ASTR 211 -- all sections

ASTR 211/211A, ASTR 211/111A

Profs. Kulkarni, Instructors Page & Overcash

 

See your Prof. as soon as possible for a contract if you did not take ASTR 111 on this campus

Materials needed – you may have them all from ASTR 111

TEXT:

DISCOVERING ASTRONOMY—USC   SHAW, LAPRESTO, SAFKO  4TH

STUDY GUIDE:

SELF-PACED STUDY GUIDE AND LABORATORY EXERCISES IN ASTRONOMY, J. L. Safko, 12th Ed.

CALCULATOR

Needed for laboratories -- (one with logs and trig functions — such as TI 25 or better is required)

SYLLABUS:

This handout

e-mail address

Your email address must be current on the university files  You must provide this information through VIP.

I. INFORMATION THAT IS COMMON TO ALL TERMS

Astronomy 211 is a continuation of Astronomy 111. Since you should know the course rules and procedures, there are no class meetings scheduled. (Transfer students should see the instructor as soon as possible.)  Continue using the same text and study guide you used in ASTR 111. If you no longer have these, use the text and study guide list above. The last page of this syllabus gives the number of units required. You must use different units than you used for the ASTR 111 grade. Extra units completed will count towards 311 if you are enrolled in the next term.  Partly completed units (masteries) will not carry over.

NOTE:  Any of units 1-7 and 44 not listed as previously used must be completed as part of your 211 requirements.

To count, these review units, and any other carryover units, must be listed as AVAILABLE FOR CREDIT. If you have such units on the PREVIOUSLY USED list, please contact your instructor.  Only units listed on the AVAILABLE FOR CREDIT line of the progress screen count towards your grade for the term.

LABORATORIES

Astronomy is a laboratory science for either 3 or 4 hours credit. If you take a unit which has a laboratory listed as part of its mastery, you must do the laboratory to receive credit for the unit, no matter what your enrollment. Some of the advanced laboratory units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39-43) are required for a grade of C or better. We will start offering these labs around midterm. Any of these laboratories done in ASTR 111 will reduce the lab (but not your Unit) requirements in ASTR 211 on a one-for-one basis. Contact your instructor if you have questions. We will offer lab sections during the last half term. You can sign up and reserve a seat for the labs as was offered in ASTR 111. These labs will meet weekly S-Th. for 5 days and do the laboratories 9, 24, 27, 30, 58. A few early labs MAY be offered during the first half of the term — check the notice board to see. Lab16 and 39-43,will be offered only a few times during the term. Please remember what happened last term -- don't wait until the last days to try to do all your labs. Any of the advanced laboratory units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39-43) done in ASTR 111 will reduce the number of laboratories needed for 211 even if they were used for your 111 grade. However, if they were used for the 111 grade, they will only count towards the number of laboratory units needed but will not count as units for your grade. Before each laboratory meeting, you must pass a brief, simple prelab showing that you are familiar with the terminology of the laboratory experiment. This prelab may be taken in the EV room anytime during the week preceding the laboratory. It will have 6 questions, with 5 correct responses needed for credit. Do not wait until just before your scheduled laboratory to attempt the prelab. Evidence of prelab mastery will be verified on our computer system you are permitted to do your laboratory. YOU MUST BRING A CALCULATOR TO ALL LABS. You will be asked to leave the lab if you do not have a calculator with you.

OBSERVATORY

The optical observatory with its 40 cm reflector is open to the general public Monday evenings (weather permitting) 8:30-10:30 EST (9:30-11:00  EDT).  You are welcome to drop in anytime during these hours.  On other nights arrangements will be made for credit for Units 49/50, and 60 and in the daytime for Unit 55 and 59.  The schedule will be posted in the hall outside of room 007C. You may sign up for observatory units at http://boson.physics.sc.edu/~melton/. If possible, sessions with our radio telescope will be arranged several times during the term.  These units do NOT count as laboratories. 211 students can not do Unit 51 for credit.

Students with Disabilities

If you have a disability, it is essential that you speak to the Professor or Instructor early in the semester to make the necessary arrangements to support a successful learning experience. Also, you must arrange for the Professor or Instructor to receive a Letter of Accommodation from the Office of Disability Services.

INCOMPLETES

Incompletes are given only for UNANTICIPATED illness, accident, family or work related responsibility.  All requests must be in writing, in detail, with supporting material.  This request must be written at a level that should be expected of a college student.  It should be submitted before the last week of classes and must be submitted to your instructor in person.  Requests submitted later than the last day of classes must have evidence that you were physically unable to be on campus during the last week.  Requests must be submitted before grades are given to the registrar.  No request will be considered if you failed to meet the in term deadlines (see DROP Date under important dates) or if you did not show reasonable progress towards a passing grade during that portion of the term not  covered by your excuse.  If your college permits, these courses may be taken on a pass/fail option.  A grade of D or better is a satisfactory grade.  Do not contact the instructor — see your dean's office for permission forms.  Your instructor does not sign the request form.  Print the instructor's name in the space on the space on the form. 

 

 

Additional supporting material is on the WEB at

http://astro.physics.sc.edu, http://spastro.physics.sc.edu, and http://boson.physics.sc.edu/~melton/

GO TO http://astro.physics.sc.edu  to get

Syllabi

copies of Units 56, 57, 59,60

access astronomical images

general information including email addresses and photos of the instructional staff

 

GO TO http://spastro.physics.sc.edu  to get

laboratory schedules

reserve laboratory space

check of your progress

Information on center hours, special events, tutorial aid, sample questions

 

GO TO http://boson.physics.sc.edu/~melton/ to get

observatory schedules

reserve observatory seat

 access observatory   worksheets

Information on public nights, special events, links, and viewing


GRADING SYSTEM — ASTR 211/211A or 211/111A

FOR CREDIT UNITS MUST APPEAR ON THE PROGRESS SHEET ON THE LINE
Ò
AVAILABLE FOR CREDITÓ.

Any of the units 1-7 missing on the previously used posting must be completed as part of ASTR 211. They will count as units, but do not count as List Y units.


3 hours (ASTR 211)

 

Grade

Required Units

Total Units

A

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

15

B+

5 from List Y + 1 from List X

14

B

5 from List Y

12

C+

5 from List Y

11

C

5 from List Y

9

D+

5 from List Y

8

D

5 from List Y

6

 

The difference between required and total units may be chosen from any other units that are available -- provided the unit has not been previously used.

 

List X: Review Units 11, 15, 21, 25, 29, 33
(Only those not needed as a review for your grade in 111 can be used.)

List Y: Laboratory Units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39, 40, 41, 42,
               43) Units on this list done in ASTR 111 will reduce the
               number of List Y units needed in ASTR 211


4 hours (ASTR 211/211A or 211/111A)

 

Grades

Required Units

Total Units

A/A

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

20

A/B

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

19

B+/A

5 from List Y +1 from List X

18

B+/B

5 from List Y + 1 from List X

17

B/B

5 from List Y

16

B/C

5 from List Y

15

C+/B

5 from List Y

14

C+/C

5 from List Y

13

C/C

5 from List Y

12

C/D

5 from List Y

11

D+/C

5 from List Y

10

D+/D

5 from List Y

9

D/D

5 from List Y

8

*Please note, if you do not take some observatory units throughout the semester you may have to take more than the required review units to obtain the total units desired for an A/A


II. INFORMATION FOR THE CURRENT TERM

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES – Summer 2008                                                                              

Summer 1

Summer 2

 

2 June

8 July

First class day -- Choose laboratory time -- before first meeting on next day

3 June

9 July

Center opens for EVÕs and ASTR 111 and 211 Laboratories start meeting

10 June

14 July

Planetarium lectures -- Unit 51 credit -- choose one -- only offers for the term: -- labs do not meet

9 June

15 July

Unit 1 must be mastered by this date -- you are advised to drop the course if you cannot master the first unit by this date.

11 June

17 July

Schedule of makeup labs for Units 2-7 and advanced (211/311) lab schedule available on the WEB. Signup within one week after PreLab  Only  a few 2-7 makeups offered.

11 June

17 July

DROP DATE — Students in 111 who have not mastered at least: Unit 1 and a total of 3 Units from 2-7  are strongly urged to withdraw (Labs or masteries will each count as 1/2 unit for this purpose).  Students in 211  should have completed 3 units.  Students in 1 or 2 hour should have completed at least one unit. per hour.

12 June

21 July

Basic labs complete cycle -- Students in 111 receive Bonus Unit 54 if labs 2-7 completed.

16 June

22 July

Makeups for ASTR 111 and 211 labs start.

24 June

30 July

Deadline for incomplete request.

30 June

5 August

Last day of laboratories. Not all laboratories may be available this day or during the few preceding  days -- there may not be sufficient space for all the students who usually wait until the last week of labs.

1 July

6 August

Check with the professor or instructor to confirm your expected grade in the course.

1 July

6 August

Center closes for term at usual hour -- requests for Incompletes must be in. You should check your progress before the center closes and report any errors in recording your work.

2 July

7 August

Final grades should be posted by 10AM

3 July

11 August

10 AM. — Last time to report errors in grades.

NO GRADES WILL BE RAISED AFTER THEY ARE SUBMITTED TO THE REGISTRAR

NUMBER OF TRIES PER DAY

You may take as many different units per day as desired; however, you may try any given Unit or Prelab only three (3) times per day with at least a 15 min. study period between tries. After 4 attempts on Units 1-7 you should bring your lists of missed objectives and talk to your instructor or a student staff member about the unit.  (Staff in the EV can help only if the center is not busy.)  After discussing your problems  you may make other tries.

USC Code of Academic Responsibility

It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina to adhere steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in connection with any academic program.  Any student who violates this rule or who knowingly assists another to violate this rule shall be subject to discipline.  The discipline referred to in the above is separate from any grade penalty that I may impose (Usually an F and cancellation of all the work done for the term).

CELL PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF IN ASTRO CENTER.