Syllabus for CHE-111-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Chemistry is a science that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances and with the transformations that they undergo. It is the "study of change."

In this, the first of a two-semester general chemistry sequence, we explore the structure of the atom, the molecules that form from atoms, and the basic concepts of chemical reactivity, including the relations between amounts of materials undergoing reactions and the energetics of those reactions. At the atomic and molecular level, chemistry is a very abstract subject, but the study of atoms and molecules is fundamental to understanding life itself, since all matter is made up of atoms and molecules. Through practical examples and applications, we hope to explain not only the abstract concepts of chemistry but also how we come to know and understand those concepts in real-life contexts.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

Through studying the textbook and online resources, you should be able to:

• Perform calculations using dimensional analysis (factor-labor method).
• Apply the laws of conservation of matter and energy.
• Relate the properties of elements to their atomic structure and the periodic table.
• Determine the electronic structure of elements.
• Explain how compounds are formed by the different bonding processes of elements.
• Describe the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules and its consequences on polarity.
• Relate balanced chemical equations to actual reactions.
• Perform calculations of mass and energy based on balanced chemical and thermochemical equations.
• Describe the properties of aqueous solutions and gases.
• List the similarities and differences of the three basic nuclear radiations and write balanced nuclear equations.
• List practical applications of nuclear reactions in medicine and energy production.

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COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Required Textbook
The required textbook for this course is:

Chemistry, 10th ed., by Raymond Chang (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2010; ISBN 0-07-351109-9).

Online Resources
Studying chemistry can be frustrating at times in part because of its specialized vocabulary and in part because the concepts are abstract. Interactive study resources in the Study Resources area of the course Web site help bridge the gap between chemical theory and how chemists visualize those processes. We strongly recommend that you work through each chapter's interactive exercises and animations and take the self-assessment quizzes for additional practice in answering multiple-choice questions on the topics covered.

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COURSE STRUCTURE

General Chemistry I is a three-credit online course, comprising six assignment modules. Assignment modules include learning objectives, a comprehensive Study Assignment with associated notes and activities, a study group activity, and a module-ending quiz. You are required to complete six (6) online quizzes, participate in five (5) Study Group activities, and take two examinations—a proctored midterm and an unproctored, online final examination.

For the course's assignments (Study Assignments, Study Group Activities, and Quizzes), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. See also the course Calendar for an overview of the assignments and for all due dates.

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

Online participation in General Chemistry I counts 15 percent toward your final grade in the course. In addition to an ungraded "Introductions" forum in module 1, you are required to participate in five (5) graded online Study Group activities.

Study Group activities focus on problem solving, which is at the heart of studying and learning chemistry. The Study Group activities in this course provide an opportunity for you to test your analytical and computational skills within an interactive group setting, where you can benefit from the help of your classmates and share your understanding of chapter concepts. These activities take place in two phases: group problem solving (or groupwork) and posting your own solutions to selected problems.

Phase 1: Groupwork
Phase 1 (Groupwork) involves group problem solving and discussion. Participation in groupwork entails posting draft solutions to four problems and discussing them with other group members on the Groups page of the course Web site.

Phase 2: Posting Solutions
Phase 2 (Posting Your Solutions) involves posting the solutions you worked out and discussed in phase 1. Participation in phase 2 entails posting your worked-out solutions on the class Discussion Board.

Deadlines for posting draft solutions on the Groups page and for posting your finalized solutions on the class Discussion Board are given in the course Calendar.

Midterm Examination
The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and consists of thirty (30) multiple-choice questions and three (3) problems. The exam covers all reading and assignments from modules 1–3 of the course. You are permitted to bring a scientific (nongraphing) calculator. Programmable calculators are not permitted in examinations.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site).

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

Final Examination
The final is an unproctored online exam. It is 2½ hours long and consists of fifty (50) multiple-choice questions. It covers all reading and assignments from modules 4–6 of the course. The exam is open book, but not open notes. You may use your course textbook and a scientific (nongraphing, nonprogrammable) calculator. You may NOT use your notes or any other reference sources.

The final exam is taken online in Blackboard. An exam link will be activated and made available to you at the start of final exam week. You may take the exam at any time during that week, but no later than midnight Saturday (eastern time). If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to reschedule the final exam.

Statement about Cheating
The final examination in this course is an unproctored exam. That means you will not be supervised while taking the test. You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

• Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
• Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
• Plagiarizing answers.
• Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
• Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
• Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Please also note that the exam is time-limited. That means you only have the allotted time in which to complete the exam. If you exceed the time limit on the exam, you will be penalized by having two points deducted for every minute that you exceed the time limit. This may also result in your failing the course.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, quizzes, discussion postings, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

Letter grades for study group activities, quizzes, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.



2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.



3. Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)



4. Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.



5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and of each module's learning activities. It also indicates due dates for taking quizzes, posting discussions, and when you should schedule your examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.



2. Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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