Welcome to Electronics
Be sure to pick up…
- Syllabus
- Blackboard handout
Len Trombetta
1
Major Topics in ECE 3455
 Signals and amplifier models
 Frequency Response
 Operational amplifiers
 Diodes and nonlinear circuits
 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
 Biasing
 Signals
 Circuit models for devices
2
Relation to ECE 2300/2100
 Theory vs. Practice
 Lecture/Lab
 Level of difficulty
 Doing the homework: Its not about the grade…
3
Homework
 Homework is how you figure out what’s going on
 In writing quizzes and exams, I will assume you have
done (and understand) the homework
 Don’t leave homework until the last minute
 Homework will be graded, but it’s not about the
grade
 Homework must be neat and conform to notation and
other class standards, or credit
will be subtracted
4
Assignments and Grading
 Homework (11)
 In-class quizzes (6)
 Midterm exams (2 – Saturday afternoons)
 Final exam
 Lab grades
 Informal reports (6)
 Project/formal report (team project/individual report)
 Due at close of lab on the date shown in the schedule
5
Blackboard and e-Mail
 Blackboard will be used for communications as
well as posting of assignments, class notes, etc.
 I will assume that your @uh.edu alias is
functioning. I will NOT track you down on
hotmail, yahoo, gmail, …
6
My Expectations
 You should come to class on time
 Homework is due at the START of class. Late
homework is not accepted, so…
 Quizzes are given at the start of the class.
 Your work should be neat and carefully done:
Credit will be subtracted from homework, quizzes,
exams, and lab reports for…
 work that is difficult to read or follow
 graphs that are not properly labeled or difficult to read
 incorrect or missing units
 incorrect notation
7
My Approach to Teaching
 I would rather be a colleague than an
administrator.
 Faculty responsibilities

Teaching
 Guidance
 “Certification”
 Student responsibilities

Professionalism
 Curiosity
 Conscientiousness
8
How Students Think…
 Engineering students are comfortable with…
 Doing calculations
 Simple algebraic manipulations
 Details (as opposed to “the big picture”)
 Engineering students are not comfortable with…
 Analysis
 Troubleshooting
 “Advanced math”
As a result, engineering students don’t like…
9
Design
 Design generally involves open-ended problems.
 Insufficient information
 Many possible solutions
 Design requires the designer to think about
whether his/her creation makes sense.
We will have some “design” problems on
homework and quizzes/exams, and a team project.
10
Use the Professor
 I’m here to help. Come to see me.
 Office hours after class or other times by appointment
 E-mail
 Random visits: If my door is open and I’m not off to a
meeting, we can talk.
11
Keys to Success
 Do the homework
 Keep up with the material and the class
 Read the book
 Use available resources
 Notes
 Old exams
 Supplements
12