Physics 207 WebPages - Fall 1999

How to get an "A" in Physics 207

Much is discussed these days about teaching pedagogy, about how to enhance the learning process through the use of novel course structures and/or organization, or through the use of the world-wide-web, or computers, or hands-on demos, etc. However, for science courses, particularly physics courses, the ultimate responsibility for learning the material is yours. Unless you want to learn, nothing I can do will magically allow you to comprehend the material. Physics is a tough subject. In this course you are required to develop your mastery of the material to the level at which you are able to apply concepts to new situations (i.e. story problems). This is the heart of physics: The application of knowledge, not the mere memorization of facts or ideas.

And if that wasn't enough, we also require you to express your comprehension of physics in the language of mathematics. Deficiencies in basic math skills are a very frequent barrier to learning in this course. Trying to learn physics without knowing math is like trying to understand Shakespeare without knowing basic English.

Hard Work - that's the key. There is no substitute for good old-fashioned hard work. No matter what I say or do during the lecture and recitation, most of your real quality learning will happen when you and your textbook are alone at your favorite quiet study place. Learning how to teach yourself is perhaps one of the most important skills you will need - throughout your career.

A few other comments:

• Don't fall behind In sports, the common wisdom is that it takes two days to recover what you lose in fitness in one day off. The same is true in physics. If you "Blow-off" this course for a week, it will take considerable work to pull-back even with your fellow classmates. DO NOT wait till the night before exams to begin studying! Cramming doesn't work well in physics. Also, as the course progresses, we tend to build on previous material when moving on to new ideas. If you don't understand the old stuff, you are just making a tough subject even harder to learn.
• Homework Please goto the Homework rules and suggestions page for several good tips.
• Reading Quizzes READ and THINK about the chapter BEFORE you come to the first class each week and take the reading quiz. These quizzes are my attempt to get you to start thinking about the concepts in each new chapter before I lecture on the subject. This should be an easy way to contribute a 10% A grade to your final average.
• Exams Study the reading quizzes and homework problems carefully. These are your best quides as to what to expect on the exams.
• Labs Most of the labs are very straightforward and, thanks to a lot of hard work over the past year by myself, Dr. Baski, and especially Andrew Austin (a Junior Physic major), should be much more pleasant and offer real opportunities for better comprehension of the basic concepts cover in this course. REMEMBER: you must complete and turn-in more than six (out of twelve) lab reports in order to receive a passing grade in this course.

Email comments or questions about these WebPages to jacarlis@vcu.edu
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