Textbooks: There are two textbooks for this course. Both books are available in the University Bookstore. The first is "A Briefer History of Time" written by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow. Stephen Hawking is a famous scientist working to understand the Universe and black holes. Since 1988, his books have been best-sellers.

The second book is "The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology" (5th edition) written by Drs. J. Bennett, M. Donahue, N. Schneider, & M. Voit. This book is simply the second-half of their larger edition ("The Cosmic Perspective") that you may have used in a previous NATS course. At the end of each chapter are sections entitled The Big Picture, Summary of Key Concepts, Review Questions, Discussion Questions, and Problems. I encourage you to spend time in these sections to help test and develop your understanding and to prepare for the examinations.

Author's Web Site: You are required to enroll in the authors’ interactive Web site called “Mastering Astronomy” (http://www.masteringastronomy.com). There you will find supplementary materials like movies, graphics, etc. and you can also practice problems, view tutorials, take self-quizzes, etc. Please follow these directions carefully:

1. Access the above site.

2. Select the righthand picture of our textbook described above.

3. Register using the Student Access Code that was packaged as an insert in your textbook. Use whatever name and password you prefer.

4. Enroll in our specific course. Use your STAR NAME as the “Student ID” and use “ASTR201MCC” as the "Course ID."

Classroom: T/Th 9:30-10:45 AM in room 140 of the Integrated Learning Center. There may be occasional exceptions to be announced beforehand in class and on the Class Web Page. Lectures will begin at 9:30 am sharp on regularly scheduled class days. If you arrive late, please enter the classroom quietly but feel free to come up front for a good seat. Please do not bring food or drinks into the auditorium.

Professor: I am your professor, Dr. Don McCarthy - an Astronomer at Steward Observatory, the research arm of the Department of Astronomy. I enjoy two main types of athletics: Throwing almost anything (javelin, snowballs, softball, skipping rocks, ...) and endurance events (marathons, long distance cycling).

For my research I build cameras and spectrometers to capture the infrared light emitted by newborn stars, extra-solar planets, active galaxies, and "minor planets" in our solar system. This equipment is used on large ground-based telescopes and in space telescopes like the Hubble and future James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). My work often involves the use of interferometry and adaptive objects to provide very sharp images despite atmospheric blurring. I enjoy teaching a lot and serve as Director of  Astronomy Camp and the education program for JWST/NIRCam. Please(!) do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Office: Room N404 in Steward Observatory. If you take the main elevator up to the fourth floor, you can walk straight ahead into my office.

Office Hours: Unless otherwise stated in class or in the announcements on the web page, Dr. McCarthy is available on Tuesday (room 550) and Wednesday (in his office N404) between 2-4 PM. Other times are also possible and you can arrange an appointment after class or by telephone, electronic mail, etc. You may also leave notes in the mailbox outside my office but always leave your phone number so I can return your message.

Email: You can also email me at dwmccarthy@gmail.com

AOL IM screen name: mccarthdw

Telephone: (520) 621-4079

Teaching Assistant: I am your graduate TA, Ms. Amy Stutz -- an astronomy graduate student. I am studying the dark clouds where stars are born. One of the questions I look at is how these clouds collapse: do they have turbulence and magnetic fields, and what are their relative strengths? Are these forces enough to support against the force of gravity? I mainly use data from Spitzer Space Telescope, a space-based infrared telescope. I also use longer wavelength radio data for my project. When I am not working, I like to practice my Spanish (I grew up in Spain); I also like watching movies.

Please(!) do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Office: Steward Observatory, room 214. It is the first office on your left if you enter the building from the south entrance.

Office Hours: Unless otherwise stated in class or in the announcements on the Web site, Ms. Stutz is available in his office on Mondays and Wednesdays between 2:30-3:30 PM. Other times are also possible, and you can arrange an appointment after class or by telephone, electronic mail, etc.

Email:You can also email me at astutz@as.arizona.edu.

Telephone: (520) 621-4934

Preceptors: Preceptors are highly-motivated students who wish to help teach their peers under the supervision of the course instructor. Often students learn best from other students and preceptors can really "make a difference."

As a preceptor in this course you would take an active role in the teaching process by working directly with Dr. McCarthy. You would also receive University credit by enrolling in UNVR 197a and completing several workshops with other University preceptors to learn and practice skills in effective teaching.

If you would like to become a preceptor, please contact Dr. McCarthy and also learn about the Teaching Teams Program.

Communication: PLEASE! let me know if you have any disabilities which might make it difficult for you to hear, see, take notes, or understand course material. Students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center must submit appropriate documentation to the instructor if they are requesting reasonable accommodations: http://drc.arizona.edu/instructor/syllabus-statement.shtml.

Classes and examinations will be conducted in English. Students are expected to write clear sentences and paragraphs using good English for reports and exam questions. Always proofread your work before submitting it!

A bulletin board in the hallway near my office will post the course syllabus, any recent announcements, sign-up sheets, test results, and astronomical event notices.

Your Star Name: You have been assigned a star or constellation name as your code name for all assignments, exams, the optional project, and grade distribution. NEVER WRITE YOUR PERSONAL NAME OR STUDENT ID NUMBER ON ANY ASSIGNMENTS IN THIS COURSE; USE YOUR CODE NAME INSTEAD!!

Academic Integrity: Dr. McCarthy and the Department of Astronomy adhere to the University's Code of Academic Integrity. It is expected that each student will do his/her own work on all exams, homework, labs, and projects. Even if you are part of a team solution to a problem, you must use your own wording and ideas in summarizing the solution and expressing conclusions.

You may start an assignment in a team. However, once you decide HOW to approach a problem, you must then make all your own measurements and use your own wording to interpret and express conclusions. Any assignments that appear identical will be awarded "zero" points and can lead to expulsion from the class and the University. At a minimum such violations of the Code will lead to an Academic Integrity investigation with the Dean of Students Office.

During my years of teaching, I have developed skills in recognizing plagiarism and outright cheating. Such violations of the Code can be penalized by expulsion from the University and negative reports in your official records. If you are having difficulty in this course, PLEASE just ask for help instead of sacrificing your future.

TurnItIn.com: If you decide to take and continue in this course, you may be instructed to submit your papers online to a plagiarism-prevention program called TurnItIn.com. When you set up your individual account with TurnItIn.com for this class, make sure you understand and consent to all the terms that the program provides you at that point.

You should note that TurnItIn.com – always without your name and any personal information – will retain your paper as part of their database so that students who plagiarize from it can be detected. Because of this program, the vast majority of you who do your own work and cite your sources of information properly will not have to compete with students who commit undetected plagiarism. Anyone who has questions or problems with TurnItIn.com may talk privately about these with the instructor.

Lectures: Interactive "lectures" will concentrate on major discoveries and new perspectives of our Universe. Classes will emphasize hands-on measurement and observational skills related to the concepts presented in classes that week. This “follow the evidence” approach will help develop problem-solving skills and reinforce understanding of the scientific method. Lecture material will supplement and expand upon the required reading using PowerPoint, digital animations, videotapes, music, laboratory equipment, and liquid nitrogen as teaching tools. Impromptu quizzes will be given to promote understanding, self-assessment, attention, and attendance.

Lecture notes: The text of each lecture is given below in outline form ahead of class. You must attend class to experience the associated images, graphs, animations, videos, and demonstrations.This convenience is provided so you can THINK about the material instead of mindlessly writing your own notes. Please print them out and bring to class so you can add your own thoughts as the lecture proceeds.

Absence policy: You are required to attend each class in accordance with University policy. Each lecture will build on the previous one. Therefore, if you miss class, you can get behind so quickly that it may be very difficult to catch up and you might also miss impromptu quizzes.

All holidays observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion. All absences pre-approved by the Dean of Students will also be accepted.

Behavior: Dr. McCarthy promises to be respectful of all students. I hope you will do the same in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and other University guidelines.

Homeworks & quizzes: Weekly homework assignments are a major component (45%) of this course. They are designed to involve each student in wrestling with the concepts presented in lectures and the textbooks. These assignments will also reinforce and apply concepts discussed in class. A few quizzes will be given during class. At the end of the semester the average score of the quizzes will be equivalent to an additional homework assignment.

“Reaction Paper” essays are meant to engage you in specific topics and to enable you to express your opinions and interpretations once you understand the particular concept. These essays will be graded according to the rubric used in the Writing Program of the Dept. of English: Content (50%), Organization (20%), Expression (20%), Mechanics (10%).

Homework is due at the start of class on the specified date. Electronic submissions are not accepted. If an assignment is turned in late, a late-penalty of 10% will be assessed for each class period that has elapsed since the due date. Assignments will not be accepted after Thursday of the following week.

The following rules apply to homework assignments:

1. All homework must be typewritten. Math symbols and calculations may be handwritten but must be legible.

2.You must always show or explain how you reached a solution by recording intermediate steps in a calculation or describing your solution logically in words.

3. Some problems only require your opinion to be clearly stated. In these cases, your grade will be determined more by your reasoning and writing abilities than by the exact answer.

4. You may START an assignment in a team. However, after deciding HOW to approach a problem, you must then make all your own measurements and always use your own wording to interpret and express conclusions. Homework solutions that appear identical are a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity and will receive a grade of zero plus potential expulsion from the course.

Study sessions: Dr. McCarthy will conduct optional homework study sessions each Tuesday afternoon from 2-4 PM in room 550. To participate, you must have already attempted all the problems or activities. Students may be asked to help each other and to lead discussion.

On Wednesday evenings (9-10 PM) Dr. McCarthy is available online via AOL Instant Messenger. His screen name is “mccarthdw”.

Grading : Students have two options for determining the calculation of grades, one of which requires a significant project to be completed with the approval of the instructor. You must choose the option best for you by February 29. Grades will be derived from the following categories with the indicated percentage weights.

OPTION #1:
Homework and papers, counting 45%;
Three exams, including the final exam, counting 45%;
Participation, counting 10%.
The average of all quizzes counts as one homework.

OPTION #2:
Homework and papers, counting 45%;
Three exams, including the final exam, counting 25%;
Optional project to be approved in advance by Dr. McCarthy, counting 20%;
Participation, counting 10%.
The average of all quizzes counts as one homework.

“Participation” includes attending class regularly, asking relevant questions during class, seeking help during study sessions and office hours, helping to lead discussions, etc.

Final course grades will be assigned as follows: A (90-100%); B (80-89%); C (70-79%); D (60-69%); E (<60%).

"Resurrection Points": In this course students can recover (i.e., resurrect) points lost on previous exams and can earn a 100% grade on the Exam component of this course until the very last day of class.

Dr. McCarthy does not grade on a curve so that each person can earn an "A" by demonstrating understanding of the scientific concepts presented and illustrated in class. Therefore, you will not be competing against your classmates for exam grades.

"Resurrection points" encourage you to master all the major concepts taught and demonstrated in this course, even if it requires the whole semester, and even if you perform poorly on the first two exams. I recognize that people learn at different speeds and that scientific concepts are often not intuitive, requiring extra time and effort to understand.

You can "resurrect" points you may have lost on an early exam by demonstrating correct understanding of the same concept on the next exam. For example, if you missed 3 of 5 questions relating to the concept of "gravity" on the first exam, you can "resurrect" points by correctly answering 4 of 5, or 5 of 5, questions in a similar section on the second exam or on the final exam. You cannot lose points in this process.

I encourage you to master the scientific concepts as early as possible. By waiting until the end of the semester to understand them, you will be placing unnecessary stress on yourself and increasing your likelihood of failure.

Examinations: There will be two in-class exams (Feb. 21; April 3) and a final exam (May 13, 8-10 am). The two-hour final exam will emphasize the final third of the course and provide "Resurrection Points" for students to earn back points lost in previous exams. The format of all exams will include multiple choice and short essay questions.

An informal review session will be held one or more days ahead of each exam to provide you an opportunity to ask questions and to practice concepts presented during the course. Sample exams from past courses are available at the same locations as the lecture notes as listed above.

ALL exams will be OPEN-BOOK and OPEN-NOTES. Exams will emphasize UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD of memorization. Bring your UofA CAT Card and a #2 PENCIL to all exams!

There will be NO makeup exams except in cases of extreme difficulty such as a proven illness.