Attendance:

If you are unable to attend class, you will be allowed to miss three (3) classes.  After the third absence, your grade will be lowered a grade for each unexcused absence thereafter, with a maximum of a complete letter grade reduction.  Excused absences must be arranged before class, not after.

• Homework is due at 9:00 am on the date it is assigned.  Extensions will not be granted, except under certain situations in which the dean of students becomes involved.
• Late homework will be penalized by 5% per day and will not be accepted after 7 days.
• Attendance at all exams is required.  Make-up exams will not be allowed.  If I do not hear from you with a VALID excuse BEFORE I hand out the exam, you will receive a ZERO for the exam and you will not be able to make it up.

Class Participation:

Class participation involves:

• Becoming involved in class discussions and group activities
• Learning to listen and understand other student's points-of-views
• Actively listening and paying attention to discussions
• Not being disruptive.
• Attendance to class.

Academic Responsibility:

It is acceptable to work with others on homework.  If you work with others, the others must SIGN their name on your homework.  In a world that respects the work of others, it is extremely important that you give credit where credit is due.  DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOU MAY WORK TOGETHER, YOUR WORK MUST BE YOUR OWN WORK.  Copying WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.  If you do not answer questions in your own words (so that it will be beneficial to you) and your homework looks the same as another student's, irrespective of whether their name is on your homework, you will receive a zero for the first offense and academic discipline the second offense.  If your homework resembles another student's homework and their name is not signed on your homework, you will be asked to explain the homework and if found to be guilty of copying, you will receive a zero for the first offense and academic discipline the second offense.  These offenses are considered cheating and you will be dealt with according to the procedures presented in the student handbook, pages 54 - 64.  Read them, know them, live them.

  Philosophy:

Learning about science, and more specifically, about organic chemistry, is more than simply learning facts.  It is about developing the thought processes required to know and understand the experimental world around us.  It is more important that you understand how and why a reaction or concept works, rather than simply telling me that it does. For this reason, simple memorization will not suffice. You may need to learn certain facts and reactions as you go along, but you will be required to explain them on the tests and the homework.