Self-Paced Physics and Astronomy
Metro State Physics Department
Spring 2017
Welcome to the self-paced section of Introduction to Physics (PHY 1000) or Astronomy (AST 1040).
Please read this outline carefully!
MEETING TIMES
You must take an online orientation quiz in class during the first week of class. Come to one of the
following sessions in room NC 3604. Please be on time.
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Tuesday January 17
10:00 AM
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Wednesday January 18
5:00 PM
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Thursday January 19
8:00 AM
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**Monday January 23
10:00 AM
h
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**Monday January 16 is a Holiday so please come the following Monday (January 23 ).
See the web page www.msudenver.edu/physics/selfpaced for meeting times during the semester. There
are no lectures, just reading assignments, quizzes, and activities to submit. Submitting activities, some
testing, and tutoring will take place in NC 3604. You may come to any or all of the available times for help
or testing. Ask the instructor to clarify any questions you might have before taking a quiz. GRADING
Your grade is based upon the number of chapters and activities you pass. Each chapter has four quiz
versions (a, b, c, and d.) Once you have passed a quiz within a chapter with an 80% or better, you have
completed that chapter. Subsequent attempts for that chapter will not affect your grade. If you do not pass
(80% or better) the quiz by the last try, that chapter becomes “dead” and you move on to the next
chapter. If you do not pass at least 7 chapters and 2 activities, then you automatically receive an “F”. If
this happens and you re-enroll and pay tuition within 12 months, then you may start where you left off
(using previously passed chapters and activities toward your grade). Grades are based on the following
criteria:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CF
Chapters
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
7
<7 or
Activities
6
5
4
4
3
2
2
2
<2
QUIZZES
Since this is a science course, the questions may ask you to draw a conclusion from the laws given in the
text, not simply a regurgitation of a collection of facts. You should take advantage of the end-of-chapter
questions and ask your instructor if you are unsure of the correct answers.
Each quiz consists of ten multiple choice questions. To pass a quiz, you must correctly answer at least
eight out of ten questions, meaning an 80% or better. The first three quizzes from each chapter (a, b, c)
may be taken from anywhere you have internet access. For the last quiz (d), you get two attempts but you
must take it in a self-paced session in NC3604. There is a fifteen-minute time limit for each quiz done in
the classroom due to the limited number of computers in NC3604.
ACTIVITIES
Activities are listed on the course website. After completing an activity you must turn it in during one of the
self-paced sessions. When submitting an activity you will sit down with the instructor and he or she will
review it with you. The instructor will either accept the activity (meaning it passed) or will return it to you
with appropriate feedback about how you can improve the activity so that it will be accepted next time.
Once you have made the required changes you may submit it again. Please note that this will take about
10 minutes per assignment, and allow enough time in the period for this to occur.
IMPORTANT ITEMS
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Classes Begin
Tuesday, January 17 , 2017
Last Day to Drop Full Semester Classes with 100% Refund (10 week class)
Monday, January 23 , 2017
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Last Day to Withdraw (Full Semester Classes) and Receive "W"
ALL WORK IS DUE WITHOUT EXCEPTION
Friday, April 6 , 2017
Thursday, May 4th, 2017 @
9:50 AM
*Effective fall 2013 the NC grade notation will no longer be applied to academic records. For information on this and
other academic policy changes, please see http://www.msudenver.edu/advising/student/academicpolicies/.
During the last two weeks, you may turn in no more than two activities per meeting time. Be careful
not to procrastinate. Many of the astronomy activities require months or more of observing, so you will
need to start early in the semester to complete them.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Course website: http://www.msudenver.edu/physics/self-­‐paced/ Textbook for Physics 1000.003
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Physics: Concepts and Connections, 5 ed., (2010) Art Hobson. Addison-Wesley.
Activities for Physics 1000.003
Our SelfPaced web site contains various activities. They are in .pdf format. We cannot emphasize enough
to start your activities early.
Textbook for Astronomy 1040.003
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The Essential Cosmic Perspective, 6 ed., (2011) Jeffrey O. Bennett, Megan O. Donahue, Nicholas O
Schneider, Mark Voit
Activities for Astronomy 1040.003
Our SelfPaced web site contains various activities. They are in .pdf format. Many of these takes weeks to
complete all the necessary observations. It is crucial that you choose and start your activities early.
(There are no excuses for not performing the activities - not even weather.)