Syllabus in .doc format
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 3
Date:
Monday
Time: 7:20 PM to 10:00 PM
Place: Science and
Technology II 7, Fairfax Campus
Text Book:
R.
A. Freedman and W. J. Kaufmann III, Universe,
7th Edition,
W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005.
Instructor
and
Contact Information:
Name: Dr. Jie Zhang
Office: Room
351, Research
Building 1
Telephone: (703)993-1998
Fax: (703)993-1993
<>E-mail: jzhang7@gmu.edu
Office Hour: Monday 2:00 – 3:00
PM or by appointment.
Course URL: http://spaceweather.gmu.edu/SWP/classes/ASTR111_2006/index.html.
Lecture notes, grades and other resources will be posted in this
website.
Course Description:
This course introduces students to modern
astronomy, which is about our current understanding of the universe.
The
topics include the eclipses, Moon, Earth, planets, origin of solar
system, the
nature of gravitation and light. This course also discusses the
physical laws, the
scientific methods and critical thinking that lead to astronomical
discoveries.
It is a conceptual-based course using a minimal amount
of algebra and
geometry. All lecture notes are made in Microsoft PPT format, and will
be
posted online. The associated laboratory course, ASTR 112, is strongly
recommended, but it is not a required part of this course.
This is the first course in a
two-semester sequence with a laboratory. The sequence of ASTR 111, 112
and 113,
114 satisfies the 8-credit laboratory science requirement for
non-science majors.
This course also serves as a science elective for science majors.
Homework and
Projects:
None. For those taking
associated lab (ASTR 112),
there are quizzes and lab exercises, which reinforce the learning from
ASTR 111
lectures.
<>
Exams:
There will be 4 total exams, 1 final at
the data/time scheduled by the University and 3
one-hour-long IN-CLASS exams during regular classes. The lowest
grade of the 3 in-class exams will be dropped. Example exam questions
will be
provided and discussed in the classes. These questions may appear in
the exams.
<>
There will be NO make-up exams and no
rescheduling of the
exams.
All exams will be closed book and closed
note
exams. All exams comprise only multiple-choice type questions. Please
note that
each student (1) must present their George Mason
University
Photo ID in order to be admitted to
the mid-term and the final examinations, and (2) must bring PARSCORE
Light
Green Scantron (available in University Bookstore)
Grading
Policy:
The
FINAL exam counts 40% of the grade
for the semester. Each IN-CLASS exam counts 30% of your grade, and it
is 60% in total. If, and only if, you take
all 3 in-class exams, your lowest grade will be dropped of the 3
in-class
exams.
Honor Code Adherence
<> You are expected to adhere
to the George
Mason University student honor
code, as noted
in the school catalogue:
"George Mason
University
shares in the tradition of an honor system that has existed in Virginia since
1842. The
Honor Code is an integral part of university life.
On the application for admission, students
sign a statement agreeing to conform to and uphold the Honor Code. Therefore, students are responsible for
understanding the provisions of the code.
In the spirit of the code, a student's word is a
declaration of good
faith acceptable as truth in all academic matters.
Therefore, cheating and attempted cheating,
plagiarism, lying, and stealing of academic work and related materials
constitute Honor Code violations. To
maintain an academic community according to these standards, students
and
faculty must report all alleged violations of the Honor Code to the
Honor
Committee. Any student who has knowledge
of, but does not report, an Honor Code violation may be accused of
lying under
the Honor Code."
