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   Tu, Th  12:40 - 1:55
   Physics 415

BlackboardSchedule
Instructor:
Dr. Stefan M. Spanier
502 Nielsen Physics Building
Email: spanier@utk.edu

Office: Tuesday  2:30 pm

Literature

Literature

Literature

Course Description

This course is intended to provide

• An overview of the history of astronomy
• The methods used in Astronomy
• A tour of our solar system
• Comparison of the various plantes and moons
• A history and overview of the formation of the Solar System
  

Textbook

Required Textbook

Chaisson & McMillan,  Astronomy Today
7th Edition

Grading

The semester grade will be determined from the following:

• Hour Examinations

There will be three class exams, counting for 70% of the final grade. No exam score will be dropped and ordinarily no make-up exams will be given. However, if there are documentable circumstances, a makeup exam will be considered. Exams will be closed book. The class exams will be objective questions (T-F, multiple choice, matching, fill-ins).

• Pop Quizzes

There will be 5 pop quizzes as the semester progresses, counting for 20% of the final grade. All quizzes will count. Quiz topics will be either material that has been previously covered or should have been read in the textbook before coming to class!

• Homework
  

There will be 3 assignments during the semester on a topic with specific questions in writing (~1 page). Homework will count for 10% of the final grade.

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• Extra Credit - Observations

Day and Night telescope observation sessions are available from the roof of the Physics building (conducted by Mr. Paul Lewis). For day sessions Mr. Lewis will talk to you and show you features of the solar atmosphere such as sunspots, prominences, plages, etc.  You can prepare for these sessions by browsing the chapter in your book on the Sun as well as the study guide for the Sun. For evening sessions Mr. Lewis will discuss the various objects that are in the night sky. You meet on the roof of the Physics building. [through the door at the very top of the East stairwell (near the elevator doors)].You may do only one of each type session.

Mr. Lewis' office is on the first floor of the Nielsen Physics next to the elevator doors and his phone number/answering machine is at 974-9601. If it is raining, snowing, or overcast then there will be no viewings. If the night observation is canceled, usually a movie is shown. If you are in doubt that your session will be canceled due to weather call or email Mr. Lewis, gplewis@utk.edu, to check. Not showing up without a valid reason can get you barred from future sessions since you will have wasted a time slot that another student could have used. It is also very important that you try to do your observing as early as possible since bad weather usually causes many cancellations of the extra credit sessions. This causes many students to miss their chances for extra credit. Don't let it be you!

A stamped form from Mr. Lewis PLUS a one page typed essay description of your observing trip should be handed in to me for you to get full credit.

The worth of the extra credit viewing sessions is 10%.

• Extra Credit - Paper

In addition a paper, 3 - 4 pages, on a specific topic, yet to be determined, will garner you 5%. The paper should be submitted through SafeAssign via Blackboard. An excessive plagiarism score from SafeAssign will void the worth of the extra credit paper and/or be referred to the Judicial Board.

The extra credits will be added directly to the sum of the exam and quiz scores

• Grading Scale

Your grade will be determined using the number determined from the above description. The grade boundaries are:

Letter Grade	percentage (and above)
A	93
A-	90
B+	87
B	83
B-	80
C+	77
C	73
C-	70
D+	67
D	63
D-	60
F	below 60

All work submitted by a student is expected to represent their own work. Students are expected to perform all work in conformance with the University policies regarding Academic Honesty.

Exam Dates

Exam 1	23 September , 12:40 pm
Exam 2	30 October, 12:40 pm
Exam 3	25 November, 12:40 pm

Dates for class exams are provisional and are subject to change as situations may warrant. Date changes will be announced in class, via email, and posting to the course site on Blackboard. It is the student’s responsibility to verify exam dates.

If you have any questions concerning the grading of a particular examination, you have one week from the time that the examination is returned. I will email when the exams have been graded and the scores posted to Blackboard. After one week, the grade is final!

Disability Statement

Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Please contact the Office of Disability Services at 865-974-6087 in 2227 Dunford Hall to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.