SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 
CHEM 3013/3015, SECTIONS 1224/1230
FALL 2007

COURSE SYLLABUS

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INSTRUCTOR

Dr. William J. Kelly
CPP 202A
774-3202
E-Mail: william.kelly@swosu.edu
Web Page: http://faculty.swosu.edu/william.kelly



ROOM / TIME
CPP 255 M, W, F 9:00-09:50 AM


TEXT

Organic Chemistry, 6th Edition" by John McMurry, Brooks/Cole Publishers.


SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS

"Study Guide and Solutions Manual for Organic Chemistry 6th Edition" by Susan McMurry. This guide is highly recommended for solutions to assigned problems.
Molecular Model sets are available in the bookstore and are quite useful as aids for the understanding of stereochemistry.
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INTERNET RESOURCES IN CHEMISTRY

With the explosive growth of the world wide net we are rapidly moving into a true information age. Anyone without the requisite skills to access this information will be quickly left behind. If you have not yet done so, you should seriously consider buying a computer and modem. You should have a reasonably fast processor (at least a 486 for PC's and a 68040 for Mac's, although a Pentium or PowerMac is much better) and at least a 28.8 modem. These days a new computer capable of handling the internet can be had for $1,000, and a good used computer for about half that. Think of it as an investment in your future.

There is presently a vast amount of chemical information available over the net. I will provide links to some of this information. While much of this can be accessed directly by your web browser, much of the information requires specific browser plug-ins and/or specific stand alone helper applications. Click on this link for more information

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ATTENDANCE

Attendance will not be checked each class meeting. No penalty will be assessed for absences, nor will credit be given for attendance. However, it has been my experience that students who are habitually absent from class perform poorly on quizzes and exams.
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COURSE OF STUDY

We will attempt to cover all chapters from 1 to 11 and 14-16. This gives us an average of covering 1.6 chapters a week. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy will be covered in the laboratory, but you will be responsible for this material on the final.
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EXAMS/ QUIZZES

QUIZZES

About 9-10 short quizzes will be given at 5:30 PM on Tuesdays (except for weeks that we have an exam).** The quizzes are voluntary**.  Each quiz will be worth 10 points and only the best 6-7 quizzes will be counted as the equivalent of one hour exam.  The Average quiz grade may be used to replace an exam grade of lower value, but only if at least 6-7 quizzes have been taken.  Answer keys for these quizzes will be posted on the web as they become available.

EXAMS
There will be FOUR scheduled hour exams during the semester. Each exam will be worth 100 points. These exams will be given at 5:30 PM on Tuesdays.   Attendance at exams is mandatory. Make-up exams will be given only under extenuating circumstances. You must have a really good reason for the absence.
 

EXAM 1 TUESDAY, SEPT 11th
EXAM 2 TUESDAY, OCT 9th
EXAM 3 TUESDAY, NOV 13th
EXAM 4 TUESDAY, DEC 4th
FINAL EXAM
MONDAY, DEC 17th

FINAL EXAM
A comprehensive final exam worth 250 points will be held during finals week on Monday, Dec 17th at 8:30 AM.

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GRADING

I consider the following grading scheme a contract and will not vary from it. You may check with me as to your current grade at any time. It is a good idea, however, to keep all graded material so you can keep up with your own grade.
Final grades in the course will be based upon a possible point total of 650 points and upon the following schedule
 
> 581 POINTS (89.5%) A
517-581 POINTS (79,5%)  B
449-516 POINTS (69%) C
380-448 POINTS (58.5%) D
< 380 POINTS F
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LECTURE NOTES

I will hand out detailedlecture notes for each chapter covered in the course. These notes are not ment to be a substitute for either attending lecture or reading the chapter in the text, but are provided as an additional study aid. Use them wisely!
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STUDY GUIDES

I will hand out study guides for each chapter covered in the course. Although I expected students to be familiar with all topics covered in the lecture, lecture notes and chapter readings, these guides will illustrate the topics which I consider to be most important. I will also suggest certain problems in the text chapter for you to try. The solutions to these problems can be found in the optional Study Guide and Solutions Manual.
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PROBLEMS

I will suggest a number of problems in each chapter that I consider to illustrate key points.Do these problems first. I will also handout problem sets for each chapter which will further emphasize important concepts. The answers to these problem sets will be provided.I do not collect or grade suggested problems. However, a wise student would use these problems to prepare for quizzes and exams.
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COURSE PHILOSOPHY

The goal of this course is to help you learn organic chemistry, a subject of fundamental importance to a wide range of fields. It is going to require much work on your part but the following hints may be helpful.
1. Attend all lectures.
There is a vast amount of material to be covered and a limited time to do it in. Missing even one lecture may put you irretrievably behind.
2. Read the text.
In my lectures I emphasize the things I think are important. Usually, the text will cover these points in greater detail and/or in a slightly different way.
3. Work the problems.
There are no shortcuts here; working the problems is the only way to learn organic chemistry. The practice problems show you how to approach the material. Full answers and explanations for the problems are given in the Study Guide and Solutions Manual.
4. Use molecular models.
Organic Chemistry is a 3-dimensional science. There is no substitute for building a model and turning it around in your hands.
5. Ask questions.
Faculty are here to help you.
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CONCURRENT LABORATORY/DROP POLICY

1.  The Undergraduate Catalog states that students enrolled in a lab course must be at least concurrently enrolled in the corresponding lecture course.  For example, students enrolled in CHEM 1252, General Chemistry I Lab, must be concurrently enrolled or have previously passed CHEM 1203, General Chemistry I Lecture, or equivalent.  The student must be in GOOD STANDING, that means attending class and all required quizzes and exams.

2.  When a student concurrently enrolled in a lecture and lab sequence drops the lecture, the student must also drop the lab.  If there are two or fewer lab meetings remaining in the semester when the student drops the lecture, not including periods for lab exams and checkout, the lab instructor may allow the student to continue and complete the course.  This course of action is at the discretion of the instructor.

3.  Since lecture instruction is essential to the understanding of the principles studied in the lab, when a student ceases attending lecture and has not dropped the course, that student will be administratively dropped from the lecture and lab courses.  Exceptions to this rule may include unusual or mitigating circumstances such as illness, injury, death in the family, etc., and may be granted by the instructor.

4.  When a student drops or is dropped from lecture, the lecture instructor will notify the lab instructor.

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DISABILITY POLICY Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him/her from fully demonstrating his/her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities.


GENERAL RULES

No tobacco in any form all will be allowed in the classroom.
No food/drink will be allowed in the classroom.
Be forewarned that cheating on an exam or quiz will lead to a zero on that exam or quiz and could lead to an F in the course.
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