Block 7, 2003-2004

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Instructors

Text

The required textbook for the course is Astronomy: A Beginners's Guide to the Universe (Fourth Edition) by Chaisson and McMillan.  A CD-ROM comes with the book.  The information on the CD is in HTML format so you can view it with any web browser.  The CD contains the entire text as well as some great tutorials and animated physics demonstrations ("physlets").  We'll look at some of these in class, some of these will be assigned as part of your homework, and I encourage you to view the rest on your own.

Online Course Information

All documents related to the course are on the course web page at http://faculty1.coloradocollege.edu/~kmlang/03-04/PC133/Index.html.   Check this page often for assignments, the lab schedule, and handouts.
There are also some nice resources on the web page for the textbook at http://www.prenhall.com/chaisson/. This web site has additional multiple choice problems ("study guide"), numerical problems ("practice problems"), images, animations, and updates on new discoveries made since the text was published.
Finally, there is a collection of NY Times articles pertaining to recent developments in astronomy to be found at: http://ethemes.pearsoncmg.com/0131429760/.   Some of these will be assigned reading during the course, but you might wish to peruse others on your own.

Class Schedule

The lecture and problem solving portion of the course will meet every weekday from 9:15 AM until about noon unless otherwise noted on the schedule.

Laboratories will occur as specified on the course schedule.  They will commence at 1PM and last between 1 and 2 hours, unless otherwise specified.  Attendance is required at all laboratories.

Quizzes and Exams will be given starting at 1PM on the day they are listed on the course schedule.  Quizzes may occasionally be given at the end of the morning session, time permitting.  Quizzes will last an hour.  Exams will last three hours.

Visit to the Cabin

We will visit the CC cabin during the third week of class to take advantage of the site's dark sky and excellent seeing. See the Cabin Itinerary for a detailed schedule. It can be very cold at the cabin at night this time of year so be sure to bring some warm (winter) clothes. We will be outside observing for three to four hours each night.

The use of alcohol and drugs is strictly prohibited during this trip. Students who do use alcohol or drugs during the trip will be returned to campus at their own expense and will fail the course.

Reading and Problem Assignments

Daily reading and homework assignments are listed in the course schedule.

You should do the assigned reading before class, i.e. the reading assigned for Monday should be read before morning class on Monday.  Embedded in the reading are "Concept Check" questions which you should do as you read along to test your comprehension.   Also at the end of each chapter is a "Self-Test" which you should  also do to check your comprehension.  Answers to the Concept Check and Self-Test are found at the end of the book. 

The problems at the ends of the chapters in this book come in two flavors: "Review and Discussion" and "Problems".  For each reading assignment you will find a listing of problems to work, generally several of each of the two flavors.  In addition, you might also be assigned to do one of the Physlets or Tutorials to be found on the CD-ROM that came with your book.  Finally, you might be asked to follow a hyperlink and view an animation or image.  Often these will come from the course webpage, as detailed above. 

You should have read, thought carefully about, and worked or at least tried to work all these assigned problems before class on the day their reading is assigned, i.e. problems pertinent to Monday's reading should be considered before class on Monday.   During class we will discuss these problems, working some of them all or part-way through.  After class you should then go back and finish any problems you did not complete or fully understand from that day's assignment, before continuing to the reading and problems for the next day.

The assigned problems will not be collected or graded.  This gives you flexibility in when you choose to work them fully- either before or after the class in which the subject matter pertinent to them is discussed.  You should figure out for yourself what schedule best enhances your learning.  However, in the end you should work all the assigned problems fully and understand them (you may see very similar problems to these on quizzes and exams!).  If you fail to do this, you will not do well in the class.

Of course, you may well decide to work more problems than those which are assigned.  This is probably the best way to learn astronomy, and you will be rewarded by a deeper understanding of the material and probably by a better grade on the exams!   Some excellent additional problems to be worked are those found on the course website http://www.prenhall.com/chaisson/ for the chapter at hand.  To reward you for this extra learning effort, I will choose some of the Quiz and Exam problems from those found in the "study guide" and "practice problems" sections on the course webpage.

Your learning will often be enhanced by working with a partner or in a group on the assigned problems.  You are encouraged to do this; however, be sure that at the end of group sessions you understand the problems.

Problem solutions will be posted shortly after class on the day their reading is discussed.  Although the solutions can help you when you get stuck and can reassure you that you are doing the problem right, you will be best served by not referring to them until you have completed the problem or gotten completely stuck (and then only look at them for a hint).

Labs

Lab is where you get to experience nature firsthand.  The labs in this course have multiple and overlapping purposes- some will give you an understanding of how working scientists collect and analyze data, some will help you understand the concepts we are studying, and some will impress you with the beauty and magnificence of the heavens.

Lab will meet on specified days and times as listed on the course schedule.  Attendance at all laboratories is required to pass the course.

Some of the labs have a detailed handout which guides you through the steps to be performed, while others will have only a brief description of the task to be performed.   In either case your lab performance will be evaluated by a "Socratic" checkout procedure--to get credit for a lab, all you and your partner have to do is talk your way past your friendly lab instructor, who might have a question or two about how you know the things you say you do.  We do not require detailed lab write-ups, but we do require detailed understanding, as evidenced by your ability to answer your instructors questions during checkout!

Exams and Quizzes

There will be about four quizzes (ie probably four- but maybe 3 or 5), one essay, one midterm exam and one final exam during this course.   Please see the course schedule for dates.  The quizzes will cover all chapters since the previous quiz.  The midterm exam will cover all material from the beginning of the course until the exam.  The final exam will be cumulative.

All quizzes or exams will consist of multiple choice questions, numerical problems, and perhaps a short essay question or two.

There will be no makeup exams or quizzes.  You will be allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade, so if you miss a quiz that is the grade that will be dropped.  Except under dire circumstances, if you miss the midterm or the final exam you will fail the course.  Requests to reschedule the time you take an exam must be made well in advance and will be considered on a case by case basis.   Generally, if your request to reschedule the exam is granted, you will not have access to a professor while you take the exam.

All tests will be closed book.  Calculators will be permitted, and you may bring to each exam a single 8.5”x11” sheet with anything on it you want (staple it to your exam when you turn it in). We will provide any numerical values or unit conversions that you require during the exam.  In addition you will be provided with a selection of tables from the text containing astronomical data, etc.

Exam questions will emphasize conceptual understanding of the material.  They will mostly be drawn from the topics emphasized in the assigned problems.  So in studying for quizzes and exams make sure you understand the concepts behind each assigned problem.    Memorization of numerical quantities, definitions, etc. is not required.   In fact, if you can clearly ask for a given fact during a quiz/exam, I will be happy to provide it to you.  Most working physicists don't remember every known fact about the world.  Rather, they just know a few very important facts and equations, and for the rest they know what kinds of facts are available to them and where to look them up.  This is the operative philosophy in the class.

Extra Help

A junior or senior physics major is available to answer questions or give help solving the assigned problems Sunday through Thursday evening in the physics lounge Barnes 213.  There is no charge for this service so do not hesitate to use it.  You may also come by your instructor's office to ask questions whenever the door is open.

Honor Code

Science is a social enterprise, and we encourage you to work with your peers on homework, labs, studying for quizzes, etc. You should, however, be certain that you have your own understanding of every problem assignment. Lab checkouts are done with your partner, but the lab instructor will make sure both partners understand the experiment. Don’t let your lab partner take over--be sure you understand what you are both doing. Of course, your work on quizzes and exams should be your own: we’ll ask you to sign the honor pledge to that effect.

Grades