Welcome to LSU Chemistry!

• Chemistry 1001---Chemical Fundamentals
• Spring 2007, 2:40 - 3:30 MWF, Williams 102
• Professor Paul Russo Office: 242 Choppin Hall Phone: 578-5729
• e-mail: chruss@lsu.edu ONLY E-MAIL WITH THE WORDS CHEM1001 (NO SPACE) IN THE SUBJECT HEADER WILL BE SEEN! 

Internet Site: http://macro.lsu.edu/russo   Follow Course Info Link

Other Internet Sites

• The Chemistry Department’s LUCID site: http://wb.chem.lsu.edu/lucid/ LUCID contains a lot of information written by the various professors who teach this course and other, similar courses. You can find practice tests and lots of other useful information.  
• Don’t let internet surfing get in the way of your main objective, which is:

DO AS MANY PROBLEMS AS YOU CAN. THEN GET HELP TO DO THE ONES YOU COULD NOT DO!!!

SOLVING PROBLEMS IS WHAT CHEMISTS DO!!! 

Extra help

• Office hours:  after class on Wednesdays (3:40 - 4:30).
• You are strongly encouraged to just "drop in" and talk to me. I like students, and I find your questions fun.
• If you prefer, you may telephone (578-5729) or use e-mail (chruss@LSU.edu) to schedule an appointment.
• Frequent help sessions will be announced in class.
• A list of tutors for hire will be posted.  

Text: "World of Chemistry" by Joesten, Johnston, Netterville and Wood (Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1996). Try to buy one used--I saw some for about $5 on Barnes & Noble Used! 

Recommended fun text (not required): "Molecules" by P.W. Atkins (W.H. Freeman & Co, New York, 1987). This is the sort of book that makes a nice conversation piece.  Just pick one up from Barnes & Noble or Amazon.  

Extra material: Much information available on the Internet.

Using the Internet: Chemistry Library (3rd Floor of this building) and many other locations.  

Introduction

This course promotes understanding of both good and bad aspects of chemistry as it affects modern life. Compared to Chemistry 1201, a course intended for technical majors, the problems may be a bit simpler...but we expect you to be able to DO some Chemistry problems so that you gain an appreciation of it.  This is akin to a Music Appreciation course where one has to at least learn how to play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on some instrument. Chem 1001/1002 are NOT easy courses! We have four years to reach chemistry majors, but only one to devote to you. Chem 1001 is probably harder than Chem 1201.  Although you may have decided not to pursue a science career, please keep an open mind. Give Chemistry a chance, especially if your decision rests on a dim perception of your own scientific abilities or some awful high school experience. 

ChemTeam. There is some evidence that General Chemistry students can teach each other better than any single professor can.  Hence, ChemTeams. 

• By the 3rd day, I will have assigned you to a ChemTeam. Your teammates will be other students with whom you will submit team homeworks (see below) and generally talk about Chemistry. 
• ChemTeams will occasionally sit together during class.  Part of our lecture time (perhaps 30%) will be devoted to group problem solving. This should be a busy, noisy time, as various groups try to solve a set of problems that I will pose. Spokespersons from successful groups may be asked to explain solutions to the rest of the class. So every team should have at least one "bigmouth".
• ChemTeams should try to meet weekly. The lobby of adjacent Choppin Hall is excellent for this purpose, and I will drop in and see how you are doing if you tell me when you are meeting. Your team may prefer to meet elsewhere--e.g., dorm, LSU Union, library, someone's house. 

Advice.  Think for yourself! The taxpayers of Louisiana are not paying for (most of) your education so that you can kick back and soak up information. Instead, they are investing in your mind, so exercise it. Find the wonder in everyday life, think often and use that big, ugly library to find some answers...and some questions. You will find that we sometimes deliberately will not tell you how to do a problem!  We want you to solve it as a newcomer to Chemistry would have to.  This is good mental exercise...and a good way to appreciate the subject. 

GRADES

We seldom succeed at things that are not fun. So the best way to get a good grade is not to worry about it! Chemistry is a beautiful subject, so just relax, enjoy the challenges and have fun. The grading scheme is designed to reward steady, daily work rather than frantic, infrequent work.  

• 1000 points total
  • > 900 points = A
  • > 800 points = B
  • > 700 points = C
  • > 600 points = D
  • < 600 points = F

CURVE: There will not be any curve!  

EXTRA CREDIT: Don't even ask. 

EXAM & QUIZ POLICY

ASSIGNED PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT GRADED. 

This is the heart of the course!  Chemistry is not about sitting idly , reading, outlining your book or any of those normal pursuits of, say, a history class.  Chemistry Fundamentals is about knowing how to do a few things.  It's the only way to learn!  It is your responsibility to keep up with the assignments.  We test that with the unannounced quizzes.  Material on those quizzes will have been assigned or covered in class at least a week or so prior to the quiz.  

QUIZZES WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCED!

The quizzes will be easy for people who have been keeping up with the assigned problems. There will always be at least a small gap (perhaps one week) between when a problem is assigned and when it becomes fair game for a quiz.  Review some material each day before coming to class. 

• You cannot study for the quizzes in any way except by regular performance of the problems assigned in the schedule.
• You should bring a calculator to class each and every day.
• You should carry a LARGE Scantron (available from bookstore) to class each and every day.
• Bring some #2 Pencils to fill in the Scantron.
• Write your own practice quizzes by asking yourself, "How would I convert these homework problems into multiple choice format?"  This is a good thing to work on with your ChemTeam, too! 
• You should design and always bring a one-page (regular 8.5" x 11" paper, both sides) "cheat sheet" on the quiz.
• If your study guide exceeds one page, we will confiscate it until the end of the exam.
• As the semester grinds on, this one-page guide should be revised and condensed until it contains just the essence of the course...perfect for the final exam!  Note that the final exam cheat sheet is only 5" x 7" both sides. 
• UNANNOUNCED QUIZZES IS A GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS SITUATION.
  • Good news: you only have to cram 2 or 3 times the whole semester (one or two midterms, depending on how you do on the first of them, plus the final, and maybe you'll have enough bonus points so you don't have to stress for it, either).
  • Bad news: you must keep up with the assigned problems.  

MIDTERMS WILL BE ANNOUNCED WELL IN ADVANCE!

• You get to keep the higher of your two midterm exam scores. 
• There is no practical way to run makeup exams in a course this size, so if you miss one of the midterms, you get to keep the other one.
• If you somehow miss both midterms, then you rely on quizzes, homework, bonus and final.  Theoretically, you can still get an "A". 

• Bonus points will be awarded to students who work the midterm or final exams without calculators! 

TEAM HOMEWORKS REQUIRE AN ANSWER FROM EVERYBODY AND A SINGLE ANSWER SHEET FOR THE WHOLE TEAM! 

• Suppose your team has six members.  For each question, we shall expect to see six answers, each of them appreciably different (no copying--everyone on the team will lose points).  On top of that, we expect to see ONE official team answer, signed by each member. 
• What if you think your team is wrong?  Then sign the team answer but indicate you disagree with it.  We'll look at your individual answer and, if you are right, then you get more credit. 
• The teaching assistants and I are very willing to arbitrate disputes!  It makes our lives much easier when everyone has the right answer.  We want you to succeed.  Just ask! 

EARLY PERFORMANCE BONUS POINTS

• Students with 750 or more points going into the final get a 25-point bonus.  This is intended to promote early study and ease the pressure of having to cram for the final.  For example, if you go into the final with 775 points you will only need 125/300 (a measley 42%) to get an A.  Or you could skip the final and take a "C". 
• The bonus criterion is absolute!  If you have 749 points instead of 750, too bad. 

ATTENDING LECTURES

You must attend lectures to be present when in-class quizzes are given out. If you are not present (for any reason at all, even an official universitiy function) there is no make-up quiz. Instead, you can recover the missed points when you take one of the other quizzes. Since there are 1125 points in all, there is a natural cushion.  Only by missing a whole bunch of unannounced quizzes can you have a problem. 

WHAT TO DO IN LECTURE

Avoid taking too many notes. If you are spending so much time writing that you can no longer listen and watch and think, then you are writing too much. For example, if you are confused about some point, make a simple note to remind yourself to look it up in the book. Then just kick back and watch the lecture. If confusion persists, ask a question!!! 

STUDY ADVICE

Chemistry is a problem-oriented science. What constitutes good study habits in some courses may not work well here! Each person is a little different, but the prescription below will work for most of you.

1. Scan the chapter for 15-20 minutes before coming to lecture.
2. DO NOT OUTLINE THE CHAPTER OR OTHERWISE WASTE A LOT OF TIME!
3. Look at the notes, available on the website or for sale through the Graduate Student Council and bring them to class.
4. After lecture, try to solve the assigned problems.
5. If you cannot, consult your book (worked examples).
6. If that doesn’t work, seek help (tutor room, help sessions, come and see me, etc.)

ChemTEAMS

You will be required to join a ChemTEAM, based on the "sorting quiz" given out the first or second day.  Teams should meet weekly and study together.  The team leader will turn in a homework packet that contains an answer from each team member plus the official team answer.  You can dissent from the team answer.  See homeworks above.