General Organic & Biological Chemistry Syllabus for 2011-2012
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Course

CHEM-1406-001 General Organic & Biological Chemistry

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: MATH 0302-minimum grade of C, Accuplacer score of 63, THEA score of 230 or an equivalent score on a state-approved test; RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

A survey course including topics in measurements, density, solutions, basic organic molecules and functional groups, reactions, carbohydrates and proteins.

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Department Expectations

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Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 4 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

\ General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry:  An Integrated Approach, 1st ed. by Frost, Deal & Timberlake

\ It is vital that you read the text BEFORE the lecture on that chapter.  This will greatly improve your understanding of the topic and therefore your grade.  As there is a large amount of information to cover, not all of it can be covered in the time allotted for class.  You are responsible for the information presented in the text even if it is not covered in lecture and vice versa.

Supplies

\ 3-ring binder for Homework Notebook

Student Performance

\ 26.    Recognize a reducing and non-reducing sugar.

\ 27.    Recognize glucose in either a Fisher or a Haworth formula.

\ 28.    Know the structure of three disaccharides: sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

\ 29.    Know the difference between cellulose and starch and how this relates to alpha and beta glucopyranose.

\ 30.    Learn how to recognize carboxylic acids and their amide, ester, and salt derivatives.

\ 31.    Relate esters to the structures of glycerides and amides to the structures of proteins.

\ 32.    Know what amino acids are and how they form peptide linkages.

\ 33.    Learn the meaning of the terms primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary as applied to proteins.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

\ Please be respectful of both the instructor and the other students in class.  Turn off cell phones/pagers.  Pay attention in class.  Do not be disruptive.  If you arrive late, do not try to go to your accustomed seat, but quietly take a chair close to the door.  If you are causing a disruption in class, you may be asked to leave. 

\ If there is any evidence of cheating on any homework, quiz, test, or final, you will receive a zero for that item and cannot make it up or replace it and it cannot be dropped.

\ Please see Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for further information.

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA/ SCALE:The grade in this class will be determined from a weighted average of the scores on the homework, quizzes, chapter exams, lab grade, and the final exam as follows: 15% homework, 25% lab, 5% quizzes, 40% exams, and 15% final exam. 

Grades are based on 90.00+ = A, 80.00-89.99 = B, 70.00-79.99 = C, 60.00-69.99 = D, and 59.99 and lower = F.

Work must be legible and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive credit. 

The laboratory portion of the class will have a separate syllabus that is considered part of this syllabus.

EXAMINATIONS: Chapter tests will be given regularly during the semester.  There will be two covered on each exam.  One of these chapter exam grades will be dropped.  Tests will be announced at least a week in advance.  Work must be legible and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive credit.  There are NO makeup exams.  If special accommodations become necessary, arrangements must be made BEFORE (at least 24 hours) the exam date and you must have WRITTEN permission from the instructor to take an exam at an alternate time.

You may not leave the room during a test.  No tests will be handed out once someone has left the room.  During tests, there are no cell phones, pagers, or graphing calculators allowed.  You must use the periodic tables supplied by the department.I do not return exams in class.  When you see the grades available on AC Online, you may come by my office to pick up your exam.

QUIZZES: Quizzes may be given each lecture period during the first ten minutes of class throughout the semester.  Quizzes cannot be made-up, but the lowest grade will be dropped.  Typically, there will be a quiz on the first day that we begin class discussing that chapter.  You may not leave the room during a quiz.  If you are not in the classroom when quizzes are passed out, you cannot take the quiz for that chapter.  Do not arrive tardy for class.

Extra Credit:Rare extra credit assignments might be given in class that will count toward either your final homework grade or test grade depending on the assignment.  There is always the option to submit questions for any quiz or test with the correct answers.  Please label papers with the assignment for which you are turning in questions.  These must be submitted by 5:30 pm the evening before the quiz or test to receive any credit.  In addition to the EC, the question may well appear on the assignment.  The “better” the question and the sooner I receive it, the more likely it is to be included.

HOMEWORK:  Homework problems will be listed with the point value for each question on AC Online as we begin discussion of a chapter.  You are advised to write out (or simply print) the question from the book then put your answer under it, but this is not required.  You must show your work on math questions or you will receive NO credit..  Whenever drawing organic structures, if it asks for line-bond, either line-bond or skeletal structures will be accepted. 

Homework must be neat & legible to be graded.  This is not an exercise in how much you can write on one piece of paper. 

Homework problems are generally from the book, but may have been altered to clarify or simplify the question.  You are responsible for the homework questions that are published in AC Online. 

Homework will be due the class period after we finish a chapter and will be returned the following period if possible.  Keys will be posted in AC Online at 5:45pm on the due date.  No homework will be accepted once a key is posted.  Due to time constraints, tests will often be taken before homework can be graded/returned.

You will be asked to keep a homework notebook.  It should be divided into four sections.  The first section should contain the course syllabus and any other handouts that affect the class (i.e. syllabi amendments, but not necessarily worksheets or helpful flowcharts); the second section will contain homework assignments.  These will be turned in regularly and put into the notebook after they have been graded. The third section will have all quizzes and the fourth all exams which have been returned.  If you are for ANY reason missing an assignment (including that you did not do the assignment), you MUST insert a blank page with the title of that assignment and why it is missing.  Assignments should not be loose or simply stuck into a folder—three-ring binder is preferred. Your notebook should also have a title page with your name, course number, and instructor’s name.  The homework notebook will be graded at the end of the semester (during the final) for completeness and order.  It will count as two homework grades.  If you wish to include lab assignments, you may, but it is not required.

FINAL EXAM: The final exam will be given on Thursday May 10, from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in Warren 201.  This will be a comprehensive, multiple-choice exam.

Grade Disputes:  While I encourage you to come to me with questions about answers on assignments anytime, if you wish to dispute a grade or have a grade changed, you must contact me about it within two weeks of the grade being posted on AC Online or there will be no change to the grade.

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore it is the responsibility of the student to attend class.  If a student finds it necessary to drop this class, it is his/her responsibility to complete and submit the proper paperwork.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE INSTRUCTOR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DROPPING A STUDENT FROM THIS CLASS.  If you stop attending class and do not drop, you will receive a grade of F.  The last day to drop a course is April 19.

There are no make-ups in this class.  One grade of each type (test, quiz, homework) will be dropped, so if you miss an assignment, you may drop that grade.

Calendar

Additional Information

OTHER INFORMATION:  Class time will be used for discussion, problem solving, worksheets, test preparation and tests.  We will be covering about a chapter a week during this semester so being prepared for class each day is important.  Please read the material before class and work on homework after each class.  This will prepare you for the following class and you will know if you have any questions that need to be answered at the beginning of each class.  At the end of each class period, you may be asked to fill out a short form including any questions you might have about the subject, whether that day’s lecture or a previous topic.  These questionnaires are intended to assist both you and me in addressing problem areas and will NOT affect your grade.

Electronic copies of the lecture slides are available on the 2^nd floor of the library.

Web Portal:  Every student has an account in AC Online.  You need to check this several times a week. Handouts, extra credit assignments, grades, and email contact will all be made or posted on AC Online.

LAB:  The lab attached to this course has a separate syllabus and schedule.  The lab syllabus is an addendum to this syllabus.

INFORMATION SHEET/SIGNATURE:  You must fill out and returnthe information sheet for this class (handed out and posted in AC Online).  You must also sign it to signify that you have read and understand the syllabus.  You will receive grades of zero in AC Online for all assignments and no graded assignments will be returned to you until the signed information sheet is turned in.

***This syllabus is subject to change.  You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class, email, and posting in AC Online.***