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I'm getting a number of questions about homework, both the<br>
MasteringChemistry on-line homework and the textbook homework.<br>
There are instructions on Carmen for signing up for MC in<br>
the MasteringChemistry module. I think most of you have done<br>
this by now. Much of what is below has already been enumerated<br>
in class, my web page or e-mail. I'm still getting questions
though.<br>
<br>
As I've mentioned multiple times, we are doing on-line homework<br>
using MC. I'm trying to limit this so as not to overwhelm you.<br>
Overall this will contribute 7.5% of your course score. All the
various<br>
types of on-line homework are always available to work on, even<br>
past the due dates (although you won't get credit for anything done<br>
after the due dates).<br>
<br>
There are the DSM problems which <b>are</b> <b>for </b><b>credit</b>.
To me they seem<br>
to be easier than the end-of-chapter problems. I would suggest you<br>
work on these every day for a short while and get them done by they<br>
due date. You probably want to get them done before doing the<br>
homework review questions (see below).<br>
<br>
There are the tutorials which are <b>not for credit</b>. I've
tried to limit these<br>
as well because I don't want someone getting "stuck" in these and<br>
spending too much time. They have due dates only to give you some<br>
timetable for when to finish them. These are NOT a substitute for<br>
reading the textbook and critically analyzing the material. Use
these<br>
if you're having trouble understanding the material and you can't
find me<br>
or a TA. Whenever possible, it's best to see one of us in person
for help.<br>
<br>
There are homework review problems which are for credit. There will<br>
be around 20-30 of these. These will be due usually the day of the<br>
quizzes but that could change depending on circumstances.<br>
However, this is <b>NOT</b> enough.<br>
<br>
I've "assigned" end-of-chapter (EOC) problems from the book <br>
which you will find on my class web page (not Carmen). You do<br>
not get credit for these. However, it is of utmost importance you<br>
do these. If I see people are not doing as well as in the past I<br>
will attribute that to people not doing the textbook assignments<br>
and only the "review" problems. I may then decide to include<br>
these EOC problems in the on-line homework for credit.<br>
I would prefer not to since I want you using these to figure things<br>
out and not be "afraid" of making a mistake or needing help from<br>
someone or the solutions manual. But you have to use the help<br>
correctly and not lean it too much (i.e. don't just read the
solutions<br>
manual and think you know it).<br>
<br>
In which order should you do these? It doesn't really matter. It<br>
kind of depends on how things are going for you. You get credit<br>
for the on-line homework and do lose points for wrong answers.<br>
Doing the book problems first might make the on-line homework<br>
a little easier. On the other hand the on-line homework does have<br>
tutorials available and is often easier (but not always) than the
book<br>
problems.<br>
<br>
Personally I would do the book problems first. If you have trouble<br>
you can peak at the solutions manual on Carmen for help (and<br>
then do another similar problem). That doesn't cost you anything.<br>
These don't count for a grade so getting one wrong the first time<br>
won't cost any course points. By doing these first you should<br>
already know the material pretty well before attempting the on-line<br>
homework. You can then use that kind of as a review before the<br>
quiz each week. It should go quicker and you can maximize your<br>
points since you will have already done the book problems and<br>
have a good idea of what to do. I will say this again, doing just<br>
the on-line homework isn't enough if you hope to do decently.<br>
If you want to do really well you have to do a lot of problems and<br>
of course understand what it is you're doing.<br>
<br>
The on-line homework does have cutoff dates. They are there to<br>
try to force you to at least do some homework and not fall behind.<br>
They are "flexible" and could change, maybe pushed back from<br>
the due dates I'll show (doubtful I would make them sooner).<br>
I keep stating how important it is not to fall behind and there are<br>
many of you who have not started these problems. Hopefully you've<br>
started the EOC problems.<br>
<br>
You would want to complete the MC stuff which apply to the<br>
sections covered by a quiz before the quiz. I'll let you know<br>
which those are before the quiz. <br>
<br>
My belief is, if you do ALL the assigned homework problems<br>
(and then some extra) AND understand what you are doing AND<br>
understand the concepts in the book AND do things the proper<br>
way (read the "How to Study" link) AND seek help when you<br>
need it, you should be fine. The problem is many people do NOT<br>
do the proper things. I will treat you as adults and it's up to you
to<br>
be responsible enough to do homework and come for help. I will<br>
provide as much help as possible but it ultimately comes down to<br>
you being responsible enough to do the proper things.<br>
<br>
This would apply even w/o on-line homework. We shouldn't have<br>
to "force" you to do the work you need to do to learn the material.<br>
You're here to learn and you do so by doing the work, not by simply<br>
showing up to lecture and doing the minimum possible.<br>
<br>
You can find the "assigned" EOC homework on the class web page,<br>
<h3><a
href="http://chemistry.osu.edu/%7Erzellmer/chem1220/chem1220.htm"><u><b>Chemistry
1220 - Su17<br>
</b></u></a></h3>
Once there you will see links for "Homework". Click on the<br>
appropriate link for the edition of the textbook you're using<br>
(that will be the 14th ed. for the vast majority of you).<br>
What you will find are the end-of-chapter problems you should do.<br>
I've listed the EOC problems as 2, 4, 6, etc. For example, for the<br>
Chapter 11 review material, this means 11.2, 11.4, 11.6 in the<br>
EOC exercises.<br>
<br>
Just looking at the publisher's solutions is NOT the same as<br>
YOU doing the homework problems. YOU must be able to<br>
do them on your own in a reasonable period of time. Chem<br>
1220 involves lots of concepts and equations. You need to<br>
understand these concepts and truly understand the equations<br>
(when and how to use them, what the eqns tell you about the<br>
relationships between the variables in the eqns, etc.). If you<br>
attempt the homework problems I've assigned but can't do<br>
them on your own or don't understand the concepts and eqns.<br>
you should seek help from me and/or the TAs and then work<br>
some more problems. If you don't do this you won't do well<br>
in the class. <br>
<br>
You MUST keep up with what we are doing in class. If <br>
you are behind, even by one lecture's worth of material, <br>
you will find it will be difficult to catch up and understand <br>
things. This is not a course you can put off for another <br>
day. You will need to spend 5-6 hours EVERY DAY in<br>
order to do well. You should be spending about 30 hours<br>
per week (sometimes less, sometimes more) on the lecture<br>
material and 3-4 hours on lab to prepare for one lab and write<br>
the report and since there's two labs per week that's 6-8 hours<br>
per week for lab. Students often tell me (after failing the first<br>
midterm) they spend a lot of time every week studying. When I <br>
ask for specifics I'm often told "a lot" is 6 or fewer hours <br>
a week. That won't work. Always skim 1/2 a chapter ahead<br>
in the book before class so that lecture will make a little more<br>
sense. You should then finish the sections in the textbook and<br>
associated homework for sections covered in one lecture before<br>
the next. I generally follow the order of the sections in the book.<br>
This way you are keeping up and the next lecture will make more <br>
sense. You should be done with Friday lecture material by Saturday.<br>
You should be done with ALL the assigned sections and homework<br>
for the week by Saturday or Sunday. Read about how to study for<br>
this class at the following link,<br>
<br>
<a
href="https://cbc-wb01x.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/%7Erzellmer/studying/studying_1220_summer.txt"><b>Studying
Methods - 1220</b></a><br>
<br>
This class is quite a bit tougher than most, mainly because most<br>
of you have not seen most of this material in high school and even<br>
if you have probably not at the level of understanding we expect.<br>
We cover a lot of conceptual things and that is often something<br>
most students did not see in high school or in other classes. Plus,<br>
we are moving much faster than a normal semester.<br>
<br>
You will be busy with this course. It takes a lot of hard work<br>
and effort. It will be mostly up to you how much you learn. <br>
Probably 90% of what you learn will be on your own with about<br>
10% coming from me, both in class and by you asking me<br>
questions. I'm always very willing to help and will help as much<br>
as I can. You can always come by my office or e-mail me questions. <br>
You will likely get a lot of e-mails from me throughout the
semester.<br>
When someone asks me a good question I usually send my answer<br>
to the whole class (usually when there's one person with a question<br>
there's probably several more with the same question). I will also<br>
send answers to questions I've received in previous years. As a<br>
matter of fact, the answers to some of those can be found at the<br>
"Helpful Tidbits" link on the 1220 class web page (not Carmen).<br>
Check this page and my other links for answers to your questions<br>
before e-mailing me. However, if you still don't understand
something<br>
do not be afraid to seek me out in my office or send an e-mail.<br>
<br>
Dr. Zellmer<big><font size="2"><big><br>
</big></font></big>
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