Instructor: Robert Grossman
Office: CP-117
Telephone: (859) 257-1285
E-mail: robert.grossman at uky.edu (a good way to contact me)
Office Hours: by appointment (just ask before or after class or by email).
Course web site: http://www.chem.uky.edu/courses/che532
Class hours: TTh 9:30-10:20 am, CP-220 (attendance is mandatory)
Your problem sets will be delivered through ACE Organic, a Web-based organic chemistry homework program. Please go ahead and register with ACE if you have not already done so. Be sure you type your UK ID correctly (eight digits beginning with 0 or 1, not 9). Also, please run the browser checkup when you are using a computer with ACE for the first time: the link is directly under where you enter your password on the login page. After you log in, you will see two courses: the Tutorials course, and the CHE 532 course. If you don't see the CHE 532 course, you probably entered your student ID number incorrectly; press the My Profile button at the top of the page and check that you have entered an eight-digit number beginning with 0 or 1, not a nine-digit number beginning with 9. You should do tutorials 3 and 4 before you start working on problem sets.
You will have an undetermined number of problem sets, worth in combination a total of 30% of your grade. You may (and I encourage you to) work on the homework with your classmates, but you may not simply copy another person's responses, and you may not enter responses into another person's ACE account. When you enter a response, ACE will grade your homework automatically and immediately. If your response is incorrect, you will almost always have unlimited opportunities to correct it and try again.
You will be able to give yourself extensions on assignments. You have a total of 10 days of extensions for your use across the semester. Generally, you can give yourself an extension of up to three days on any particular assignment, but I may reduce that amount on a particular assignment if it is due right before an exam that covers the same material. If you wish to give yourself an extension, you must do so before the original due date on the assignment. You can reduce or increase an extension that you have already given yourself, but only before the original due date on the assignment. I have the ability to override the limits on the extensions, so if you have a reasonable argument as to why you should be granted a waiver of any of these rules, just email me. I am generally lenient about extensions; I want you to do the homework to the best of your ability.
There will be a midterm exam, worth 30% of your grade, and a final, worth 40%. Exams will be given online via ACE Organic (see below) in Nursing 625, although I encourage you to use your own laptop for the exam. The exams are open book, open notes, and open Web.
The midterm exam is scheduled for 7:00 to 9:00 PM on Wednesday, October 14, 2018.
The final exam is scheduled for 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM on Monday, December 14, 2018. Note that this time is different from the one written in the schedule of classes.
The University Senate rules about excused absences apply. In addition, recognizing that the exams are scheduled outside of regular class hours, I will accommodate students who have a good reason (not necessarily University-approved) that they cannot attend at the scheduled day or time. If you miss an exam for any reason, even if you're not sure whether it's a University-approved reason, please talk to me.
The grading scale will be 85+ for an A, 70+ for a B, 60+ for a C, and 50+ for a D.
Cheating on a problem set or exam, for example, by copying another person's responses, is forbidden. The minimum punishment for cheating on a problem set or exam is a zero on the problem set or exam. Depending on the circumstances, the punishment could be more severe. It ain't worth it, so don't do it.