Course Overview
Course Description
Content
Introduces basic concepts of inorganic and organic chemistry and biochemistry. Emphasizes chemical principles applied to biological systems. Laboratory exercises apply theory to biological and consumer products. Especially designed for students in allied health sciences. Meets the prerequisite of the Nursing program.
IAI P1 902L
Student outcomes
- become familiar with the various classes of inorganic and organic compounds and the reactions they undergo.
- perform simple laboratory experiments related to the subject matter under study and logically interpret the results in light of what is observed.
- explain the role chemistry plays in man's changing environment.
- relate chemical concepts to biological phenomena.
Course Requirements
Materials
Textbook- Timberlake, Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry, 11th edition. Older editions should work fine, but the problem assignments and chapter numbers may be slightly different.
- Mastering Chemistry access code. You will need this if you choose to do the online homework. You can purchase this at masteringchemistry.com. It is not required for the course, but highly recommended.
- Lab investigations will be posted on Blackboard under Course Materials - Lab Manual. You are responsible for downloading and printing them prior to each lab.
Assessment and Evaluation
We will be involved in assessing your learning together. It is important for both of us to have a sense of what you understand, what you are struggling with, and how you are making connections. Therefore, your assessment with be both formative and evaluative. Formative assessment is ongoing and is intended to inform you and me of your current level of understanding and to guide us in clearing up misconceptions, providing deeper insights, and enhancing your learning. Evaluative assessment occurs periodically as a means of measuring your level of understanding and your ability to demonstrate what you have mastered. We will use some traditional and some nontraditional means of assessment.
Quizzes
We will have occasional in-class quizzes, which will be announced in class at least one class day prior to the quiz. You will need to complete an electronic quiz on Blackboard before the in-class quiz. If you have not completed the Blackboard quiz prior to class, you may not take the in-class quiz. Your top five in-class quizzes will be counted toward your final grade. There will be no make-up quizzes.
As you participate in the lab you will:
- Ask and answer questions and explore topics discussed in class through hands-on, inquiry-based laboratory experiences
- Write laboratory reports that reveal thoughtful analysis of data and include evidence to support conclusions
- Develop basic laboratory techniques
- Practice laboratory safety
Lab Reports
You will be expected to complete all questions in the lab manual and turn it in at the beginning of the following lab to be graded. If you miss a lab for a pre-approved reason, you can still complete the lab report (using someone else's data) for partial credit.
Pre-Lab
For full credit, you will need to complete all pre-lab questions before the start of each lab period. Without this completed, you may not be allowed into the lab that day. You may drop two out of twelve pre-lab scores.
Homework
Success on exams and quizzes in this class requires lots of practice, so all homework assignments should be considered mandatory. Using the online homework (Mastering Chemistry) is the best way to make sure you complete the necessary assignments. I will take your final homework score out of 80%, so you don't need to worry about getting every problem correct on the first try. If you opt not to do the online homework, I will scale the other scores to compensate.
Exams
Exams will consist of some multiple-choice questions, but most will be free response, essay, and problem solving questions. You will take three hourly exams and a standardized final exam during the semester. All exams are cumulative. Your final exam score can replace one hourly exam score if it is better. There will be no make-up exams, but if you have extenuating circumstances and must miss an exam, you may replace that exam's score with the final exam.
Grading & Policies
Course Policies
Make-up work
In general, there will be no make-up quizzes, exams, or labs. Sometimes it will be possible to make up some work, so it's worth asking, but in general this will not be an option. There are generous policies in place to allow you to replace or drop missed quizzes, labs and exams scores.
Deadlines for assignments are in place to help you manage your time, to enable me to provide you feedback frequently throughout the semester and so that we are all not overloaded at the end of the semester trying to get everything done at the last minute. I believe I am reasonable, however, so if you find you occasionally need additional time to complete an assignment, talk with me about an extension (well before the assignment is due). Please do not abuse this offer or it will be withdrawn.
Academic Dishonesty
Cheating is not tolerated in the class. Work together when appropriate, but do not cheat! Below is the College's academic honesty policy:
Harper College is strongly committed to the promotion of high ethical standards. Such standards can best be accomplished in an environment where honesty and integrity are practiced. For this reason, the College strongly condemns academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, or other improper appropriation of another's work as one's own and falsifying records to advance one's academic standing. Cheating includes but is not limited to copying answers, stealing and/or disseminating tests or answer keys, using someone else's data in preparation of reports or assignments, and assisting other in such practices. Plagiarism involves the presentation of another person's words, ideas, or work as one's own. It includes but is not limited to copying material, written or nonwritten, without proper acknowledgment of its source, and paraphrasing another's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment. Falsifying records includes but is not limited to falsifying or improperly altering college records and documents, or knowingly supplying false or misleading information to others (e.g. the College, other educational institutions, or prospective employers).
If you are caught violating this academic honesty policy, it will result in a zero on that particular work and may result in a failing grade for the course.
Grading
Your course grade will be determined based upon the total number of points you earn this semester. Each area of evaluative assessment will contribute approximately as follows. The point values per category and thus the total number of points for the semester are subject to change as the semester progresses.
| Quantity Graded | Quantity Counted for Final Grade | Points Each | Percent of Final Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | *7 | 5 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Lab Reports | 12 | 10 | 20 | 23.0% |
| Lab Clean-up | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2.0% |
| Pre-lab | 12 | 10 | 5 | 5.0% |
| Online homework | * | 80% | * | 10.0% |
| Research Project | *1 | *1 | 20 | 5.0% |
| Hourly Exams | 3 | 3 | 100 | 30.0% |
| Final Exam | 1 | 1 | 100 | 15.0% |
| Total | 100.0% | |||
| *The number of these assignments is approximate and may be changed as the schedule requires | ||||
The total number of points available this semester is subject to change at my discretion. Grades are assigned based upon your final percentage of points earned:
| 90-100% A | 80-89.9% B | 70-79.9% C | 60-69.9% D | 59.9% and below F |
| Other important dates: | January 19 - last day for full refunds |
| January 20 - Martin Luther King Day (no classes) | |
| February 12 - Lincoln's Birthday (no classes) | |
| April 20 - last day for withdrawal |