Laboratory Sessions
Students must attend a weekly 3 hr lab session. A prelab will be assigned in the week preceding the lab exercise. The prelab is due at the start of the assigned lab session. Prelabs will not be accepted more than 5 minutes after the start of the lab session. A concise lab report is due at the end of the lab session. Lab reports will not be accepted after the end of the lab session. The lab session will start with an introduction of the topic by the teaching staff. During the lab session the staff will discuss the lab topic with the students, and ask questions to ascertain the students' understanding of the lab material. The lab grade will be based upon the prelab (40%), verbal discussions (30%), and the lab report scores (30%).
Homework Assignments
Weekly homework assignments will be due at the start of lecture on Wed. No late homeworks will be accepted.
Quizzes
Two quizzes will be given during the term:
Please mark these times in your calendar.
Final Exam
A 3 hr. final exam will be held during the final exam period. The final exam will be closed book.
Grading
The course grade will be based upon the students' performance in the laboratories (30%), homework (20%), quizzes (25%), and final exam (25%). The department of Mechanical Engineering has adopted the following guidelines for the grade distribution in undergraduate courses: approximately 25% A, 40% B, 25% C, not more than 10% D and F. We will use this as a starting point in assigning grades.
Collaboration Policy
Collaboration in the form of discussion between students is permitted on the homeworks and prelabs, but what you turn in must be your individual solution. Of course, collaboration on quizzes or the final is prohibited. Use of material from previous years is prohibited.
Textbook
Palm, William J. Modeling, Analysis and Control of Dynamic Systems. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1999. ISBN: 0471073709.