and is not effective. Instead, review and study daily. Form study groups, exchange phone numbers, visit the tutoring center or make an appointment to stop by and see me during office hours.

4.DO NOT PROCRASTINATE: Putting off seeking assistance help can turn a small problem into a major one very quickly.

GRADING GUIDELINES

During the semester you will be graded on a variety of assignments. While each has its own unique requirements, all graded assignments will be checked for the following items as needed:

IS THE WORK MATHEMATICALLY CORRECT?

ARE THE PROPER UNITS INCLUDED?

IS ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION INCLUDED?

IS ALL WORK SHOWN?

IS THE WORK NEAT AND LEGIBLE?

WERE ALL INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWED?

Failure to adhere to the above guidelines will result in a deduction of points.

PLEASE NOTE: The policies, dates and information in this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to meet the needs of the class.

Have a great semester!

TO RENT A TI-83 GRAPHING CALCULATORSPRING 2007

  1. Go to Registration: Fill out a yellow non-credit drop/add slip to add

NC 500 Section #9924 to your schedule. If registration has any questions, just let them know you want to rent a calculator. Get a new copy of your schedule.

  1. Go to the Cashier (Fiscal Office) – pay the $25.00calculator rental fee. Get a payment receipt.
  1. Bring both the new copy of your schedule and the $25.00 calculator rental fee payment receipt to the Mathematics Division office E119 (located in the faculty offices building). A copy of these two items will be made for our files and attached to your calculator rental agreement. (NO CALCULATORS will be given out WITHOUT both of these items) After filling out a calculator rental policy contract, you will receive your **calculator and handbook**.
  1. You must return the calculator and handbook to the Mathematics Division the day your final exam is completed. (calculators are rented on a semester by semester basis only) If you withdraw from the class you are expected to return the calculator and handbook, the same day you withdraw, to the Math Division office.