Physics 106N - How Things Work - Spring, 1996
Course Rules
The rules in this list may seem rather harsh and arbitrary
but they are essential to maintaining the integrity of the course.
I have stories to tell about each rule. Some of these stories
are predictable and easy to imagine while others are stranger
than fiction. Although most of you will never come up against
any of the rules, I have a handful of students each semester who
just cannot seem to avoid them. If these rules are going to cramp
your style, then this class is probably not for you. -- Lou Bloomfield
Written Work:
- All homework must be placed either in the locked box in the
lecture hall or in the locked drop box outside my office. Homework
turned in elsewhere will not be accepted.
- Exam booklets and bubble sheets must be placed in the boxes
at the front of the lecture hall upon completion. Exam materials
not placed in these boxes will not be accepted.
- I never lose any written work that is turned in properly.
Claims that I have lost your problem set, term paper, or examination
will not be considered under any circumstances.
Problem Sets:
- Problem sets should be written neatly in ink or typed. Separate
sheets must be stapled together and your name must be written
on all sheets. Check that your problem sets are complete. Missing
sheets will not be accepted later.
- I will not regrade a problem set that was written in pencil
under any circumstances.
- Problem sets may be discussed together but you must write
them up separately. Points will be deducted from all problem sets
that are found to have identical answers, regardless of who copied
from whom.
- Problem sets are due on Mondays: PS 1 is due on Feb. 5, PS
2 is due on Feb. 26, and PS 3 is due on Apr. 1. I will deduct
10% of the numerical grade for each day a problem set is late.
Once the solutions have been posted on the fifth day (Friday afternoon),
the problem sets are no longer acceptable under any circumstances.
- If you find someone else who has a nearly identical answer
but received more credit than you, I will not necessarily raise
your grade. That person may have received more than they deserved
and the proper action would be for me to lower that person's grade.
Term Paper:
- The term paper is due on Monday, Apr. 22 in class. I will
deduct one grade step (A becomes A-) for each day the term paper
is late (including Saturday and Sunday). After the seventh day
(Monday, Apr. 29), term papers are no longer acceptable under
any circumstances.
- Term papers must be written in your own words. Copying material
essentially word-for-word from another source without crediting
it as a quotation is plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Extensive
quotations make for a very poor paper.
- You may not work together with anyone on an individual term
paper. If you are writing a group term paper, you may work together
only with the 1 or 2 other members of your group.
- Term papers may not be written on objects that are part of
the course syllabus. A list of such forbidden topics is part of
this packet.
- I will not assist in topic selection for the term papers after
Monday, Apr. 15.
Exams:
- The midterm exam will be given on Wednesday, Mar. 6 from 1:00PM
to 1:50PM. The final exam will be given on Friday, May 10 from
9:00AM to 12:00Noon. If you miss either exam without prior permission
from me, you will receive a score of 0 for that exam. There are
no exceptions except fully documented medical emergencies that
prevent you from telephoning me or my answering machine. In case
of a family emergency you or the deans must notify me at (804)
924-6595 before the end of the exam.
- The exams must be taken in either Room 203, Room 204, or Room
205 of the Physics Building, unless authorized by me. Under no
circumstances may exam materials ever leave these rooms during
the exam. If you remove your exam materials from one of these
rooms, even briefly, you will receive a score of 0 on the exam.
- If you miss the start of an exam, you will still be expected
to turn the exam in at the regular time. If you miss the exam
entirely, you will receive a 0.
- I will consider compelling reasons for an alternative midterm
time only up until Wednesday, Feb. 28. After that time, you must
take the midterm exam as scheduled.
- I will consider compelling reasons for delaying your final
exam only up until Friday, May 3. After that time, you must take
the midterm exam as scheduled. You must also get permission from
the Dean. All late finals will be given as 1 hour oral examinations.
General:
- I will not sign any petitions to change the grading from Credit/No-Credit
to Letter Grade or vice versa after the Credit/No-Credit deadline.
Check your registration form carefully.
- I will not sign any petitions to add into the course after
the Add deadline. Check your registration forms carefully.
- I do not give any extra credit work, except as it appears
in the course information packet.
- Permission for exceptions from the normal classwork schedule
must be requested in advance. I will not make exceptions after
the fact.
- I will not fail a student who makes a serious effort
at all the assigned work. If you do not turn in a homework
assignment or do not take an exam, you may fail the course.
- I will immediately fail any student who submits for a grade
work that is not their own.
- I will immediately fail any student who submits for a regrade
any work that was modified after it was graded.
- I will immediately fail any student who lies to me in an effort
to improve their grade or to obtain any special consideration
or exception from the normal classwork schedule.
- I will immediately fail any student who attempts to intimidate
me or harass me in an effort to improve their grade or to obtain
any special consideration or exception from the normal classwork
schedule.
- I will consider any of the following actions to be an honor
violation and will submit them to the honor committee for prosecution:
(1) cheating on an exam, (2) plagiarism on the term paper, (3)
copying from another student's term paper, (3) copying from another
student's problem set without their permission, (4) vandalism
of or tampering with the drop box outside my office.