Syllabus

1. Chemical Principles (8^th Ed) by Steven S. Zumdahl
2. ALEKS online homework: aleks.com
3. iClicker Student, UCSB provides this for free
4. Calculator, please bring your calculator to every class

Course TA:Waseem Shindy
email: wshindy@ucsb.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday 9:00 - 10:00 am
Location: CHEM 1005C

Course LAs: Carolyn McNay and Grace Lu

CLAS (clas.sa.ucsb.edu):

• Asynchronous Tutorial Groups: These provide access to a Canvas page featuring videos and additional resources.
• Drop-in Sessions: A tutor will be available to answer questions. For locations and schedules, check their website: clas.sa.ucsb.edu/subjects/biology-chemistry/drop-schedules.

UCSB has aid for students during financial emergencies. If you have already used up your loan eligibility you are welcome to email, FinancialCrisis@sa.ucsb.edu, and share your situation and they may be able to help you pay for ALEKS or other CHEM 3A related materials.

If you require disability-related accommodations for this course, please reach out to the DSP office at dsp.sa.ucsb.edu. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me directly.

NO MAKE-UP MIDTERMS OR FINAL WILL BE OFFERED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE A SCHOOL APPROVED INCOMPLETE IS WARRANTED.

If you miss a midterm for any reason (e.g. illness, sports event, funeral, wedding, etc.), that midterm will be dropped and the final exam will be weighted at 38% of your overall class grade. Any additional missed midterms will not be replaceable.

You must take the final to pass the class.

If you take all the midterms and score higher on the final exam than your lowest midterm score, then your lowest midterm score will be dropped and the final exam will be weighted at 38% of your overall class grade.

• You must attend the discussion section you are signed up for.
  • Bring your calculator and a constant sheet to each section.
• Before coming to section, spend 30 minutes working on the week's assigned problems (found on Canvas). It's okay if you don't finish all the problems.
• You can earn up to 28 points for discussion sections.
  • Up to 4 points can be earned for each section.
  • 1 point is awarded for coming prepared, which requires showing the work completed before attending.
  • 3 points are awarded for attendance:
    • Deduce 1 point if you arrive late or leave early.
    • No points will be given if your presence is less than 25 minutes.
• During discussion sections, 15 minutes will be given for comparing work with the other students. In the remaining time, the TA/LAs will go over select problems.
• If there's a holiday on the day of your discussion section, you should still complete the assigned problems. Your TA will provide solutions afterward.

• All quizzes are administered through Canvas.
• You have a 12-hour window (9:00 am and 9:00 pm) to complete each quiz. Start early enough to finish by the deadline.
• Each quiz is timed at 30 minutes.
• Quizzes include both short answer and multiple-choice questions.
• No partial credit is awarded for incorrect answers.
• Use only the exam information sheet, calculator, and scratch paper during quizzes.
• If a quiz is not completed by its due date, you can still view the questions and answers on Canvas.
  • Click on the quiz.
  • DO NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS; simply hit submit to see the correct answers.
  • Answering after the deadline results in a penalty of -2 points.

• The midterms and final exam will feature both short answer and multiple-choice questions.
• No partial credit is awarded for incorrect answers.
• Exams are graded and returned via GradeScope: gradescope.com.
• Calculators are permitted during exams.
• An exam information page, including the periodic table, constants, unit conversions, and equations, will be provided.
• Bring your student I.D. (or another government issued I.D.) to the final exam.
• Looking or using a cell phone during the exam results in an exam score of 0 that cannot be dropped.
• Sitting next to someone with the same version of the exam, incurs a penalty of 5 points.
• Headphones are NOT allowed during exams.
• Continuing to work on your exam after time is called, incurs a penalty of 5 points.

• Online homework will be assigned through ALEKS (aleks.com). Your ALEKS course code for this class is: provided on 9/29.
• INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU HAVE AN ALEKS ACCOUNT:
• Open a web browser
• Go to aleks.com
• Sign into your account
• Click on "Add/Change Classes"
• Enter the course code: provided on 9/29.
• If time remains on your subscription, switch to the ALEKS account for this course using the steps below otherwise purchase a new subscription.
  • Select "Use remaining time from …"
  • Verify your perm number by navigating to "manage my classes" through the ≡ icon (3 bars) in the upper left corner of the screen. Click the down arrow next to your name and select "account settings." Click "edit" next to your school and check and change your perm number, if needed.
• INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ALEKS ACCOUNT:
• Open a web browser
• Go to aleks.com
• Click on "SIGN UP NOW"
• Enter the course code: provided on 9/29.
• Purchase an ALEKS subscription.
  • You will use ALEKS for the entire general chemistry series. You may either purchase a subscription just for this quarter or to cover the entire year.
• Enter your personal information.
• There will be a box that says "optional, enter your student ID;" you MUST enter your perm number (enter seven characters, do NOT include any dashes or spaces). If your perm number is not entered or wrong you will not get credit for the assignments.
• To edit account details such as your perm number, navigate to "manage my classes" through the ≡ icon (3 bars) in the upper left corner of the screen. Click the down arrow next to your name and select "account settings." Click "edit" next to your school and correct your perm number.
• If this is your first time using ALEKS, refer to the instructions at: people.chem.ucsb.edu/feldwinn/darby/ALEKS.htm.
• Due dates for ALEKS assignments will be announced in class and sent via UCSB email. Assignments are due by 10:00 pm on the due date.
• Your lowest ALEKS score (excluding the pre-course assignment) can be replaced with up to 5 points from pre-chapter assessments.
• Book problems assigned per chapter are mandatory, although not collected. These significantly impact your overall grade. Expecting an A or B in the class without completing these is unrealistic.

• iClickers will be used during class.
• Each question is worth 0.2 points:
• 0.1 points for attempting the question.
• An additional 0.1 points for each correct answer.
• Up to 10 iClicker points can be used to replace your lowest quiz score.
• There are no exceptions or excuses for missed iClicker points.
• More than 10 iClicker points will be available throughout the quarter.

• Before each chapter, a pre-chapter assessment will be available on Canvas.
• Due dates for pre-chapter assessments will be announced in class and sent to your UCSB email. They must be submitted by 10:00 pm on the due date.
• Each pre-chapter assessment is worth 1 point.
• Up to 5 points from these assessments can replace your lowest ALEKS score, excluding the pre-course assignment.
• Do not consult external resources for these assessments; you are only graded on completion, not accuracy.

• Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationships, depression, or cultural differences, can impact students' ability to succeed and thrive.
• If you find yourself in a distressing situation and wish to speak with someone confidentially, consider the following free options:
  • UCSB's Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS): Provides resources and confidential counseling. Contact at 805-893-4411 or visit caps.sa.ucsb.edu.
  • UCSB's Social Work Services: Offers confidential services to support students' health and wellness. Contact at 805-893-3371.
  • The Office of the Ombuds: Provides confidential consultation on various issues. Contact at 805-893-3285 or visit ombuds.ucsb.edu.
  • In emergency or extreme situations, call 911 immediately.
• If a faculty member becomes aware of a student in distress, they are required to report the situation to UCSB's Student Mental Health Coordination Service. Note: faculty are not considered confidential resources for these matters.