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Notes: 1. This syllabus can be found at http://webpages.shepherd.edu/evolker/main.htm
2. The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. It is not a contract.
Who should take this course: Students interested in the chemical aspects of the environment, particularly majors in biology, chemistry, and environmental studies. The prerequisite for the course is one year of a college-level introductory course in chemistry.
Instructor: Dr. Eugene J. Volker, (304)-876-5285 (office) , evolker@shepherd.wvnet.edu. If possible, outside of class, communicate by email.
Content: This course is a one semester survey of the environmental aspects of air and water chemistry, energy, toxic substances, and waste management.
Textbook: Environmental Chemistry by Colin Baird, Third Edition, W.H. Freeman and Co., New York, 2004, ISBN
Chapters studied:
In addition, scientific articles dealing with environmental chemistry will be discussed in most classes. Students giving oral reports on literature research or instrumental techniques will receive a limited number of bonus points.
Exam Dates:
In the spring term, exams will be given on Sept. 29, Oct. 27, and Dec.1, all Wednesdays. The final exam will on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 5 p.m.
Each exam, as well as the comprehensive final, is worth 100 points. Each exam will consist of a number of essay questions and bonus questions related to the articles handed out in class. Exams will be graded and returned.
The comprehensive final exam will consist of 50 or more multiple-choice questions. It will be graded but will not be returned.
If the grade on the final is higher than the lowest grade among the three examinations, and the student has taken all three examinations, then the final grade will replace that lowest exam grade. If a student misses one exam, the final grade will be the grade counted for that exam. If a student misses two exams, a comprehensive make-up exam, consisting of essay questions only (no multiple choice) will be given to him/her along with the final. The final grade will replace one of the missed exam grades, while the make-up exam grade will replace the other missed exam grade.
There will be 2 research papers each semester on topics of current interest in environmental chemistry. On each of these you can earn a maximum of 20 points. You will usually have two weeks to write a paper. Topics and deadlines will be given out during the semester.
The format of the papers is as follows: they MUST BE TYPED (double spaced) and must consist of a minimum of 750 words exclusive of title, references, and illustrations. Two students may submit a joint paper of at least 1000 words. In the latter case, they must sign the statement "Both authors have contributed equally to this assignment". Papers should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. No cover sheets or covers of any sort should be used.
Each paper should start with: Title of Paper, Your Name, and the Word count.
This should be followed first by a numbered list of references you have consulted, then by the text of the paper.
The text should be written as a coherent essay on the assigned topic, not as numbered answers to the corresponding questions on the instructor's handout, but the sequence of topics in the discussion must follow the handout exactly. Do not repeat the instructor's questions.
A good essay will address all issues raised by the instructor using separate (often multiple) paragraphs but will do this with smooth transitions between paragraphs, showing how the different issues are linked logically.
If you copy verbatim from a source, that source should be one of your references and you should cite it by its reference number. In such a case you must use quotation marks. An example is "pE is defined as the negative base 10 logarithm of the activity of electrons in water" (ref.3).
Some criteria for the evaluation of a research paper are:
BEWARE: Copying of another student's work by whatever means, especially copying a computer file, will result in a ZERO grade for BOTH papers, but joint papers may be submitted, as described above.
Additional materials: The reading library on the chemistry floor (BY 317 has a variety of short and long chemistry texts and lab manuals. Books in BY 317 can be borrowed based on the honor system.
Grading: An "A" is given to the student who obtains 87.5% or more of the (required) points possible for the course, a "B" if he/she is within the next 12.5% bracket, and so on. You can compute your grade at any time during the course. Let's say you have a 60 and an 80, respectively, on the first two exams. The maximum possible score being 100 and 100, you are at (140/200)*100=70% and you have earned a "C".