Old Announcements

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Apr 23

Final Exam
The final exam period has been set by the Registrar's Office. The Final Exam for all PHYS 2211 sections will be administered Friday, April 30, 6:00–8:50pm. Information on using MS Teams will be forthcoming.

Please join the meeting by 5:45 PM. You then have 15 minutes to demonstrate that you have a clear workspace and an appropriate calculator. You are only allowed to have blank paper for your work, a calculator that cannot store letters, the standard formula sheet, and Table 12-2 from your text, Moments of Inertia of Objects with Uniform Density. The formula sheet and Table 12-2 will be provided with the pdf file of the exam, and links to them will be included in Gradescope.

The exam will start at 6:00 PM and will end at 8:50 PM. You then have until 9:10 PM to scan and upload your exam. Note that you must stop working at 8:50! You may not take extra time for the exam if you think you can scan quickly. During the quiz period keep your microphone muted; if you have a questions send a private chat message to the proctor.

There will be four Free-Response problems, together worth about half the points on the exam (so, 13% each). There will be 16–20 Multiple-Choice questions worth the rest. Some of the Multiple-Choice may require a bit more calculation than the Multiple-Choice did on the quizzes, but many will be strictly conceptual. I believe that topics in the course will be covered roughly evenly — that is, there will be no special emphasis on material after Quiz #4.

You will be scanning your Free Response work into Gradescope for grading. To make this go more smoothly, write darkly and neatly. Blue or black ink is recommended. Do not make any erasures in your free-response work. Cross out anything you do not want evaluated. Box your answer. Check your file before uploading.

Multiple-Choice questions will be answered directly in Gradescope.

Remember that calculators that cannot store text may be used on the quizzes and final exam. Note that if your calculator keypad includes a complete alphabet, that's a very good sign that it cannot be used.

Remember our expectations for your work on the free response problems, which are the same good problem-solving practices you should be using on the homework, anyway.

• Units should be shown with any value that has a unit
• Algebraic manipulations should be performed with symbols, not values
• Consider, but do not obsess over, significant figures

You may find an example helpful.

Apr 15

Concept Test
A Concept Test for Extra Credit will become available in Canvas at midnight, Sunday, April 18. It is due at midnight on the following Sunday, April 25. Note that it is timed—once you start, you must finish in 60 minutes.

Apr 15

Reading Day Study Session
Tutoring and Academic Support is hosting Intro Physics Study Sessions from 9am to 6pm on Reading Day, Wednesday, April 28.

Apr 15

Quiz #4 Results
Results for Quiz #4 are available as a percent in the Canvas Gradebook under Quiz #4.

The Gradescope link in the Canvas navigation menu will take you to Gradescope, where you will be able to see how you did on each Free Response problem and Multiple Choice question. Note that the FR problems were graded as a percent, but the MC questions were graded as points. That is, 100 on a FR problem isn't 100 points, its 100% of the 16 points the problem was worth. This was not a 352-point quiz!

If you have questions or concerns about how your quiz was graded, you should contact Dr. Murray (the request regrade button in Gradescope is simplest, if that's your concern) before the first Reading Day, Wednesday, April 28.

Apr 13

Quiz #4 Solutions
Solutions to Quiz #4 have been posted. I hope to have scores available later this week.

Apr 06

Final Exam Period
The final exam period has been set by the Registrar's Office. The Final Exam for all PHYS 2211 sections will be administered Friday, April 30, 6:00–8:50pm. A direct (Class I) conflict should be extremely unlikely, but it is possible to have three exams scheduled on the same day (a Class II conflict). Check the exam schedule for your other classes now, and contact Dr. Murray by email as soon as possible, but certainly by Friday, April 16, if you have a conflict. Please note:

• Friday, April 30, 6:00–8:50pm is NOT the period corresponding for MWF 9:30 classes
• Except for conflicts with CS 1371, Physics will handle all other conflicts, even though standard policies might indicate otherwise

Final Exam format will be announced as soon as it is determined.

Apr 06

Quiz #3
Quiz #4 will be administered on Monday, April 12, at 6:30pm, through Gradescope. Students should receive an invitation to a WebEx Quiz meeting by noon on Friday the 9th.

Please join the meeting by 6:20 PM. You then have 10 minutes to demonstrate that you have a clear workspace and an appropriate calculator. You are only allowed to have the standard formula sheet, blank paper for your work, and a calculator that cannot store letters. The quiz will start at 6:30 PM and will end at 7:45 PM. You then have until 8:05 PM to scan and upload your quiz. Note that you must stop working at 7:45! You may not take extra time for the quiz if you think you can scan quickly. During the quiz period keep your microphone muted; if you have a questions send a private chat message to the proctor, who will be identified as host on the participants list.

Multiple-Choice questions will be answered directly in Gradescope.

You will be scanning your Free Response work into Gradescope for grading. To make this go more smoothly, write darkly and neatly. Blue or black ink is recommended. Do not make any erasures in your free-response work. Cross out anything you do not want evaluated. Box your answer.

Remember that calculators that cannot store text may be used on the quizzes and final exam. Note that if your calculator keypad includes a complete alphabet, that's a very good sign that it cannot be used.

Remember our expectations for your work on the free response problems, which are the same good problem-solving practices you should be using on the homework, anyway.

• Units should be shown with any value that has a unit
• Algebraic manipulations should be performed with symbols, not values
• Consider, but do not obsess over, significant figures

You may find an example helpful.

Mar 25

Quiz #3 Results
Results for Quiz #3 are available as a percent in the Canvas Gradebook under Quiz #3.

The Gradescope link in the Canvas navigation menu will take you to Gradescope, where you will be able to see how you did on each Free Response problem and Multiple Choice question. Note that the FR problems were graded as a percent, but the MC questions were graded as points. That is, 100 on a FR problem isn't 100 points, its 100% of the 16 points the problem was worth. This was not a 352-point quiz!

The sliding book question (Gradescope Q7 MC-D, Solution pdf 5) went quite badly, and was converted to extra credit. If you wish to confirm the score in Cavas by your own calculation, find the points earned in Greadscope on each FR problem by multiplying the percentage score by the value (16 points), then add the points earned on all the MC questions other than MC-D. Divide the total by 0.92, then add any points earned on MC-D. The result should match the score posted in Canvas. Scores may exceed 100%.

If you have questions or concerns about how your quiz was graded, you should contact Dr. Murray (the request regrade button in Gradescope is simplest, if that's your concern) before Quiz #4 is administered on Monday, April 12.

Mar 23

Quiz #3 Solutions
Solutions to Quiz #3 have been posted. I hope to have scores available later this week.

To keep my inbox from exploding, I'll say now that the sliding book question (Gradescope Q7 MC-D, Solution pdf 5) was a giant disaster. It will be retroactively made an extra-credit question, so students who got it wrong can still earn up to 100% on the quiz. Details of the calculation will be provided when scores are posted.

Mar 17

Quiz #3
Quiz #3 will be administered on Monday, March 22, at 6:30pm, through Gradescope. Students should receive an invitation to a WebEx Quiz meeting by noon on Friday the 19th.

Please join the meeting by 6:20 PM. You then have 10 minutes to demonstrate that you have a clear workspace and an appropriate calculator. You are only allowed to have the standard formula sheet, blank paper for your work, and a calculator that cannot store letters. The quiz will start at 6:30 PM and will end at 7:45 PM. You then have until 8:05 PM to scan and upload your quiz. Note that you must stop working at 7:45! You may not take extra time for the quiz if you think you can scan quickly. During the quiz period keep your microphone muted; if you have a questions send a private chat message to the proctor, who will be identified as host on the participants list.

Multiple-Choice questions will be answered directly in Gradescope.

You will be scanning your Free Response work into Gradescope for grading. To make this go more smoothly, write darkly and neatly. Blue or black ink is recommended. Do not make any erasures in your free-response work. Cross out anything you do not want evaluated. Box your answer.

Remember that calculators that cannot store text may be used on the quizzes and final exam. Note that if your calculator keypad includes a complete alphabet, that's a very good sign that it cannot be used.

Remember our expectations for your work on the free response problems, which are the same good problem-solving practices you should be using on the homework, anyway.

• Units should be shown with any value that has a unit
• Algebraic manipulations should be performed with symbols, not values
• Consider, but do not obsess over, significant figures

You may find an example helpful.

Mar 10

More First Spring Recess
By popular demand, HW08 assignments are now due Monday, March 15, at 11:59pm, instead of the usual Tuesday 9am. Note that ONLY the Wednesday and Thursday Labs and Studios meet in the week of March 15.

Mar 09

Unofficial Mid-Term Grades
Unofficial Mid-Term Grades are available under PostEm in Canvas.

Mar 09

First Spring Recess
HW08 assignments are due Monday, March 15, at 9pm, instead of the usual Tuesday 9am, due to the first Spring Recess.

Mar 04

Quiz #2 Results
Results for Quiz #2 are available as a percent in the Canvas Gradebook under Quiz #2.

The Gradescope link in the Canvas navigation menu will take you to Gradescope, where you will be able to see how you did on each Free Response problem and Multiple Choice question. Note that the FR problems were graded as a percent, but the MC questions were graded as points. That is, 100 on a FR problem isn't 100 points, its 100% of the 16 points the problem was worth. This was not a 352-point quiz!

If you have questions or concerns about how your quiz was graded, you should contact Dr. Murray (the request regrade button in Gradescope is simplest, if that's your concern) before Quiz #3 is administered on Monday, March 22.

Mar 02

Quiz #2 Solutions
Solutions to Quiz #2 have been posted. We hope to have scores available later this week.

Feb 26

Quiz #2
Quiz #2 will be administered on Monday, March 01, at 6:30pm, through Gradescope. Students should receive an invitation to a WebEx Quiz meeting by noon on Friday the 26th.

Please join the meeting by 6:20 PM. You then have 10 minutes to demonstrate that you have a clear workspace and an appropriate calculator. You are only allowed to have the standard formula sheet, blank paper for your work, and a calculator that cannot store letters. The quiz will start at 6:30 PM and will end at 7:45 PM. You then have until 8:05 PM to scan and upload your quiz. Note that you must stop working at 7:45! You may not take extra time for the quiz if you think you can scan quickly. During the quiz period keep your microphone muted; if you have a questions send a private chat message to the proctor, who will be identified as host on the participants list.

Multiple-Choice questions will be answered directly in Gradescope.

You will be scanning your Free Response work into Gradescope for grading. To make this go more smoothly, write darkly and neatly. Blue or black ink is recommended. Do not make any erasures in your free-response work. Cross out anything you do not want evaluated. Box your answer.

Remember that calculators that cannot store text may be used on the quizzes and final exam. Note that if your calculator keypad includes a complete alphabet, that's a very good sign that it cannot be used.

Remember our expectations for your work on the free response problems, which are the same good problem-solving practices you should be using on the homework, anyway.

• Units should be shown with any value that has a unit
• Algebraic manipulations should be performed with symbols, not values
• Consider, but do not obsess over, significant figures

You may find an example helpful.

Feb 17

Progress Reports
Progress Reports (Mid-Term Grades) have been sent to the Registrar.

Feb 11

Quiz #1 Results
Results for Quiz #1 are available as a percent in the Canvas Gradebook under Quiz #1.

The Gradescope link in the Canvas navigation menu will take you to Gradescope, where you will be able to see how you did on each Free Response problem and Multiple Choice question. Note that the FR problems were graded as a percent, but the MC questions were graded as points. That is, 100 on a FR problem isn't 100 points, its 100% of the 16 points the problem was worth. This was not a 352-point quiz!

If you have questions or concerns about how your quiz was graded, you should contact Dr. Murray (the request regrade button in Gradescope is simplest, if that's your concern) before Quiz #2 is administered on Monday, March 1.

Feb 09

Quiz #1 Solutions and Results
Solutions to Quiz #1 have been posted. We hope to have scores available later this week.

Feb 02

Quiz #1
Quiz #1 will be administered on Monday, February 08, at 6:30pm, through Gradescope. Students should receive an invitation to a WebEx Quiz meeting by noon on Friday the 5th.

Please join the meeting by 6:20 PM. You then have 10 minutes to demonstrate that you have a clear workspace and an appropriate calculator. You are only allowed to have the standard formula sheet, blank paper for your work, and a calculator that cannot store letters. The quiz will start at 6:30 PM and will end at 7:45 PM. You then have until 8:05 PM to scan and upload your quiz. Note that you must stop working at 7:45! You may not take extra time for the quiz if you think you can scan quickly. During the quiz period keep your microphone muted; if you have a questions send a private chat message to the proctor, who will be identified as host on the participants list.

Multiple-Choice questions will be answered directly in Gradescope.

You will be scanning your Free Response work into Gradescope for grading. To make this go more smoothly, write darkly and neatly. Blue or black ink is recommended. Do not make any erasures in your free-response work. Cross out anything you do not want evaluated. Box your answer.

Remember that calculators that cannot store text may be used on the quizzes and final exam. Note that if your calculator keypad includes a complete alphabet, that's a very good sign that it cannot be used.

Remember our expectations for your work on the free response problems, which are the same good problem-solving practices you should be using on the homework, anyway.

• Units should be shown with any value that has a unit
• Algebraic manipulations should be performed with symbols, not values
• Consider, but do not obsess over, significant figures

You may find an example helpful.

Jan 29

Class Participation and Reading Question Scores
Scores for Reading Questions (RQ) and Class Participation (CP) are available in the Canvas PostEm Tool, as percents. Note that since there is only one Reading Question each day, the only possible scores for it are zero, 13% (which is 1/8, rounded) and 100%. If you think your scores are incorrect, contact Dr. Murray.

Jan 29

Studio
Solutions to the first Studio problem has been posted. This will be done after each Studion is complete, and so will not normally be announced.

Jan 27

Missing Class Recordings
Recordings of the Jan 25 and 27 class meetings, which are for some reason not appearing under the Cisco WebEx link in Canvas, have been made available in the Canvas My Media link. Update Jan 29: The Jan 27 recording has appeared in Cisco WebEx, so only the Jan 25 recording is now in My Media.

Jan 27

Homework Scores
Scores for the first week's homework, including extra credit for doing the Regular homework early, are available in the Canvas PostEm Tool. Note that extra credit will only appear in scores posted on Canvas, never in MasteringPhysics. Contact Dr. Murray if anything doesn't look right.

Jan 20

Practice Class Participation Scores
Scores for questions polled in class on Wed, Jan 20, are available in the Canvas PostEm Tool. Since the first week is for practice, these points don't matter. If you see a non-zero score, you know that your account is active and your answers are being received. If you believe you have activated your TurningPoint account and answered questions in class, but are seeing a score of zero, or no score at all, contact Dr. Murray.

Jan 20

Whiteboard Captures
Images of the whiteboard are available in the Canvas Files folder. I plan to post them after each class meeting, without further announcement.

First Day:

• Familiarize yourself with the class web page and all course policies. Bookmark this page!
• Be sure to purchase access to MasteringPhysics for this course. It is the homework service, and includes an e-text. You may use free temporary access for two weeks. The first assignments are due Tuesday, January 26, but bonus points can be earned by doing each by 9am before the next class meeting. All MasteringPhysics issues should be brought to Dr. Murray's attention by email.
• A Diagnostic Concept Test is available on Canvas for extra credit. Note that it is timed—once you start it, you must finish in 60 minutes. The deadline for completion is 11:59pm on Sunday, January 24.
• All students will need to register a Turning Technologies transmitter or Mobile ID in Canvas. We will begin using them in class on Wedesday, January 20, but the results will not count for credit until Monday, January 25.
• There will be no Problem Solving Studio or Laboratory meeting in the first week of class. The Monday evening time period listed in OSCAR will be used only for quizzes.
• Students with Disability Services letters must contact Dr. Murray. Sooner is better than later, but this must definitely be done by Monday, February 1.

Text
An e-text of Physics for Scientists and Engineers — A Strategic Approach (Fourth Edition) by Randall D. Knight will be provided with MasteringPhysics. If you wish to purchase a hard copy,

• Chapters 1 through 13 will be covered.
• If you are buying the softcover multi-volume edition, you will need only Volume One.
• The Student Workbook has been found to provide valuable practice for conceptual questions.

Attendance
You may be interested in the distribution of course grades by class attendance in PHYS 2211 for more than 2800 students in recent semesters.

You should be aware that there is a wealth of historical data in the traditional introductory physics courses that clearly point out two winning strategies: go to class and do EXTRA homework. Please take some time to look over this data; you may be surprised at how much of a difference such efforts can make, popular myths to the contrary notwithstanding.

How to Earn an "A"
Students who earned a grade of "A" in some previous semesters were invited to provide suggestions for students this semester. If you want to know how they did it, and how (we hope) you can too, read their advice.