An introduction to organic chemistry and biochemistry designed for pre-nursing students, biology majors choosing chemistry track one, and other programs that require only one (1) year of basic chemistry. The first portion of the course will cover hydrocarbon chemistry and the chemistry of organic functional groups. The second portion of the course will be an overview of biochemical processes. Five (5) hours of lecture per week.

Required Text and Materials

• Fundamentals of General, Organic and Biological Chemistry, 8th Edition (McMurry) ISBN 978-0-13-401518-7
• Other: Calculator and on-line homework system

Goals, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes

To fulfill its mission, SUU will:

Southern Utah University is a dynamic teaching and learning community that engages students in experiential education leading to personal growth, civic responsibility, and professional excellence.

Critical Thinking: Learn to ask and answer how and why the topic at hand influences, impacts, pertains or involves you. Don’t accept what the book or I tell you; both may be wrong. Always strive to find ‘better’, not just ‘sufficient’ ways of completing assignments or answering questions.

Effective Communication: Learn to formulate and ask clear questions, and present information clearly and concisely.

Lifelong Intellectual Curiosity: Learn to enjoy learning. It is our life’s pursuit to learn, and we need to find enjoyment in it. Find a reason to apply every subject to your life’s goals, interests, hobbies, job, or personal development.

Global Awareness: Chemistry impacts every facet of life, touching every corner of the world, and affecting humanity in both a positive and negative manner. A better understanding of chemistry will provide a better understanding of the world we live in.

Personal Responsibility: Not everybody is cut from the same mold, has the same aptitudes, or is equally talented; nevertheless, hard work is an amazing equalizer. Where you lack talent, hard work can often bridge the gap. Learn to accept personal talents and limitations. Convert your deficiencies into strengths through hard work!

Integrity: I will be honest with you and expect likewise. We are adults. Expect to be treated as such.

Specific to the Course

There is no way to escape chemistry. One might be able to feign ignorance, but you will never be in a position to claim that chemistry has no value to your life; chemistry is vital for your daily existence. You may never study chemistry again, and if so, ideally, the lessons that will remain with you from this course will be those that helped you achieve the mission of SUU. Specifically, this course will introduce you to the basic principles of chemistry, including these particular objectives:

• Develop and apply critical thinking skills in solving organic/biochemistry-related problems.
  Inquiry, Critical Thinking, Quantitative Literacy, Problem Solving
• Understand the fundamental principles and theories behind the field of organic/biochemistry.
  Critical Thinking, **Quantitative Literacy
• Think critically and analyze physical phenomena using fundamental chemical principles.
  Creative Thinking**, Critical Thinking
• Understand chemistry’s role in benefiting humanity through medicine, materials, and quality of life.
  Lifelong Learning, Information Literacy
• Provide an opportunity for the application of critical thinking skills in solving chemistry-related problems.
  Critical Thinking, Problem Solving
• Understand and use chemical vocabulary in the correct context.
  Creative Thinking**, **Communication, Quantitative Literacy
• Understand and describe atoms in detail, including structure, properties, and reactivity.
  Creative Thinking**, **Communication, Quantitative Literacy
• Understand the electronic properties and reactivity of chemical compounds.
  Creative Thinking**, Critical Thinking**, Problem Solving
• Use chemical principles to predict chemical reactivity and products of chemical reactions.
  Creative Thinking**, Critical Thinking**, Problem Solving
• Develop mathematical skills for calculating chemistry-related values.
  Creative Thinking**, Critical Thinking**, Problem Solving, Quantitative Literacy
• Understand the principles and theories behind the behavior of matter.
  Creative Thinking**, Critical Thinking**, Quantitative Literacy

Assessment Policy

Distribution of Course Points–

Points may be earned through…

To determine % points for an assignment: (Achieved points) / (Points possible) 100 = % pts

The instructor’s goal is to complete the grading of assignments and exams within 1-week from when they were turned in. Scores are posted using Canvas (). Ensure the recorded assignment/assessment score is the one earned. Please inform me of any discrepancies.

Grading Scheme–

Grades are assigned upon the comparison of the percentage of points earned to the total number possible.

Note: If you are not performing at the level you desire, seek help early to maximize your performance. Do Not ask how to get ‘extra’ points, or for grade bumps, even if you are ‘so close’. This is an especially egregious action in the last couple of weeks of a semester. Final grade curving may occur, but doing so after a student has requested it raises issues of ethical misconduct. Individuals are not provided opportunities for credit that the entire class does not have. These situations often lead to job loss.

I WILL NOT do that for you! BUT: I will do everything I can, ethically, to assist you in achieving your academic goals.

Exams and Quizzes

Exams consist of multiple-choice and short-answer problems similar to those in the textbook. Exams cover all material discussed to that point, focusing on the information presented since the last exam. The American Chemical Society GOB Chemistry Subject Exam is used as a comprehensive final exam. These are nationally standardized multiple-choice exams and are an excellent gauge of a student’s comprehension of the course material. Bring a No. 2 pencil and a 100-question SCANTRON to the Mid-Term and Final Exams.

As per department policy, exams will not be returned to students but may be reviewed, in-class, during office hours, and by appointment. Tentative exam dates are identified on the Reading and Exam Schedule.

In-class (quizzes) or take-home problem sets (homework) are distributed throughout the semester. Prepare for these by reviewing previous lectures and reading for the upcoming lecture. Missed in-class problems cannot be made up/completed under any circumstances. Two of the lowest scores may be dropped to minimize the impact on your grade for these missed learning opportunities. In-class problems may be completed early at the instructor’s discretion; inquire ahead of any planned absences.

Homework

You are assigned all the problems within the chapter, and at the end of each chapter (especially the Integrated Problems). Homework is the responsibility of the student and will not be collected, but it is key to success in this course. A study guide/solution manual is available to assist. Additional practice problems may be requested.

An online homework system will be used. See Canvs for mor information

Laboratory

The laboratory that accompanies this course is required. The laboratory curricula are specifically related to the course lectures and allow students an opportunity to practice what they have learned in an experimental setting.

Extra Credit

There isn’t any, so don’t ask. I understand people learn and express understanding differently. If you are struggling, I may be able to assist and offer valuable advice, but you need to initiate contact and be willing to follow the suggestions. The later help is sought, the less effective it will be.

––I do not give individuals opportunities for points that the entire class does not have––

Late Work

Late work (excluding in-class quizzes and exams) is accepted for up to 3 days after the original due date upon agreement to a 30% deduction. If you don’t agree, then please don’t ask me to accept your late work. Assignments more than 3 days late will receive a score of zero.

Late work will be accepted for up to 3 days after the stated due date only if you agree to a loss of 30% of the original value for the assignment. If you don’t agree, then don’t ask me to accept it. Late work includes the following causes: “It was done, but I left it ____ (fill in the blank)”; “I didn’t realize it was due”; “I wasn’t here when you announced the due date”.

Exams and Make‑ups

NOTE: Exams cannot be administered after being given to the class!

In-class problems may be completed early at the instructor’s discretion; inquire ahead of any planned absences.

Classroom and Communication Policies

Electronic devices not related to the learning environment are not allowed. Cell phones, smartwatches, etc., are not to be used in class as a calculator. Buy a proper calculator. I am not going to babysit individuals. If you bring a phone out, I will assume you are not being challenged and will provide a quiz to the class to better engage you. Further implications include loss of grade curving and bonus projects, and in extreme cases, loss of the object, grade drop, or dismissal from class.

Disruptive behavior cannot be tolerated, and participants will be asked to leave; this includes but is not limited to: texting, talking, sleeping, studying for other courses, arriving late, ringing phones, playing games, distracting activities on a computer, wearing head/earphones, or picking your nose. Don’t embarrass me by making me call you out!

Cheating will not be tolerated. See the academic integrity section.

Personal matters that may interfere with you completing this course or an assignment are just that, personal. While I’ll try to be empathetic and understanding you need to understand that everybody has challenges. If you know that challenges will arrive during this course, like a birth, wedding, vacation, or are currently experiencing multiple challenges, you are encouraged not to take this course.

Stapling work is your responsibility; however, I am willing to perform this task for you for 2 points per staple. Also, if you need help organizing the pages of an assignment in the required order, I will do this for 2 points.

8½ x 11 paper is the standard in the United States. For the good of the country and your grade, assignments are to be turned in on this paper. It may have lines, but no frayed edges. I am willing to pull off the annoying ‘chads’ from spiral-bound notebooks for 2 points.

Translation services for those who don’t see the need to write clearly or organize their work in such a manner to make it clear what is being done are charged at a rate of up to 20% of the assignment's total value. (10% legibility, 10% organization)

Complete sentences are the only way to answer a question. To encourage complete sentences, a charge of 1 point per infraction will be assessed for lack of a complete sentence or phrase.

Email etiquette, while not a rule, has an academic impact. Failure to use proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary reflects poorly on your academic abilities. Don’t send me an email that you wouldn’t send as part of a professional school application or employment application, SRSLY AFAIK, LOL.

University students are held to a higher standard. The above rules may seem childish or unfair, but as initially stated, experience mandates such measures. Ideally, these rules protect those who are here to get a higher education from those who have yet to realize they are at a university. If you don’t agree to abide by these rules, you have a couple of options: take the class from a different instructor, suffer the outlined consequences, call me bad names, give me a bad evaluation, or change majors. If you agree to these rules, I promise a better education and skills that will be invaluable in all aspects of life.

You signed up for this course and, in doing so, agree to the terms found in this syllabus. These include agreeing that it is your responsibility to: attend class; take tests on the assigned day, and turn in assignments when due. You also agree that it is not my responsibility to alter the outlined requirements, expectations, or due dates for this course.

It is highly suggested that students make every effort possible to attend lectures. Consequences of being absent from class may include missing: information presented, application problems/quizzes, alteration of assignment due dates, etc. Inform me ASAP upon missing a class due to unforeseen events.

Missing class is a choice that you make. The consequences of this include missing information presented, unannounced quizzes, alterations of due dates for assignments, etc. Accepted excuses for missing class include University excused absences and medical emergencies. I need proof and should be made aware of these in advance or ASAP. Unacceptable excuses include your wedding, being locked out of your house, sleeping in, and any other creative excuse that doesn’t fit the above, accepted excuses.

$67.50 fee

Class material may be accessed through Canvas, located at

Focus on the major concepts. Continually ask why and strive to understand. Take time to think about the reading. Learn to schedule your time effectively. Adhere to the reading schedule. DO NOT wait until the chapter/section is complete to start homework; complete problems as you read and in conjunction with the discussion of material in the lecture. If you plan now (meaning day one) to spend time studying each day, the material will be much easier to understand, leading to success on exams and in class. I can’t do this for you.

Chemistry tutors are available. For more information, see: /

––Remember: Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part––

Unfounded rumors suggest this is one of the most difficult pre-nursing courses at SUU. It is challenging, but students earn A’s every semester. This course is what all university classes should be like: challenging, providing an immense supply of new knowledge and skills, and worth the price paid. Students pass, succeed, and even excel in this course every year. The common theme among these students is that they work to understand the material.