Homework Assignments (PHY101) – Email only if web-submission doesn’t work.
Note:
I have found that one of the best ways to reinforce concepts in my mind (when I study) is to read a page of material, from the text-book for instance, and then to ask myself (a) what was the key concept presented on this page, and (b) if I were the instructor, what question would I ask the class based on material from this page, and (c) how would I answer that question… The same concept works in reviewing material paragraph by paragraph as well (i.e., ask yourself the same questions, but do this paragraph by paragraph).
For every hour that you spend in the class-room (in lecture), be prepared to spend a minimum of 2 hours reading and studying for this course.
The homework assignments (described below) are designed to hold you accountable to read the text-material and to think about the concepts that you have read, and to demonstrate that you have read and thought about the concepts.
Each homework assignment will be graded for 10 points.
Assignment:
Read the assigned chapter
- Assigned chapters are listed by date in the handout titled “Tentative Outline for PHY101”.
Generate 10multiple-choice questions and answers from the assigned chapter
(this works out to approximately one question for every two pages of text).
- Explanation: As you read the chapter, design one multiple-choice question from every 2 pages that you read from the text-book. Examples are provided below.
- Design 10 such questions from the chapter material.
- For each question, design 4 possible answers (only one of which is the best answer).
- Provide an answer key, and list the page number (of the page from the text-book) that the question is based upon. Examples are provided below.
Your grade will depend on the level of understanding that you demonstrate in your questions and answers.
Include Your Full Name, Chapter Number, Due Date, Submitted Date at the top of your homework.
Email the questions and answers to your instructor (only if web submission doesn’t work)
before the due date. Include the questions and answers in the BODY of the email (not as a separate attachment to your email). As a last resort, you may bring in a typed paper copy to turn in at the start of class. Illegible handwritten homework will not be graded.
Due Date: Homework, for a given chapter, is due by midnight of the first Saturday that is before the class-session in which that chapter is discussed (as listed in class outline).Yes, I expect you to read ahead.
Late Homework: Up to 1 day late (drop 10% of grade). 1<x<2 days late (drop 20% of grade). 2<x<3 days late (drop 30% of grade).3<x<4 days late (drop 40% of grade).4<x<6 days late (drop 50% of grade). >6 days late (drop 100%). Include the phrase "(1 daylate)" or “(2 days late”) etc., in the title of your homework-submission email.
Examples (of homework):
Here are three examples below.
- (Chapter 1, page 2) What is science ?
- a philosophical view of the world
- something that nerds think they are into
- a body of knowledge that describes the order within nature and the causes of that order
- a body of knowledge that is made up of theorems and math
- (Chapter 1, page 3) What is a hallmark of good science?
- having a PhD degree
- graduating from a good university
- measurements
- feeling good about yourself
- (Chapter 1, page 4) What did Aristarchus do to compare the size of the moon to the size of the earth?
- he measured the size of the moon's shadow on earth, during a solar eclipse
- he estimated the comparative size of the earth's shadow on the moon, during a lunar eclipse
- he asked his dad
- he measured the time it took for a space ship to travel around the moon
Answer key: (1) c (2) c (3) b
PHY101 Homework AssignmentsInstructor’s Email: provided in classrev. 20100810.1058P