Math 0230

Student Guidelines and Syllabus


About the course

This is the second in a sequence of three calculus courses for science and engineering students. The goal is to prepare you to make use of calculus as a practical problem-solving tool.

Course Prerequisites

Math 0220 or equivalent, with a grade of C or better.

Course Delivery

The University has adopted the Flex@Pitt teaching model for this semester, and instruction will vary in form depending on the University's current operational posture. The bullet points below outline how this strategy will typically be implemented in this course, but your instructor may choose to tailor the plan to fit your section, so consult your instructor's specific directions on Canvas.

During the week of January 19-22, 2021, all instruction will be conducted remotely, regardless of the University's operational posture.

Textbook

The textbook for this course is Essential Calculus, Early Transcendentals, second edition by James Stewart. All students who register for this course are automatically enrolled in the RedShelf Inclusive Access program and will be charged on their Pitt student bill unless they opt out before the end of the add/drop period. This program provides students with discounted access to the digital version of the textbook and the publisher's WebAssign content, but only the textbook itself will be required. If you already have a copy of the textbook or would prefer to purchase it from a different source (for example, you may be able to find a used copy of the first or second edition at a lower cost), then you should opt out of Inclusive Access. You will be able to opt out by clicking on the "RedShelf Inclusive Access" link in your course on Canvas. More detailed instructions for opting out can be found here. If you do not opt out of Inclusive Access, then you will be able to access the digital textbook through a link to WebAssign in Canvas.

Labs (Online Homework)

All your graded homework will be done online using LON CAPA. You will work individually on problem solving skills, using computer generated problems.

Weekly scheduled meetings

A component of this course is a weekly lab meeting. Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, you will not meet in a physical location during this lab meeting. Instead, during your weekly scheduled lab time, the Graduate Teaching Assistants will be available to assist you with individual questions via Zoom. At the top of your Course Content Page will be the URL for each of the Teaching Assistant's Zoom session. This scheduled meeting will effectively serve as an extension of your TA's office hours. But you are encouraged to be online during this scheduled hourly lab to work through your homework and ask your Teaching Assistant for help if you get stuck. You are expected to solve all problems yourself, but you should always seek help if you need it. You may not complete all your work during the scheduled lab sessions, in which case you are expected to complete the assignment on your own before the given due date.

You will be able to work on your lab problems from any computer with an Internet connection and a web browser.

Logging on

The URL for your homework is https://homework2.phyast.pitt.eduLinks to an external site. Type this into the address box of your web browser. At the login prompt, enter your usual Pitt username and for the password prompt type in your Pitt password. You must enter your username in lower case. (If there is a problem connecting to this URL you can instead connect to https://homework2.math.pitt.edu). You will be automatically linked to the calculus course in which you are enrolled. You enter this course material by the link "select" where it is listed.

First time user

When you log on for the first time, you must change the default math display settings. To do this, go to the Main Menu at the top of the page. Under My Space, select Set my user preferences. Then within Content Display Settings select Math display settings. With the toolbar at the top, change from Default to jsMath and Save setting. You will not have to do this again. If the jsMath option is not present due to browser restrictions, then choose MathJax. If the default setting is not saved as jsMath or MathJax then the page is very difficult to read and at times does not make mathematical sense.

Doing your homework

Once logged in, go to the Course Content link at the top of the page. You should see a list of homework assignment folders. Above these homework folders is a link to syntax page, syntax.pdf, which you should read completely before getting started. You can then click on the homework folder to see your first set of assigned problems. When you enter an answer, the computer will tell you whether it is right or wrong. If you enter an incorrect answer, you can try again. The problems have a set limit on the number of attempts you get. If you have made half of the limited attempts offered and you still are incorrect, you should at that time seek assistance. You may return to an assignment as often as you like. The system will accept answers until the due date for the assignment. Once you have a correct answer, your full credit points for that problem are recorded. You can click the green right arrow at the top to go on to the next problem in the folder.

Browsers

LON CAPA should work well with any modern web browser. Chrome is recommended.

Online Recitations

Once a week you will meet with your TA in a Zoom scheduled class to go over problems related to the material covered the previous week. Each scheduled recitation will be led by its assigned TA and a URL for the Zoom meeting will be posted in Canvas. Your TA may also have a quiz prepared for you during this time.

Practice Homework

All sections are given a common list of practice problems from the textbook.. You are expected to solve these problems, although they will not be collected and graded. Exam and quiz problems will often be modeled on these problems.

Participation

Your instructor may choose to grade you based on participation. Note that you are NOT required to attend any synchronous lectures under the Flex@Pitt model, hence participation will be judged based on other criteria. For example, your instructor may ask you to complete periodic surveys to obtain feedback, watch videos, or complete qualitative assignments in groups to help you synthesize concepts. Including this component of the course is your instructor's prerogative, hence some sections may exclude it and adjust the weight of other assignments.

Administration of Exams and Quizzes

Instructors and TA's will use Canvas to administer exams and quizzes. This may be coupled with a secondary tool such as Gradescope to allow for submission of handwritten work, but all information about these assignments will be available to you within the Canvas environment.

Exams and quizzes will have release dates and due dates associated to them. A release date is a day and time at which an assignment will be made available for you to download or access. A due date is a day and time at which an assignment must be submitted. Instructors may allow you to submit items after the due date with a valid excuse.

Grades

Your course grade will be determined as follows:

Some sections may deviate slightly from this recipe. Any deviations will be announced by your instructor at the beginning of the term.

Final Exam Policy

All day sections will take a departmental final exam at a day and time to be scheduled by the registrar. Calculators will not be permitted on the departmental final exam.

Evening sections will meet through final exam week, and the final exam will be given during the last one or two scheduled class periods.

Exam Dates

See the class schedule for the dates of the two midterm exams. The date and time of the final exam will be announced by your instructor and in PeopleSoft.

Materials

In addition to the textbook, you will need at least a scientific calculator. Any calculator with logarithms, exponentials, and trigonometric functions will do. Programmability is desirable but not essential. A graphing calculator, such as the TI83 or TI86, is better still.

Computer Accounts

As a University of Pittsburgh student, you should already have a Pitt computer account. You will need to know your username and password to access the computer resources in the lab.

Getting Help

Tutoring

The Math Assistance Center offers free tutoring by appointment, including same-day appointments for those who need immediate assistance. Appointments can be made within Pathways.

The MAC offers assistance with all courses in the math department in the range 0010-0413. In particular, the MAC is able to assist with all calculus courses (MATH 0220-0240).

Please see the MAC's website for instructions on how appointments are made as well as an outline of what you can expect. MAC Website

Note: unlike previous semesters, the MAC is staffed solely by undergraduate students and graduate TAs no longer hold office hours within the MAC. Graduate student office hours will be posted on the MAC website, but graduate students are no longer affiliated with the MAC.

Office Hours

Your instructor and TA will announce their office hours, which will typically be conducted through Zoom.

Disability Resource Services

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS), 140 William Pitt Union (412) 648-7890, drsrecep@pitt.edu, (412) 228-5347 for P3 ASL users, as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.

Course Policies

Academic Integrity

Cheating/plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students suspected of violating the University of Pittsburgh Policy on Academic Integrity may incur a zero score for the assessment in question. Additional sanctions may be imposed, depending on the severity of the infraction. Even during this COVID-19 pandemic, Academic Integrity policies will be enforced. If there is any doubt about the originality of a student's submission for an assessment, they may be asked to explain their work during a one-on-one meeting with their instructor. If the student's explanations are unsatisfactory, they may receive a zero score for the assessment, or the instructor may choose to administer an alternative assessment in a different format.

Please note, in particular, that Pitt has a data sharing arrangement with Chegg.com that enables us to identify instances in which Chegg.com has been used to cheat on assessments. Consequences of being caught in this academic integrity violation have included zero scores on assessments and F grades for the course.

Health and Safety

In the midst of this pandemic, it is extremely important that you abide by public health regulations and University of Pittsburgh health standards and guidelines. While in class, at a minimum this means that you must wear a face covering and comply with physical distancing requirements; other requirements may be added by the University during the semester. These rules have been developed to protect the health and safety of all community members. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in you not being permitted to attend class in person and could result in a Student Conduct violation. For the most up-to-date information and guidance, please visit coronavirus.pitt.edu and check your Pitt email for updates before each class.

Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Pittsburgh does not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sex, age, sexual orientation, veteran status or gender identity or other factors as stated in the University’s Title IX policy. The University is committed to taking prompt action to end a hostile environment that interferes with the University’s mission. For more information about policies, procedures, and practices, see: https://www.diversity.pitt.edu/civil-rights-title-ix-compliance/policies-procedures-and-practices.

We ask that everyone in the class strive to help ensure that other members of this class can learn in a supportive and respectful environment. If there are instances of the aforementioned issues, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, by calling 412-648-7860, or e-mailing titleixcoordinator@pitt.edu. Reports can also be filed online: https://www.diversity.pitt.edu/make-report/report-form. You may also choose to report this to a faculty/staff member; they are required to communicate this to the University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. If you wish to maintain complete confidentiality, you may also contact the University Counseling Center (412-648-7930).

Classroom Recording

To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion and/or activities not already recorded by the instructor, without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student's own private use.

Lectures will be recorded by the instructor, and this may include student participation. Students are not required to participate in the recorded conversation. The recorded lecture may be used by the faculty member and the registered students only for internal class purposes and only during the term in which the course is being offered. Recorded lectures will be uploaded and shared with students through Canvas.

Copyright

Some of the materials in this course may be protected by copyright. United States copyright law, 17 USC section 101, et seq., in addition to University policy and procedures, prohibit unauthorized duplication or retransmission of course materials. See the Library of Congress Copyright Office and the University Copyright Policy.