• Attendance: It is expected that you will attend each class lecture and each laboratory meeting. I hope that you will find class meetings useful in explaining the material in the text and the concepts you will be applying in the lab. You are responsible for making up any work missed due to an excused absence. If you are unable to make up an assignment, please inform me, in writing (email is fine), of the assignment missed and the associated excuse. If there are reasons why you can not attend a lab section meeting, please let the lab instructor, Trey Franklin, or me know in advance of the lab. If you have a valid excuse (approved in advance) for missing a lab, you may attend any of the other lab sections (on Mon., Tue, or Wed.) in that week to make up the work. It will not be possible to make up lab work on any other days of the week or any later than the week you missed lab. Any UNEXCUSED absence from lab will result in your removal from the course (with a grade of W or F).

• Grading Policy: Your final grade will be based on your performance in five areas and weighted according to the following scheme:

Exams(4) @ 100 pts. ea. 30%

Labs 30%

Problem Sets/Quizzes 15%

Class/Lab Participation & 3Group Work 5%

Final Exam 20%.

The final exam will be cumulative. Part (50%) of the final will include a standardized (multiple-choice) exam developed by the American Chemical Society (ACS). This portion of the final exam will test your content mastery of the material from all of General Chemistry (both first and second semesters). The remaining 50% of the final exam will test material covered since the last in-class exam. These questions will be similar to typical exam questions. It is possible that I will "curve" the final course grades if I feel that the class average does not reflect the level of mastery I observe in the class as a whole (based in part on the ACS exam scores in comparison with classes from previous years). If the ACS exam indicates that the class is "average" then the average class score would correspond to a grade of C/C+. While final grades may be curved, I will not curve anyone’s grade down. Unless curved, the grading scale will be as follows:

90 – 100% A

80 – 90% B

70 – 80% C

60 – 70% D

0 – 60 % F

Therefore if you have an average final score between 80 and 90% then you are guaranteed to receive at least a "B" – with a curve it is possible that your score could earn you an "A".

Problem sets and group worksheets will be assigned frequently throughout the semester. These will be short assignments intended to give you a chance to learn/practice material covered recently in class. Most of these problem sets will not be collected; rather short (5-10 minute) quizzes will be given after each problem set has been assigned (typically on Fridays). Most of a quiz will consist of problems taken directly (i.e. word-for-word) from the homework. If you have worked the homework, then quizzes should be a chance to earn some easy points. All quizzes will be announced before they are given.

• Assignment Due Dates: Work is due on the assigned date unless you have cleared it with me (dire circumstances notwithstanding). Without prior approval from me, late work will not be accepted.

• Extra Credit: Your goal should be to learn chemistry at a level sufficient to perform well on the exams. You should spend your time with the material at hand and not working on extra credit projects. Therefore, no extra credit work will be offered. The best way to rescue a sinking grade is to get help (e.g. chem tutors, my office hours, Thursday night study sessions) and (like voting in Chicago) do it early and often.

• Safety: The laboratory is a great place to observe chemistry in action, but significant hazards exist and care must be taken to ensure your safety and that of your classmates. Therefore, you will be required to wear safety goggles (or safety glasses with side shields) at all times while in the lab (in accordance with State and Federal Law!). You are also to observe all the safety practices and lab etiquette discussed during lab check-in and described in your lab manual. Failure to comply with the safety requirements or the instructions given to you can result in your removal from the lab and/or the lowering of your grade.

• Lab Preparation: Before coming to lab, it is your responsibility to read and complete the assignments for the scheduled lab project in the Chemistry 112 Laboratory Manual (Section II). Familiarize yourself with any lab techniques that you will need to use and review any relevant material from your course text or lecture notes. Pay close attention to safety guidelines and hazard warnings. If there is any material that you do not understand or have questions about, please contact your lab instructor, Trey Franklin, or me before coming to lab. Some labs will also include pre-laboratory questions which you should complete and have ready to turn in at the beginning of lab. You will not be allowed to start the day’s lab work until you have turned in the pre-laboratory questions.

• Lab Reports: Laboratory reports and any additional materials are due on the date assigned unless you have prior approval from me or a valid excuse. You are to take lab notes in a separate lab notebook capable of making carbon copies. Be sure that your lab notes are neat and organized. The lab reports and notebook pages you submit should include your name (and those of any lab partners) and lab section (A[Mon.], B[Tue.], C[Wed.]) on each page. Lab reports will be graded according to a scheme described in your lab manual or distributed by the lab instructor for each project. Generally speaking, more involved labs will carry a larger weight when averaged.