General Astronomy (PHYS*2600)

Course Details

Credit Weight: 0.50

Method of Delivery: Online
Final Exam:
Date: December 7, 2019
Time: 07:00PM - 09:00PM
Location: On campus

Calendar Description

An introduction to astronomy, this course covers the solar system, the sun, stellar and galactic structure.

Pre-Requisite(s): 0.50 credits in physics at the 1000 level (excluding PHYS*1600, PHYS*1810), 0.50 credit in mathematics at the 1000 level.
Co-Requisite(s): None
Restriction(s): None

Instructional Support

I should give you a (brief) bio – it’s a bit tougher to build a rapport through an online course, so hopefully this will at the very least make it seem like there’s another human being on the other side of your CourseLink screen, rather than just a machine (albeit a charming, debonair and wicked-tough machine).

• I did my undergrad here at Guelph in physics, a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away...). Prior to this, life was easy and carefree, and so not worth mentioning here.
• I then went down the road to McMaster for my MSc & PhD, also in physics. That was fun – but I missed Creelman Hall.
• Following that, I lived in Boston for a couple of years while working as a post doc at Harvard.
• I have been teaching physics at the University of Guelph for a handful of years now. Perhaps some of you know me already from having taken first year physics 1080, or fourth year statistical mechanics?

Learning Resources

Required Textbook

Title: Universe
Author(s): Roger Freedman, Robert Geller, and William J. Kaufman
Edition / Year: 11th Edition, 2019
Publisher: W. H. Freeman and Co.
Packages including optional Sapling access code:

Option A: Looseleaf textbook plus Sapling access code
ISBN: 978-1319278656

Option B: Bound textbook plus Sapling access code
ISBN: 978-1319278618

Option C: Sapling access code
ISBN: 9781319078966

You may purchase required and optional course materials along with alternate formats if available at the Guelph Campus Co-op Bookstore or the University of Guelph Bookstore. Please note that DE textbooks are located in the Distance Education section of the University of Guelph Bookstore.

Course Website

CourseLink (powered by D2L’s Brightspace) is the course website and will act as your classroom. It is recommended that you log in to your course website every day to check for announcements, access course materials, and review the weekly schedule and assignment requirements.

Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

PHYS*2600, General Astronomy, is designed to present a survey of the current state of the subject of Astronomy, especially from the Astrophysical point-of-view. The subject is one of vast scope, ranging from the very small (nuclear processes, atomic excitation spectra) to the very large (the properties of stars, the structure of galaxies and cosmology), with much in between.

There will be many new ideas and concepts which require close reading of the textbook and the acquisition of an extensive new vocabulary. As well, the properties of astronomical objects and the state of the universe cannot be comprehended without the use of numbers, and there will be many opportunities to gain technical insight into the subject. The course requires no expertise in advanced university-level mathematics, such as calculus, but will require a level of numeracy – the ability to perform unit conversions, manipulate simple equations, and interpret graphical data.

Astronomy, unique among the physical sciences, does not perform experiments on its object of study, but can only observe. Also, and almost as unique, it relies on the accumulation of observations conducted over long periods of time. A snapshot observation of the universe will yield a lot of information, but a series of them taken over many persons' lifetimes yields so much more.

It is, therefore, difficult to perform meaningful measurements in the short time span of a one-semester course, but we will try to do a few simple exercises which will give interesting results and show how astronomers do their work.

We hope that you will find this survey of the universe both enjoyable and informative, providing an appreciation of your surroundings that will continue throughout your life.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Describe and discuss the construction of the solar system and how its internal motions are the result of simple laws.
2. Explain the similarities and differences in the structure of the planets and their satellites and some of the things this tells us about the origin of the solar system.
3. Distinguish the constitution of stars, their distances, energy source and evolution.
4. Describe how stars are aggregated into galaxies and how the distribution of galaxies and other entities lead to a cosmological view of the nature and evolution of the universe as a whole.

Teaching and Learning Activities

Course Structure

• Unit 01: Keeping Time with the Earth, Moon, and Sun
• Unit 02: Motion of the Planets
• Unit 03: The Earth, Moon, and Terrestrial Planets
• Unit 04: The Jovian Planets
• Unit 05: Minor Constituents & Origin of Solar System; Extra-solar Planets
• Unit 06: Light and Spectra
• Unit 07: The Sun
• Unit 08: The Properties of the Stars
• Unit 09: The Birth and Evolution of Stars
• Unit 10: Globular Clusters, Variable Stars, and the Death of Stars
• Unit 11: Galaxies
• Unit 12: Cosmology

What to Expect for Each Unit

Each unit is comprised of readings from the text in addition to the online materials. In each online unit you will find self-reflection questions at the beginning and end of the unit. These questions allow you to consider your general knowledge relating to the unit’s topics and then reflect again at the end of the unit on how some of your responses may have changed. “What Do You Think?” questions use a numbering system that starts with a ‘W’ and the numbering and questions are the same at the beginning of the unit and the end, so that you can compare your responses question-by-question.

Each unit also has one or more sets of self-test questions for you to review what you’ve learned as you progress through the unit. The self-test questions using a numbering system of ‘ST’ before each question and are sequential throughout the unit. This is done so that if you want to discuss a particular question with your peers or instructor, it’s easy to identify the question being referred to within the unit.

Each unit also has a number of videos and/or animations as well as images (many of which are also in your text) to help guide your learning.

Schedule

It is strongly recommended that you follow the course schedule provided below. The schedule outlines what you should be working on each week of the course and lists the important due dates for the assessments. By following the schedule, you will be better prepared to complete the assessments and succeed in this course.

Unit 01: Keeping Time with the Earth, Moon and Sun

Week 1 – Thursday, September 5 to Sunday, September 15

Readings

• Unit 01 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Getting the Basics
  - Chapter 1: 1-5 to 1-7 and Box 1-1
  o Positional Astronomy
  - Chapter 2: 2-2 to 2-6 and Box 2-1
  o Keeping Time
  - Chapter 2: 2-7 to 2-8 and Box 2-2
  o The Earth-Moon system
  - Chapter 3: 3-1 to 3-2
  o Eclipses
  - Chapter 3: 3-3 to 3-5

Activities

• Familiarize yourself with the course website by reviewing the Start Here section of the course.
• Review the Outline and Assessments sections on the course website to learn about course expectations, assessments, and due dates.
• Introduce yourself in the Introductions Discussion
• Unit 01 Quiz (ungraded)
  Opens: Thursday, September 5 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, September 15 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 02: Motion of the Planets

Week 2 – Monday, September 16 to Sunday, September 22

• Unit 02 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Greek Astronomers and the Geocentric Model
  - Chapter 3: 3-6
  - Chapter 4: 4-1
  o A Heliocentric Explanation of Planetary Motion
  - 4-2 to 4-3, Box 4-1
  o Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
  - 4-4 and Box 4-2
  o Galileo’s Discoveries
  - 4-5
  o Newton’s Description of Gravity
  - 4-6 to 4-8 and Box 4-4

Assessments

• Unit 02 Quiz
  Opens: Thursday, September 5 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, September 22 at 11:59 pm ET
• Begin work on Practical Exercise 1
  Due: Wednesday, October 2 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 03: The Earth, Moon and Terrestrial Planets

Week 3 – Monday, September 23 to Sunday, September 29

Readings

• Unit 03 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Planet Earth
  - Chapter 9: 9-1 to 9-6
  o Our Moon
  - Chapter 10: 10-1, 10-3 to 10-5, Box 10-1
  o Mercury, Venus, & Mars
  - Chapter 11

Assessments

• Unit 03 Quiz
  Opens: Thursday, September 5 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, September 29 at 11:59 pm ET
• Continue work on Practical Exercise 1
  Due: Wednesday, October 2 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 04: The Jovian Planets

Week 4 – Monday, September 30 to Sunday, October 6

Readings

• Unit 04 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Structure and Composition of the Jovian Planets
  - Chapter 12
  - Chapter 14: 14-1 to 14-8
  o The Atmospheres of the Planets
  - Chapter 9: 9-5, 9-6
  - Chapter 10: 10-1
  - Chapter 11: 11-6, 11-7
  - Chapter 12: 12-3 to 12-5
  - Chapter 14: 14-2 and 14-3
  o Planetary Rings
  - Chapter 12: 12-8 to 12-10
  - Chapter 14: 14-6 and 14-7

Assessments

• Unit 04 Quiz
  Opens: Thursday, September 5 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, October 6 at 11:59 pm ET
• Submit Practical Exercise 1
  Due: Wednesday, October 2 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 05: Minor Constituents, Origin of Solar System and Extra-Solar Planets

Week 5 – Monday, October 7 to Sunday, October 13

Readings

• Unit 05 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Satellites
  - Chapter 13
  - Chapter 14: 14-7 and 14-8
  - Chapter 11: 11-9
  o Minor Planets
  - Chapter 14: 14-9 to 14-10
  - Chapter 15: 15-1 to 15-4
  o Asteroids, Comets and Meteors
  - Chapter 15: 15-5 to 15-8
  o The Origin of our Solar System
  - Chapter 8

Assessments

• Unit 05 Quiz
  Opens: Thursday, September 5 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, October 13 at 11:59 pm ET
• Begin work on Practical Exercise 2
  Due: Wednesday, October 30 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 06: Light and Spectra

Week 6 – Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20

Readings

• Unit 06 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o The Particle-Wave Nature of Light
  - Chapter 5: 5-1, 5-2, 5-5, Box 5-3
  o The Temperature of the Source
  - Chapter 5: 5-3, 5-4, Box 5-1, 5-2
  o The Composition of the Source
  - Chapter 5: 5-6 to 5-8, Box 5-4, Box 5-5
  o The Motion of the Source
  - Chapter 5: 5-9, Box 5-6

Assessments

• Unit 06 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, October 7 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, October 20 at 11:59 pm ET
• Midterm 1
  Opens: Wednesday, October 16 at 12:00 am ET
  Closes: Wednesday, October 16 at 11:59 pm ET
• Continue work on Practical Exercise 2
  Due: Wednesday, October 30 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 07: The Sun

Week 7 – Monday, October 21 to Sunday, October 27

Readings

• Unit 07 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o The Mass of the Sun
  o Thermonuclear Fusion
  - Chapter 16: 16-1
  o Energy Transport in the Sun
  - Chapter 16: 16-2, 16-3
  o The Solar Neutrino Problem
  - Chapter 16: 16-4
  o The Sun’s Atmosphere
  - Chapter 16: 16-5 to 16-10

Assessments

• Unit 07 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, October 7 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, October 27 at 11:59 pm ET
• Continue work on Practical Exercise 2
  Due: Wednesday, October 30 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 08: The Properties of the Stars

Week 8 – Monday, October 28 to Sunday, November 3

Readings

• Unit 08 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Distance and Motion of Stars
  - Chapter 17: 17-1
  o Proper Motion of Stars
  - Chapter 17: Box 17-1
  o The Apparent Brightness of Stars
  - Chapter 17: 17-2, 17-3, Box 17-2 and Box 17-3
  o The Surface Temperature of Stars
  - Chapter 17: 17-4
  o Spectral Classification
  - Chapter 17: 17-5
  o The Size of Stars
  - Chapter 17: 17-6 and Box 17-4
  o The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) Diagram
  - Chapter 17: 17-7, 17-8
  o The Mass of Stars
  - Chapter 17: 17-9 to 17-11

Assessments

• Unit 08 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, October 7 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, November 3 at 11:59 pm ET
• Submit Practical Exercise 2
  Due: Wednesday, October 30 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 09: The Birth and Evolution of Stars

Week 9 – Monday, November 4 to Sunday, November 10

Readings

• Unit 09 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o The Pre-Main Sequence Phase
  - Chapter 18: 18-1 to 18-5, 18-7 and 18-8
  o Star Clusters
  - Chapter 18: 18-6
  o The Main Sequence Phase
  - Chapter 19: 19-1 and Box 19-2
  o The Post-Main Sequence Phase
  - Chapter 19: 19-1 to 19-4
  o Electron Degeneracy
  - Chapter 19: 19-3

Assessments

• Unit 09 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, October 7 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, November 10 at 11:59 pm ET
• Begin work on Practical Exercise 3
  Due: Wednesday, November 20 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 10: Globular Clusters, Variable Stars and the Death of Stars

Week 10 – Monday, November 11 to Sunday, November 17

Readings

• Unit 10 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Globular Clusters
  - Chapter 19: 19-4 and 19-5
  o Variable Stars
  - Chapter 19: 19-6 and 19-7
  o The Death of Moderately Low Mass Stars
  - Chapter 20: 20-1 to 20-4
  - Chapter 19: 19-7
  o The Production of Heavier Elements and Supernovae
  - Chapter 20: 20-5 to 20-10
  o The Death of Intermediate Mass Stars: Neutron Stars
  - Chapter 21: 21-1
  o The Death of High Mass Stars: Black Holes
  - Chapter 21: 21-2 to 21-11 and Box 21-3

Assessments

• Unit 10 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, November 4 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, November 17 at 11:59 pm ET
• Midterm 2
  Opens: Wednesday, November 13 at 12:00 am ET
  Closes: Wednesday, November 13 at 11:59 pm ET
• Continue work on Practical Exercise 3
  Due: Wednesday, November 20 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 11: Galaxies

Week 11 – Monday, November 18 to Sunday, November 24

Readings

• Unit 11 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o The Shape of Our Galaxy
  - Chapter 22: 22-1 to 22-3
  o The Rotation of Our Galaxy
  - Chapter 22: 22-4 and 22-5
  o The Galactic Nucleus
  - Chapter 22: 22-6
  o Other Galaxies
  - Chapter 23: 23-1 to 23-3, 23-6, 23-7, 23-9 and Box 23-1
  o Galactic Clusters
  - Chapter 23: 23-6
  o Dark Matter
  - Chapter 23: 23-8
  o The Expansion of the Universe and Hubble’s Law
  - Chapter 23: 23-4, 23-5, and Box 23-2

Assessments

• Unit 11 Quiz
  Opens: Monday, November 4 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Sunday, November 24 at 11:59 pm ET
• Submit Practical Exercise 3
  Due: Wednesday, November 20 at 11:59 pm ET

Unit 12: Cosmology

Week 12 – Monday, November 25 to Friday, November 29

Readings

• Unit 12 Content (CourseLink)
• Textbook:
  o Quasi-stellar Objects (Quasars)
  - Chapter 24: 24-1 to 24-5
  o The Cosmological Implications of Hubble’s Law
  - Chapter 24: 25-1 to 25-3
  o The Big Bang Hypothesis and the Cosmic Microwave Background
  - Chapter 25: 25-4
  o Inflationary Hypothesis
  - Chapter 25: 25-5 to 25-8
  - Chapter 26: 26-1 to 26-7
  o The Cosmological Constant and the Fate of the Universe
  - Chapter 25: 25-6 to 25-8

Activities

• Unit 12 Quiz (ungraded)
  Opens: Monday, November 4 at 12:01 am ET
  Closes: Friday, November 29 11:59 pm ET

Assessments

The grade determination for this course is indicated in the following table. A brief description of each assessment is provided below. Select Content on the navbar to locate Assessments in the table of contents panel to review further details of each assessment. Due dates can be found under the Schedule heading of this outline.

Assessment Descriptions

Weekly Quizzes

This course contains 12 online, short answer quizzes, 10 of these quizzes (Units 02-11) will count toward your final quiz mark.

The quizzes usually consist of 10 questions. The first few questions are designed to test your grasp of the basic concepts in the unit. The questions are mostly multiple-choice and are strictly on the assigned readings of the week in question. They are intended to direct your attention to the important points in the reading and their strict timetable is to keep you from falling behind in the course. Many of these questions will be qualitative in nature; however, there are a number of Units which have a mathematical component to the material, and the quizzes for these Units will contain calculation-based questions which do require some work (be sure to have a calculator handy!).

Supplementary Marks available for Weekly Quizzes

Students may obtain supplementary marks (2% of total grade value) to be used in lieu of a missed/failed Weekly Quiz. The supplement consists of researching a current discovery or development in astronomy and disseminating it to the class, via the discussion forums in CourseLink. Upon approval from the Instructor, a grade of 2% will be added to your Weekly Quiz score (student grades may not exceed a 20/20 score in this Assessment Item). Additional details will be provided by the instructor in the first week of class.

Practical Exercises

For the practical exercises, specific tasks will be given to you that typically involve acquiring or analyzing a set of data, which may consist of real astronomical records taken from a database, or simulated values. Often this will rely on the use of applets.

The completion and submission of your report comes in the format of a quiz/questionnaire, which can be found in the Quizzes tool. Initial questions may ask for codes outputted from applets, based on your analysis. Additional questions may ask for brief descriptions of your findings, answers to some calculations, and finally some challenge questions which test your understanding of the material.

Midterms

There will be two online midterm tests, in weeks 6 and 10. The tests will consist of two parts: (i) multiple choice (both qualitative and quantitative), and (ii) calculation questions.

Final Exam

This course requires you to write a traditional sit-down final exam. Final exams are written on campus at the University of Guelph or at alternate locations for students at a distance. The exam will cover material from the entire course and will consist of multiple choice, matching and short answer (including diagram interpretation and simple sketches), and some calculation based questions.

It is assumed that all DE students will be writing their final examination on campus at the University of Guelph. University of Guelph degree and associate diploma students must check WebAdvisor for their examination schedule. Open Learning program students must check the Open Learning Program Final Examination Schedule for their examination schedule.

If you are studying at a distance, you can request to write your final exam at an alternate location. It is recommended that you make arrangements as early as possible in the semester since changes cannot be guaranteed after the deadline. Exam schedules for off-campus exams will be emailed by Week 9 of the course. For more information, please visit Final Exams.

University of Guelph degree and associate diploma students must check WebAdvisor for their examination schedule. Open Learning program students must check the Open Learning Program Final Examination Schedule for their examination schedule.

Course Technologies and Technical Support

CourseLink System Requirements

You are responsible for ensuring that your computer system meets the necessary system requirements. Use the browser check tool to ensure your browser settings are compatible and up to date. (Results will be displayed in a new browser window).

Technical Skills

As part of your online experience, you are expected to use a variety of technology as part of your learning:

• Manage files and folders on your computer (e.g., save, name, copy, backup, rename, delete, and check properties);
• Install software, security, and virus protection;
• Use office applications (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or similar) to create documents;
• Be comfortable uploading and downloading saved files;
• Communicate using email (e.g., create, receive, reply, print, send, download, and open attachments);
• Navigate the CourseLink learning environment and use the essential tools, such as Dropbox, Quizzes, Discussions, and Grades (the instructions for this are given in your course);
• Access, navigate, and search the Internet using a web browser (e.g., Firefox, Internet Explorer); and
• Perform online research using various search engines (e.g., Google) and library databases.

Course Technologies

CourseLink

Distance Education courses are offered entirely online using CourseLink (powered by D2L's Brightspace), the University of Guelph's online learning management system (LMS). By using this service, you agree to comply with the University of Guelph's Access and Privacy Guidelines. Please visit the D2L website to review the Brightspace privacy statement and Brightspace Learning Environment web accessibility standards.

Technical Support

If you need any assistance with the software tools or the CourseLink website, contact CourseLink Support.

CourseLink Support
University of Guelph
Day Hall, Room 211
Email: courselink@uoguelph.ca
Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56939
Toll-Free (CAN/USA): 1-866-275-1478

Walk-In Hours (Eastern Time):
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 am–4:30 pm

Phone/Email Hours (Eastern Time):
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 am–8:30 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am–4:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm–6:00 pm

Course Specific Standard Statements

Acceptable Use

The University of Guelph has an Acceptable Use Policy, which you are expected to adhere to.

Communicating with Your Instructor

During the course, your instructor will interact with you on various course matters on the course website using the following ways of communication:

• Announcements: The instructor will use Announcements on the Course Home page to provide you with course reminders and updates. Please check this section frequently for course updates from your instructor.
• General Astronomy Discussion (Course Content): Use this discussion forum to ask questions of your instructor about content or course-related issues with which you are unfamiliar. Please post general course-related questions to the discussion forum so that all students have an opportunity to review the response. To access this discussion forum, select Discussions from the Tools dropdown menu. Note: Think of this course as a learning community – you are encouraged to respond to questions posed by your peers; answering each other’s questions and discussing content is a great contribution to your learning!
• Email: If you have a conflict that prevents you from completing course requirements, or have a question concerning a personal matter, you can send your instructor a private message by email. The instructor will respond to your email within 48 to 72 hours.

Netiquette Expectations

For distance education courses, the course website is considered the classroom and the same protections, expectations, guidelines, and regulations used in face-to-face settings apply, plus other policies and considerations that come into play specifically because these courses are online.
Inappropriate online behaviour will not be tolerated. Examples of inappropriate online behaviour include:

• Posting inflammatory messages about your instructor or fellow students;
• Using obscene or offensive language online;
• Copying or presenting someone else's work as your own;
• Adapting information from the Internet without using proper citations or references;
• Buying or selling term papers or assignments;
• Posting or selling course materials to course notes websites;
• Having someone else complete your quiz or completing a quiz for/with another student;
• Stating false claims about lost quiz answers or other assignment submissions;
• Threatening or harassing a student or instructor online;
• Discriminating against fellow students, instructors, and/or TAs;
• Using the course website to promote profit-driven products or services;
• Attempting to compromise the security or functionality of the learning management system; and
• Sharing your username and password.

Late Policy

Quizzes and assignments are not permitted to be submitted late.

Extensions will be considered for medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances. If you require an extension, discuss this with the instructor as soon as possible and well before the due date. Barring exceptional circumstances, extensions will not be granted once the due date has passed. These rules are not designed to be arbitrary, nor are they inflexible. They are designed to keep you organized, to ensure that all students have the same amount of time to work on assignments, and to help to return marked materials to you in the shortest possible time.

Obtaining Grades and Feedback

Unofficial assessment marks will be available in the Grades tool of the course website.

Your instructor will have grades posted online within 2 weeks of the submission deadline, if the assignment was submitted on time. Once your assignments are marked you can view your grades on the course website by selecting Grades from the Tools dropdown menu on the navbar. Your course will remain open to you for seven days following the last day of the final exam period.

University of Guelph degree students can access their final grade by logging into WebAdvisor (using your U of G central ID). Open Learning program students should log in to the OpenEd Student Portal to view their final grade (using the same username and password you have been using for your courses).

Rights and Responsibilities When Learning Online

For distance education (DE) courses, the course website is considered the classroom and the same protections, expectations, guidelines, and regulations used in face-to-face settings apply, plus other policies and considerations that come into play specifically because these courses are online.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities when learning in the online environment, visit Rights and Responsibilities.

University Standard Statements

University of Guelph: Undergraduate Policies

As a student of the University of Guelph, it is important for you to understand your rights and responsibilities and the academic rules and regulations that you must abide by.

If you are a registered University of Guelph Degree Student, consult the Undergraduate Calendar for the rules, regulations, curricula, programs and fees for current and previous academic years.

If you are an Open Learning Program Student, consult the Open Learning Program Calendar for information about University of Guelph administrative policies, procedures and services.

Email Communication

University of Guelph Degree Students

As per university regulations, all students are required to check their uoguelph.ca e-mail account regularly: e-mail is the official route of communication between the University and its students.

Open Learning Program Students

Check your email account (the account you provided upon registration) regularly for important communications, as this is the primary conduit by which the Open Learning and Educational Support will notify you of events, deadlines, announcements or any other official information.

When You Cannot Meet Course Requirements

When you find yourself unable to meet an in-course requirement due to illness or compassionate reasons, please advise your course instructor in writing, with your name, ID number and email contact.

University of Guelph Degree Students

Consult the Undergraduate Calendar for information on regulations and procedures for Academic Consideration.

Open Learning Program Students

Please refer to the Open Learning Program Calendar for information on regulations and procedures for requesting Academic Consideration.

Drop Date

University of Guelph Degree Students

Students will have until the last day of classes to drop courses without academic penalty. Review the Undergraduate Calendar for regulations and procedures for Dropping Courses.

Open Learning Program Students

Please refer to the Open Learning Program Calendar.

Copies of Assignments

Keep paper and/or other reliable back-up copies of all assignments: you may be asked to resubmit work at any time.

Accessibility

The University of Guelph is committed to creating a barrier-free environment. Providing services for students is a shared responsibility among students, faculty and administrators. This relationship is based on respect of individual rights, the dignity of the individual and the University community's shared commitment to an open and supportive learning environment.

University of Guelph Degree Students

Students requiring service or accommodation, whether due to an identified, ongoing disability or a short-term disability should contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible.

For more information, contact Accessibility Services at 519-824-4120 ext. 56208, email Accessibility Services or visit the Accessibility Services website.

Open Learning Program Students

If you are an Open Learning program student who requires academic accommodation, please contact the Academic Assistant to the Director. Please ensure that you contact us before the end of the first week of your course (every semester) in order to avoid any delays in support. Documentation from a health professional is required for all academic accommodations. Please note that all information provided will be held in confidence.

If you require textbooks produced in an alternate format (e.g., DAISY, Braille, large print or eText), please contact the Academic Assistant to the Director at least two months prior to the course start date. If contact is not made within the suggested time frame, support may be delayed. It is recommended that you refer to the course outline before beginning your course in order to determine the required readings.

The provision of academic accommodation is a shared responsibility between OpenEd and the student requesting accommodation. It is recognized that academic accommodations are intended to “level the playing field” for students with disabilities.

Academic Misconduct

The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and it is the responsibility of all members of the University community – faculty, staff, and students – to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring. University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students need to remain aware that instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of detection.

Please note: Whether or not a student intended to commit academic misconduct is not relevant for a finding of guilt. Hurried or careless submission of assignments does not excuse students from responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or faculty advisor.

The Academic Misconduct Policy is detailed in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Copyright Notice

Content within this course is copyright protected. Third party copyrighted materials (such as book chapters and articles) have either been licensed for use in this course, or have been copied under an exception or limitation in Canadian Copyright law.

The fair dealing exemption in Canada's Copyright Act permits students to reproduce short excerpts from copyright-protected materials for purposes such as research, education, private study, criticism and review, with proper attribution. Any other copying, communicating, or distribution of any content provided in this course, except as permitted by law, may be an infringement of copyright if done without proper license or the consent of the copyright owner. Examples of infringing uses of copyrighted works would include uploading materials to a commercial third party web site, or making paper or electronic reproductions of all, or a substantial part, of works such as textbooks for commercial purposes.

Students who upload to CourseLink copyrighted materials such as book chapters, journal articles, or materials taken from the Internet, must ensure that they comply with Canadian Copyright law or with the terms of the University’s electronic resource licenses.

For more information about students’ rights and obligations with respect to copyrighted works, review Fair Dealing Guidance for Students.

Plagiarism Detection Software

Students should be aware that faculty have the right to use software to aid in the detection of plagiarism or copying and to examine students orally on submitted work. For students found guilty of academic misconduct, serious penalties, up to and including suspension or expulsion from the University can be imposed.

Recording of Materials

Presentations which are made in relation to course work—including lectures—cannot be recorded or copied without the permission of the presenter, whether the instructor, a classmate or guest lecturer. Material recorded with permission is restricted to use for that course unless further permission is granted.