| Rough Syllabus | Homework Assignments |
Instructor:
Calculus from Graphical, Numerical and Symbolic Points of View, Volume 1, by Arnold Ostebee and Paul Zorn
Grading:
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
| Chapter 1 Problems | 10% |
| Homework Assignments | 15% |
| Class Attendence and Participation | 5% |
| Weekly Projects | 15% |
| Exam 1 | 15% |
| Exam 2 | 15% |
| Final exam | 25% |
Reading Assignments and Responses:
This class will probably be different from other math classes you have taken in the past. I really do want you to read the textbook. You will see new material both in the reading assignments and the class hours. Therefore, if you skip any reading, you are skipping a vital step in the learning process. Please spend time reading the material and thinking about what you have read.
With some of the reading assignments you will be asked to answer one or two short "reading responses". I will not collect your answers to these questions, but we will use them as a starting point for our discussions. I will expect you to have thought about these questions and be prepared to discuss them in class. The degree to which you have thought about these questions will be reflected in your class participation grade, and hopefully your time spent thinking will also help you on the exams.
All of this means that much of the learning you do will be done outside of the classroom, but it doesn't mean that when class is dismissed you are on your own. I strongly encourage you to work with your classmates on the homework assignments (as long as your written work is your own), and come to see me during my office hours with any questions that you might have.Please don't consider office hours to be a resource of last resort. I consider them to be a part of the course like any other. There is much that I can do for you in a one-to-one situation that I simply cannot do when you are one of many students. You should take advantage of the fact that I am easily available to help you outside of class.
In addition, there is a Calculus Clinic available to you every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:00-10:00 PM. There will be tutors in MAP 311 during those times to answer any questions you might have relating to this course. Please use this great resource often.
Homework Assignments:
Homework will be due most class days at the beginning of class. The problems in our text are meant to extend and deepen the understanding you have gained from the reading and the class period. Some problems will just allow you to practice skills you have already learned, but generally the problems you are assigned will expect you to take the ideas presented in the text and in class and apply those ideas in various contexts which will help you to understand them more thoroughly for yourself. The problems are not always easy, but the thought that goes into them always pays off in the long run.
Projects:
Good problem-solving and writing skills are essential to almost all successful mathematical pursuits. There will be several projects assigned throughout the semester. Two of the projects will involve a significant writing component (that is, you will be writing a mathematical paper). The other projects will involve some writing (e.g., you might be asked to explain your reasoning in a paragraph as part of an exercise in a Maple lab). Be sure to write in complete sentences, and include all accompanying mathematics and computer computation in a clear, concise, and convincing manner. Your grade will be based on both presentation and mathematical correctness. For each of these projects you will be working with one or two partners. Your group will turn in a single project and, except in extraordinary circumstances, each member of the group will receive the same grade.
Late Assignments and Missed Classes
1. Do not turn in late assignments. Exams:
You will have two exams and a final exam during the semester.
Exam 2 has two parts: an in-class portion and a take-home portion. The in-class portion will be the Gateway Exam (see below). The take-home will be distributed around the time of the Gateway Exam, and you will have a week in which to complete it.
Examination Dates:
The final exam will be at the time set by the Registrar for Period 7. Please do not ask me to reschedule the final exam; I cannot. If you cannot attend the final exam due to illness or another unforseen emergency, permission to take the final at another time must be granted by the dean's office. See the student handbook for details.
The Gateway Exam:
The Gateway Exam will consist of seven problems that will test a student's ability to apply differentiation rules correctly without the aid of technology. To pass the Gateway Exam, a student must present flawless solutions to six of the seven problems on the exam. By "flawless," we mean that a solution must be 100% correct in terms of computation AND presentation. A misplaced equal sign (mathematical verb) or an omitted parenthesis would make a problem incorrect. The Gateway Exam is worth 10% of the final course grade.
Since perfect solutions are required, a reasonable number of retakes of the Gateway Exam are permitted according to the following guidelines:
Academic Honesty:
Though you are encouraged to work with other students on assignments, it is understood that every piece of written or computer-generated work that you submit must finally be your own (or your group's when you are working in a group). In any case, if you work with a fellow student or students, you should make a note of this at the end of your paper. (There is NO PENALTY for this! It is merely a matter of academic honesty.) If the assignment is a group assignment, the members of the group should contribute equally to writing the final product---in other words, don't put your name on a paper written by others. For further information, consult the student handbook or ask your instructor. Resources for Help:
Your instructor is the primary source for help with the course. Do not hesitate to ask questions in or out of class. (As I mentioned above, I consider working with students in office hours to be a part of the course like any other.) Other students can also be a source of help. Having a classmate with whom to work and talk regularly about class work is a well-known factor in improving performance in calculus. You need not look for a student who "knows more" than you do. This arrangement works best for both partners if the students who are working together are well matched in ability. Disabilities:
If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, feel free to discuss your concerns in private with me, but you should also consult the Office of Disability Services at 5453. The Coordinator of Disability Services, Erin Salva (salvae@kenyon.edu), will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are appropriate. (All information and documentation of disability is confidential.) It is Ms. Salva that has the authority and the expertise to decide on the accommodations that are proper for your disability. Though I am happy to help you in any way I can, I cannot make any special accommodations without proper authorization from Ms. Salva.
2. If you turn in late assignments, I will not accept them.
3. Do not miss class.
4. If for some reason you are absolutely unable to attend class (eg. triple bypass surgery) you should notify me as soon as you are aware that you intend to miss class, and make arrangements with me to turn in your work ahead of time.
5. If you wait until the following class to tell me why you have missed class, or did not turn in an assignment on time, I will have little sympathy for your plight.
Exam 1
Friday, February 22
Exam 2
Friday, April 5
Final Examination
Saturday, May 11, 6:30-9:30 PM