Timely News!

Objectives	Laboratory	General Info	Grading/Exams	Scheduling
Expectations	OWL	FAQ's!	past exams	Chemland/CD
Tips for success	CRC	Contacts	Textbook	Exam Scores
Calendar	Lec Support	Periodic Table	Help!	Cool stuff!

Site(s) of the week:   (S o' W Archives)

The Mad Scientist Network Nextwave - jobs, news, etc for the Sciences Horseradish peroxidase - demonstrates principles of Chem 111 The structures of molecules - Molecular Shape (as seen in class) Orbitals to rotate Atomic orbitals! Atomic orbitals II Atomic and Molecular Orbitals Page Solubility Table (or bigger) 1000+ Molecular Models OR Klotho's Models Ethanol Pure forms of carbon Prof Martin's Research Chemistry Department Seminars Saunders Chemistry in the News Saunders Gen Chem - Beta! Periodic Tables: Chemicool, Los Alamos, WebElements

Course Expectations

Similarly, one would not expect to succeed in hockey by waiting until the week before the big game to begin intensive practice. Success in this course will require the working of problems throughout the term. Attend lecture, work some problems, and then return to lecture, looking for more insight into the problems you have worked.

It is expected that all students in this course will behave in a professional manner, including:

• Appropriate conduct during lectures. Personal conversations should be reserved for outside of the classroom.
• Prompt arrival at lectures. The disruption caused by late arrivals is inconsiderate to your colleagues.
• Professional behavior on exams. Those found cheating on exams will be prosecuted to the full extent of University regulations. As a faculty member, I consider it my responsibility to the vast majority of conscientious students, to prosecute fully those who do not take this seriously. Students who cannot conduct themselves in a professional manner do not belong at the University of Massachusetts.

FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions

Text Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity, 4th Edition   University of Massachusetts Edition Kotz & Treichel Harcourt Brace

   Username: student
   Password: curie

Check out "Learning Resources"

Grading The course is divided into two primary parts (1 and 2 below), which are administered separately. In order to pass the course, you must receive a passing score in the lecture part of the course, which includes the quizzes and exams. In order to pass the course, you must also receive a passing score in the laboratory component (missing a single lab will almost ensure you of not passing). Finally, the OWL homework component constitutes 10% of your overall grade. Failure to complete any of the OWLS will almost certainly drop your overall grade by a full letter grade. For dates and other information regarding exams, please see the calendar.

Exam policies

• Make-up exams will NOT be given for in-class exams or quizzes - plan your work schedules, etc. now.
• Grading is not on a curve. Everyone can get an A; everyone can fail. There is no penalty for helping your neighbor (in fact, you can learn alot by helping others!)

Lab policies:

• You must complete all of the laboratory experiments to pass the course.
• Lab conflicts or problems should be taken to your TA or lab supervisor.

Chem 111 News Groups

   A newsgroup for all sections of Chem 111
   A newsgroup specific to our lecture section

If you're having trouble with a particular problem or concept, post your question and then watch for helpful comments from your colleagues.

The Chemistry Resource Center - CRC, Goessmann 152

Feel free to come in and study, work on OWL homework assignments, prepare for laboratory, and meet others who are also taking general chemistry. There are approximately 50 Power Macintosh and Pentium computers, and two laser printers in the Center.

General Chemistry students may use these for chemistry related work. Login procedures for students of Chemistry 111 and 112 are posted at each computer.

This is an invaluable resource for the course. You can get help with problems, and talk with faculty, TA's, and your fellow students. Access to OWL and Chemland can be obtained in the CRC. Use it!

Hours:	Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM - Midnight		Faculty on staff from Noon-5:00p
	Friday 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM		No TA or faculty assistance is available on Sundays,
	Closed Saturday		or weekdays from 9:00 AM until noon.
	Sunday 5 PM - Midnight.

OWL (Online Web-based Learning)

#	Name		#	Name		#	Name
1	Tutorial		5	Chemical Formulas		9	Atomic Structure I
2	Nomenclature I	3.5	6	Net Ionic Equations		10	Atomic Structure II
3	Nomenclature II		7	Oxidation-Reduction		11	Molecular Structure
4	Significant Figures		8	Thermodynamics I		12	Gases

OWL (Online Web-based Learning) is an electronic homework and tutoring system developed over the last 2 years as a joint project between the Chemistry and Computer Science Departments at the University of Massachusetts. Within OWL there is an extensive set of questions covering General Chemistry course material.

You are rostered into the OWL system when you register for General Chemistry.

    Username = nine digit student number, NO hyphens.
    Password = last name. This is NOT case sensitive.

If you have 2 words in your last name, such as 'van Allen', enter 'vanallen', no spaces or hyphens. Records of your progress are kept in the OWL database. Your score is recorded whenever you click on the "Save Grade" button.

If you have trouble logging in to the system, click on the "Login Trouble" button and fill out the form. If you add the course after the first week of classes, go to the OWL login page and fill out the information requested under "Login Trouble" in order to be rostered.

You will be given an OWL assignment approximately weekly and successful completion of these assignments by the due date will count 10% toward your final grade. This can make the difference between a "B" or a "C" in the course, so treat them seriously. You may do each OWL assignment as often as you would like. Only your best score, completed within the deadline period, counts toward your grade. Each time you try a particular assignment, you should see a different, but similar set of questions. Feedback is given after you answer each question. This makes OWL an ideal tool to use to study for exams (remember, after you have passed an assignment, you have passed, there is no penalty for retaking OWL units).

When you do an OWL assignment, you will work without supervision and are encouraged to work together to study the material. Please remember that the academic honesty policy applies to online assignments in the same way it applies to other forms of course work, what you ultimately submit is your own work. Many students who have used OWL in the past have stated that working through the OWL assignments is the best and easiest way to learn chemistry and obtain high grades in the course.

OWL can be accessed from any computer connected to the internet, on-campus or off (via PPP, for example), at the web site http://owl.chem.umass.edu/. OWL only works with internet browsers Netscape 3 or above, or Internet Explorer 4 or above. If you do not have a personal computer, any of the public computer labs on campus can be used to access OWL, as can the Chemistry Resource Center. If you have trouble logging in to the system, click on the "Login Trouble" button and fill out the form. If you have trouble configuring your internet browser, go to the OIT Help desk in LGRC A109 (http://www.oit.umass.edu/hds/hd/). Key Features of this Quiz/Homework system:

• You must pass each module to get credit towards your final grade.
• You may take each module as many times as you like.
• OWL quizzes are OPEN BOOK (but exams are not...).
• OWL serves as a valuable practice tool to get ready for exams.
• Once you have passed a module, it is passed permanently.
• There is no penalty for taking modules after you have passed them

Chemland and the Saunders Interactive CD

Similarly, the Saunders Interactive CD is an accompaniment to the text and comes bundled with the text you purchased. Note however, that the final pressing of the CD was not ready in time for the shipment of the revised text. You should receive a coupon in your text which will allow you to pick up a CD (at no extra cost) when it is ready.

These tools are great at helping you to understand concepts. Use them extensively, but don't forget that there is still no substitute for working problems. Chemistry is not a spectator sport!

The Laboratory

1. Complete ALL the laboratories.
2. Arrive on-time so as to complete all prelab lab quizzes
3. Attempt all of the OWL-Lab Exams*.

The lab "Data sheets" can be downloaded directly from the Chem 111 lab web site. Click here.