COURSE INFORMATION

Overview

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8.01 is Introductory Newtonian Mechanics with some calculus. The main objective of the course is to teach you to do MIT-level problems with confidence and understanding. Under the assumption that 8.02 will be the terminal physics course for most students, we have also changed emphasis in the syllabus. We have de-emphasized angular momentum and increased emphasis on statics and thermodynamics which are more useful in Engineering, Chemistry and Biology.

The major emphasis is on increasing students' analytic ability. Toward this end we have added a third recitation section emphasizing solving challenging problems in groups, and a tutorial for students doing poorly. Time for these was created by eliminating the lectures, except for one on Friday. (Over 90% of the class has previously taken an 8.01-level course with lectures.)

Educational studies have shown that uniform effort over the week and over the term is more effective than a once-a-week all-nighter and cramming for several tests during the semester. In light of this, and because many students in this course have a tendency to put off studying it, we have divided the homework and mid-course exams into smaller pieces more uniformly distributed. Homework will be due three times per week; twice in electronic format at CyberTutor.MIT.edu and once in standard written format. Exams will be administered once per week, on Friday. There will be no makeup exams, but a portion of the final grade will be used to replace the two lowest weekly exam scores. Similarly, the homework-grading algorithm will forgive at least two assignments.

The textbook for the course is Giancoli, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice Hall).

45% Weekly Tests (includes about 10% from Final Exam Replacement)
10% Final Examination (portion not used for replacement)
20% Electronic homework
11% Written homework
8% Group Problems
3% Recitation Grade (for class participation, other class exercises)
3% Attendance at Tutorials (if required)

Section	Day/Time	Room	Instructor
R01	MTW 10 am	26-328	S. Burles
R02	MTW 11 am	26-328	S. Burles
R03	MTW 2 pm	1-246	M. Feld
R04	MTW 3 pm	1-246	M. Feld
R05	MTW 10 am	5-217	D. Pritchard

Tutorials

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Open Tutorial - Room 26-310 from 3 pm to 7 pm on every Thursday

Individual Tutorials - you will be individually contacted about when and where if warranted.

Who goes where when?

1) Anyone can go anytime to the Open Tutorial to get help on material of preceeding week or for the Friday test. This is the only tutorial activity during this first week of class.

2) Students Below Par on the weekly exam must write out solutions to that exam and take them to required tutorial the following week.

3) Individual tutorials: When CyberTutor shows that you lack specific skills, you will be required to meet with an individual tutor to remedy the deficiency. You will be contacted about where and when, and will have to provide your open times on Thursdays (probably on a CyberTutor survey question).