Syllabus

Prerequisites
Instructor
Material
Objectives
Requirements
Responsibilities
Cheating
Additional resources
Final words

There are no prerequisites for this class. You are expected to have basic arithmetic skills.

Instructor [top | prev | next]

I am Dr. Warren D. MacEvoy jr. My office is Wubben 168, in the old science building. My mail box is in the computer science, mathematics, and statistics (CSMS) department in Wubben Hall. My work phone is 248-1070, and Sally Reeves, our secretary, can be reached at 248-1407. My email address is Warren MacEvoy <[email protected]>.

Check my schedule for office hours. If necessary, other arrangements can be made.

Material [top | prev | next]

You will need the following material for this course:

• The textbook: Elementary Algebra, by Larson and Hostetler (2nd ed.)
• A calculator with elementary functions, including exponentiation. I recommend finding one with additional statistical and compound interest functions, since they will be used in later courses.
• This syllabus, chapter handouts, and note paper.

You cannot fulfill degree requirements with this course. Instead, the objective of Basic Algebra is to prepare you for college level mathematics. By successfully completing this course, you should have an understanding of the real numbers, simplifying expressions and equations, translating between English and mathematical representations of a problem, graphs and functions, and solving (mostly linear) equations.

Requirements [top | prev | next]

• Attendance. I generally do not take attendance.
  
  
• Homework. If your previous test grade is a C or lower, you must turn in the homework assigned for the next chapter. After the first, each missed homework submission will cost you one letter grade.
  
  
• Tests. Together, these will count for 75% of your grade. I (usually) allow a calculator for tests. I will drop the lowest test score.
  
  
• Final. The final will be comprehensive, and will count for 25% of your grade. You must take the final to pass the class. The final will be split in parts, corresponding to the tests, and you are allowed to bring one 4x6 note card. If you do better on a section of a final than on a corresponding chapter test, I will replace the chapter test with the section score of the final.
  
  
• Extra Credit. Students who wish to obtain extra credit, may choose to write a journal. The grade counts as an additional 10% of the total. The journal must be handwritten notes outlining each topic we cover, and must outline your way of understanding the topics covered in class or about mathematics in general. You must turn in your journal for review before every test if you want this extra credit.
  
  
• Make Up Exams If you have a passing grade before the final, and a documented legitimate excuse for missing the final, you will be assigned an incomplete for the course.

  If you are a part of a sponsored college event which requires that you miss an exam, the college sponsor may administer the exam with prior notification. The sponsor must pick up the exam prior to the event, and administer it at a time reasonably close to the time you would have taken it in class.

  There are very few circumstances where I will administer a make up exam.
  
  

• Instructional Withdrawal I may withdraw you from this course for any of the following circumstances:
  • You miss two consecutive tests.
  • Your estimated grade falls below 25%.
  • You cheat.
  I reserve the right to withdraw you for other circumstances (selling drugs during class time, refusing to wear clothes, etc.).

Requirements summary. Seventy-five percent of your grade comes from the chapter exams, and twenty-five percent from the final. Your final grade may be adjusted from your participation in group activities. One test will be dropped, and better scores on the final relevant to a particular exam will supersede test grades.

Responsibilities [top | prev | next]

You are responsible for class material and announcements made in class, even if you did not attend. This includes changes in the schedule.

You are responsible for obtaining additional resources, such as a tutor or forming study groups, if you have difficulty with this material. If you need them, taking advantage of these resources now will be the most effective for this class.

If you have some handicap which I may help accommodate through student services, you must inform me and student services.

Be respectful of myself and the other students: enter and leave as quietly as possible, and do not talk during the lecture. If you choose to eat, avoid noisy food or food with a strong aroma (chips, popcorn) which are distracting. During group work, keep conversations relevant and productive.

Cheating [top | prev | next]

Don't cheat. Don't look at other peoples' work, or use material which is not allowed for the exams. This includes electronic notes stored in a programmable calculator. If I catch you cheating, I will withdraw you from the class with a failing grade.

Additional resources [top | prev | next]

You are here to learn. Here are some suggested resources which will help you master the material in this course and improve your learning skills as you acquire new knowledge throughout your life.

• Academic services
  
  
  • Academic Advising and Career Planning, in Lowell Heiny Hall, room 127, 248-1177.
  • Educational Access Services, in Houston Hall, room 116, 248-1801.
  • Peer Tutoring Houston Hall, room 110, 248-1392.
  • Math Lab Walk-in tutoring, 1325 College Place.
  
  
  
• Other students. Contact the Associated Student Government (ASG) for clubs and services that may help you. The ASG office is in the student center, phone 248-1762.
  
  
• Myself. Use my office hours, or send me email, or call if you feel there is a problem I can assist you with.
  
  
• Yourself. None of these resources help without your initiative and resolution. Decide what's important to you.

I am happy to assist you in learning algebra, but you will have to work to succeed in this class. I suggest you form study groups for this course. Welcome!