The following information is very important and should be carefully noted
by each student.
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1. | Class Meetings:
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January 22 - May 3, 2013
Undergradate section:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday (10:00-11:00 AM)
Friday (2-3
PM)
All Meetings in PSB
room 180 (The Berliner Lecture Hall) |
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2. | Basis for Grading:
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| Sapling learning |
0-5% bonus |
| Two, 55 minute exams | 32% |
| One, 120 minute exam, self scheduled | 20% |
| Ten, ten to fifteen minute quizzes (two will be dropped) |
18% |
| One, three-hour, self scheduled exam | 30% |
| 100% |
The
lecture part of the course is worth 70% of the organic chemistry
grade. The lab is worth
30%. At the end of the
course, the grade earned in lecture will be scaled down to a score
based on 70 total points.
This grade will be added to your laboratory grade which will
be scaled to 30. Upon
combination, the undergraduate grades will be considered and grades
on the 4.0 scale will be assigned. With each exam,
students will be given an idea as to how they are doing on the 4.0
scale. The instructor
will curve grades when averages are significantly below
75%.
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3. | Scheduled exam dates:
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| Exam 1: |
Friday, February 22, 2013 (55 minutes, in problem session) |
| Exam 2: |
Week of March 25, 2013 (120 minutes, self-scheduled) |
| Exam 3: |
Monday, April 22, 2013 (55 minutes, in afternoon, in class) |
| Quizzes: |
Every Friday except 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 3/15, 5/3
(each fiftenn minutes, at beginning of
class) |
| Final: |
During Final Exam Period -self-scheduled: May 6 - May 17 |
It is generally suggested that you complete alternate problems at the end of each chapter and all worksheets. |
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Topics to be Covered |
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| Topics |
Reference Chapter (section) |
Approximate TIme |
| I. |
Chemistry 212 Tools (1 to 1.5 weeks) |
| - | Introduction | |
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| - |
Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry/Biomolecules |
handouts
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| - |
Acids and Bases revisited |
Handouts, chapters |
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| - |
Resonance Theory/Molecular Orbital Theory |
handouts 15.1, 15.2, 15.6, 30
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| II. |
Chemistry of
Conjugated Systems (2 to 2.5 weeks) |
| - | Chemisry of dienes and related compounds: |
Chapter 7.11, 7.12, 30 |
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| - | Chemistry of Benzene and related
systems
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Chapters 15, 16 |
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|
| Definition of Aromaticity |
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| Chemistry of
Aromatics: EAS NAS,
Elimination/Addition Reduction/Oxidation |
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Chapter 16
Chapter 18
18.1-18.4, 18.7-18.9
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| III. |
Mass Spec and NMR ( 1 week) |
Chapters 13, 14 |
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| IV. |
Carbonyl
Chemistry (3 weeks) |
| - | General Principles | | |
| - | Aldehydes and Ketones |
Chapter 18
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| - |
Redox chemistry |
Chapter 20 |
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| - | Carboxylic Acids |
Chapter 17
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| - | Carboxylic Acid Derivatives | Chapter 17, 27 | |
| - | Enolates/Enols/alpha, beta-unsaturated
systems
| Chapter 19
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| | |
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V. |
Carbohydrates Nucleic Acids (~1/2 week) |
Chapter 22 |
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| VI |
Amino Acids Peptides Proteins (1/2 week) |
Chapter 23 | |
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| VII |
Catalysis (1/2 week) |
Chapter 24 | |
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| 5. | Policies regarding extensions, make-up exams and extra help. |
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Extensions and make-up exams will be allowed only in extreme
situations. The student must have an appropriate written excuse from
his/her dean. |
| 6. | Honor Code: |
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Unless directed otherwise by the instructor, all written work is to be done independently without the aid of humans, textbooks, notebooks or other written materials. When time is called you are obligated to immediately turn in quizzes and exams. |
| 7. | e-mail: |
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All students must have an email account because vital messages are routinely sent out via email. If you are new to the course, please send the instructor an email at mnerzsto@brynmawr.edu.
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Study Tips for
Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is considered to be a very difficult course for most undergraduate students. The course material will be covered rapidly and the subject matter will at times be quite abstract. Your best academic effort will be required in order to do well. You cannot "cram" organic chemistry. Except for the rare individual, cramming results in short memory retention and high frustration. Since the comprehension of each new topic in this course relies heavily on what was learned previously, cramming can also result in plummeting grades as the semester progresses. In order to avoid these problems, the following approach to the course is suggested.
- Try not to miss class.
- Study the textbook on a given topic just before it is covered in the lecture, thus clearing up any misconceptions in your notes.
- Do in-chapter problems as you read the text. Write out the answers in detail, i.e., as you would like to while taking an exam. Try not to look up the answers until you have given them your best shot. Your problem solving abilities won't improve if you do not think the problems out thoroughly.
- Try to work through your notes every day.
- Upon completion of a chapter in class, study it a second time and then do the end-chapter problems and supplemental problems as a test.
- Regularly attend office hours. Don't let questions pile up, since it will be difficult to answer them all the day before the exam.
- VERY IMPORTANT! Writing and verbalization are essential to learning. I find that I learn new material much faster and more thoroughly if I "talk it or write it" out. For example, I can "talk" a lecture through once and know it, whereas if I read my lecture notes 20 times I will give a garbled, disorganized presentation. I have been very careful in the above suggestions never to use the word read. It is not good enough to simple read and understand your textbook and notes. Whether studying your notes or text, you must engage in a dynamic exercise. After observing a structure in the book, reproduce it from memory on scrap paper to see if you have absorbed all the relevant details. When you read the name of an organic compound, translate that name into a structure so you will understand its significance. When a reaction is written in your notes, try to work out the most likely products using your knowledge of mechanism. Additionally, you could form study groups and act as a teacher to one another. I can assure you these approaches work. I use them all the time and I have a horrible memory!
- Look up the correct answers to problems from exams and quizzes while the material is fresh in your mind. It will help you with the final.
- ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!
I realize it is impossible to be completely organized (at least for me). I also realize that all the above suggestions won't help everyone, but do try to have an orderly approach to the course. It really can be a lot of fun if everything is not left to the last minute. Yes! It says FUN. Good luck!!
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