Course Description: Topics such as electrophilic addition, nucleophilic substitution, elimination, thermodynamics, kinetics, bonding and delocalized electrons, stereochemistry, and the reactivity of carbocations will be explored. Where appropriate the topcis will be examined in the context of biochemistry and the everyday chemistry that occurs in the world around us.

Students are expected to comply with all University policies and procedures including, if necessary, those pertaining to COVID. Students who do not comply with these policies will not be allowed in class and referred the Dean of Students for disciplinary review.

I reserve the right to unilaterally change this syllabus if necessary. Any change to this syllabus will be announced in class, and the changes, including the date the change was announced, will be added to this document.

Grading and Assignments: There will be three tests, three reworked tests, and a final (approximately half of the final will assess the last few weeks of the course and the other half will be cumulative). There are no graded homework assignments. Students are encouraged to download the free Student Solutions Manual and Student Study Guide (links below) and complete the 'appropriate problems' listed for each topic during class.

More on the three reworked test: Reworking questions for which you did not receive full credit does not add points back onto your test. The reworked tests are separate assignments and each one will account for five percent of your overall score. Thus, it is important that each of the assignments be completed, both from a learning perspective and from the point of view of your overall score.

More on the cumulative nature of chemistry: In chemistry, what we learn typically builds upon what we've learned in the past. For example, learning how to draw Lewis structures will help us understand where molecules are more, or less, electron rich. In a way then, all of our tests are cumulative. On the other hand, when I refer to the final as being cumulative, that means that I may ask you to draw Lewis structures on the final, whereas on test 3, I will not be asking you to draw Lewis structures even though knowing how to draw Lewis structures would be useful in the sense that it will help you understand the chemistry being assessed on test 3.

• The tests are scheduled for Monday, October 7; Monday, November 4; and Monday, November 25. If the date for an exam needs to be moved, an announcement will be made one week in advance of the exam and this document will be edited. Students who request extra time on exams though accommodations deemed appropriate by the Banacos Academic Center must arrange to take those exams in the Banacos Center. Please see me privately.
• Reworked tests that are to be submitted for grading are due one week after the test has been returned. Late assignments will not be accepted.
• The final for the 9:20 to 10:10 class is Wednesday, December 18 from 12:20 to 2:20, and for the 10:25 to 11:15 class it is Monday, December 16 from 12:20 to 2:20.

Additionally, students are required to attend a laboratory session each week and to complete any work assigned in the laboratory (consult the laboratory syllabus for details).

Grades will be determined as described below with the following caveats:

The letter grade (with +'s and -'s) will be based on an average score. The average score will be calculated as follows:

Averages greater than or equal to 90 will earn an "A-" or better.
Averages greater than or equal to 80 will earn a "B-" or better.
Averages greater than or equal to 70 will earn a "C-" or better.
Averages greater than or equal to 60 will earn a "D-" or better.
Averages < 60 will not earn a passing grade.

The scale for each test may be altered if appropriate; that is, if the mean of the class average and class median for a given test is less than 76.7%, a scaling points will be added to the test scores so that the aforementioned mean becomes 76.7%. If the aforementioned mean is greater than 76.7%, no scaling points will be applied.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend class and arrive on time. Because the exams may be scaled there are no make up exams. Missing an exam is a serious problem. Missing two or more exams will result in a failing grade. Extenuating circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please contact me immediately if you unexpectedly miss an exam. If you know that you have a conflict please discuss it with me before the exam. It may be possible to take the exam early. Since the exams may be scaled there is a disincentive for leaking information if you take the test early (if people do better than you because you leaked information then you will be at a disadvantage; that is, your grade will be lower because the scale will be lower).

Text: Organic Chemistry, a 10th Edition by John McMurry. openstax. https://openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry

Office hours: Monday from 11:15-12:00, Wednesday 11:15-12:00, Thursday 11:15-12:00 and Friday from 11:15-12:00. I am available most Wednesday and Friday afternoons outside of posted office hours and often on Tuesdays and Thursdays for unscheduled pop ins. On the other hand, please don't show up just before class unless it is absolutely necessary. If you need to see me before class please make an appointment, and in general, making an appointment to make certain I'm available outside of my posted office hours is always a good idea.

Additional Resources:
Old tests, computer models, and notes from previous classes - http://www.westfield.ma.edu/cmasi/
The Student Solutions Manual and Student Study Guide - https://openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry?Student%20resources

Academic Honesty: Students are encouraged to work together while learning, but grades are based on individual achievement. Thus, any work that a student submits for a grade must be that student's work. Academic honesty is important, and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Scientific integrity depends on academic honesty. Lack of scientific integrity has serious consequences: people have been terminated and sued for releasing trade secrets, court cases have been thrown out for dishonest behavior in crime laboratories, and lives can be lost if scientific data is misrepresented. If an instance of academic dishonesty is uncovered, the student(s) in question may receive a 0 for the assignment or fail the class altogether. The academic honesty policy (https://catalog.westfield.ma.edu/content.php?catoid=30&navoid=1348#Academic_Honesty_Policy) includes additional potential consequences including suspension or dismissal from the university.

Students may not work together on graded assignments unless explicitly told to do so.

Crib sheets are not allowed during tests; a periodic table will be provided. Students may bring university-issued molecular modeling kits to tests if they wish.

Schedule: We will cover the first eleven chapters of Organic Chemistry by McMurray.