CAWWW-Fall 2011--Jordan
Welcome to College Algebra-WWW
I hope that you haven’t signed up for this course thinking that there will be less material covered than in a
traditional course or that it will be easier in some way. An online math course takes a great commitment
from you to be an independent learner who can meet deadlines without procrastination. On the other
hand, I have tried to keep the structure of the course as simple as possible for you. The following
paragraph is from NWACC’s distance learning web page and stresses four indicators of success with
online courses.
Online courses require four things for success:
1. Motivation – You need to be able to motivate yourself to complete your work and stay on schedule.
Procrastination in an online course is a recipe for failure.
2. Organization – You need to be able to organize your time to work on your online course. Even though you won’t
be meeting 3 hours a week in a classroom, that 3 hours of expected work won’t vanish. Online students can
reasonably expect to spend 6-9 hours a week on each 3 hour class. You need to organize your time to be able to
do the work necessary, and also to have quality, undistracted time in which to work.
3. Communication – You need to stay in contact with both your instructor and your classmates to be successful in
an online class. The vast majority of NWACC’s online courses are designed for this kind of dialogue, so you
should be regularly communicating in the course. Don’t be afraid to go beyond the minimum required
communications as that will increase your study and discussion of the subject matter and improve your learning
experience.
4. Basic Online Connection and Skills – Students need at least a dial-up modem at home, although broadband
(cable modem, DSL, or satellite) is recommended. Students should have access to a computer at home or
regular and consistent access to one elsewhere. Home access is strongly recommended. Students entering an
online course should know how to browse the WWW, send e-mail with attachments, word process documents and
save them in different file formats, and fill out forms online. Students should know how to download and save files
as well as install software also.
If you’re still with me, read on and ready, set, go!
What should you be doing prior to Monday, August 22?
1. Print and/or save this syllabus and read over it CAREFULLY.
2. Register for MyMathLab and run the “Browser Check” available through a link on the MML home page.
Instructions for registering are in the syllabus.
3. Take the tour “How to Enter Answers” available through a link on the MML home page.
4. Play around with the program or go through the online orientation.
5. Refer to the schedule in the syllabus to begin your coursework by Monday, August 22.
6. Note that this course does NOT involve the use of Blackboard through My NWACC Connection.
I would suggest reading the book and working through the examples from the text before attempting any
homework unless the material is completely review material for you. If you do not have a hard copy of the
text, it is available online through the link “Multimedia Library” on the left side of the screen.
Keep on track with the schedule and deadlines for homework, postings, and tests. THIS IS PROBABLY
THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE!
After you have referred to the syllabus, ask me for any help you need. Don’t agonize over something that
I can help you with. You can also use the Discussion Board to ask questions of your fellow classmates.
I have added links to the Math Department web site (which contains a wealth of information including
graphing calculator resources) and to my personal web site on the left side of the screen. There are also
links that take you to the different resources contained within MyMathLab.
Let’s all be productive and successful with this course!!!!!!!
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NorthWest Arkansas Community College Course Syllabus
Fall 2011
MATH 1204 College Algebra—WWW
CRNs 11924 & 11928
Instructor:
Melissa Jordan
Please address me with your preference of either Ms. Jordan or
Melissa or Professor Jordan.
Office: SC 325
Work Phone and Voicemail: 479-986-6915
Email: mjordan@nwacc.edu
Please use a non-spam subject line and include your name within the
email. My policy is to respond to email in 36 hours or less excluding
weekends and holidays, so resend or call if your email is not returned
within that time frame.
Fax: 479-986-6928
Website: http://faculty.nwacc.edu/mjordan
Office Hours:
Monday
9:00-9:30am, 12:15pm-2:00pm
Tuesday
10:45am-11:30am
Wednesday
9:00-9:30am, 12:15pm-2:00pm
Thursday
10:45am-11:30am
Friday
9:00am-1:00pm
Other times by appointment
Math Department Secretary:
Jill Witt
Math Department Co-Chair:
Larry Lord
SC 351
SC 310
479-986-6900
479-986-6920
Please use office hours to obtain help from
me or to discuss any matters of
achievement, accommodation, or concern
you may have.
jwitt@nwacc.edu
llord@nwacc.edu
Prerequisites
Intermediate Algebra with a grade of C or better or an appropriate placement score
Course Objectives
A student who is successful in College Algebra should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Define, recognize, graph, transform, and perform various operations on functions.
Write, solve, and graph linear, quadratic, and other types of equations and inequalities.
Identify, solve, graph, and apply polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions.
Find zeros of polynomial functions, including by using synthetic division.
Solve systems of equations and inequalities graphically, algebraically, and with matrices.
Use a graphing calculator to perform algebraic operations and to graph functions.
Find the nth term and sum of an arithmetic or geometric sequence.
Solve application problems related to the first seven objectives.
Textbook/Required Materials
Access Code:
The access code for MyMathLab, the internet portion of this course, can be purchased either at the
bookstore (book voucher can be used) or online with a credit card at www.pearsonmylab.com as you
register with MyMathLab, or can come packaged with a new text. Students can now request temporary
access to MML when they go in to register. The temporary account lasts for 17 days and then an email
reminder is sent when five days are left with a link to redeem the account with a permanent code. Then
another email reminder is sent the day before the temporary account expires. THIS ACCESS CODE IS
THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF PURCHASED MATERIALS. Access codes are unique to the
textbook, so if you have never purchased an access code for this particular text (see below) you will need to
do so for this class.
Textbook:
College Algebra, Fourth Edition. Beecher, Penna, Bittinger. Pearson/Addison Wesley, 2012.
The textbook is available online through MyMathLab so you do not have to purchase a hard copy
of the text if you do not wish to.
Computer:
To view the minimum system computer requirements and explore the online product, go to
www.pearsonmylab.com. Use the links on the bottom left side of the page to view these requirements to
make sure that your computer and your internet connection are compatible with the product.
Calculator:
A graphing calculator is required for this course. TI-82, TI-83, or TI-84 calculators are recommended. Any
calculator with a CAS (Computer Algebra System) such as a TI-89 or TI-92 are not allowed in any NWACC
math course. Graphing calculators can be rented semester-long from NWACC by paying the rental fee at
the cashier’s window. You must then bring your receipt and driver’s license to Jill Witt in SC 351 where she
will assign a calculator to you.
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Email Correspondence

I will use your NWACC email account to correspond with you prior to your registration with MyMathLab. After that, I will
contact you using the email address that you register with MML. However, I can only email grade information to your
NWACC email account.

Although I do not expect your grammar/punctuation/spelling to be perfect, I would appreciate your taking the time to
proofread and use capitalization and punctuation appropriately to send email correspondence to me that is more in line
with a business letter rather than a text message. Include your name and which course you are enrolled in (college
algebra or survey of calculus). Please be as specific as possible when asking questions so that I can be of the most help
to you. The occasional “please” and/or “thank you” is much appreciated as well!
Technical Support
THE STUDENT SUPPORT PHONE NUMBER FOR MYMATHLAB IS 1-800-677-6337. Please be sure to let me know
immediately if you are having any technological trouble, but to get help for the trouble call the support line.
Registration

To register with MyMathLab, you will go to the website www.pearsonmylab.com and click on the Register button for
Students. You need three items to register: a valid email address, the access code for the course, and the course ID
which is jordan80333.

Be sure to register an email address that you plan on checking every day throughout the semester. If that email
address becomes invalid during the semester, it is your responsibility to re-register a valid email address so that you can
be contacted. Email and the Announcements page will be our primary means of communication.

You should be registered, have run the Browser Check, and be ready to start studying and doing homework by Monday,
August 22.
Grading
Homework
Discussion Board Postings
Tests (best 2 of 3)
Final exam
Total points



70 points
30 points
200 points
100 points
400 points possible
A = 360-400 points
B = 320-359 points
C = 280-319 points
D = 240-279 points
F = 0-239 points
Note: There are some situations in which the terms of this syllabus, including grading, might be changed. If this
occurs you will be notified in writing (email or announcements) by your instructor.
Please be aware that I do not use percentages in my grading system even though percentages will show up in the
MyMathLab grade book. The grade ranges above are definitive. I do not round or curve. For example, 279 total points
earns a grade of D, 359 points earns a B, etc.
To receive full credit on a test problem, the supporting work as well as the solution must be present and correct.
Homework

Each online homework assignment will be turned in electronically and graded automatically through the MyMathLab
program. If you do not work a homework problem correctly after the given number of attempts, there is a button called
“Similar Exercise” at the bottom of the exercise. Click on this button to generate a new homework problem.

All homework assignments have a permanent closing date usually corresponding to the test deadline even though each
assignment has a suggested earlier deadline designed to keep you on track to be prepared for exams. These deadlines
are published in the schedule at the end of this syllabus, listed beside each online assignment, and will be posted in the
online Announcements. You may submit homework assignments as many times as you wish and all will be
available for resubmission until the evening of the permanent closure even after the individual homework
deadline has passed. Even though you may resubmit homework until the evening of the permanent closure,
procrastination in this course is deadly so please stay on track with the suggested published deadlines.

To access the homework, click on the Homework link on the left side of the screen. You do not have to complete
a homework assignment at one sitting. The problems that you get correct will be saved if you click on the Save
button at the bottom of the screen. When you work on the homework again and resubmit it, the homework
average will change automatically.
Discussion Board

A discussion board posting will be due every two to four weeks. Please refer to the schedule at the end of this syllabus
or the Announcements in MML for deadlines. To earn your posting points, you must complete the assignment by 11:59
pm on the due date. Only one posting per forum will be required. There will be 5 forums worth 6 points each for a total
of 30 points. You may post to the discussion board forum as soon as the assignment is available. A posting consisting
or “I agree” or “yeah” or a similar short reply will not earn points. A topic will be given to guide the discussion.

No make-ups or deadline extensions for postings will be given no matter what the reason. Please use the deadline date
as a last-minute deadline and attempt to complete the assignment earlier in the time frame.
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

Discussion Board Rules: Always be courteous to your fellow posters and treat them with respect. No foul language
and/or rude or discourteous behavior will be tolerated. At my discretion, violating this policy can result in being banned
from the discussion board.
To access the Discussion Board, click on the Discussion Board link on the left side of the screen.
Exams

There will be three regular exams and a comprehensive final exam all worth 100 points each. The best 2 of the regular
exams will be used to calculate your test grade. If you miss taking a regular exam it will be dropped. If you miss more
than two regular exams, a grade a 0 will be recorded for every missed exam. The final exam score cannot be dropped.

All tests may be a combination of online testing and paper/pencil testing or may be exclusively online or paper. Online
testing will require a password that the proctor will enter as you begin testing. For each test there will be an online review
for practice and bonus points. There is a deadline for every test and each test may be taken only once. Please refer to
the syllabus schedule and the online Announcements for the deadlines.

Partial credit is awarded on exams on some problems. To receive partial credit you must show your work in an
organized, neat manner and each step, including your solution, needs to be present. All paper used during testing must
be turned in to the proctor. No notes or formula sheets or other resources of any kind (except a graphing calculator) are
allowed for use during testing.
Scheduling Exams

All exams MUST be taken at NWACC’s Testing Center if you live in the counties of Benton, Washington, Carroll,
Madison, Barry, McDonald, Delaware, or Adair. If you reside outside of these counties, it is your responsibility to find an
approved official testing center at a college, university, or adult education center close to you. You may still take your
exams at the NWACC Testing Center even if you reside outside of these counties. Information for NWACC’s Testing
Center can be found at http://www.nwacc.edu/LDC/testingcenter/index.php.

If you live out of the commutable region as described above, you must contact me immediately about testing at
an alternate site. Follow the instructions below if you live outside of the commutable region:
o You need to find an official testing center at a college, university, or adult education center and make sure
that you will be allowed to test there.
o Request approval to test at that location by emailing me. I will need the name and web site address of the
institution, name and position of a proctor at the testing center, and contact information for the proctor
including an institutional email address and phone/fax numbers. Please take care of this immediately.
o After obtaining approval from me, make the arrangements and pay any associated fees with the testing site.
o Email me again with the date and time you plan to test. I must receive this email no later than one week
prior to the date you wish to test or the test deadline, whichever is first.
o I will send you a confirmation email when I have contacted the proctor and sent him/her all appropriate
information/materials.
o If you have not received a confirmation email from me and it is within 48 hours of your testing time please
go ahead and contact me to see if there is a problem reaching your proctor.
o Your exams may be entirely paper and not online if testing at an alternate site.

No matter if testing at NWACC or off-campus, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements to test during
regular testing hours and to follow the policies and procedures of the testing center. Off-campus testing may require a
fee which is also the student’s responsibility.
Bonus Point Bank

You may “bank” up to 8 bonus points in this course. These bonus points can be earned by completing the online exam
reviews with at least 85% overall accuracy on each review. To receive the bonus points the reviews must be completed
PRIOR to the stated deadline. The completion (or non-completion) of these reviews will not affect your gradebook score
in MML as they have been set up to be omitted from the grade book.

Your personal bonus point bank will not be added to your overall score UNLESS its addition causes your letter grade to
rise. You can think of this bonus point bank as insurance—there if you need it. I strongly urge you to make this
investment.
Make-up & Exam Score Replacement Policy

There are no make-up exams for any reason. If you do not take one of the three regular exams, it will be dropped. If you
do take all three regular exams, then your lowest test score will be dropped. The final exam score cannot be dropped.

There are no make-up or deadline extensions for any homework assignments past their permanent closure dates or for
any discussion board postings past their deadlines.
Tutoring Resources
In addition to getting help from me there is free tutoring available in the Academic Success Center (BH) and the Math Café
(SC). The posted tutor schedules will indicate the courses each tutor is qualified to assist with. Please visit the Academic
Success Center web page at http://www.nwacc.edu/labs/learninglab/ for more information.
Withdrawal Deadline
If at some point in the semester you are having difficulty and are considering dropping the course, consulting with an
academic advisor, your instructor, or a financial aid advisor can inform your decision. An official drop form must be completed
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and turned in to the registrar by Friday, November 4. Not attending or participating in class is not the same thing as
withdrawing.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability or medical concern which you feel may impact your access to or progress in this course, please
contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC works with students and faculty collaboratively to coordinate
reasonable academic accommodations for students. Once your registration with the DRC is complete, both you and I will
receive an electronic copy of your Accommodation Letter by email. After that message is sent, it is important that you follow
up with me privately to discuss the details of your accommodations. For more information, please email (preferred)
disability@nwacc.edu or call the main office at (479) 986-4076. For students who are able to visit our Bentonville campus, the
DRC is physically located in Room 114 on the first floor of the Student Center. You must give me at least a week’s notice
for exam accommodations.
Inclement Weather Policy
Cancellation of classes will be posted on NWACC’s web-site (http://www.nwacc.edu) and released to local T.V. and radio.
Day classes are announced by 6:00 am and evening classes by 3:00 pm. You may also call the Student Information Line
(479-619-4377) to find out. You can sign up for emergency texts through the ALERT:me link within My NWACC Connection.
Be sure to check that the Testing Center is open if you have scheduled a test when the weather is bad.
FERPA
NWACC is committed to your right to privacy as outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This means that I
can only communicate grades with you in person or on My NWACC Connection (http://my.nwacc.edu) or through the MML
gradebook.
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism, cheating, and any other form of academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to college policy as stated in the
catalog. For equality purposes, I reserve the right to clear your calculator of unapproved formulas and programs before each
exam.
Expectations

I expect you to read this syllabus thoroughly and refer to it when you have a question about the structure of the course.
In return I will follow the syllabus in regards to grading and other policies.

I expect you to work on the online course work on a consistent basis. Thought needs to be given as to the best way to
juggle this expectation with other obligations on your time. In return I will work within the course on a consistent basis,
updating when needed.

I expect you to check for and read your email and the announcements in MML daily. In return I will post announcements
and respond to email in a timely manner.

I expect you to follow the calendar of deadlines and not wait until the last minute to submit assignments. In return I will
adhere to the deadlines in the calendar and will update assignments in the course in a timely manner.

I expect you to ask for help and to use all the resources available to you when you need help. In return I will help you or
refer you to the proper resources when asked.

I expect you to study for exams by working through all the problems available in the corresponding test reviews. In return
I will make out the tests based on the problems in the test reviews.

I expect you to take responsibility for your learning by doing all that you can to be successful with this class. In return I
will provide every responsible learner with resources and help as needed.
Rights and Responsibilities

Every person in this class, whether student or teacher, has the right to be treated courteously and respectfully.

Every person has the right to ask questions or to make comments without being put down or made to feel stupid.

Every person has the right to say “I don’t understand” and to ask for help.

Every person has the right to feel relaxed and capable and to be successful.

In turn, every person has the responsibility to treat others with kindness, consideration, and respect and to do his/her
assigned tasks diligently and to the best of his/her ability.
Testing Policies

You may not accept or make calls or text message during any exam.

You may not use your phone or similar electronic device for a calculator (or for any other purpose) on any exam.

You may not use any listening device, such as an iPod, during an exam.

You may not leave the Testing Center and return during an exam.

You may not use any outside resources during an exam except for an approved calculator.

You may not use any unapproved calculator nor use any unapproved programs in your calculator.

You must adhere to the rules and regulations of the Testing Center.

You must finish an exam by the closing time of the Testing Center even if there is still time remaining on an online exam.

You must arrive at the Testing Center by your appointment time or you may not be allowed to take your exam—DO NOT
BE LATE.
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

You may not copy from someone else’s paper or allow someone to copy from your paper during an exam.
Violation of any of the above will be considered academic dishonesty. The above list is not inclusive of all types of
academic dishonesty.
Important NWACC Dates for Fall 2011 16 week classes
August 22
First Day of Classes
August 29
Last Day to Drop and Receive 100% Refund
September 5
Labor Day
September 6
Last Day to Drop and Receive 80% Refund
September 6
Last Day to Drop and Not Receive "W" on Transcript
November 4
Last Day to Withdraw with "W" on Transcript with 0% Refund
November 23-26 Thanksgiving Break
December 9
Last Day of Classes
December 20
Grades due to Registrar by 12:00 Noon
December 22
Grades available to students online
Deadlines and Schedule (subject to change)

Please be aware that technological problems you may encounter will NOT be an excuse for make-up work.

The advantage of taking an online course is that you can adjust the calendar to fit your schedule as long as you work
ahead. Pay attention to the deadlines and stay ahead or on track with them.

I would suggest creating your own calendar from the information posted below.
HW=Homework
MONDAY
Aug 22
WEDNESDAY
Aug 24
1.1 HW
Aug 29
1.2 HW
Aug 31
1.4 HW
Sep 5
1.5 HW
LABOR DAY
2.1 HW
2.3 HW
Sep 26
3.2 HW
Oct 3
4.1 HW
Oct 10
4.4 HW
Oct 17
Test 2: 3.1-4.6 available
Oct 24
2.4 HW
Sep 21
Test 1: 1.1-2.4 Deadline
1.1-2.4 HW permanently closes
Sep 28
3.3 HW
Oct 5
4.2 HW
Oct 12
4.5 HW
Oct 19
Test 2: 3.1-4.6 available
5.5 HW
Nov 9
Catch-up Day
Nov 21
Test 3: 5.1-6.7 Deadline
5.1-6.7 HW permanently closes
Nov 28
7.4 HW
Dec 5
8.3 HW
3.4 HW
Oct 7
4.3 HW
DBP 3 due
Oct 14
4.6 HW
Oct 21
Dec 2
5.4 HW
5.6 HW
Sep 30
Nov 30
5.2 HW
Nov 2
Nov 14
2.2 HW
Sep 16
Test 1: 1.1-2.4 available Thurs-Wed
DBP 2 due
Sep 23
3.1 HW
6.3 HW
Nov 16
Test 3: 5.1-6.7 available Tues-Mon
Nov 23
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Oct 26
Nov 7
DBP 1 due
Test 2: 3.1-4.6 Deadline
3.1-4.6 HW permanently closes
Oct 28
5.3 HW
Nov 4
“W” day DBP 4 due
Nov 11
6.7 HW
Nov 18
Test 3: 5.1-6.7 available Tues-Mon
Nov 25
THANKSGIVING BREAK
5.1 HW
Oct 31
1.6 HW
Sep 9
Sep 14
Sep 19
Test 1: 1.1-2.4 available Thurs-Wed
1.3 HW
Sep 2
Sep 7
Sep 12
FRIDAY
Aug 26
8.1 HW
Dec 7
Final Exam available Tues-Tues
8.2 HW DBP 5 due
Dec 9
Final Exam available Tues-Tues
7.4-8.3 HW permanently closes
Dec 12
Final Exam Deadline on Tues, 12/13
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