Course Guide
For:
3 credit hours
Instructor: Ryan Wolfe
Office location: Science and Technical Bldg. Room S-209A
Phone: 312-4209
E-mail: ryanwolfe@sjrcc.edu
Spring 2005 Office
Hours:
TBA
This course guide is designed to help you successfully navigate and complete the requirements for Intro Astronomy, AST 1002. This guide contains information regarding the course such as: the course description, required materials, grading system, and course calendar.
Course Title: Introduction to Astronomy
Course Number: AST 1002
Course Credit: 3 hours
Prerequisites: Two years of high school algebra or successful completion of MAT 1033
Course Description: This is an introductory Astronomy course for all majors. The focus of this course is designed to introduce the great ideas of astronomy to those that have limited experience in the subject. You will be introduced to many scientific ideas and theories along with their social and philosophical impacts. The class will meet once a week and is primarily a lecture format.
Rational: No matter your background or major you are a citizen of the universe, hopefully. This course is designed to give a basic understanding of the principles of astronomy and how said principles affect the world, and indeed the universe, in which we live. At the very least you should be able to answer the kids when they ask, “why is the sky blue?” or “why is it colder in the winter?” In this course we will answer the questions that have puzzled mankind and ask they questions that scientists search for today.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites: This is an introductory science course and as such you need not have any previous science classes. A laboratory, AST 1002L, is also offered in conjunction with the class.
· Textbook
– Neil F. Comins and William J. Kaufman, Discovering the Universe,
Sixth Edition, Freeman Publishers
Course Goals: This course, being an overview of introductory astronomy, is broken up into different sections. Each section has its own list of goals, which we will discuss.
I assume that those of you that has signed up for this course has some basic interest or curiosity that pertains to astronomy. This class should at the very least enhance that interest and encourage you to learn more about science as a whole. In order to have success, you should not simply memorize the facts or idea, but rather try to truly understand the concepts and goals that will be introduced to you over the next semester.
There are some important goals that I want you to take away from this class. I want you to have a real good idea of what the science of astronomy is and what it is not. Physical science is present and around you everyday of your life. You should have a basic understanding of the laws of science and how they effect not only the world, but also the universe that you live. This goal will be achieved during lecture and will be tested during our exams. I want you to develop reasoning skills and learn to apply them to your studies. This goal will be met with the examinations and quizzes.
Grading System and Course Requirements.
Grading Scale – A grading scale of 90% and up will be an A, 80 % to 89% will result in a B, 70% to 79% will yield a C, 60% to 69% is a D, and 59% and below is a F. Your grade for the course will be composed of the following: 3 hour exams and quizzes.
Hour Exams: 50%
Quizzes: 30%
Attendance and Participation: 20%
Hour Exams: Your exams will be covering the lecture objectives presented in class. The tests will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions. Each question will be worth 4 points. Exams will generally be scheduled during lab.
Quizzes: There will be a short quiz following the completion of every chapter. The quiz will only cover what we have previously studied.
Missed Assignments and Late work - If you are absent during a quiz you will not be allowed to make it up without a verifiable doctor’s excuse in which case you may make up the quiz at a later time. If you have to miss an exam or quiz, please notify me ahead of time so that we may schedule a time for you to make it up. Exam dates will be announced in advance.
Attendance: I will be taking attendance during the course of the semester. Your attendance and participation in class will comprise 20% of your final grade in this course.
Academic Dishonesty: I was a student once myself and as such I am aware of the sorts of types of dishonesty that can and do take place during the course of a semester. I encourage you not to cheat because not only are you hurting yourself, but you harm others as well. Take that time otherwise spent designing intricate hand signals or schematics for miniaturized transmitters to communicate with others, and take that time to go ahead and study. The punishment for an offense can range from a zero on an assignment to the expulsion from class.
Inclement Weather: Basically, if the college is open I will be holding class. However, do not take unnecessary risks to attend class. I will also take care not to take up homework on such days.
Meeting with Me: If you have any problems of any kind with this material I encourage you to please come and talk with me about it. Many times a student can learn something unclear in class if I talk to them one on one. My office door is usually open and if I am not there we can make an appointment to meet at another time.
(I reserve the right to alter this syllabus during the semester as time or needs allow.)