Math 141 - Calculus I

Inga Johnson
Associate Professor
Department of Mathematics
Willamette University
Ford 212
ijohnson(at)willamette(dot)edu
503.370.6551

Group Exams as .pdf files: Group Exam 1, Group Exam 2

Math 141 - Calculus I - Syllabus
Class Meetings: MWF 10:20-11:20 Collins 201 or MWF 12:40-1:40 Collins 201 (2 sections)

Course Goals: To obtain calculational competency, concept understanding, and mathematical literacy in topics relating to differential and integral calculus. These topics include, but are not limited to, limits and continuity, the derivative and rates of change, curve sketching, max/min problems, the definite integral, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
Textbook: Calculus, 6th Edition by J. Stewart (official recommended text); supplementary textbook Calculus by Gil Strang, available online here.

Course Grades: Your course grades will be calculated as follows:
Homework: 15%
Group Exams and other in class work: 15%
Midterm Exams: 40%
Final Exam: 30%

Homework, Webwork: Most of the homework for this course will be WeBWorK homework. WeBWorK is an online homework distribution and grading system. The best feature of WeBWorK is that when you enter an answer to a homework problem, the system immediately tells you whether the answer is correct. On top of that, you can try again as many times as you like. Once you get it right, that fact is immediately recorded (provided it is before the due date), and any wrong answers are not counted in your grade.
Here is the link to the WeBWork page for Math 141 WeBWorK. If you add the course late you need to email me as soon as possible so that you can be added to the WeBWork system. WeBWorK will be due each week on Tuesday night at 11:00PM.

Here are some tips on using WeBWork:

Get started early on WeBWorK each week, and enter some answers at least a couple days before the due date. That way, you will have time to seek help on the harder problems (and the ones that looked easy at first but turned out to be trickier) before the set is due. Avoid the last-minute rush. The system often becomes overloaded and slow in the last couple hours before a set is due, since everyone is trying to enter their answers at the same time.
WeBWorK usually requires very precise answers. For instance, if the correct answer is 1.60045 and you enter 1.6, the system will say that's incorrect. So if you're entering a decimal answer, give at least five digits of accuracy. On most problems, you can enter answers like cos(9.81sqrt(340)) instead of a messy decimal, and WeBWorK will do the calculation for you.
Some WeBWorK problems require formulaic answers, like x^(2/3), which means x raised to the power of 2/3 (two-thirds). However, if you enter x^2/3, the system will say that's wrong, since WeBWorK interprets that as one third of x squared. So Be careful, and check your syntax. (WeBWorK Set 0, which is recommended but not counted in your grade, will help you learn about entering formulaic answers.)
WeBWorK has a previewing feature which allows you to see how a complicated formula you just entered is actually interpreted by WeBWorK. The previewer should help you track down syntax errors as well as ensure that your answer is being interpreted the way you want without having to add three hundred parentheses.
Last, and MOST IMPORTANT, do not spend large amounts of time guessing random answers and entering them into WeBWork. This is a waste of your time! If you don't know how to do a problem, please come to office hours. If you think you are doing everything correctly and WeBWork doesn't accept your answer please come to my office hours, or email me with an explanation of what you have done, so I can help. Banging your head against the computer, yelling at it, or throwing the computer out the window does not change whether or not WeBWork accepts your solution.

Group Exams: Group exams will be given in class approximately every other week. Here is a general outline of how the group exams work. Students are put into groups of three (these groups change throughout the term). Each student in the group MUST bring a page of notes with them to class on the day of the exam. This note page is your way to show me and your group members you are prepared to contribute to the group exam. It should also be a study guide for you and help you to summarize all the important new concepts covered in class over the previous two weeks. You will turn in your page of notes with the exam.

On the day of the exam you sit with your group members and are each given a different question to answer. You are then responsible for answering your question and proof-reading the answers of your group members. In the proof-reading stage, your group member should explain what he/she did and then you can ask them questions or make suggestions in regards to their solution. Remember to be KIND and RESPECTFUL with your comments. I will also be available to answer questions during the exam, but ask your group members first. You are in groups so that you can help each other and talk about the problems as you are working through them. At the end of the exam all three people in the group should know how to do all three problems.

Preparing for the group exam: Understanding the material presented in lecture is the best preparation for the exams. I also recommend reviewing old homework and starting new homework assignments early, as these problems give you extra practice for the exam. Your page of notes should be the "highlights" from your class notes and homework problems. The questions on the exams will be different from those you have seen before, but you have 60 minutes and three SMART heads to put together to get the solution. These exams are not meant to be scary! They are a tool to help you learn mathematics by trying a challenging new problem yourself, and then talking about it with your classmates. You DO HAVE TO STUDY for the group exams, which is why they are called "exams", but they are meant to be a low-stress high-learning experience. In previous classes, students have made the following comments about the group exams.

"I appreciated that we were all treated as resources and worked together for success in the class."
"The group exams were very helpful because it allowed you to see what other people's problem solving tricks/steps were."
"At first I was really worried about the group exam idea, but they turned out to be fair and extremely helpful. It was good to be able to work with other people."
"The group exams really help to solidify the material from the week, but without the stress of a typical test."
"the group exams facilitated the learning of the material by allowing students to talk through the problems, and by allowing students to share their strong points and help strengthen their weaknesses."

Grading the group exam: Each group exam is worth 20 points. You earn 15 points for the solution you write to your question, and 5 points for proof-reading. The 5 points for proof-reading can be lost if your group member makes a mistake that you should have caught. If your group member loses 2 points for a mistake you should have seen, then you'll lose 1 point, or half the number they lost without exceeding 2.5 points per group member. The mistakes I think the proof-reader should catch include conceptual mistakes and obvious algebra oopsies. You will NOT lose points for overlooking arithmetic mistakes, unless they lead to answers where the mistake should have been easily noticed, such as getting a negative number for the area under a curve. You will NOT lose points if your group member simply does not know how to do the problem and leaves it blank. Your group should try the problem together but everyone needs to carry their own weight. You will lose points if you don't turn in your page of notes with the exam. This is your proof that you are prepared to participate in a group activity. Nobody wants to be in a group with people who aren't prepared and haven't studied, so this is how I check to see this doesn't happen.
Please know that I work very hard to make the exams fair, as well as challenging and beneficial. It can be hard to learn mathematics by just watching it go by on the blackboard. I believe it is easier and more fun to learn by DOING mathematics and TALKING mathematics in small groups where everyone is working together to help each other learn.
When calculating your grade, your lowest Group Exam score will be dropped. There will be no make-up Group Exams, so if you must miss class on the day of a Group Exam, this will be the grade you drop.

Midterm Exams, and Final Exam: There will be two in class midterm exams and a final exam. These exams will be taken individually to test your calculational competency, concept understanding, and mathematical literacy over the topics covered thus far in the course. The final will be comprehensive. The dates and times of midterm and final exams are posted on the course schedule. Students are expected to be present for all exams. No exams or quizzes may be made up unless you contact me to receive permission prior to the date of the scheduled exam or quiz. The final exam for the 10:20 class will be given on Friday, December 18, 8-11AM. The final exam for the 1:50 class will be given on Thursday, December 17, 2-5PM. The final exam will not be given early or at alternate times. Make your summer travel plans accordingly. As a general rule you may expect exams to be graded and returned to you within 8 days unless notified otherwise.

Class Preparation, Participation, Norms and Getting Help:

Although attendance will not be taken it is highly advised that you attend every class meeting. Missing 1 hour of lecture often equates to spending 3 hours or more trying to catch up.
Carefully read the sections in the text that have been covered and read as much as possible of the sections to be covered in class the next day.
Take good notes and review your notes on a regular basis. Begin work on assignments as they are assigned.
It is inappropriate to ask how to do a problem in class on the day it is due. Please seek help during office hours or via email well before the due date. Emails sent after 5PM the night an assignment is due have a very small chance of being answered before class the next day.
Students who do not understand a concept from class should
- Ask questions in class. (More than likely other students do not understand as well.)
- Seek individual help from the instructor. I am more than willing to give you the extra help you may need. Come in during office hours or make an appointment.
- Seek extra help at the Math tutoring lab. This is a free tutoring lab staffed by knowledgeable math majors. Tutoring lab hours and location will be advertised on fliers in Collins Building starting in the second or third week of the semester.
Studies show that the best thing YOU can do to help yourself succeed in Calculus is to create or join a study group. Working through problems with other students, talking through complicated concepts, explaining what you know and listening to the explanations of your peers is an EXCELLENT way to ensure your success in this class.

Special Note: If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please make arrangements to meet with me within the first two weeks of the semester. If your disability allows for you to have extra time on exams, you must make arrangements with me one week before the scheduled exam date. Please request that a Disability Services staff send me the appropriate forms verifying your disability and specifying the accommodation you will need.

Academic Honesty: In accordance with Willamette University CLA catalog: ``Plagiarism and cheating are offenses against the integrity of the courses in which they occur and against the College community as a whole... Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism shall not be considered a valid defense. If students are uncertain as to what constitutes plagiarism for a particular assignment, they should consult the instructor for clarification. A faculty member may impose penalties for plagiarism and cheating ranging from a grade reduction on an assignment or an exam to failure in the course." For further information about the Willamette University academic honesty policy please refer to the CLA catalog.