Physics 118a Fall 2008

• Although PHYS 118A is a separate course from PHYS 116A, both courses should be taken concurrently. If you are not enrolled in PHYS 116A, please send an e-mail to Professor Schriver to explain your circumstances.
• Labs start Monday 25 August and end Thursday 4 December.
• PHYS 118A labs meet in 6313 and 6317 Stevenson. Meeting times and rooms are listed below.
• The lab manuals are available as a Class Pak from Campus Copy.
  
• You must attend the section in which you are enrolled.
• The Vanderbilt OAK (Blackboard) site will be used for section-specific information such as TA contact info and grade records.
• The Make-up Policy may be found at the bottom of this page.

If you miss a PHYS 118A lab, you may only make it up using one of the following two options:

OPTION A: (preferred, especially if the absence is anticipated, such as for religious holidays, student athletics, graduate school interviews, evening exams, or other scheduled events)

• Find another section during the same week that has space (less than 18 enrolled).
• Request permission to attend from the TA of the section you wish to attend (e-mail addresses are provided in the table above).
• If you receive permission, inform your TA that you will not be attending your regular section, and advise him/her of the section you will be attending.
• Turn in all work (tutorial, exam, lab, etc.) to the TA of the lab you attend unless it is due later.
• If you fail to attend the section you scheduled, you will not be able to exercise Option B.

OPTION B: (for those situations where Option A is not available, such as sudden illness, or when no space is available in other sections)

• You may attend a special make-up session from 7:10 - 10 PM on MONDAY of the week following your missed lab.
• MISSED TESTS MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE 12:00 NOON FRIDAY OF THE SAME WEEK as your scheduled lab. You must arrange directly with your TA to take the test.
• You must have a valid excuse; from the course catalog: “conflicts arising from personal travel plans or social obligations do not qualify as excused absences.”
• To exercise this option, send an e-mail to Professor Schriver (click on link) with a copy to your TA BEFORE 12:00 NOON ON MONDAY, the day of the makeup lab. Your e-mail must contain your name, course (PHYS 118A), section, and the lab missed (so we know what equipment to set up).
• There are no walk-in make-up labs. Arrangements must be made ahead of time per # 4 above.
• You may have to work through the tutorial and experiment on your own. There may or may not be another student working on the same lab. The lab will be staffed by a TA to help as a second set of hands.
• Turn in all work (tutorial, exam, lab) to the TA staffing the makeup lab. He/she will give it to your regular TA for grading.
• If you fail to attend the make-up section, you will not be able to make up the lab at a later time.
• Failure to follow these instructions will result in a reduced grade for any lab turned in (e.g., you may be allowed to make up a lab if you walk-in and the equipment is available, but you will be penalized 5 points).

• There are no exceptions to this policy except for the most extenuating circumstances (e.g., and extended absence documented by a letter from the Dean's office).
• Multiple absences and make-ups may be cause for a reduced course grade. 
• If you miss a lab the week before an exam, you are still responsible for the material even if you have not yet made up the lab. Use a lab partner’s notes if you need material to study.