Mar 22, 2005

Thanks to a fantastic group of grad students, the final is graded, grades assigned, and exams already in the mailboxes waiting to get sent back to you less than 24 hours after the final was over - have a good Spring Break and good luck in 30B next quarter - Stuart

Mar 22, 2005

GRADING BREAKDOWN
 
- Overall class mean was 233/500 with a standard deviation of 81
 
- Grade cut-offs:
 
500-400 A+ / 399-335 A / 334-305 A-
304-270 B+ / 269-240 B / 239-221 B-
220-200 C+ / 199-180 C / 179-150 C-
149-135 D+ / 134-115 D / 114-100 D-
99-0 F
 
- Grade distribution: As 23%, Bs 30%, Cs 33%, D and F 14%
- Automatic A cut-off was lowered to 150/200
- Improvement by 5% or greater on the final bumped up your grade one level
- The high score on the final was awarded an automatic A+

Mar 19, 2005

Someone asked me to post a detailed answer to Q6 from the Fall 2004 Final - it is in the handout section below

Mar 18, 2005

If you want your final mailed back to you, bring three stamps to the final with you, and stick them on the back page as indicated

Mar 14, 2005

The FINAL will be comprehensive - I suggest you do the one from last quarter for practice

Mar 14, 2005

CHEM 30A FINAL IS ON MON MAR 21 FROM 3:00-6:00 PM IN CS24

Mar 14, 2005

DOs and DON'Ts for the FINAL:
- Model kits are allowed, but must be unassembled when brought into the room
- Do not write in RED pen - that's just stupid
- Calculators are NOT allowed
- There are NO REGRADES of the FINAL
- Bring some form of PHOTO ID with you, ALL IDs WILL BE CHECKED

Mar 14, 2005

GRADING POLICY for the FINAL:
- Graded out of 200 points, but with bonus questions there will be 230 points available
- Score 160 or higher and that's an automatic A regardless of what you've scored up to that point
- Improve your performance by 20% or more on the FINAL relative to your pre-final percentage score, and the grade you get will be boosted to the next highest one, i.e., a B- goes to a B, a B goes to a B+ etc... (not applicable for A to A+)
- If you improve your performance by 15% on the FINAL relative to your pre-final percentage score AND beat the FINAL MEAN, you get the same deal as for the 20%ers
- NOTE: your current percentage is based ONLY on exams you have taken, if you missed a quiz or a midterm, for the purposes of working out your current pre-final percentage, that doesn't count as a zero, I just don't figure it into the equation, i.e., I'm not rewarding people for missing quizzes and midterms

Mar 14, 2005

Wednesday's lecture will comprise Quiz 3 and Evaluations, and there is no class on Friday.

Mar 14, 2005

Lecture 25 Assignments: Reading Ch 7 Problems 7.4-7.27

Mar 12, 2005

The "How-To" Guide is finally posted below for Midterm 2 - hope it helps...

Mar 11, 2005

Lecture 24 Assignments: Reading 7.1-7.6 Problems 7.1-7.3

Mar 09, 2005

Give me a little more time for the Midterm 2 "How-To" guide, it will be finished soon

Mar 09, 2005

Lecture 23 Assignments: Reading Review Ch 8 Problems 8.42-8.50 (NOT 8.46f,g,h)

Mar 07, 2005

Lecture 22 Assignments: Reading 8.7-8.10 Problems 8.4-8.8, 8.36-8.45

Mar 04, 2005

So, I took attendance in class today, and I thought that you might find these statistics interesting... On Wednesday, 116 people took the midterm, there were 74 people in class today. I've calculated everyone's cumulative percentage so far, and of the top 30 students, 27 of them were in class today. Contrast that with the bottom 30 students in the class - only 11 of them attended today's lecture... Draw your own conclusions. But anyway... I don't expect you to come to class, that's up to you, I won't make you. And if you can get an 'A' (or a grade you are happy with) without coming, then great. On the other hand, should you not be satisfied with your grade at the end of this class AND you did not come to lecture (or, more importantly, my office hours) - don't even think for one second about complaining about your grade... to me, or anyone else for that matter...

Mar 04, 2005

Lecture 21 Assignments: Reading 8.1-8.10 Problems 8.14-8.35... and I suggest that you do the midterm again!

Mar 03, 2005

Lecture 20 Assignments: Reading 8.1-8.6 Problems 8.1-8.3, 8.9-8.13

Mar 02, 2005

Midterm 2 is graded, high was 77/100, mean was 39/100 (ouch!) - the answer key is posted... a much needed "How-To" guide will be posted over the weekend...

Feb 25, 2005

Lecture 19 Assignments: Reading 10.7-10.9, 8.1-8.2 Problems 10.4, 10.16, 10.17, 10.21-10.23

Feb 23, 2005

Lecture 18 Assignments: Reading 6.5-6.7, 10.9 Problems 6.39-6.49, 10.5

Feb 18, 2005

The stuff is posted - have a good holiday weekend... - and I will have office hours in the usual place starting at 4 pm on Tuesday since Monday is a holiday

Feb 18, 2005

I'll post the alkene reactions problem set later today in addition to the mechanism guides, and I may organise some office hours for Tuesday as Monday is a holiday

Feb 18, 2005

Lecture 17 Assignments: Reading Ch 6 Problems 6.9-6.11, 6.13, 6.17-6.42

Feb 17, 2005

Quiz 2 is graded, high was 29/30, mean was 16/30

Feb 16, 2005

Lecture 16 Assignments: Go over Quiz 2

Feb 14, 2005

Lecture 15 Assignments: Reading 6-6.5 Problems 6.3-6.8, 6.14-6.16

Feb 11, 2005

Lecture 14 Assignments: Reading 6-6.5

Feb 09, 2005

Lecture 13 Assignments: Reading Ch 5, 6.1-6.3 Problems 4.1-4.45, 5.2, 5.6-5.10, 5.13-5.19, 6.1, 6.2

Feb 07, 2005

Somebody left their keys in CS24 after class - I have them. Either e-mail me or swing by my office hours this afternoon.

Feb 07, 2005

Lecture 12 Assignments: Reading Ch 4 Problems 4.1-4.45

Feb 04, 2005

Lecture 11 Assignments: Reading Ch 4 Problems 3.6-3.9, 3.24-3.36

Feb 02, 2005

Midterm is graded, mean was 67%, high score was 95%. Key and 'How-To Guide' will be posted in the next few days...

Jan 31, 2005

Lecture 10 Assignments: Reading Ch 3 Problems 3.1-3.5, 3.10-3.23

Jan 31, 2005

DOs and DON'Ts for the midterm:
- Model kits are allowed, but must be unassembled when brought into the room
- Do not write in RED pen - that's just stupid
- Calculators are NOT allowed
- Scripts written in pencil WILL NOT be re-graded
- Bring some form of PHOTO ID with you

Jan 28, 2005

Lecture 9 Assignments: Reading 2.9-3.4 Problems 2.16, 2.46-2.61, 3.1-3.5, 3.10-3.23

Jan 26, 2005

Lecture 8 Assignments: Reading Review Ch 2 Problems 2.10-2.15, 2.31-2.45

Jan 24, 2005

Lecture 7 Assignments: Reading Chapter 2 Problems Same as last time

Jan 21, 2005

Lecture 6 Assignments: Reading 2-2.6 Problems 2.1, 2.2, 2.8, 2.17-2.21, 2.24-2.28

Jan 19, 2005

Lecture 5 Assignments: Reading Chapter 2 Problems 2.1, 2.2, 2.8, 2.17-2.21, 2.24-2.26

Jan 19, 2005

The quiz is graded, the mean was 18/30, high was 35/30, low was 0/30. The key is posted above.

Jan 18, 2005

The answers to the problem sets posted last Friday are now posted below. In the molecular shape problems, apparently I don't know my alphabet, and in part (f) of the drawing line formulae, I screwed up the formula - see answers for details. No, hybridisation is not covered on Quiz 1...

Jan 14, 2005

Whole bunch of new problem sets posted below - HAVE FUN!

Jan 14, 2005

Lecture 4 Assignments: Problems 1.18, 1.55-1.70

Jan 13, 2005

So, I will NOT have my regular office hours this Friday, but to make up for it, I will have office hours next Tuesday 18th at 4 pm in the usual place

Jan 12, 2005

Lecture 3 Assignments: Reading Chapter 1 Problems 1.14-1.17, 1.48-1.54

Jan 10, 2005

Lecture 2 Assignments: Reading 1.3-1.4 Problems 1.6-1.13, 1.23-1.47

Jan 07, 2005

If you are looking for a molecular model kit, they probably have some at the Student Store, but you can also get them on Amazon, it's expensive, but cheaper than most textbooks after all, and you could probably re-sell it in the future...

Jan 07, 2005

Lecture 1 Assignments: Reading 1-1.4 Problems 1.1-1.5, 1.19-1.22

Jan 07, 2005

My office hours on Monday now begin at 4 pm, not 5 pm as listed in the syllabus

Jan 04, 2005

I will roughly be following the same structure for 30A as I did in Fall 2004. If you go to that page (listed under previous classes), you will find a lot of useful material there. In particular, I posted pdf files of my own personal lecture notes. I will do the same thing again this quarter, but you may want to prepare for class by downloading last quarter's notes and reading the appropriate sections BEFORE class each day. Just a thought...

Jan 04, 2005

The syllabus is finally posted - see above

Jan 03, 2005

I have the contact details of some graduate students who are interested in doing some tutoring, so if you are looking for a little extra help, send me an e-mail...

Jan 03, 2005

Discussion Sections will begin in Week 1, starting MONDAY 10th JANUARY

Jan 03, 2005

The first day of class is FRIDAY 7th JANUARY

Dec 24, 2004

Discussion Sections 1F, 1G, and 1I will most likely be cancelled