MATH 1550 Course Introduction and Overview

Course Information & Instructor Details

• Dr. Susie Brooks (Office: B1, H McLean Hall, across from Seaman Center; Email: Susan Brooks at Iowa Edu; Office hours: $1030$ to $1120$ on Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

• Co-instructor: Dr. Wade Bloomquist.

• Classroom Support: Learning Assistant Cameron (sophomore, Chemical Engineering major) and ASI Leader Jaina.

• Schedule: Lectures meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Discussion sections meet Tuesdays and Thursdays (no discussion section on the first Tuesday of the semester).

Grading Breakdown & Assessment Policies

• Grade Distribution:

  • Pearson MyLab Homework: $20\%$

  • Discussion Case Studies: $20\%$

  • Top Hat In-Class Questions: $9\%$

  • Exams ($3$ total): Two mid-semester exams and one final exam (Exam $2$ is weighted slightly higher than Exam $1$ due to cumulative content).

• Exam Policies & Retakes:

  • Midterm retakes are offered $2$ weeks after the original exam.

  • Original Exams: Permitted a $1$-page reference sheet and partial credit on free-response items.

  • Retake Exams: No reference sheet allowed, no partial credit given, and points earned on re-answered missed problems are added to increase the original score.

• Calculator Policy:

  • Scientific calculators are permitted (e.g., Texas Instrument T 30 x IIs).

  • Graphing calculators and mobile phones are strictly prohibited during exams.

Coursework & Platform Requirements

• Pearson MyLab Homework:

  • Due at midnight ($11:59\,\text{p.m.}$) before the following lecture.

  • Allows up to $5$ attempts per assignment.

  • Accessible via the Access Pearson link on ICON using the textbook Thomas's calculus.

• Top Hat:

  • Used for in-class participation, attendance tracking, and practice questions.

  • Active subscription required ($10$ or 13\).

  • Lecture questions remain open until Monday at $11:59\,\text{p.m.}$ for asynchronous completion.

• Discussion Case Studies:

  • Part 1: Completed individually prior to class and submitted in the first $5\,\text{minutes}$ (graded; students must print the first assignment).

  • Part 2: Ungraded group exploration during discussion.

  • Part 3: Group case study recommendation requiring approximately $30\,\text{minutes}$, submitted via GradeScope on ICON (graded primarily on effort).

  • Group Roles ($3$ or $4$ students per group): Moderator, Timekeeper, Verifier, Skeptic.

• Course Curriculum:

  • Three learning pillars: Conceptual, Computational, and Contextual.

  • Covers Chapter $12$ (Vectors) early in the course to support upcoming physics and statics coursework.

Academic Support & Attendance Policies

• Absence & Accommodation Email: Math-1550 at UOA Edu (used for exam absences, SDS accommodation letters, and triage).

• Discussion Absences: Contact the assigned TA directly.

• Free Tutoring Resources:

  • Math Lab: Room 125 McLean Hall (drop-in tutoring staffed by math graduate students).

  • Engineering Tutoring: Seaman Center, Monday through Thursday, $6\,\text{p.m.}$ to $9\,\text{p.m.}$

Questions & Discussion

• Discussion Section Meetings:

  • Question: Is there a discussion section on the first Tuesday of the semester?

  • Response: No, there is no discussion section on the first Tuesday; the first discussion meeting is on Thursday.

• Finding Top Hat:

  • Question: How do students find and join the specific Top Hat course?

  • Response: Access Top Hat directly via the dedicated link in the left-hand navigation menu on ICON.

• Exam Retake Scoring:

  • Question: Does an exam retake replace the original score entirely or only apply to missed questions?

  • Response: Retakes only require re-answering missed problems, and earned points are added to the original score to increase the grade.

• Final Exam Reference Sheet:

  • Question: Is a $1$-page reference sheet permitted on the final exam?

  • Response: It is likely permitted, though official confirmation will follow.

• Calculator Usage & Graphing:

  • Question: How are graphing and limit problems handled without a graphing calculator?

  • Response: Exam questions are designed to be solved by hand or by evaluating provided graphs; graphing calculators are not required on assessments.

• Lecture Notes Format:

  • Question: Are students expected to write notes directly on the provided lecture slides?

  • Response: The provided slides serve as skeleton templates for student convenience, but note-taking style is left entirely to individual preference.