Course Syllabus

Chemistry 60 Course Syllabus Chemistry for the Allied Health Sciences

Santa Rosa Junior College            Spring 2021

 

Instructor:  Vasfi Basaran

Email: vbasaran@santarosa.edu

Office: Online

Office Hours: M: 7:30-8:00 am; F: 2:30-3:30 pm; plus two asynchronous hours

Lectures:  W F 3:30 – 5:00 pm, online, Sections 5406 & 5425 – Vasfi Basaran

Laboratories: F 8:00 – 9:00 am, online; 9:00 am - Noon, online & PC 208, Section 5406 – A.Chase

                      Th 7:30 – 8:30 am, online; 8:30 – 11:30 am, online & PC 208, Section 5425 – J. Crowley

 

All course related material on Canvas.

 

Introduction

Chemistry 60 is a prerequisite for physiology and microbiology courses required for health science programs. It is designed for students who are interested in nursing, dental hygiene, radiology or other healthcare fields, and who have little or no background in chemistry. It will give an overview of basic general, organic and biological chemistry, and most topics will be covered at an introductory level.

Studying these topics will aid your reasoning skills, prepare you for other science classes and help you see the importance of chemistry in the health sciences. It will require diligent effort to learn many of the concepts in the course, but before you know it, your hard work will be rewarded with understanding.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Recognize and apply the underlying chemical foundations of medicine and
  2. Correlate microscopic and macroscopic behavior of
  3. Solve quantitative problems relating to chemical
  4. Safely use basic equipment to observe and measure chemical and physical properties in the

 

Required Course Materials

Textbook:        James Armstrong, General, Organic and Biological Chemistry: An Applied Approach, 2nd Edition (2015)

Lab manual: Tatjana Omrčen, Chemistry 60 Laboratory Manual, 9th Edition, 2018

Basic scientific calculator, such as a TI-30XA, Casio FX-260 or similar (about $10) (Cell phones, graphing calculators, etc. and sharing are not allowed on tests.)  You may have access to the scientific calculator on your computer.

Lab safety goggles

Lab safety apron

Molecular Model kit – Indigo Instruments

Lone pair electron paddles – Indigo Instruments

 

 

Important Dates

Sunday, February 7 – Last day to drop without a W

Sunday, April 25 – Last day to withdraw with a W

Wednesday, May 26, 1:00 – 3:45 pm – Final exam

 

Grading

Grades will be based on laboratory experiments, four midterms, and a final exam.

It will be broken down in the following way:

 

            Lab Grade: 25%

            Four exams: 15% each for a total of 60%

            Comprehensive final: 15%

           

 

Final Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

            A   85% or above

            B   75-84%

            C   60-74%

            D   45-59%

F     0-44%     

 

Students who earn these percentages (no rounding is used) and complete all requirements are guaranteed the grade indicated, with one exception. In order to pass the class, you must pass both the lab and exam / final portions of the class separately with a minimum of 50%. Do not rely too much on doing well in only one area.

 

Examinations

A total of 4 exams, each covering one or more chapters and experiments, will be administered on the scheduled dates.  There will be no make-up exams given.  If an exam is missed, a score of zero will be recorded.  On each exam, you are responsible for all lecture topics and textbook assignments to date as well as all experiments that have been performed as part of the course.

 

There will be a comprehensive final given on the assigned date and time.

 

All students must review the syllabus and the requirements including the online testing requirements and online lectures and labs to determine if they wish to remain in the course. Enrollment in the course is an agreement to abide by and accept all terms. Any student may elect to drop or withdraw from this course before the end of the drop/add period.

For the online exams students should select spaces that are quiet and private. 

The following will be part of the instructions for each proctored exam or quiz.

All students are expected to conform to academic integrity.  If there is a high likelihood of cheating is indicated for any student, that student may be given an oral quiz.

 

 

Homework:

There is no graded homework for this course.  You should do the odd-numbered core problems from each chapter of the text.  You should do these problems after reading each chapter and as practice for the exams and final.

 

Course Content

Lectures

Attendance in lecture is mandatory, and you are strongly encouraged to take notes during lectures, participate in class discussions and work on any problems given in class. Engaging with the material is the first step to understanding. It is also recommended that you read over the material in each chapter before the lecture for that chapter. This will greatly improve your ability to understand and follow the material presented in lecture.  The lectures will be on Zoom and will be recorded so that you can refer to them for review.

 

Laboratory

The laboratory portion of the course is designed to supplement the material you will be learning in lecture. It will introduce you firsthand to important practical techniques in chemistry, many of which will be helpful in health-related fields. You will also learn the skill of making good observations and keeping clear, accurate records in a lab notebook. It may be your first exposure to laboratory work, but as you work, you will become more comfortable and confident in correctly handling basic lab instruments and reagents. Each lab is preceded by a mandatory lab lecture that will review or explain the principles in the lab as well as procedural and safety considerations, but you are also expected to come prepared, having read over the lab and answered any prelab questions ahead of time.  Attendance in lab lectures and labs is mandatory.  Lab lectures that precede in-lab (there are five) experiments will be asynchronous.  These lab lectures will be recorded and you should watch them before coming to the in-lab experiments.

 

Handouts

Many of the course handouts will be made available to you online in Canvas. You may print these out at home or school, but make sure you have permission to use the printer in question.     

 

Student Expectations

Academic Integrity

All work submitted for grading must be your own work. Feel free to collaborate with other students for your lab reports, discussing questions as you like, but make sure that you understand everything you put down for an answer in your lab report. While in lab, you must make your own observations. Copying and cheating is unacceptable behavior: it is unfair to other students and hinders your own learning. Work that is found to have been copied or plagiarized will be penalized or given a score of zero, whether it is the original or the copy.

 

Collaboration with others or online resources are strictly forbidden for exams.

 

Academic Decorum

Please be punctual in arriving to lectures. If you must leave early, sit where you can leave with minimal disruption to other students and the instructor. Please also respect the desire of others to learn and do not whisper or talk during lectures. Side conversations are disrespectful to the instructor and make it difficult for other students to hear and concentrate.  You can use the chat feature of Zoom (private or to all) to ask questions.

 

Cellular phones and pagers must be silenced during lectures. Do not send text messages during class. It is disrespectful to the instructor and a distraction to yourself. If you are found “texting” or otherwise disrupting class, you will be dismissed for the remainder of the class period. You may return for the next class. If an emergency arises that requires you to send a text message or make a phone call, please step outside of class to do so. You may return when you are done with your call.

 

Good Lab keeping

Maintaining a tidy work area in the lab and cleaning up after yourself are requirements for (1) participating in and (2) leaving the laboratory. The stockroom staff is friendly and helpful but does not have time to clean up after everyone individually. After each lab, the counters, floors, sinks and balances should be clean, equipment in its proper location, and chemical waste disposed of in the correct container. All students in a section will be held accountable for cleaning up the lab, regardless of who made any messes. The lab will be clean when you come in, so please show consideration for your colleagues by leaving it in better condition than when you arrived.

 

Course Policies

Re-evaluation of Graded Work

If you believe that your work has been graded incorrectly, please attach a brief note explaining the suspected error and submit it to me within two weeks of the day it was returned to the class. Do not write on any work that you are submitting for a re- grade. If you are comparing your graded materials with that of other students, both your work and that of your colleague must be submitted together for consideration.

The entire submission will be re-evaluated, and the score may be adjusted up, down, or not at all.

 

Missed Labs

If you miss a lab period, it is possible, if space is available, with the consent of the lab instructor, to make up the time during another lab period, as long as the same experiment is still being done.  Since we are working under more restrictive rules during the pandemic, this may not be possible for the in-lab experiments. If you are sick or have an acceptable reason for being unable to complete an experiment, the instructor may, at his discretion, excuse one lab report for the semester. 

 

Late Labs

Late labs will be marked down by 20% of the value of the assignment (5 points on a 25 point lab). They will not be accepted more than two weeks after the regular due date for the report. Furthermore, no more than three late labs will be accepted from each student for the semester.  The key to some lab reports will be posted after the due date so that the students can prepare for a quiz or exam.  No late lab reports will be accepted in those cases.

 

 

Safety and General Information

Laboratory Safety

Safety in the laboratory is of primary importance. While in the laboratory, you must be appropriately dressed in long pants and closed-toed shoes. Backpacks and other loose articles must be stored in the cubbies provided, not on the floor. If you have long hair, it must be tied back. When anyone in class is working on chemistry, everyone must be wearing safety goggles. These may be worn over prescription glasses. Food and drink are strictly prohibited in lab. More complete safety instructions will be given to you in lab.

 

Emergency Information

In the event of an emergency, remain calm and take deliberate action as necessary.  In an earthquake, seek cover from falling objects and hold on. In most other situations, your instructor will have time to tell you what to do. In the event of an evacuation from lab (Room 208), turn off any flame or heat source you are using and exit using the exterior door if safe to do so. Meet at the triangular lawn on the west corner of the campus (near the creek). This is our assembly area for lab. Do not leave: your instructor will take roll and give further instructions. Copies of the red Emergency Preparedness Handbook are posted in most rooms on campus and have detailed information and procedures for most imaginable emergencies. Any emergency can be reported to the District Police Dispatcher at (707) 527-1000.

 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you need disability-related accommodations for this class, please provide the Authorization for Academic Accommodations Letter from the Disability Resources Department (DRD) to your instructor as soon as possible. You may also speak with me privately during office hours about your accommodations. Please fill out any paperwork necessary for testing accommodations in advance of the exam and keep me informed of what you need. I am happy to provide accommodations, but I do appreciate having a few days’ advance notice. If you have not received authorization from DRD, contact the office directly. It is located in 101 Jacobs Hall in Petaluma (778-2491) and Analy Village (527-4278) in Santa Rosa.

 

Advice

Chemistry is an intimidating subject for many students. It does require thinking in new ways, and you are going to be learning a new language as we talk about the ideas in chemistry. However, I am convinced that the student who is willing to sit down and think about chemistry, and to put in some time to understand it will find that it is understandable. Throughout the class, my goal is to teach you not only the facts and concepts of chemistry, but also its beauty and its application in our daily and professional lives. It is all around us! Understanding the underlying principles of chemistry will help you see the patterns that emerge and allow you to apply them to new problems. Just like in language, there are many pieces of vocabulary to know, but the student who understands the structure of the language will also be able to talk and think about chemistry. I am looking forward to an exciting semester working with you as you discover this for yourself!

Addendum to Syllabus - Exams

All students must review the syllabus and the requirements including the online terms and video testing requirements to determine if they wish to remain in the course. Enrollment in the course is an agreement to abide by and accept all terms. Any student may elect to drop or withdraw from this course before the end of the drop/add period.

Online exams and quizzes within this course may require online proctoring. Therefore, students will be required to have a webcam (USB or internal) with a microphone when taking an exam or quiz. Students understand that this remote recording device is purchased and controlled by the student and that recordings from any private residence must be done with the permission of any person residing in the residence. To avoid any concerns in this regard, students should select private spaces for the testing. Students must ensure that any recordings do not invade any third-party privacy rights and accept all responsibility and liability for violations of any third-party privacy concerns. Setup information will be provided prior to taking the proctored exam.

QUIZ DESCRIPTION INFORMATION

The following will be part of the instructions for each proctored exam or quiz.

All students are expected to conform to academic integrity.  If there is a high likelihood of cheating is indicated for any student, that student may be given an oral quiz.

This exam is remotely proctored using Proctorio.

  • The only browser that you may use with this proctored quiz is the most recent version of Chrome.
  • To ensure a stable testing environment, take the exam on a desktop/laptop as opposed to a mobile device. Note the technical requirements for Proctorio minimum system requirements for testing.
  • You must have the Proctorio extension to take this quiz.
  • Make sure your internal or external webcam and microphone are enabled and working properly.
  • NO ACCESS CODE is necessary to complete this quiz.
  • If you cannot access the quiz, please contact Proctorio Technical Support by clicking on the Proctorio extension (a gray shield) in the upper right corner of your browser.

WHAT INFORMATION DOES PROCTORIO COLLECT FROM STUDENTS?

Unlike other online proctoring services, Proctorio does not employ the use of biometrics or external human-based proctors to monitor the student while they take the exam. Proctorio will record the students' identity via webcam and, depending upon the exam settings controlled by individual instructors, monitor your exam attempt in various ways. A multitude of privacy provisions have been established to ensure student privacy and FERPA compliance.

  • Proctorio has no file access of any kind. Proctorio cannot and will not access any of your personal files or documents.
  • During an exam Proctorio may take screenshots of your desktop, detect the number of computer monitors connected to your computer, or record your web traffic. This information will only be recorded if the professor has enabled it within the exam settings. The information is stored with zero-knowledge encryption, which means the data is encrypted both in transit and at rest.
  • Once an exam is completed, Proctorio no longer has access to this information.
  • It is impossible for anyone at Proctorio or any of its affiliates to view exam recordings. They are only accessible to authorized users at Santa Rosa Junior College.
  • Proctorio never stores academic information from any of its users.

 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

 

  • Proctorio requires the use of the Google Chrome web browser and you need to use/install the Proctorio extension (see "How do I prepare?"). Proctorio is active when you log in to the exam and is gone when you log out. During the exam, a system of computers captures your movements and sends your video and other data to your instructor for review. Proctorio will flag activity that might not be allowed. Your instructor will then be able to review the video and data to decide if any action is necessary.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Although you will be provided with a whiteboard, it is acceptable to use scratch paper. Please show your blank scratch papers to the webcam at the start of the exam.
  • Although you will have access to a calculator on the computer, it is acceptable to use your own scientific calculator, but not your cell phone.
  • As noted above, you will not need a password to take the exam. However, you may have to upload the latest Proctorio extension to the Chrome browser before taking the exam.  If you are asked for a password, you may need to download the newest Proctorio extension to Chrome.
  • Exams must be your own work; you may not collaborate with others.
  • Make sure you have a quiet, comfortable and private area where you can take the exam.
  • You may not open another tab on your browser while you are taking the exam.
  • Exams measure how much you know. An additional benefit of exams is that they can be a learning tool.  I am hoping that you can learn from the questions that you missed when we review.
  • I will give you a practice quiz where you will have an opportunity to use Proctorio and everyone will get a good score. The practice quiz will be on Chapter 1 and names and symbols of elements.  For the names and symbols of elements I can ask you for the symbol of magnesium (it is Mg) or the name of the element represented by Ar (it is argon).  It will be a good learning opportunity without pressure.