Chemistry 121 Fall 2005

Required Materials:

—Investigating Chemistry: A Forensic Science Perspective, M. E. Johill. (W. H. Freeman 2007).

—Lab Manual for Criminalistics, An Introduction to Forensic Science, 9^th Ed., C. E. Meloan, R. E. James, R. Saferstein (Pearson 2007).

—Lab coat, goggles, notebook

—Scientific Calculator

Expectation of Students

This course is intended as a general overview of forensic chemistry for non-science majors.

I may assign homework from the text but will not collect it. I expect students are working outside of class and will seek help from each other, tutors, or me if it is needed. I expect student participation in class (in both directions).

Course Goals

Chemistry is the study of matter and its changes. Since the word “forensic” simply implies legal applications, “forensic chemistry” is the application of chemistry to the law. Despite what you see on the CSI franchise and related pop-culture shows, forensic science is a math- and science-intensive field. We will cover the basics of chemistry and its applications to criminal cases. We must consider what is happening on both the macroscopic and molecular levels, and we must be able to discuss these changes symbolically. By the end of this course you will understand the relationship between the macroscopic and microscopic world, how to interpret the language of chemists to understand both, and how such relationships apply to the field of criminalistics.

Evaluation of Student Progress

I will evaluate students through weekly quizzes, lab reports, and a final presentation. There will be eleven (11) quizzes, with the lowest score dropped. The 9 labs will be graded based on written report, the format of which will be discussed in class. Spelling and grammar will be graded on all written assignments. If you are concerned about your writing, you should purchase a style manual like Strunk & White, Elements of Style.

Tentative Course Schedule

Week of	Lecture		Lab
Week of	M	F	M	F
01.22	No class	Syllabus	No class	No lab
01.28	Ch. 1	Ch. 2	No lab	Check-in
02.04	Ch. 3 Quiz 1	Ch. 3	Check-in	Exp. 1
02.11	Ch. 4 Quiz 2	No class	Exp. 1	No class
02.18	No class	Ch. 4	No class	Exp. 2
02.25	Ch. 5 Quiz 3	Ch. 5	Exp. 2	Exp. 6
03.03	Ch. 6 Quiz 4	Ch. 6	Exp. 6	Exp. 7
03.10	Ch. 7 Quiz 5	Ch. 7	Exp. 7	No Lab
03.17	Spring Break
03.24	Ch. 8	Ch. 8	No lab	Exp. 29
03.31	Ch. 9 Quiz 6	Ch. 9	Exp. 29	Exp. 36
04.07	Ch. 10 Quiz 7	Ch. 10	Exp. 36	Exp. 21
04.14	Ch. 11 Quiz 8	Ch. 12	Exp. 21	Exp. 22
04.21	Ch. 13 Quiz 9	Ch. 13	Exp. 22	Exp. 24
04.28	Ch. 14 Quiz 10	Ch. 14	Exp. 24	Check-out
05.05	Quiz 11	No class	Check-out	No class
05.12	Final Exam: Monday 8:00 AM

Any changes to the above schedule will be announced in class.

Course Policies:

Attendance I do not take attendance in lecture; therefore, your attendance is up to you. That said, DO NOT come to class late. If you cannot make it by 9:00 AM for lecture or 10:00 AM for lab, do not come at all. I will lock the door at the start of class. If you miss a lab, you will not be permitted to make it up.

Attendance in the lab is mandatory. Tardiness will not be tolerated, and students will receive no credit for the work missed. Traffic is not an excuse.

Academic Dishonesty: I strictly enforce the University Academic Misconduct Policy. Any form of misconduct will result in an F for the assignment and/ or the course.

Quizzes

There are 11 total quizzes, all administered on Monday at 8AM sharp. The lowest score is dropped

Final Exam

A comprehensive final exam will be administered at 8AM, Monday, May 12, 2008.

Make-Up Assignments and Late Work: I do not give make-up quizzes, exams, or labs. If you have a valid reason for missing a graded assignment, your score will be a weighted average of all previous similar assignments. If you miss an assignment, you must notify me as soon as possible as to your reason. If you wait a week before coming to see me, do not expect to be given any consideration.

Contact information is given at the header of this syllabus. I strongly recommend using e-mail to contact me. I do not return student phone calls, but I do respond to e-mails quickly during regular university hours. I do not respond to e-mail during evenings, weekends, or state holidays.

An important note about the Laboratory Section – You must receive a minimum grade of 55% in the lab to pass the course.

Inclement Weather: The University may cancel classes due to inclement weather. Call the University Snow Phone: 832-3333, check the website, or listen to WTIC-AM, 1080 kHz.

Special Needs: If you require course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please notify me of your situation ASAP.

Point Distribution
quizzes (10 @ 20 pts.)	200
Labs (9 @ 20 pts.)	180
Lab technique	20
Final Exam	100
Total	500

Grading Scale
450	A
440	A-
435	B+
400	B
390	B-
385	C+
350	C
335	C-
290	D
0	F

Dr. Barry L. Westcott	westcottb@ccsu.edu
NC 414	860.832.2677
http://www.chemistry.ccsu.edu/westcott