COURSE INFORMATION
     mechanics

PROFESSOR
Bernice Durand, 262-3827, 4205 Chamberlin Hall
Mailbox on 2nd floor of Chamberlin
Mailing address:
     Prof. Bernice Durand
     Dept. of Physics, UW-Madison
     1150 University Ave.
     Madison, WI 53706-1390
Email address: bdurand@theory3.physics.wisc.edu
Fax: 263-0800
Do not call me at home except for an emergency.

OFFICE HOURS
My office hours are variable. I'm in every day, but I teach and go to lots of meetings out of the office. You can try dropping in if you're nearby, but it's safest to call me at 262-3827 or email me to arrange an appointment. Later in the semester my schedule may settle enough to set regular hours.

TEXT
Physics for Poets, 4th Ed., R.H. March, McGraw-Hill, 1992. Be aware that over a quarter of the lectures are not covered in the book. I will give you my supplemental notes for 8 of the last 9 lectures.

HEAR THIS! Watching and studying from the lectures is essential to doing well in this course!

RESERVE MATERIALS
Tapes are in the Physics, College, and Steenbock Libraries and Room 259 Van Hise. A copy of the 4th edition of the textbook and a printout of up-to date Web pages will be on reserve in the Physics Library only, 4220 Chamberlin, hours M-Th 8-9, F 8-5, Sat and Sun 1-5, 262-9500. There should be copies of the text on reserve in College and Steenbock Libraries also.

GRADE
60 percent from three hour exams, 40 percent from eight homework sets. The three hour exams will be performance weighted: your best exam counts the most and your poorest counts the least. The weights will be 25% - 20% - 15%. My curve is likely to be A 90-100, AB 87-89, B 75-86, BC 72-74, C 60-71, D 50-59.

TO GET HELP
Read all the course information, then email me if you have any questions about that information.

Go to live discussions or use the FirstClass online discussion for help with course material and homework. If you want to get a tutor in this course, please consult with me first. Many people who tutor regular physics courses are not able to discuss the concepts in the way you will be expected to.

HEAR THIS! Fill out the student information form right this minute, and tell me if you have special problems, such as dyslexia, test or math anxiety, any impairments, or scheduling conflicts. We'll work out some solution.

DISCUSSION SECTIONS
Do not confuse our three discussion sections with the five listed for Physics 107-Lecture 1, the live course taught by Professor Robert March. The two lecture sections are completely disjoint. (Also, don't ask his TA to help you!) Our discussions begin Monday, September 8. There are none the first week of classes.

These are really HOMEWORK HELP SESSIONS, and they are "optional" but very useful. (We have to list them as optional so you can go to whichever one you want each week. Otherwise you would have had to sign up for one and always go to the same one.) You should go to one every week, or participate in the online FirstClass discussion. DISCUSSIONS ARE IMPORTANT!

Some homework problems will be assigned to be done as a group. Your groups will be assigned in discussion sections or online. Part of the answer to a group problem will be done in discussion.

Homework is due on Wednesdays or Fridays, and there are discussion times every week on Monday and Tuesday. Come to as many discussions per week as you wish. All discussions meet in 3331 Sterling, and I will lead all of them (no TA). The schedule is

• Monday, 7:30 pm 3331 Sterling
• Tuesday, 2:25 pm 3331 Sterling
• Tuesday, 3:30 pm 3331 Sterling