My goal for you is that by the end of this course, you will have improved your existing intuition about how the world works. This includes being able to:

1. Analyze particular physical situations in order to make successful predictions about their future behavior. Identifying the fundamental principles pertinent to those situations will be key to your success in meeting this objective.
2. Apply fundamental principles to formulate mathematical equations describing the relation between physical quantities in these particular situations.
3. Solve mathematical equations to find the values of physical quantities.
4. Communicate unambiguously both the principles that apply to a situation and the results of specific calculations resulting from the steps above.

In order to achieve the learning outcomes stated above, I expect you to:

• Attend lecture. This is very important! We will talk extensively about the physics problem-solving process, which is what you're aiming to master by the end of this course.
• Complete the homework assignments to self–assess your understanding of the concepts and problem-solving strategies presented every week.
• Complete 4 of 5 in-class Group Work assignments over the course of the semester, as posted in the Course Schedule (which you will also find below).
• Complete the Group Project with your groupmates.
• Take two mid-term exams and the final.
• Seek help from me, the Learning Assistants (LAs) and your peers when specific content does not make sense, including seeking help for the problem-solving process itself.
  • Check out the How to Study for PHY2004 page for tips.
• Seek out additional practice when you need it to gain mastery over current material before moving on to future topics. This additional practice should include problems at the end of the chapter that are not assigned as part of your homework.
  
  • Don't forget to work through the examples presented in the text in order to learn the physics concepts, principles, and problem-solving techniques essential for success in this course.

This course is worth 3 credits, so you should expect to spend about 9 hours per week learning physics.

• Textbook
  • The required text is Physics: Principles with Applications by Douglas Giancoli, 7^thed, published by Pearson. The course is set up for an All-Access opt-in to purchase the text online for students who have registered in the course. Go to the opt-in login pageLinks to an external site. to get started, and refer to the Pearson MyLab and Mastering Instructions for additional help.
    
• Homework System
  • The required online homework system is Mastering Physics, access to which is included in the purchase of the online textbook described above. Access Mastering Physics using the link provided in the Canvas course; note that it is called 'My Lab and Mastering' in the left-hand navigation.  You must register your access code from the Canvas course.
• iClicker
  • Part of your grade is calculated based on your in-class participation. You will use the iClicker Reef system to participate. This software is free to UF students and can be used on either a computer or mobile device. Note that you must create an account/login with your UF email address. Further details about your iClicker grade can be found below in the Course Policies section.
    
  • You will need to bring either a laptop or mobile device with you to class in order to participate in the clicker questions. If this poses a hardship for you, please reach out to me ASAP so that we can find an appropriate solution.
• Calculator
  • You may use any scientific or graphing calculator on the exams, as long as it does not have the ability to communicate with other devices electronically. Cell phones as calculators are not permitted, and use of them does constitute academic fraud. This includes the use of smartwatches; all smartwatches must be put away prior to the start of the exams.

• Canvas (Links to an external sit
  • Please contact the UFIT Help Desk:
    • (352) 392-HELP (4357)
    • http://helpdesk.ufl.edu (Links to an external site.)
    • helpdesk@ufl.edu
• Mastering Physics
  • Please contact Pearson (Links to an external site.).
• iClicker
  • Please send Prof. McGill a Canvas message.

• Attendance Policy & Clicker Points
  
  • You are expected to attend lecture MWF as scheduled. You are also encouraged to attend office hours to clarify any doubts arising from your studies.
  • I will record and post lectures after they occur; I will not be live-streaming lectures. In order to earn participation points, you must attend class in person.
  • At least one clicker question will be posed each class period. You will receive 2 points for answering a clicker question correctly, 1 point for answering it incorrectly, and 0 points for no submitted answer. There is a 20% forgiveness factor on the clicker points to account for any sort of absence(s) and/or technological malfunction(s).
• Lecture Slides Policy
  
  • I will post my slides before class for you to take notes on. However, I may need to make last-minute updates, so the final slides presented in class will likely be slightly but not significantly different than the posted draft. The final slides will also include the clicker questions. I will post my completed lecture slides (I write on them during lecture) after class. You can find the lecture slides on the Course Schedule page.
• Homework Policy
  • Homework sets are to be completed individually online through the Assignments tab in the left-hand navigation, or directly in Mastering Physics via the MyLab and Mastering tab. Your homework will auto-submit on the due date and time. There may be a slight delay between the submission of your homework and the syncing of your grade in Canvas. Please only reach out to me if 24 hours has passed without the two properly auto-syncing.
  • Homework is generally due Mondays at 11:59 pm.
  • Your homework is not timed or proctored, but it is subject to the UF Policy on Academic Misconduct. (See the University Policies section.)
    
  • It is permissible to seek assistance on homework from me, the LAs, or your classmates. This assistance may include help with interpreting the problem, identifying relevant information in the textbook or course videos, or identifying one’s errors. Ultimately, however, submitted answers must be your own.
    
  • A 20% forgiveness factor will be applied to your total homework score at the end of the semester to account for unexpected barriers preventing you from finishing your homework in a given week.
• Reading Quiz Policy
  • You will take conceptual reading quizzes according to the assigned Course Schedule. These quizzes are open-book but still subject to the UF Policy on Academic Misconduct (Links to an external site.). (See University Policies section.) All answers must be your own.
  • Reading Quizzes are typically due by 3 pm on each lecture day.
  • A 20% forgiveness factor will be applied to your total reading quiz score at the end of the semester to account for unexpected barriers preventing you from finishing your reading quizzes in a given week.
• Mechanics Surveys
  • You will receive full credit for completing Mechanics Surveys I and II in class (you will not be graded on your responses). You do not need to prepare in any way for these surveys; simply answer the questions to the best of your ability.
  • You will need either a laptop or mobile device with you in class to take the surveys on the assigned days. If this is a hardship for you, please reach out to me ASAP so that we can find an appropriate solution.
• Group Work Policy
  • Physics is learned by doing. Hence you will have required in-class problem solving sessions with harder problems than you are expected to solve individually on the exams. There will be Learning Assistants (LAs) on hand to help with this. LAs are students who have completed Physics 1.
  • Your group will be assigned after the add/drop deadline, and will be visible in the Groups tab in the blue far left menu.
  • I expect everyone in the group to be able to explain the solutions to the assigned problems. Your group will have an assigned day on which I will ask questions of a few group members whom I will choose at the time.
  • I will drop your lowest Group Work score from your final grade calculation. This means that you can miss one Group Work day without consequence. However, you cannot make up your assigned questioning day unless you have an approved excuse.
    • Note that for bookkeeping in your grade, you will be assigned 0.5 points for missing a regular Group Work day and 0 points for missing your group's specific questioning day.
  • Full details on how Group Work will function this semester can be found on the Group Work page in the left-hand navigation menu.
    
• Group Project
  • You will complete a group project as one of the requirements for this course. You will be grouped by major into groups of about 4 students, and you will meet the various deadlines laid out in the Course Schedule to keep you on track. Full details about the Group Project can be found on the Group Project page.
• Exam Policy
  • Two mid-term exams and a cumulative final exam will be administered during the course. All midterms will be administered in class. Please see below for all exam dates. Exams are not collaborative and will be completed alone.
  • As stated above in the Materials section, you may use any scientific or graphing calculator on the exams, as long as it does not have the ability to communicate with other devices electronically. Cell phones and smartwatches as calculators are not permitted, and use of them constitutes academic fraud
  • Exam Dates
    • Exam 1: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 in class in NPB 1001
    • Exam 2: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 in class in NPB 1001
    • Final Exam: Friday, December 16, 2022 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm in NPB 1001
• Make-up Policy
  • Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and other work are consistent with University Attendance Policies (Links to an external site.). For a foreseeable absence, it is your responsibility to identify yourself as requiring an accommodation at least one week prior to the absence.
  • There are no make-ups for the clicker points, reading quizzes, or homework assignments. All of these grade categories will have a 20% forgiveness factor applied to them at the end of the semester to account for misses for any reason.

Grades in the course are awarded based on an overall course score calculated as follows:

There is no curve in this class; if you earn at least 85% of the available points in this class, you will get an A, and so on down the list:

Note that I round at 0.50. For example, 79.50% would round up to 80%, an A-, while 79.49% does not round and earns a B+.

• UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
  • Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Disability Resource Center (Links to an external site.) (352-392-8565) by providing appropriate documentation. Once registered, students will receive an accommodation letter which must be presented to the instructor when requesting accommodations. Students with disabilities should follow this procedure as early as possible in the semester. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. Students may also find these links to the accessibility features of Zoom and Mastering Physics nks to an external site.)helpful, as well as information about accessibility at UF (Links to an external site.).
  • Accessibility Policies and Resources
    • Zoom Accessibility Policy (Links to an external site.)
    • Mastering Physics Accessibility Policy (Links to an external site.)
    • Accessibility at UF (Links to an external site.)
    • Academic Support for UFO (Links to an external site.)
    • Student Support Services (Links to an external site.)
• UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
  • Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student Honor Code (Links to an external site.).
  • University Honesty Policy
    • UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code (Links to an external site.) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.
• NETIQUETTE (COMMUNICATION COURTESY)
  • All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions.
• COURSE EVALUATION
  • Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Please see the guidance on how to give feedback (Links to an external site.). Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or directly via the GatorEvals (Links to an external site.) website. Summaries of course evaluation results (Links to an external site.) are available to students.
• ATTENDANCE AND MAKE-UP POLICY
  • Excused absences and allowances for make-up work are consistent with university attendance policies (Links to an external site.) ks to an external site.)and require appropriate documentation.
• SOFTWARE USE
  • All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use.  Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator.  Because such violations are also against University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.  We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to uphold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
• STUDENT PRIVACY
  • There are federal laws protecting your privacy with regards to grades earned in courses and on individual assignments.  For more information, please see the FERPA (Links to an external site.) page by the Registrar.

• U Matter, We Care
  • If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu, (352) 392-1575, or visit U Matter, We Care website (Links to an external site.) to refer or report a concern and a team member will reach out to the student in distress.
• Counseling and Wellness Center (Links to an external site.)
  • Visit the Counseling and Wellness Center website (Links to an external site.) or call (352) 392-1575 for information on crisis services as well as non-crisis services.
• Student Health Care Center
  • Call (352) 392-1161 for 24/7 information to help you find the care you need, or visit the Student Health Care Center website (Links to an external site.).
• University Police Department (Links to an external site.)
  • Visit the UF Police Department website (Links to an external site.) or call (352) 392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies).
• UF Health Shands Emergency Room / Trauma Center
  • For immediate medical care call (352) 733-0111 or go to the emergency room at 1515 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608. Visit the UF Health Emergency Room and Trauma Center website (Links to an external site.) for more information.

• E-learning technical support
  • Contact the UF Computing Help Desk  (Links to an external site.)at (352) 392-4357 or via e-mail at helpdesk@ufl.edu.
• Career Connections Center (Links to an external site.)
  • The Career Connections Center is located at Reitz Union Suite 1300, 352-392-1601. It provides career assistance and counseling services.
• Library Support (Links to an external site.)
  • The library has various ways to receive assistance with respect to using the libraries or finding resources.
• Teaching Center (Links to an external site.)
  • The Teaching Center is located in Broward Hall, (352) 392-2010. To make an appointment, call (352) 392-6420. You can also request a tutoring appointment online (Links to an external site.). The Teaching Center helps with general study skills and tutoring.
• Writing Studio
  • The Writing Studio is located in 2215 Turlington Hall, (352) 846-1138. You can find help with brainstorming, formatting, and writing papers.
• Student Complaints On-Campus
  • Visit the Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code webpage (Links to an external site.) for more information.
• On-Line Students Complaints (Links to an external site.)
  • View the Distance Learning Student Complaint Process (Links to an external site.) for any online complaints.