EGN 4930-005 - Foundations of Engineering

Fall 2000 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ENB 108

Instructor: Dr. Dave Snider, Professor, Electrical Engineering

Office: Office room # ENB 362

Office phone # 974-4785

E-mail: snider@eng.usf.edu

Office Hours: to be announced

Textbook: Studying Engineering by R. Landis, Discovery Press, 2000

Computer Tools: Internet Browser, E-mail, Microsoft Word & PowerPoint

Description: The course covers the following: techniques for being a successful student; time management in the university environment; effective networking; campus facilities (computers, recreation, coop, societies, tutoring); adjusting counterproductive attitudes/behaviors; engineering professions; group design projects; brainstorming sessions for new inventions; reverse engineering sessions; engineering issues; and written and oral communication.

Objectives: 1. Students will be introduced to the university environment and given advice on successful student strategies.

    1. Students will learn about the different engineering professions.

    2. Students will learn strategies for succeeding in mathematics courses.

    3. Students will learn strategies for maximizing performance in engineering courses.

    4. Students will learn how to be successful on examinations.

    5. Students will learn procedures for effective problem solving.

    6. Students will learn about the ethical aspects of the engineering profession.

    7. Students will gain experience in working as part of an engineering team.

    8. Students will be introduced to the engineering design experience.

    9. Students will get practice in written and oral communication

Grading Procedures:

  1. To pass the course, each student must do the following:

  1. Grades will be determined by performance on approximately six short in-class quizzes, based on text readings. Each quiz will be graded 100/75/50/25/0 or 100/67/33/0, etc., depending on the number of questions.

  2. Grades will also be determined by performance on two group design or experimental projects. Note that if the projects are not presented on the assigned date, no members of the group pass the course.

  3. Final grades will be based on a the "new university +/- grade scale" with the following percent contributions:

  1. Final grades will be adjusted according to the following: penalty points = (# of late arrivals) + (# of early departures) + 2 X (# of absences)

  2. The grading policy is as follows:

A+ 96.7 4.00

A 93.3 4.00

A- 90.0 3.67

B+ 86.7 3.33

B 83.3 3.00

B- 80.0 2.67

C+ 76.7 2.33

C 73.3 2.00

C- 70.0 1.67

D+ 66.7 1.33

D 63.3 1.00

D- 60.0 0.67

F 00.0 0.00

test Schedule: Chapter 1, Sept. 12; ch. 2, Sept. 26; Ch. 3, Oct. 10; Ch.4, Oct. 24; Ch. 5, Nov. 7;

Ch. 6, Nov. 21