Syllabus in .doc format
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 3
Date:
Wednesday
Time: 7:20 PM to 10:00 PM
Place: Enterprise Hall
178, Fairfax
Campus
Test 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
111, Science and Technology
Building 1
Telephone: (703)993-1998
Fax: (703)993-1993
E-mail: jzhang7@gmu.edu
Mail-add: MSN
5C3, George
Mason University
Office Hour: Wednesday 2:00 –
4:00 PM
All other meetings by
appointment only
Course URL: http://solar.scs.gmu.edu/teaching/ASTR113_2006/index.html
Course Description:
This course introduces students to modern
astronomy, which is about our current understanding of the universe.
The
topics include electromagnetic radiation, the Sun and stars, stellar
evolution,
our Galaxy and other galaxies, the origin and evolution of the
universe, and
the search for extraterrestrial life. This course also discusses the
physical
laws, the scientific methods and critical thinking that lead to the
astronomical discovery.
This is the second 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. It
is
a conceptual-based course using a minimal amount of algebra and
geometry.
Homework and
Projects:
None. For those taking
associated lab (ASTR 114),
there are quizzes and lab exercises, which reinforce the learning from
ASTR 113
lectures.
Exams:
There will be 4 total exams, 1 final at
the data/time scheduled by the University and 3 IN-CLASS
exams during regular classes.
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
the instructor reserves the right to require each student to present
their George
Mason University Photo ID
to be admitted to the mid-term
and the final examinations.
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."
