Chemistry 434

Section 00

Spring 2009

 


S. Murphree (smurphre@allegheny.edu)
C.215 Doane Hall of Chemistry
332-5358 (office)

Office Hours: MWF 10-11 am, Tu 4-5 pm, Th 3-4 pm,
W 8:30 - 9:30 pm and by appt
 

 

 

 

 

Schedule of topics
Text: Chemical Aspects of Biosynthesis, Mann (Oxford, ISBN 9780198556763);
all other readings are taken from the primary literature.

The Honor Code is in effect for all assignments and exams.

 

 

 

General Guidelines

Attendance is required & will be factored into the class participation grade. Please be on time.
Readings should be done before the corresponding class meeting.

 

Exams

There will be two in-class exams, for which there will be no make-ups. Extenuating circumstances may warrant taking an exam early, but this requires sufficient substantiation. If you miss an exam due to serious illness, it is your responsibility to provide written documentation (not an e-mail) from your physician or the Health Center. Without documentation, a grade of zero will be recorded.
 

Presentations

The last four class meetings are devoted to student presentations. By 10 February, each student must identify and choose a time slot to present a significant paper from the current literature on the topic of steroid synthesis. The presentation must be 25-30 minutes in length. Grading will be based on the clarity and structure of the presentation, the significance of the work presented, and ability to address questions about the paper. For a full description, click here.
 

Participation

The success of this class depends upon the active interest and participation by each member. These class meetings are not designed to be simply note-taking sessions, but rather an opportunity for us all to engage in the process of discovery and problem-solving.
 

Withdrawal

If you decide to withdraw, you must do so by Tuesday, 03 February, to avoid academic penalty.
 

Credit/No Credit

Please be aware that declaring the class credit/no credit confers no benefits in grading—a failing grade is a failing grade. In other words, an overall average of 59.4% will still receive a grade of NC.
 

Grading

The final grade will be computed on the following basis:
25%                In-class exam
35%                Final exam
20%                Presentation
20%                Classroom participation (incl. attendance and presentation questions)

 

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D+

D

F

 

100-93

92-90

89-87

86-83

82-80

79-77

76-73

72-70

69-67

66-60

< 60