PHYSICS 6A

Fall 2002

Introduction:

Physics 6A is the first quarter, introductory general physics course for students in biology, pre-medicine, architecture, technology and earth and environmental sciences. The course covers Newtonian mechanics.

6AL IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

The lab location has been moved from the Old Gym back into Broida 2324. A's go to lab the first week (starting 9/30/02), and B's go to discussion (alternating from then on). Bring a lab notebook and the lab manual to the first lab, and come prepared for the first lab. See the physics class schedule for more information about your lab and discussion section schedule and location.

Physics 6A/6AL Teaching Assistants:

Alfredo Katz: ajar@physics.ucsb.edu

David Baghdadi: baghdadi@physics.ucsb.edu

Tikhon Bernstam: tikhon@physics.ucsb.edu

Brandon DeMille: brandonddemille@hotmail.com

James Lamb: jmlamb@physics.ucsb.edu

Jacopo Orgera: jacorg@physics.ucsb.edu

Chiou-Fu Wang: chioufu@physics.ucsb.edu

Taro Sato: taro@physics.ucsb.edu

IMPORTANT LINKS


Textbook web site
(for practice questions and solutions)
WebAssign login page
(for submitting homework assignments)
UCSB Library electronic reserve
(for viewing solutions to homework and exams)


LOOK! IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT WEBASSIGN!

Read the document "Physics 6A course information handout" (see below) for information about how to use WebAssign. In particular, see the section titled "Homework."

To register on-line to use WebAssign, click here and then click on "Students click here."

Your username is your perm number (without dashes), and your institution is ucsb. Your password is your perm number.

Contact the Physics 6A head TA if you're having problems: phys6Ahta@physics.ucsb.edu.
COURSE HANDOUTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

All files are in PDF format. To view the files, you need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you would like to download a copy, click on the icon at left.

Course Format:

Physics 6A and Physics 6AL are separate courses. Your lab grade will be assigned by your lab TA. The determination of your grade for 6A will be discussed below.

Click here for a copy of the course information handout (syllabus, grading information, reading assignments)

Click here for a copy of the weekly schedule and exam dates (chapters covered, midterm dates, final exam date.)

Your assignments will be posted on WebAssign. You can find this on the internet at: http://webassign.net/student.html. On this page, you will also be able to check your grades as the quarter progresses. Check here often (at least weekly) for updates to the class schedule and other information that will be useful to you.

How to Succeed in Physics 6A:

Be prepared before you come to lecture: Read the assigned chapter before coming to the first lecture on the material, and work all practice questions at the Textbook web site. The best way to learn physics is by doing physics. You can work these problems as many times as your like. You are encouraged to take advantage of the hints if you get stuck. Additional problems are available on the textbook website under the MCAT Study Guide questions. All questions on the midterms and finals will be slight modifications of the textbook website practice questions, the MCAT study guide questions, and the WebAssign homework questions as an incentive to learn physics by doing lots of physics!

Weekly homework assignments: Cover material that has been discussed in lecture each week and are worth 10% of your grade. These will be posted on WebAssign each Monday, and due the following Monday by midnight. No late homework will be accepted. If you have questions about the homework that cannot be answered by diligently consulting the website, E-MAIL YOUR LAB TA.

Midterms: There will be three midterms during the quarter, their dates are listed on the weekly schedule and exam dates handout. Midterm 1 will cover Chapters 1 - 3, Midterm 2 will cover Chapters 4 - 5, and Midterm 3 will cover Chapters 6-7. Your top two midterms each count for 25% of your grade. The third one will be dropped. It is a good idea to take all three midterms. However, if you miss two or three of the midterms, you will automatically receive an F for the course.

Final Exam: The final exam will be cumulative (covers chapter 1-8 of the text).The date is listed in the fall course catalog and on the weekly schedule and exam dates handout. The final is worth 40% of your grade. There will be no make-up for the final, so make sure that you do not miss it. Missing the final will result in an automatic failing grade for the course.

Any grade discrepancies for any assignment or exam must be brought to my attention within a week after the assignment deadline or after receiving your score. Otherwise, no grade changes will be considered.

Where to Get Help:

1. Professor Carlson and her TAs. We have office hours posted on the webpage, please make the most of them and attend often to have any of your questions answered. You may also ask your lab TA's questions by email (although discussion of homework or exam problems are usually best done in person). If you email one of us, or anyone else in regards to this course, please include the following in your emails: Your name, your perm number, the course name and the section for which you are registered. We will be able to more easily help you if you include all of this in your email.

2. Physics 6A head TA:phys6Ahta@physics.ucsb.edu Should be the first point of electronic contact for all course related business matters (contact the head TA if you forget your TA's name, or if you're having trouble with WebAssign,....)

3. Physics Study and Reference Room, Room 3314, Broida Hall. TAs are on duty from 8:30AM to 4:30PM, Monday through Friday. Your teaching assistants will also hold office hours which will be announced later and posted on this web page.

3. Campus Learning Assistance Service: 893-3269. CLAS helps students increase their mastery of course material through course-specific tutoring and academic skills development. Check out their tutorial groups and drop-in tutoring schedules posted on their web site: http://www.clas.ucsb.edu/. Sign up for services at their main office, Building 477 9-5 daily.

5. Counseling & Career Services: (893-4411, http://www.counseling.ucsb.edu/) offers counseling for personal & career concerns, self-help information and connections to off-campus mental health resources.

6. Disabled Students Program: 893-2668; www.sa.ucsb.edu/dsp. DSP provides academic support services to eligible students with temporary and permanent disabilities. Please inform me if you require special classroom accommodations due to a disability. You must register with DSP prior to receiving these accommodations.

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously in this course and at UCSB. If you are caught, you will receive an F for the course. Furthermore, a Faculty Report Form for Academic Misconduct will be sent to the Office of the Dean of Students. If you choose to appeal these actions your case will be referred to the Student-Faculty Committee on Student Conduct. A typical result of conviction for non-premeditated, first offense cheating has been a one term suspension. Definitions of various forms of cheating are listed below.

CHEATING

Cheating is the unauthorized use of information and study guides in any academic exercise. The methods of cheating are varied and well-known. Cheating includes:

1. Copying from others during an examination.

2. Sharing answers for a take-home examination.

3. Using illegal notes during an examination.

4. Taking an examination for another student.

5. Asking or allowing another student to take an examination for you.

6. Tampering with an examination after it has been corrected, then returning it for more credit than deserved.

7. Submitting substantial portions of the same academic work for credit in more than one course, without consulting with the second instructor (and the first instructor if the courses are concurrent at UCSB).

8. Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book before an examination.

9. Allowing others to do the research and writing of an assigned paper (for example, using the services of a commercial term paper company).

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is academic theft. It refers to the use of another’s ideas or words without proper attribution or credit. An author’s work is his/her property and should be respected by documentation. Credit must be given:

1. For every direct quotation.

2. When a work is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in your own words.

3. For information which is not common knowledge. (It appears in several sources about the subject).

UCSB History Professor Sears McGee advises: “Generally, if a student writes while looking at a source or while looking at notes taken from a source, a footnote should be given.” Each professor should announce his/her specific requirements to guide students in their research; students who do not receive such guidance from their professors will be well served to request it from each of their course instructors.

COLLUSION

Any student who knowingly or intentionally helps another student to perform any of the above acts of cheating or plagiarism is subject to discipline for academic dishonesty. There is no distinction between those who cheat and plagiarize and those who willingly allow it to occur.