Feedback Week 9:
Why aren't lasers on the exam? Or are they?

you know we have to leave something for next time; ) Seriously, I wasn't sure how far we would get with lasers before I wrote the exam --- hence it will be included on the next exam (and final)

Like the last exam we had, I found that the review on tuesday was very helpful. It was even better that after class we could review everything online because you posted the notes right away.

I'll keep up that tradition

Yet another well written test! I think this one was slightly more difficult, but still completely within a reasonable range. You are 2 for 2 in my book!

thanks for the positive feedback... hopefully I'm earning my keep.

class is going good, I think that you should have that survey be the ec for this week so that we can all do it during our own time. Also I am beginning to work on my paper, what part of the library covers science topics? maybe if you cold cover that in class it would be helpful.

Thanks...I'll make the e.c. for spring break be a course evaluation .... as for the library, the whole math / physics library is a good start --across the hall from our class ; )

I really liked the midterm review last week. Did we really cover that much material?! Speaking for myself I really appreciated the midterm scores. Even if they weren't grades per say, it was so so nice to know where I stood in relation to the rest of the class. I was really starting to stress about this class.... I'm in good company with others struggling. Thanks for no homework this weekend, it was so nice to have Saturday night to spend with my family instead of my physics book haha. I also really liked the statistics from the test you went over in class. It's really interesting and perhaps would have been a little more useful had I known what I had gotten on the test at that time, but still. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!

good feedback --- I'll keep up the traditions...

I thought that the second midterm was an accurate assessment of what we had studied. But I thought the essay questions were a bit long.

thanks... yup... I'll keep this under advisement for the next round.

If UV light's wavelength is small enough to pass through skin and damage DNA, and visible light's large wavelength makes it reflect off skin, then how does INFRARED radiation -- even longer wavelength radiation than visible light -- interact with our body so that we feel heat?

Excellent question... a useful place to start would be the microwave simulation... IR and microwave (even further away) gets our molecules moving .. much like a bouy in the ocean.... let me know if this helps: http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phet/simulations/microwaves/microwaves.jnlp

I thought that the test was a lot harder this time. The multiple choice questions were worded more clearly, but they were more difficult. I thought there were too many essay questions and topics for the time we were given. However, I did like how the essay questions were a little different from the other ones on that same topic so that if you didn't know the answer to one question, you wouldn't be SOL for the rest. I think a shorter essay section would be better next time and then the test won't take as long. Also, I didn't feel that the multiple choice reflected what you emphasized in class as much as the last test's. What I did like about the multiple choice was that it seemed like a couple questions came straight from the review session on Tuesday, and that means that the review on Tuesday was helpful in that way. I thought Tuesday's review sessions was more helpful than last time's.

thanks for the detailed comments... They'll be taken under advisement for the next exam.

Also, I think the test last week was very fair. The multiple choice section was very fair. The essays, after reading the answers posted online, seemed a little unfair in the specific things you were looking for regarding points. a lot of the questions seemed to be similar in the case that one long essay could cover everything. Am I totally wrong in my thinking or is this something you have heard more than once. One more side note, Ward is an amazing help in the help sessions, he's very patient and helpful, without telling us the answers. THANKS!

I had a question about the research paper and if we have to run our topics by you first or if that's what the rough draft is for.

nope this is what the draft is for.

I was thinking that it may be beneficial if during reviews for exams if we cover everything that will be on the test in less detail. As opposed covering less in more detail

it's always a balance. I ceratinly try to do it alll... but alas I am only one man...