CORNELL ASTRO 202 - Our Home in the Solar System

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Astronomy 202: "Our Home in the Solar System"Profs. Jim Bell and Don CampbellSpring 2008; 3 CreditsPlace and Time: Lectures: 622 Space Sciences, TR 1:25-2:40 p.m.Course WWW page: http://www.astro.cornell.edu/courses/astro202/Instructors: Jim Bell Don CampbellOffice: 402 Space Sciences Office: 528 Space SciencesOffice Hours: TR 2:45-4:15 Office Hours: TR 2:45-4:15Phone: x5-5911 Phone: x5-9580email: [email protected] email: [email protected].: Kassie WellsOffice: 109 Space SciencesOffice Hours: Mon 4:00-5:00; Wed. 1:00-2:00Phone: x5-1823email: [email protected]: The New Solar System by J.K. Beatty, C.C. Petersen, and A. ChaikinPale Blue Dot by Carl SaganCourse Overview: This writing course is designed to develop an understanding of our homeplanet as a member of a diverse and fascinating family of objects in our solarsystem. Discussion will center on how studies of other planets and satelliteshave broadened our knowledge and perspective of Earth, and vice versa. Wewill study, debate, and learn to write critically about important issues ofscience, ethics, and public policy that have emerged from this newfoundperspective. Topics to be discussed include global warming, nuclear winter,the impact threat, and the searches for extrasolar planets and extraterrestrialintelligence. Our exploration of these and other topics will be up-to-date,interactive, and quite possibly controversial.Course Goals: Through this course, it is our hope that you will:• Become familiar with the "inventory" of the solar system• Learn how the Earth compares to other planets and satellites• Become educated and informed about current "planetary scale" debatesPrerequisites: The course is intended to be engaging and relevant to students across a widerange of disciplines. No specific math, physics, or chemistry background isrequired, although occasionally we will use basic equations or physicalprinciples to illustrate points. The most important prerequisites are enthusi-asm, good writing skills, and willingness to participate in class discussions.Writing Assignments: This course is being taught under the John S. Knight Writing in the MajorsProgram. Most assignments will be in the form of short papers or essays.While no formal writing instruction will be given in class, individualizedcomments on the organization, content, and style of your writing, especiallyas it illuminates your understanding of the subject, will be given. Note: Thisis NOT a freshman writing seminar and will not count as such.Grading: 7 Papers (combination of short and long); Total: 140 points (70%)Poster and Poster Presentation: 40 points (20%)Classroom Attendance and Participation: 20 points (10%)TOTAL: 200 pointsAstronomy 202, Spring 2008Ground Rules1) There are no tests or exams. Your grade will be based on 7 writing assignments, an end ofsemester Poster and associated presentation, and classroom attendance and participation.Attendance will be taken in class; you are expected to sign in each day. Do not sign for others.2) There will be seven papers assigned over the course of the semester. Papers are either "short"(~500 words) or "long" (~1500 words). Short papers will count half as much as the longerpapers toward your final grade. Here is the breakdown for the seven papers:Paper 1 (Personal Essay) 14 pointsPaper 2 (Mission Overview) 28Paper 3 (Letter to Editor) 14Paper 4 (Earth, Mars, Venus) 28Paper 5 (Poster Proposal) 14Paper 6 (Impacts and Life) 28Paper 7 (PBD Book Review) 14 TOTAL: 140 points3) Late papers will accrue a penalty of 1 point per day late, and no late papers will beaccepted after one week past the due date. Extensions may be considered by the Professorsor the T.A. for appropriate (medical, scheduled away athletic events, etc.) circumstances.However, unless it is an emergency situation, extensions must be requested before the day thepaper is due. There will be no extensions granted for the end-of-semester poster presentation.4) All students are expected to abide by Cornell's Code of Academic Integrity. Students areexpected to complete their assignments independently. Plagiarism of sources, copying fromfellow students, obtaining papers from online providers, or any other form of cheating will not betolerated. Go to http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm to learn more aboutrecognizing and avoiding plagiarism. Violators of the Code of Academic Integrity will receive aPrimary Hearing, following the rules and procedures established by the College of Arts &Sciences Academic Integrity Hearing Board. Students found guilty of a violation or of repeatviolations face penalties including possible failure of the course, and even possible expulsionfrom the University.5) It is expected that the median grade will be close to B. It shouldn’t be difficult, by working hard,showing up to class, and participating, to get an A.6) The grading criteria for the assignments will include: Clarity, Conciseness, and Completeness Accuracy (Consider the accuracy of your sources.) Effective use of materials from outside of the lectures and suggested readings Appropriate technical level (Imagine an audience of nonscientist Cornell undergraduates.) Appropriate acknowledgment of sources (The exact method of citations is up to you.) Correctness of grammar and spelling (We aren’t primarily concerned with this, but yourgrammar should not interfere with the clarity of your writing.) Effectiveness of organization (This means an introductory paragraph, the development of yourargument through the body of the paper, and a summary paragraph to finish the paper.)If you have any questions, please ask!Astronomy 202 Assignments: DetailsReading AssignmentsYou will be assigned chapters from New Solar System or Pale Blue Dot for most lectures, asoutlined in the Syllabus. Strictly speaking, the reading assignments from "New Solar System" areoptional. However, lectures, discussions, and many of your writing assignments will be basedpartly on topics covered in these readings, and this you would benefit significantly from havingdone the reading. The reading assignments from "Pale Blue Dot" are not optional, partly becauseone of the assigned papers depends critically upon the book having been read. Occasionally,additional articles will be handed out as reading assignments; these are not optional as they will bepart of in-class discussion during a subsequent


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CORNELL ASTRO 202 - Our Home in the Solar System

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