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This is the course homepage. A summary of the course activities is provided below. Please click the Syllabus Link on the left for a complete course syllabus.
Announcements:
Course Objectives:This course examines basic weather phenomena, climate variability and climate change, and their associated effects on people. The possibility and implications of human-caused changes in the climate system are also discussed. A more detailed description of the course and specific learning ojectives is provided in the course syllabus. Web page:Most of the course material will be placed on the course web pages, home is http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/students/courselinks/fall16/atmo336/home.html There will also be a few activities done on the course D2L pages. All students registered for this course should have access to the D2L page for ATMO336, Section 001. UA D2L Login Page Course Hours/Location:Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:00 - 3:00 Instructor:Dr. Dale Ward, Lecturer / Research Scientist Teaching Assistants:
Bayu Risanto
Ryan Dennis Class Notes / Important Dates:There is no textbook for this course. Lectures will be based on the reading material posted under the Lectures Link and additional material that will be distributed during lectrues throughout the semester. I expect each student to read over the relevant reading material before the lecture is presented in class. This is important because the you will be famaliar with what I discuss in lecture and better able to understand it. Important dates, such as homework deadlines, exam dates, etc., will be posted in the class calendar. Academic Integrity:The University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity, Code of Conduct, and Student Code of Conduct will be strictly followed. All students are responsible for knowing the codes and abiding by them. Please see Academic Integrity Policies for University of Arizona Students. No cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, or plagiarism will be tolerated. The research paper and perhaps some of the homework assignments will be filtered through Turnitin. Accessibility and Accomodations:It is the University's goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability or pregnency, please let me know immediately so that we can discuss options. You are also welcome to contact Disability Resources (520-621-3268) to establish reasonable accommodations. Grading / Assignments:Class Grades will be posted under the grades link as a spreadsheet. Currently the link points to the gradesheet from a previous class. You will will choose a class ID that will be known only to you so that you can see your grades. There is a Class Registration form posted under the homework link. You will be given 10 extra credit points on your semester homework score for submitting the form by the due date. If you do not submit a form, there will be a blank space in the Class ID column for your grade row. Your class grade is based on the number of points earned. There are 1000 possible points:
Please see the course syllabus for more detail about assignments and grading. Grade Scale:The final grading may be curved depending on overall class performance. However, the grade scale will not be any more difficult than A(900 points); B(800 points); C(700 points); D(600 points); E(<600 points). Brief Description of Graded Items:Homework Sets: There will be two homework sets given during the semester, which will consist of problem solving and short answer questions that go with the exam 1 and exam 2 material. Your homework submissions will be graded both on the correctness of your answers as well as the quality and clarity of your writing. Homework sets will be posted on the class web pages. 500 mb forecasting assignment: Sometime in late October, after we have covered material on 500 mb maps and cool season weather forecasting, a 500 mb weather forecasting assignment will be made available. The exact dates are not known as we will be using real-time weather forecasts that must be suitable for this class. Detailed instructions for this assignment will be posted on the class web pages. You will be given sufficient time to complete the assignment after it is posted. Global Warming Essay: The last written assignment is a global warming opinion essay that will be due near the end of the semester. Instructions for writing the paper will be provided on the course web pages. Research Paper: The details of the research paper are described in a link under the homework section of the course web pages. The research paper includes a first draft, peer review, and revision process. The first draft is due to be uploaded to a D2L discussion forum by Wednesday, September 28. Each of you will peer review two drafts from fellow students. These are due by Wednesday, October 5. Based on the reviews, you will then revise your first draft to produce a final research paper. A printed copy of the final paper is due in class on the October 19. In addition, you are required to upload a copy of the paper to an "Assignment Dropbox" on the course D2L pages. An extra credit research paper topic statement, which is basically a statement of your proposed paper topic, is due by September 7 in a D2L assignment dropbox. Students who submit a topic proposal will be given feedback on their proposed topics. Exams: Exams count for 60% of your final class grade. Therea are four in-class exams scheduled and a final exam. These exams consist of a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions. Short answer responses will be graded both on the correctness of your answers as well as the quality and clarity of your writing. The in-class exams are not comprehensive in that the questions concentrate on material presented since the previous exam. However, it is expected that you are familiar with some of the basic concepts covered early in the semester. The in-class exams given during the fall 2015 semester are available from the class web pages to show you the type of questions asked. The final exam is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14 from 1:00 - 3:00 in the regular classroom, McClelland Park, Room 105. The final exam is optional. If you decide to take it, the final exam grade replaces the lowest of the grades of your previous exams (even if it is lower). Thus, if you do poorly on one exam or miss one exam, you can make for it up by taking the final. Your final exam score will also replace your second lowest exam score (only if higher than your second lowest exam score). Therefore, if you take the final exam it will count for at least 15% of your final grade (by replacing your lowest exam score, 150 points) and 30% of your final grade (if you score higher than your second lowest exam score, 300 points). The final exam is comprehensive in that it covers all of the material presented during the semester. Extra CreditThere are two extra credit opportunities. 10 points are awarded for submitting the class registration form. 20 points are awarded for submitting the optional research paper topic proposal on time. There are no other extra credit opportunities planned. Exam/Late Work Policies:You are expected to study and understand material covered in class during lecture as well as to read the relevant material from the class notes. Exam questions will be taken from both the in-class lectures and the reading material included in the class web pages. Please contact the instructor (preferrably via e-mail) as soon as possible if for an unexpected reason you are unable to be in class for an exam. A make-up exam will be arranged with sufficient proof. No make-up exam will be given unless you notify the instructor BEFORE missing the exam in class. In general, I would prefer make-up exams to be taken before the exam is given in class. In general, late assignments will incur a grade reduction of 10% per day. Late submissions are allowed for the homework sets, 500 mb Project, Global Warming Essay, and the final draft of the research paper. No credit will be given for late submissions of the first draft of the research paper or the required peer reviews. |