Course Information for Math 126, section B, Spring 2008.

Instructor: Richard Allen            Office: Old Music Hall 100         

phone x3117                              email: allen@stolaf.edu

Office hours: 10:30 – 11:30 PM, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  At other times, please make an appointment or just look for me in my office.  You are always welcome to stop in when I am there.

Your final grade will be computed using the following criteria:

(1) 3 in class tests (see syllabus for dates), each worth 16% of your final grade;

(2) A final exam, worth 31% of your final grade;

(3) Daily homework assignments, whose average is worth 16% of your final grade;

(4) Friday quizzes and problem presentations worth 5% of your final grade.

The final exam is taken in our classroom.  Since the role of homework is to keep you current in the course and prepare you for the next day’s lesson, homework to be counted in your homework grade is not accepted late.  Homework is due the class time after it is assigned (see syllabus for assignments and dates).  However, I drop the two lowest homework grades before computing your homework average, which constitutes your homework grade for the semester and counts 16% of your final course grade.  This system allows you to miss turning in homework twice for reasons beyond your control without penalty.  The first two homework assignments that you cannot or choose not to turn in are counted in the two that I drop.  Any subsequent (beyond the first two) homework assignments not turned in (for any reason) are then counted as a zero in the final average.

Our class has an email alias through which I may send the class email messages concerning the running of our course and its requirements.  From time to time I may change the assignments and their due date, though this happens very seldom.  You are notified of such changes via the class email alias.  Not checking and not reading your email do not constitute reasons for not being aware of changes/updates announced via email

I strongly encourage you to go to the math clinics for help with your homework or to get together with other classmates to form study groups to work on homework.  BUT BEWARE of working in groups and letting all the others in the group do the work and, consequently, do the learning.  Because your tests are all taken alone, you will need to have learned all the material assigned in the homework problems and in the text and in the classroom activities/lectures to do well on the tests.

A syllabus is being distributed to each of you during the first class.  Please read it and keep it safe.  It contains all the dates and work for all tests and assignments.  However, a syllabus is always a work in progress.  The assignments listed on the syllabus are those you are to do unless I deem it necessary to make changes.  If I do make changes, I will tell you in class and/or send you an email to our class alias to that effect.  A copy of the syllabus, as well as this information sheet, is posted on the web via a link from my home page.  I am looking forward to getting to know you and to helping you learn calculus in this course.

Rich Allen

 

Any student with a documented intellectual, physical or emotional disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities must also contact Ruth Bolstad (bolstadr@stolaf.edu ), Student Disability Services Specialist in the Academic Support Center (x3288) located in Modular Village: ASC Building.

Disclaimer