Visions of the Universe - ISP 205, Sec 2 - SPRING 1998

Instructor: Susan Simkin
312 PA, tel: 353-6779
simkin@grus.pa.msu.edu
home page: http://jabiru.pa.msu.edu/

* We Meet in the Planetarium JAN 22 *

*
TIME and PLACE
Tuesday and Thursday Evemings
7:00-8:30 PM (19:00 - 20:30)
RM 118 Physics Astronomy

CLASS SYLLABUS AND SCHEDULE
READING REFERS TO: Discovering Astronomy, 3rd ed
by Robbins, Jefferys and Shawl
Vacation Dates are in Brackets [ ]
Exam Dates are Underlined
*
DATES Topics EXAMS Reading Homework
--Date (Chs) ChaptersSet# - Due Date
Jan 15Science, The Universe, and All That - Ch 1-3 in class
20,22 The Sky and its History - Ch 4, 5 #1 - 1/27
27,29 Models of the Solar System; Early and Late - Ch 5, 6 #2 - 2/3
Feb 3, 5 Comets, Dust, The Earth and Moon - Ch 7, 8 #3 - 2/10
10, 12 Terrestrial Planets 2/10 (1-8) Ch 9#4 - 2/24
17, 19 Jovian Planets - Ch 10, 11 in class
24, 26 Light and Telescopes - Ch 11, 12#5 - 3/3
Mar 3, 5 Spectra 3/5 (9-13) Ch 13#6 - 3/24
[10, 12] [no class SPRING BREAK] - - BREAK
17, 19 - Fingerprinting the Stars - Ch 14, 15 in class
24, 26 How the Sun and Stars are Made - Ch 15, 16 #7 - 3/31
31, Apr 2 How Stars Age and Die - Ch 17, 18 #8 - 4/7
7, 9 The Cycle of Renewal 4/7 (14-18) Ch 19#9 - 4/21
14, 16 Our Galaxy and Others' (Guest Lecturer)- Ch 20, 21 in class
21,23 Quasars and the Universe - Ch 21, 22 #10 - 4/28
28, 30 Cosmology 4/30 (19-23) Ch 23 -
MAY 05 FINAL EXAM; 20:00 - 22:00; Room 118 PA - - -




S. M. SIMKIN -- Office Hours:

Tu, Th 17:30 - 18:45 (PM) and F 13:50 - 14:40 (pm), RM 312 PA
For other times:
1. make an appointment by calling my office and leaving
a message with a 'PHONE NUMBER where I can call back
2. OR send me an email message,
3. OR see me after class
4. OR leave a message on my office door (312 PA)


  • COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will explore the roles of observation, theory, philosophy, and technology in the development of our modern conception of the universe. Examples drawn mainly from the field of astronomy will be used to explain the process of scientific inquiry and its impact on our world view.

  • GRADING: I do not grade on a curve, so it is possible for everyone to get a 4.0. HOWEVER, under this system it is also possible for everyone to get a 0.0 if they don't work! (See grade scale below).

  • CLASS WORK: Each week there will be some kind of in-class activity, homework, or quiz. These will cover topics scheduled for that week or in the previous week. They will count 20% of your grade but you will have the flexability of droping or skipping three of these in-class activities. Because you have the flexability to skip three in-class activities, there will be NO MAKEUPS allowed .

  • The homework assignments are important to your final grade . You will be expected to solve problems and to answer qualitative questions in a weekly individualized assignment. There are two options in fulfilling each homework assignment:
    • The written answers may be turned in on the assignment sheet by the start of lecture on the due date, or,
    • The student may login on the campus network and enter solutions directly. This provides the opportunity to correct any incorrect answer and still get full credit. There are also some hints provided to solve some of the assigned problems.
    The second option is highly recommended. People choosing the first option typically get only 50% correct.
    CLICK HERE FOR Information on How to use CAPA (for on-line homework)
    http://www.nscl.msu.edu/~sherrill/isp205s8/capahto.htm

    We encourage you to work together, but each student's answers will be different. A calculator will be very helpful for the course. See me if it is not possible for you to get a calculator to use.


  • EXAMS: There will be four hour exams (see syllabus for times). Each exam will count 20% toward your grade and will cover ONLY the material from the end of the previous exam to the date of the scheduled exam (ie. the hourly exams are non-cumulative). If you take all four exams, you need not take the final. If you miss an exam or more than two in-class activities, you MUST take the final. If you wish to take the final to replace your lowest hourly exam score, you MAY take the final, but this option (dropping a score) will not be available to anyone who has missed any of the hourly exams. Be sure to bring your calculator to EACH exam. Because you have the flexability to take the final in place of an hour exam, there will be NO EXAM MAKEUPS allowed.

  • REVIEWS: There will be a twenty minute review session, in class, just before each exam.

  • FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, May 5, 8-10 PM. This will be the same length as the hourly exams (80 questions), but you may spend 2 hours taking it if you wish. The Final Exam will cover ALL of the class material. Remember, if you take all 4 hour exams you do not have to take the final (but you MAY take the final and drop your lowest score).

  • LABS: Although the lab (IPS205L) is not required for this course, it really helps you understand the material. Labs start NEXT week (the week of Jan 20 - see schedule book). LOCATION is room 331B North Kedzie. This is the place you will find TAs who can give you help.

  • NOTE - MISSING ASSIGNMENTS: Anyone who has missed more than three class assignments or more than one hour exam, for whatever reason, should contact me (by telephone, email, or in person) within one week of the skip to find out how it affects your grade. I will be unable to help anyone who delays asking for help until long past the time when help is possible. (A good rule of thumb is to see me AS SOON as you have a problem)

  • HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR GRADE: This is easy to do (once you have taken at least one exam and completed some of the homework assignments).

    • First add up all the RAW SCORES for your tests and DIVIDE by the number of tests up to that date (i.e. if you missed a test that counts as 0).
    • Next find your average percent score for the homework. (add them all together and divide by the number of homework sets).
    • Finally DIVIDE your average homework score by 5 and add this to your average RAW TEST SCORE.
    • Look up the percent in the table below and you have your grade.

      • EXAMPLE:
      • For the first 3 exams your scores were 45, 55, and 65, average = 55.
      • you have done 5 homework sets and skipped 2 sets so if the scores on the five sets you did were 85, 82, 75, 90, and 88, your average homework grade is:
        (85 + 82 + 75 + 90 + 88 + 0 + 0)/7 = 60.0%
      • And your score to date is: 55 + 60/5 = 62
      • In the table below 62 lies between 57 and 63 so your grade to date is a 2.0

      • IMPORTANT! Suppose you had NOT skipped two homework sets? but had 65% one one and 67% on the other? Your score would then be 55 + 78.86/5 = 70.8, which rounds up to 71 which gives you a 3.0!. So doing all the homework is important even if you don't get a top grade on some of it.


    • GRADE SCALE ISP 205 (Simkin)
    PERCENT GRADE
    85-100 4.0
    78-84 3.5
    71-77 3.0
    64-70 2.5
    57-63 2.0
    50-56 1.5
    43-49 1.0
    Below 43 0.0
    *RETURN* RETURN TO SMS HOME PAGE
    Susan Simkin (Simkin@grus.pa.msu.edu) last updated: 29 April, 1997