Introduction to Engineering Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Course

ENGR-1371-001 Introduction to Engineering

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: MATH 1414-minimum grade of C

Course Description

This course serves as an introduction to engineering as a discipline and profession. It includes applications of mathematical and scientific principles to the systematic solution of typical engineering problems; the use of computer analysis tools and techniques including Excel; MatLab and MathCAD; discussions of professionalism, contemporary issues and ethics; and experience in team design projects.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 2 lec, 2 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Engineering fundamentals

THINKING LIKE AN ENGINEER: An Active Learning Approach

By Elizabeth A. Stephan, David R. Bowman, William J. Park, Benjamin L. Sill, Matthew W. Ohland

Supplies

Calculator: TI-83, TI-84

FLASH DRIVE: A USB compatible flash drive is required for this course.

MyEngineeringLab Code is required for Homework

Student Performance

After completing this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following topics with 70% accuracy as evaluated by the engineering faculty:  

1. Describe the engineering profession and engineering ethics, including professional practice and licensure.
2. Use technical communication skills to explain the analysis and results of introductory laboratory exercises in engineering and computer science.
3. Explain the engineering analysis and design process.
4. Analyze data collected during laboratory exercises designed to expose students to the different engineeering disciplines.
5. Describe the inpact engineering has had on the modern world.
6. As part of a team, design a simple engineering device, write a design report ande present the design.
7. Demonstrate computer literacy.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student 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

Students are expected to behave in the classroom in a manner that is supportive of the learning environment. Behaviors that are not supportive include, but are not limited to: tardiness/leaving early; electronic device noises; texting or using electronic devices for non-course related activities during the lecture; talking during the lecture; abusive, offensive, and/or disrespectful language or demeanor toward AC faculty, staff, students, and/or Amarillo College property.

In order to receive credit for a course, all material listed on the syllabus must be covered.  The instructor sets the pace to ensure that these requirements are met.  Complaining about the pace will not result in less material being covered.

Students who fail to comply with the standards outlined in the syllabus and/or AC's Student Rights & Responsibilities document will be subject to disciplinary action which may include, but is not limited to: removal from the classroom; consultation with the Math, Engineering & Physical Sciences Department Chair and/or other AC authority; withdrawal from the course and/or Amarillo College.

For a full discussion of appropriate behavior and student responsibilities, please refer to the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook. http://www.actx.edu/admission/files/filecabinet/folder2/Student_R_R_07_Hyper.pdf

 

Course Expectations

• Attend class each day and arrive on time

• Notify the professor in advance of any missed classes

• Take control of your college experience by seeking out help if you are not understanding 

the material

• Using computers or mobile devices for social media, e-mail checking, or other non-
academic purposes during class time will not be tolerated.

• Be courteous to the instructor and your fellow students

• Attend class each day with an open-mind and be ready to learn!

• Turn in homework assignments on time

o Pay attention to and respect whoever is speaking

Grading Criteria

The final grades of A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (below 60) will be computed as the average of the earned grades as follows:

Quizzes/Class activities 10%

Midterm Examination I 15%

Midterm Examination II 15%

Homework, participation: 45% 

Design Project: 15%

 

Absence from an exam will incur a zero unless there is prior notification of the instructor with approval granted or there is an emergency that could not be circumvented. Students who miss an exam because of College or business related activities should notify the instructor before the absence occurs.  Make-up exams will be given only under rare, extenuating circumstances and at the discretion of the instructor (after written petition for consideration).

The project counts the same as a major exam.  It includes a written and oral report.

As an engineer, you will need to continue lifelong learning throughout your career.  You will attend workshops, tour work sites, interview clients, among other duties.  To support the goal of lifelong learning outside of the classroom, the Engineering Department will arrange for guest speakers and tours to broaden your education.  There will be speakers on the first Wednesday, at noon, of each month (September, October, November) and at least two tours.  You must attend 4 activities and fill out a short report form.  If you cannot attend the activity, you will submit a 3 page, double spaced, 12 point paper (including footnotes) on the topic you missed.  The due date for the paper will be 1 week after the missed activity.  You must notify me one week before each scheduled activity as to whether or not you will be able to attend.

Handwritten homework shall be presented on engineering (quadrille) paper, in pencil, one side only. If an error is made, erase thoroughly.  Homework with scratched out work will NOT  be accepted.  Each problem should be started on a new page.  Homework presentations shall be as follows:

• In the upper left corner full rectangle box, place the course name, number and section.  ENGR 1371-002
• In the far right small square, place the page number: 1/2, 2/2, etc.
• In the rectangular box immediately to the left of the page number, place your first and last name.
• Explicitly state any assumptions that you make.
• Show all significant steps.  It should be clear why each step is taken.
• Redraw figures and clearly label as needed with dimensions, labels, and units.
• Underline important intermediate results.
• Box (not circle) final results.
• Review work to be certain all work is neat* and easy to read.

*NOTE: If I can’t read it, I won’t grade it.

Hand written Homework sets shall be stapled upper left and then folded in half along a line perpendicular to the long dimension. The student’s name, course and section number (ENGR 1371-002), date, and the problems included  shall be placed on the outside sheet with the fold to the left, the holes toward the bottom.

Janie Smith

ENGR 1371-001

1/11/11

2-4, 6, 9

Memos, Reports, and other formal Engineering documents done in Word and/or Excel will be, at the descretion of your instructor, either turned in in electronic file form or printed and stapled, but not folded with a cover sheet containing the following information

Janie Smith

ENGR 1371-002

1/11/11

Assignment title

Grades will be awarded based on the following formula:

HW mark = (presentation factor) x (correctness)

Here the presentation factor is a number between 0 and 1. This means that homework should be both correct (or mostly correct) and well presented to receive a high mark.  For handwritten work be advised that if the quality of presentation is very poor, then the submission may not be marked for correctness.  Neat and legible block letter printing but not cursive, and adherence to the above guidelines is all that is required.

• The Instructor reserves the right to grade any number of problem(s) per assignment.
• Collaboration between students is allowed on problem solving; however, EACH STUDENT must hand in an ORIGINAL, COMPLETE, problem set.
• NO CREDIT will be given for late homework. Homework is due at the beginning of the class period.  Once lecture has started none will be accepted.  Homework can be submitted early.  Under very rare and exceptional circumstance, as stated earlier, you may submit a written request for consideration of the acceptance of your homework if it is late.

Grading of Tests: In complex problem analyses, such as those used in this course, there are many opportunities for errors. Thus exams will be graded using "partial credit" as it is recognized that  some sections of an individual problem may have been carried out correctly even though the final answer may be incorrect.  Partial credit will only be given if the student work is logically developed, with clear and well marked diagrams, with the appropriate fundamental and auxiliary equations prominently displayed, where the substitutions into the equations are quite clear, and the assumptions used are quite obvious to the grader when grading. That is, it is the student's responsibility to present his/her work so clearly that the grader can quickly ascertain the location and nature of the error(s) and can easily follow the subsequent work through to the now incorrect solution of the problem. Thus, the student's contribution, needed to obtain partial credit, is to be able to clearly lead the grader through the student's thought process on the exam page alone. If this is not quite clear on the work submitted, credit will not be given then nor later. Partial credit is simply not negotiable.

 

Design Project

The design project (DP) will be completed in groups assigned at the start of the semester.

Concepts taught in class will be incorporated into the design project goals throughout the 

semester. A written report and oral presentation including a PowerPoint slideshow are 

primary components of the project. See the course calendar for specific design project 

deadlines.

 

The design project assignments include:

o Deliverables (team contract, Gantt chart, update memos, draft drawings)

o Practice Group Presentation

o Modeling and testing results memo

o Success of design 

o Self and team evaluation

o Final Group Presentation

o Final Written Report

Attendance

You must attend to be allowed the opportunity to take the quizes and hear the lectures.

Expect to have homework assigned each day. 

Please remember the deadline for dropping a class at Amarillo College during the Spring semester is April 21st.  If you stop attending class and do not officially drop the course by this deadline, and your average is below a 60, you will receive an F for the course.

Attendance is essential for successful completion of this course.  In order to promote consistent attendance, homework is regularly assigned and in-class quizzes may periodically be given.  Late homework is not accepted and in-class quizzes may not be made up.  Homework may be submitted and exams taken in advance when absences are due to a scheduled event.

Calendar

Additional Information