General Information:

All students in the College of Humanities & Sciences are required to take at least one semester of a physical science course. This course fulfills that requirement. The course covers selected topics in physics using a large-lecture format enhanced by these notes, continuous testing technique, and an electronic discussion forum.

In class, these notes :

Outside of class, the notes are available on the World Wide Web and

The lecture notes are a seamless super-outline of the whole semester incorporating linked main points, examples, and test questions. The instructor can move through this outline in many ways: Start with the main points and then give the examples; Start with the examples and then move to the main points; Use the live test questions for review or for continuous testing. This course has used continuous testing during all lectures since 1995. Until recently, this required that scan sheets be passed out at the beginning of each class and collected at the end. Students would mark their answers to questions flashed on the screen at the end of each major topic.

Beginning in the Fall 2004 semester, the scan sheets have been replaced by a classroom response system. The instructor gains the advantage of immediate feedback on how the students are understanding the material and can go over problem areas as soon as they arise. The Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 semesters used infra-red "clickers" similar to TV remotes. Beginning in Fall 2005, radio transceivers have replaced the infra-red "clickers."

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