THE
NATS 101-GC FAQ
("Frequently
Asked Questions")
INFO, GUIDELINES, & POLICIES YOU NEED TO KNOW
CONTENTS
Overview
Contacting
Dr. H and the Teaching Team
Absence Policy / Missing Class
Reading and Writing Assignments
Managing Your Time
Working Together, Copying, Plagiarism & the Code of Academic Integrity
Due Dates / Late Assignments
Readiness Quizzes / WebCT Problems
In-Class Tests and Exams / Make-Up Policy
Checking Your Grade / Grade Reports / Extra Credit
Special Needs / Probation / Dropping the Course
Using the Classroom / Policy on Electronic Devices
Getting Along / Surviving the Semester
HOW
DO I GET INTO WebCT ? 
New!
Do
you have a general academic question that is not answered here?
Visit
the Freshman Year Center and/or see
their FAQ
What's this course all about and what will it be like?
Here's a brief OVERVIEW of what this course will address. More detailed information is available in the SYLLABUS and in the FAQ's below.
Why is this course set up the way it is (e.g., collaborative working groups, readiness quizzes, etc.)? What's the philosophy behind it?
Please read about the LEARNING PHILOSOPHY this course is based on to find out!
What outcomes do you hope students will achieve in this class?
Here are the COURSE GOALS. We really hope students will achieve them!
Contacting
Dr. H and the Teaching Team
I need to ask Dr. H a question or discuss something with her.
What's the best way to do this?
If you have business to discuss with Dr. H about a grade, absence, late assignment, etc., etc. please contact her via email (preferred), by phone, in person during her office hours, or in person after setting up an appointment via email. If you need to talk to her in the classroom, please wait until AFTER class is over. Dr. H is not available to answer questions in the classroom prior to class time when she is busy setting up teaching materials and technical equipment.
When and where are the Teaching Team Office Hours?
This
information is posted on the NATS 101-GC webpage under Teaching
Team.
Why
should I take advantage of office hours?
Your
Teaching Team wants to get to know you better!
Please take advantage of our office hours to obtain extra help
understanding the material or to discuss questions that may arise from the
reading material, assignments, or class activities.
Please see Dr H as soon as possible if you have a serious illness or
life situation that is impacting your progress in the class. If you cannot
come during our posted office hour time slots, you can set up a separate
appointment via email.
How
do I find your offices??
We
hold office hours in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, which is located in
the Football Stadium (can't miss it!) on the WEST side of the Stadium.
See the TEACHING TEAM link on the webpage
for office hours and locations, including a map to find us.
Dr. H's office is in 208
West Stadium. To get there, go
up the stairs at Gate 15 and look for the blue door with her name on it.
ABSENCE
POLICY / Missing Class
Do
I have to show up for every class?
Hey,
this is college so it's up to you to get your "money's worth of
learning" out of this course in your own way, but to help you decide how to
do this, consider the following: (a)
showing up for class is the most efficient way to learn, (b) remember that your
fellow classmates in your Working Group are depending on you being there, (c)
if you are absent, you'll be responsible for all material presented in
that class anyway, (d) statistics show that a large number of absences will
seriously impact your ability to do well and get a good grade in this class, and
(e) in-class activities and exercises generally cannot be made up.
What
should I do if I miss a class?
If you are absent from a class, find out what you missed by checking the "Course Notes" link on WebCT for the date you missed. Then get caught up as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to find out what happened in class and follow up on it on your own. Usually specific directions about assignments and/or announcements that took place in class will be posted under Course Notes later that same day, so you should just go ahead and follow any posted directions without asking Dr. H or a GTA what to do. (We will simply refer you to Course Notes if you ask us!)
If
you missed a DUE DATE for turning in an assignment because of your absence, see
the FAQ on Due Dates below).
If for some reason you know in advance that you are going to have to miss a
class, the same procedure applies. Just check Course Notes for that
date afterwards to find out what was
covered, if there were any announcements, and what you can do about missing any in-class
activities -- that's why the Course Notes link is there!
If you miss an in-class test or exam,
Reading
and Writing Assignments
Why
do we have so much reading and writing to do in a Gen Ed science class?
Learning
how to read critically and to think deeply about what you read is the primary
way you will learn the material in this class.
The Self Checks and Readiness Quizzes are aids to give you immediate
feedback on how well you understand what you read.
Writing
in different formats is an important part of the NATS 101-GC course.
Why?
"Writing
in general education courses places students in an active relationship with the
body of facts, ideas, and theories presented in courses and helps them develop a
critical appreciation of the ways knowledge is acquired and used.
Writing also develops the attitudes of mind essential to the wise and
humane use of knowledge and intellectual skills:
respect for evidence, reason, and the contingent nature of truth,
open-mindedness; motivation, involving personal characteristics such as
initiative, curiosity, and an appetite for learning; and the willingness to
pursue a line of inquiry to its logical conclusion." (The U of A General
Catalog, 1995-97, p. 63.)
In
addition, reading and writing about scientific material helps you to fine-tune the skills
of: describing observations
precisely, articulating concepts clearly, evaluating evidence logically, and
drawing sound conclusions. These
are "life-long" skills you will need in the future, no matter who you
are or what field you go into!
I
don't understand the readings. What
should I do?
First
of all, consider taking one of the University
Learning Center's (ULC) FREE workshops on "Reading Textbooks"
and/or see the hints on the NATS 101-GC webpage under "Class
Support Links." Using some
of these tips, do the best you can to get the main points out of the reading
assignment, then go to the corresponding Self Check and see if you can answer
the questions. The Self Check
questions are designed to guide you to the most important concepts in that
reading. By reading the feedback
box under each question (both right and wrong answers), you will be able
to correct any misunderstandings or confusions you might have and fine-tune your
comprehension of the concepts. Also,
remember that your Teaching Team is always there to help you understand the
readings and explain things that you may find confusing.
When
I turn in a writing assignment, what form should it be in?
Naturally
we expect college-level writing in this class.
What do we mean by this? It should be legible and typed
(for assignments prepared outside of the classroom).
It should be in proper grammatical form, spelled correctly, expressed in
complete sentences, clear, and "to-the-point" (translation = no B.S.)
Always proofread what you've written before you turn it in and beware of
automated "spell check" selections.
Most importantly, do not plagiarize.
Ok, so it looks like this course is going to cover a lot of material! How much time will I have to put in to do well?
First of all, did you know that there is an official university policy on how much student work is required for each unit of credit? Here is a summary of the key points in the policy in the UA's Policy on Work Required for a Unit of Credit:
-
At least 15 contact hours of recitation, lecture, discussion, seminar, or colloquium, as well as a minimum of 30 hours of student homework are required for each unit of student credit.
-
It is understood that the hour requirements specified above represent minimums for average students and that considerable deviation in excess of these requirements may occur. (From the 2000-2001 Online General Catalog: http://catalog.arizona.edu/2001-02/policies/enrpol.htm)
NATS
101-GC is a 3 unit course and hence requires a minimum of 90 hours of
student homework in addition to the 45 "contact" hours you spend in
the classroom. (You really spend only 37.5 hours
-- not 45 --
actually sitting in the classroom all semester, by the way!).
Because NATS 101-GC is a science class, the estimated minimum
hours of homework needed is a bit higher (~101).
So plan on putting in at least this many hours -- and more if you want a
grade of A or B!
Do
you have any helpful hints for managing my time to complete all the work
successfully this semester?
To help you plan your time, here's a table outlining a strategy for the estimated hours of work needed to fulfill the course requirements in order to receive an average grade of C. To receive a higher grade (or if you know that you need to work harder to obtain even an average grade) you should plan on spending more time than the hours suggested below:
|
LEARNING ACTIVITY |
TIME |
|
IN-CLASS |
|
|
In-Class
learning (30 classes of 75
minutes each (37.5 "actual" hours) |
45 “contact” hours |
|
HOMEWORK |
|
|
Reading
texts (average of ~25 pp /wk), studying with WebCT Self-Checks,
taking online WebCT Readiness Quizzes (RQ's) |
(average ~4 hrs a week) |
|
Additional
studying right before in-class tests and exams |
~10 hours |
|
Group
assignments (almost all done during class time) |
~ 1 hour |
|
Individual homework assignments, including "Thinking Deeply" activities |
~30 hours |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
Hours for NATS 101-GC Homework (minimum effort) |
~101 hours |
The table suggests that a large proportion of your effort should be spent in keeping up with your Reading, Self Checks, and Readiness Quizzes (RQ's) each week. While the online RQ's account for only ~8% of your final grade, this does not mean that keeping up with them is unimportant! Doing the reading, Self Checks, and RQ's each week is THE best way to prepare for the In-Class Tests and Exams (which constitute ~54% of your grade). Because the Self Checks are ungraded and the RQ's are worth 5 points each, you won't have the stress of "high stakes" testing each week, but cumulatively they will help your grades a great deal on the other tests and in all other aspects of the course.
I think I might need some better time management skills. I have a job / am a student athlete / am active in a student organization / etc., etc. and sometimes I let my coursework slide a bit. Any suggestions?
For
some additional practical hints to help you manage your time, read your texts,
and prepare for tests, visit The University
Learning Center's (ULC) and/or check out the CLASS
SUPPORT LINKS on the NATS 101-GC Website. You can sign up FREE
for one of the many skills
workshops offered by the ULC on Time Management, Textbook Reading,
Note-Taking, and Exam Preparation. Also
check out the neat "Semester-on-a-Page"
and "Weekly
Planner" that the ULC provides online.
Working
Together, Copying, Plagiarism &
the Code of Academic Integrity
A
classmate and I did our homework together. Can we turn in similar papers since
we worked the assignment out in the same way?
No.
Papers with identical or similar wording are not acceptable and are a
form of plagiarism. Use your own words to express your ideas and do not
paraphrase another’s writing and represent it as your own -- especially a
fellow student's! This class
encourages collaborative learning and group work, but this does not include
copying from one another on individual assignments.
Students who study together or discuss an assignment together must take
special care to develop their own individual understanding of the assignment and
express their own answers in their own words.
Do not lend your completed work to someone else to "help them
out" with an assignment. Identical
wording is often the result and any papers with identical wording will be
rejected, even if you are not the one who copied.
What
exactly is plagiarism?
Plagiarism
is representing another’s work or ideas as your own
In your written work, do not copy anything word-for-word from any source
(including another student!) without putting it in quotes and referencing it. Do not copy any idea without referencing it.
Every sentence or paragraph in your writing assignments will fall into one of three categories:
1) Direct quote from
something you read or heard;
2) Idea from something you read or heard, expressed in your own words; or
3) Your own idea developed from a synthesis of sources.
In the case of 1 or 2, it is NECESSARY to reference the source from which the quote or idea came. If it is a quote, it must appear in quotation marks. This includes material found on the World Wide Web and any other electronic source. Always use your own words to express your ideas and do not paraphrase another’s writing and represent it as your own.
What's
this "Code of Academic Integrity" that the professors keep mentioning and does it
apply to me?
It's
the University of Arizona’s Code
of Academic Integrity and Academic Honesty and yes, it applies to you and is operative in this class.
According to the Code: “Integrity
is expected of every student in all academic work. The guiding principle of
academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's
own." In other words, every
student is expected to do his or her own work, and cheating, fabrication, and
plagiarism will not be tolerated.
The format of this class encourages you to discuss the course material and share ideas in your groups. However, in all INDIVIDUAL work, i.e., readiness quizzes, homework assignments, in-class tests and exams, written papers, etc., you are expected to do your own work and not beg, borrow, or steal words or answers from your classmates. Here's a synopsis of the University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity. You are responsible for knowing it, understanding it, and adhering to it. 'Nuff said!
What's
the policy on due dates?
All
assignments are due on the date announced in class and/or on the class website.
Late assignments will not be accepted for credit after a specified date.
Online
WebCT Readiness Quizzes should be completed by the day the topic will be
discussed in class and -- at the very latest -- must be completed and submitted for grading by the
WebCT cutoff due
date and time (generally Wednesday nights at 11:55 pm most weeks).
What
should I do if I miss a due date or can't complete an assignment on time?
Normally,
credit for an assignment is not allowed after the due date. Because we know that
your lives sometimes get really busy, Dr H has instituted the "Assignment
Absolution Form." You may use
this form one
time during the semester to turn in an assignment late (within a reasonable,
specified time limit). After that you are out of luck if you're late again.
Details on the Assignment Absolution Form will be explained in class. Use it
wisely! (In rare cases special
consideration will be given if severe illness or personal tragedy impacts your
ability to complete more than one assignment on time. Contact Dr. H immediately
by phone or email if this is the case for you.)
I
turned in everything on time and never needed to use any "Absolution
Forms" -- shouldn't I get rewarded for that?
Your
good grade will be the best reward, since you are probably a very conscientious
student! In addition, Dr. H will
keep track of those who met every deadline and give you bonus point
consideration if you are in a borderline situation at final grade time.
Readiness
Quizzes / WebCT Problems
What
should I do if I didn't complete an online Readiness Quiz by
the WebCT cutoff time?
WebCT won't let me access it any longer!
The
Readiness Quizzes (RQ's) should be completed before we discuss that
quiz's topic in class and the absolute cutoff time is each week on Wednesday night at 11:55 pm.
Hence you should plan them
into your weekly schedules so you won't forget about them. You
have two free "practice quizzes" to learn how to complete and submit
the WebCT Readiness Quizzes (RQ's) on time.
If WebCT technical ills befall you,
Dr. H has instituted the "RQ
Absolution Form" which you may use one time
to request that a missed RQ be made available for you to take after the cutoff
time (within a reasonable time frame). After that you
are out of luck Details on the RQ Absolution Form will be explained in class.
My
computer froze up and I couldn't get my online Readiness Quiz submitted in time!
What do I do?
See answer to previous FAQ. Do not wait until the last minute (e.g. Wed at 11:54 pm) to try to complete your RQ's! If you then run into computer problems, you will be in deep trouble. Give yourself plenty of time each week to finish the RQ well ahead of the cutoff time and prior to that topic's discussion in class. Their purpose is to prepare you for understanding and participating in class.
Why
do I keep having problems with WebCT?
Our
experience has shown that problems with WebCT online quizzes occur primarily
because: (1) the student hasn't done a "browser tune-up" to be sure
his/her computer works properly with WebCT, (2) the student hasn't carefully
followed the directions and completed the quiz properly right through the submission-for-grading
process; or (3) the student is trying to access WebCT
through AOL, which should not be attempted, especially while
taking an online quiz! In other words, the problems come from human error, not the
computer or WebCT. You have two
practice quizzes and one RQ Absolution Form "retake opportunity" to
learn how to complete a quiz properly. Get
help from someone on the Teaching Team if you are having problems taking your
quizzes during the practice period so you will not have problems when the grade
counts.
In-Class
Tests
and Exams / Make-up Policy
I
missed an In-Class Test / I missed the Midterm Exam. What do I do?
Make-ups
of individual In-Class Tests or the Midterm Exam are not allowed as a rule.
Under extreme circumstances, individual requests for a make-up test will be
considered if they are accompanied by official documentation (e.g., doctor's
note, police report) describing the reason for the absence.
Phone or email Dr. H before the test (or immediately after the test)
to discuss the situation
and see if a make-up will be possible. (Make-ups are not allowed for the 5-point
In-Class Group Tests because there is no way to re-create the group testing
process.)
May I take the Final Exam early?
All
students must take the Final Exam during its regularly scheduled time Tuesday,
Dec 11, 2001 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
in Bio West 301. No early
final exams will be given. Exceptions may be made if you have four or more
exams scheduled on the same day as discussed under the Final
Exam Regulations.
Checking
Your Grades / Grade Reports / Extra Credit
How are my grades recorded in this class and how can I check
them?
WebCT
includes a gradebook link titled "My Grades."
Your grades on individual
and group assignments will be entered in the WebCT gradebook in a timely manner throughout the semester
by Dr H or one of the GTA's. Contact
the GTA in charge of grading a specific assignment if you have any issues
related to a grade, or if you don't see it entered properly in your gradebook.
Your online Readiness Quizzes are graded and entered in your gradebook
automatically by WebCT.
How
do I find out my
letter grade in this class?
A
final letter grade won't be assigned until the end of the semester, but you can
compute your grade progress yourself by adding up the total points possible at a
given point in the semester and finding out what percentage you've earned of
those total points. For example, if
in Week 6 we've completed activities worth a total of 210 points and your own
gradebook total is 179 points, then you currently have a grade of 85.2%, which
would fall somewhere in the middle of the "B" range.
Periodically Dr H will compute the current point totals in WebCT for you so you
can have a general idea of what letter grade you have -- especially as you go
into the Final Exam. Note that both the Final Exam and assignment I-6 (an
individual research report due near the end of the semester) both carry a lot of points, so if you do well on these you'll be able to
bring your grade up at the end; but if you do not do well on these, your grade
may not be all you hoped for.
I
need you to sign a grade report form for my coach / tutor / sorority /
fraternity -- When can I get your
signature?
Student
athletes, members of sororities or fraternities, or any other students who need
a form signed about your grade status in the class must email Dr. H at least
a day in advance to inform her that you are going to be requesting a
signature or grade report from her so she can check your grade status.
Then see her in her office or AFTER class is over to get the signature.
I'm
not doing too well in the course. Is
there any extra credit I can do to make up for some of my poor grades?
We feel it is more important for you to spend your time learning the course material itself than for you to be doing extra credit work. That's why it's so important not to fall behind in your weekly reading, quizzes, and assignments. Extra credit / make-up work is never possible at the end of the semester after weeks of coursework neglect and absences by a student. However, occasionally during the semester bonus point opportunities are offered to help you out a little. These are usually announced in class (and will be posted under Course Notes in WebCT).
Special
Needs / Probation / Dropping the Course
I'm in the SALT Program / I'm signed up with DRC / I have special needs / I am authorized to take my tests in the Testing Accommodations Center. What do I need to do?
If
you are involved in any special academic program (e.g., SALT,
DRC), please contact Dr. H with this
information by email within the first two weeks of the semester and
make an appointment to come in and discuss your needs.
If you are willing to work, we will try to do everything we can to
accommodate your learning needs in this course. If
you will be requesting special testing accommodations for the Midterm and Final
Exam with the Testing Center, you must inform Dr. H well in advance of the exam
so we can provide the necessary test material and send someone over to answer
any questions. The In-Class Tests
must be taken in our classroom because they involve a group component, but we
can make some accommodations for you if necessary.
See Dr. H about this well in advance of the first in-class test.
I'm on probation and worried about my grade for this course.
What should I do?
If
you are on probation, please make an appointment with Dr. H as soon as possible
to discuss your goals for the course. If you are willing to work, we will try to
do everything we can to help you do well enough so that your academic record
improves. Remember, however, that you
are the one who has to do the work and earn the grade!
When final grades are assigned at the end of the semester, special
consideration will not be given just because you have
been on probation and could be in danger of being kicked out of school. You must
earn the grade you receive.
I want to drop this course! What do I do?
Drop? Oh noooooooooooo! The last day to drop the course so that it will be deleted from your transcript is September 14, Friday of the 4th week of classes. You can do this without a signature via RSVP. If you want to withdraw later, the last day to drop with a "W" is October 12, Friday of the 8th week of classes. To receive a W, you must have a passing grade at the time you drop the course and obtain the instructor's signature. (Your passing status will be determined by the % of the total possible points you have earned at the time you drop.) We hope you don't drop, but if you need to withdraw after September 14th, make an appointment to discuss this with Dr. H and get the necessary signature.
After the eighth week of classes, the only way to withdraw from a course is to file a late change petition. You must be able to document circumstances beyond your control for the petition to be considered. Freshmen in the Colleges of Science, Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and the University College can pick up late change petitions at the Freshman Year Center (102 Bear Down Gym). Sophomores, juniors, and seniors, can get late change petitions at the Office of Academic Services (347 Modern Languages).
Using
the ClassrooM / POLICY ON ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Bio
West 301 is a really neat high-tech classroom!
But why does it look messed up sometime?
Because
another (less environmentally enlightened?) class didn't clean up after
themselves! Let's give the NATS
101-GC class a good reputation! Help
us keep this state-of-the-art classroom clean and uncluttered. Don't leave a disorganized chair arrangement, trash, student
newspapers, handouts, notes, or other materials in the classroom when you leave.
This
class is right around lunch time. May
I eat / drink in the classroom?
Sorry.
Unfortunately food and drink (except for bottled water) are not
permitted in our high-tech classroom, Bio West 301, so please refrain from
bringing them in. The
"Classroom Police" request that any food or drinks brought in be
removed from the classroom.
Is
it OK to talk to my classmates while class is going on?
After all, we talk to each other while we are doing group work, right?
You'd
be surprised at how disturbing a whispered conversation can be to other students
in the class who are trying to hear the professor -- and to Dr. H, while she is
lecturing! Talking to your
classmates is fine during group activities, but while the professor or another
speaker is lecturing or presenting, please give them your complete attention and
do not engage in conversations. When
moving from group activities back to lecture activities (and vice versa) it is
important that the classroom quiets down quickly because the sooner we move onto
the next activity, the more likely that Dr. H will be able to dismiss class
early that day!
What's
the policy on electronic devices in the classroom?
Cell phones, pagers, palm PCs and all other electronic devices (except calculators) should be turned off when you are in the classroom. (Exception: contact Dr. H for permission to tape lectures or use an electronic device as a learning aid during class time.)
The
university is so big and impersonal, plus this class is large!
How can I counteract this feeling of being just a number?
Please
come in and talk to Dr. H or any of us on the Teaching Team so we can get to
know you better! Or just send Dr. H
an email to let her know how the class is going for you.
We are truly interested in each and every one of you.
One
reason this class incorporates "Working Groups" is so students in this
large class will get to know each other and (hopefully) have fun working
together. Becoming a Preceptor is another way to make a big class more
personal and you will really get to know your professor and GTA's well by
working together with them on the Teaching Team.
I'm
not getting along with my Working Group! What
do I do?
Studies
have shown that Collaborative Working Groups function the best when the same
students stay together all semester. Gradually
over time they work out any differences, form a bond, support each other, and
help one another learn by sharing their individual strengths.
For this reason, if you can, we'd like you to hang in there with your
group and see if things improve. However,
please let Dr. H know about your situation and come in and discuss it with her
-- she may be able to help with the group dynamics.
If you still want to switch
to a different group after trying to work out your issues, see Dr H to find out
if a change can be made.
One
member of our Working Group is a real loser / is never there / is ruining the
group morale / etc. etc. What
should we do about it?
See
the answer to the previous FAQ. Probably
your problem member is unhappy in the group too!
In the case of a problem group member, the best thing to do after you've
tried working things out within the group without success, is to discuss the situation
tactfully with Dr H, a GTA, or a Preceptor. We will see if we can help with your group dynamics.
If things still aren't working out, it may be possible to move the problem
member to another group where he/she will be more happy, or find an alternate solution.
What
should I do when: students are rude
/ someone is harassing me / someone is being unethical or making derogatory
remarks in or out of the classroom / etc. ?
Respectful consideration should be given to your fellow classmates and to the members of your Teaching Team (preceptors, GTAs, professor) at all times (and vice versa!). This is also true for all electronic communications associated with this class (i.e., emailing, online discussion board postings, chat room, etc.)
If you are aware of activity going on that violates a university policy or is creating problems for another student or yourself please inform Dr. H or someone else on the Teaching Team. Note that the University has policies in place covering many student life issues (e.g. sexual harassment, student conduct, etc.) These are posted at Student Life Policies.
I'm having some personal / relationship / family problems that are impacting my ability to do well in this class. What should I do?
If you need help, counseling or support to deal with challenging life
situations or a personal problem, see what resources are available at the UA
under Health,
Family & Safety Services. You may also want to inform Dr. H of
your situation if it is interfering in any way with your coursework so she can be aware of
it.