January 7, 2008

Dear Physics 123B,

Welcome to Physics 123B.  Here are a few key items you need to know for course logistics.

1.  Tutorials start tomorrow, January 8. The required pretest is available at
http://depts.washington.edu/uwphyttl/pretests.php?class=123&type=Pretests
until 10:15 Tuesday morning (1/8).  The link was broken just after class, but is now fixed.  If you had troubles earlier, please try again.

2.  Labs start next Tuesday, January 15.  Please purchase a lab manual at the UW Bookstore before the first lab.

3.  The course website is http://courses.washington.edu/ph122mo/W08/  You will find links to each day's reading on the link "Syllabus."

4.  Prof. Olmstead will host office hours in the Study Center Monday after class (around 11:25 - 12:00) and Wednesday before class (around 9:45 - 10:15).  She will also be available for discussions in her office (PAB B433) 9:30 - 10:00 Tuesday mornings.  Students who have private matters to discuss with Prof. Olmstead (as opposed to general course and homework questions that could be dealt with in the Study Center) will have first priority on Tuesday mornings.

5.  If you require accommodation for exams either through disabled students services or because of an unavoidable conflict, please contact Prof. Olmstead directly before Jan 18.

6.  Any section changes should be handled first via MyUW.  If you are unsuccessful, email Helen Gribble (heleng@phys.washington.edu) with the relevant information (see the course website).

7.  Homework will be handled this quarter through WebAssign.  For this trial quarter, it is free to students.  Go to http://www.webassign.net/washington/login.html and login with your UWNetID and password.  Click "bill institution" the first time you log in.  The first HW is due Jan 16 at midnight.  The way WebAssign handles 70% credit for the next 24 hrs is to have the due date listed as Jan 17, and it only gives 70% credit for the last 24 hours before the due date.  One difference from Tycho is that the number of allowed submission attempts is finite.  However, it is currently set at 50 (WebAssign's maximum), so you shouldn't notice the difference.  Also, the tolerance is set at 2% in WebAssign, as opposed to Tycho's 1%.  WebAssign will occasionally check for significant figures, as well, which Tycho didn't do.

8.  You will still have a Tycho account for its gradebook function, at least until we get the kinks out of using the equivalent function on WebAssign.  Your Tycho login is your UWNetID, and your initial password is the last 4 digits of your student number.

9.  If you have not yet filled out the enrollment survey, please do so at
https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/olmstd/47072

10.  Please register your clicker at
http://courses.washington.edu/ph122mo/W08/hittRegister.html

In the future, most announcements will be made on the course web page and/or GoPost, rather than by email.  You should, however, receive automated email reminders of pretests and weekly feedback WebQ's each Friday.

Regards,

Prof. Olmstead