Class Rules

The rules in this list may seem rather harsh and arbitrary but they are essential to maintaining the integrity of the course. I have stories to tell about each rule. Some of these stories are predictable and easy to imagine while others are stranger than fiction. Although most of you will never come up against any of the rules, I have a handful of students each semester who just cannot seem to avoid them. If these rules are going to cramp your style, then this class is probably not for you. -- Lou Bloomfield

Coursework:
  1. All problem sets must be submitted via the WileyPlus web site. No paper copies will be accepted.
  2. Exam booklets and bubble sheets must be placed in the boxes at the front of the lecture hall upon completion. Exam materials not placed in these boxes will not be accepted.
Grading and Regrading:
  1. All grading is final except in cases where the scores were added or recorded incorrectly. I may, at my option, regrade materials that are brought to me in person during the 48 hour period after the grade was assigned.
  2. The final exam will not be regraded under any circumstances.
  3. No regrading will be done after I have submitted the semester grades.
  4. I will not tell people how close they came to the next higher semester grade. That information only promotes grade grubbing, a practice that I strongly discourage.
Problem Sets:
  1. Problem sets must be submitted via the WileyPlus web site.
  2. You may discuss problem sets with the instructor or with other students, but you must submit your answers on your own.
  3. Problem sets are usually due by the start of class (1:00:00pm), typically on Mondays, as listed in the class schedule. Late problem sets (you must request an extension via email or in-person) are worth at most 80% during the first 24 hours after the due date, 60% during the second 24 hours, 40% during the third 24 hours, and 20% during the fourth 24 hours. After that 96 hour period has expired, problem sets are no longer acceptible for credit.
Exams:
  1. The two midterm exams and a final exam will be given as shown on the class schedule. If you miss any of these exams without prior permission from me, you will receive a score of zero for that exam. There are no exceptions except fully documented medical emergencies that prevent you from telephoning me or my answering machine. In case of a family emergency, you or the deans must notify me at (434) 924-6595 before the end of the exam.
  2. Exams must be taken in Physics Room 203 unless authorized by me. Under no circumstances may exam materials ever leave these rooms during the exam. If you remove your exam materials from one of these rooms, even briefly, you will receive a score of zero on the exam.
  3. If you miss the start of an exam, you will still be expected to turn the exam in at the regular time. If you miss the exam entirely, you will receive a score of zero.
  4. I will consider compelling reasons for alternative midterm times only up until 7 days (168 hours) before the exam. After that time, you must take the midterm exam as scheduled.
  5. I will consider compelling reasons for delaying your final exam only up until the College deadline for such requests. After that time, you must take the final exam as scheduled. You must get permission from the Deans.
General:
  1. I never allow outside people to exploit my students as a captive audience during class. It's a form of spam. I am asked to do it all the time and I always say no.
  2. I will not sign any petitions to add into the course after the Add deadline. Check your registration forms carefully.
  3. I do not give any extra credit work.
  4. Permission for exceptions from the normal classwork schedule must be requested in advance. I will not make exceptions after the fact.
  5. I will enforce all of the rules of the University of Virginia's Honor System, including those associated with academic fraud. By enrolling in this course, a student implicitly agrees to be bound by that honor system and its rules.
  6. It is the responsibility of each student to learn the rules of the UVa Honor System. Ignorance of these rules will not excuse a failure to follow them.
  7. The following is a list of some specific forms of academic fraud that concern me most in this course. This list is intended only as a reminder and is not comprehensive. All other forms of academic fraud and other honor violations are still forbidden in this course.
    1. It is an honor violation to submit for a grade work that is not your own or to permit another student to do so.
    2. It is an honor violation to submit for a regrade any work that was modified after it was graded.
    3. It is an honor violation to operate an iClicker that is not your own or to have another person operate your iClicker, where the intention of this action is to misrepresent who is providing the answers to questions or to misrepresent who is present in class.
    4. It is an honor violation to lie to me in an effort to improve your grade or to obtain any special consideration or exception from the normal classwork schedule.
    5. It is an honor violation to obtain aid on an exam through any means, including copying another student's work, having another student complete part or all of your exam, referring to materials other than the exam booklet itself during the exam, or discussing the exam with anyone other than the instructor or instructor's assistants during the exam.
    6. It is an honor violation to knowingly provide aid to another student during an exam.
    7. It is an honor violation to offer me a forged receipt for electronically submitted work.
    8. It is an honor violation to copy or paraphrase answers from another student's problem set without their permission.
  8. The honor pledge is implicit for the exams. By turning in an exam, with or without a written pledge, a student agrees to be bound by the honor pledge and the UVa Honor System with regard to that item.
  9. I will contact the University Administration, the University Police, and/or the University Judiciary Committee regarding any student who attempts to intimidate me or harass me in an effort to improve their grade or to obtain any special consideration or exception from the normal classwork schedule.
  10. Documentation from the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) must be submitted to the instructor in person no later than 1 week (7 days) after the date that documentation was prepared and signed. Documents retained beyond that period reflect a lack of interest or importance to the student involved and therefore will be considered to be irrelevant to the course.