There will be a Homework assignment covering each textbook chapter and corresponding Supplement/lecture coverage. The Homework will be assigned and graded through BlackBoard. Successful completion of the Homework assignments before each exam will result in  extra points being added to your Exam scores. More information will be given at the time of the first assignment on BlackBoard.

All four examinations will be taken in the classroom.

• Please do not schedule your work hours or travel during the exam times.
• If you have ODS accommodations and you are enrolled in a class that meets immediately before this one, and if that class has a scheduled exam on the same day as ours, then please discuss rescheduling the exam in the other class if the accommodation extends into this class time.
• For any serious issues that interfere with your taking the exam at the scheduled time, please contact me.

Unexcused absence from an exam will result in an assigned grade of zero. If you are unable to attend an exam, you are expected to talk to me before the exam or as soon thereafter as possible. (E-mail and voice mail do not satisfy this requirement, although you may leave a message to alert me.) Documentation for your absence may be required before any consideration is given for taking a make-up exam during the same week as the originally scheduled exam. Excuses for “last minute” occurrences that interfered with studying before the exam will not be accepted. Allow enough time for commuting on exam days – no extra time will be allowed for tardiness, unless there was some catastrophe.

Here is a link to Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions for taking exams in this course. Please read it.

If classes are canceled by the University on a scheduled exam day, the exam will be given at the next scheduled class period after classes resume. Hour exams will not be rescheduled (unless classes have been canceled for an extended period and I notify you). If I am absent for an exam, another Chemistry Department instructor will take my place. University Information is 703-993-1000.

Make-up Periods for Final Exams: If the university is unexpectedly closed during the final exam period, make-up times will be announced as soon as they are determined and will be posted on the University-wide Class Cancellations page. The last scheduled day of the final exam period is the scheduled make-up day. The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the final exam period are also potential make-up days. Students and faculty must be available for the make-up day(s).

It is the responsibility of all students to be familiar with the GMU Honor Code. All examinations are closed book, and the use of notes or other written material is not permitted. You may use, but not share, a periodic table and molecular models during any exam.You may not use or have in your immediate presence any electronic device.

Course Grade: 4 Exams --three exams given during the semester; the fourth exam is given during final exam week. Each exam will consist of 100 points. The Homework assignment points will be added directly to the graded exam and the combined total will be the “Exam grade”.  The four exam grades are counted equally and their average is your final numerical course grade.

Final letter grades are determined after all numerical grades for all students are calculated at the end of the semester. Letter grades are not assigned for individual exams. You may tentatively assume that your exam grade corresponds to a C if it is within approximately +7 points of the number that I define as mid-C for the exam (see the BlackBoard announcement after each exam). Generally, grades below ~40% are failing grades (F) and grades above 90% are excellent (A). When each exam is returned, the mid-C and the high and low grades will be announced on BlackBoard so that you can estimate your standing in the class. The mid-C at the end of the semester will be the average of the mid-C grades on the exams so you can estimate your final grade based on your on-going average. This is a generally typical final grade distribution chart.

There are no extra credit assignments available for the course. Please do not ask about "curving grades" if by that you mean some arbitrary number of points might be added to your grade in order to raise it.

Copies of exams and the answer keys from a previous semester are available on Blackboard. Note: these exams were given during a Distance Learning course and so the format will be slightly different this year (ex., there will not be an fill-in-the-blank questions).

 

Disability Services: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me after contacting the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474. All arrangements for academic accommodations must be initiated through that office.

 

Honor Code: It is the responsibility of all students to be familiar with the GMU Honor Code. All examinations are closed book, and the use of notes or other written material is not permitted. A periodic table will be provided with the exam. You may use, but not share, molecular models during any exam. You may not use or have in your immediate presence any electronic device.

 

The University Catalog is the source of information about all academic policies: http://catalog.gmu.edu/ .