ME2560 STATICS

Course outline and grading policy

Course: ME2560 Statics Semester: Fall 2014
Lecture: M 14:30 15:20 Office Hours: M 15:3017:00, W 13:0014:20
Recitation: W 14:3018:20 Thursday 12:3013:45
Monday D0204, Parkview Campus. Instructor: Javier M. Montefort
Wednesday C0226, C0228, C0229 Parkview Campus. Office: G228, Parkview Campus.
Email: s9montef@wmich.edu
Website: http://homepages.wmich.edu/~s9montef/
Textbook: Statics, R. C. Hibbeler, 13th edition, Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-291554-0. Make sure that included in the
textbook you obtain an access code to Mastering Engineering.

TEST AND GRADING POLICIES

Grading Scale Test, Homework & Attendance Tentative Test Dates
A: above 90% 1st midterm test: 12% Test 1: 1001
BA: 85% - 89% 2nd midterm test: 12% Test 2: 1022
B: 80% - 84% 3rd midterm test: 12% Test 3: 1105
CB: 75% - 79% 4th midterm test: 12% Test 4: 1203
C: 70% - 74% Quizzes: 15% Test 1: Ch. I, II, III
DC: 65% - 69% Recitation Problems: 15% Test 2: Ch IV, V
D: 50% - 64% Homework 5% Test 3: Ch. VI.
E: below 50% Final Exam: 17% Test 4: Ch. VII, VIII
Final Exam: Friday 1212 @ 8:00 am
Comprehensive

List of Topics
I. General Principles
II. Vectors
III. Equilibrium of a particle
IV. Resultant of a system of forces
V. Center of gravity and centroid
VI. Equilibrium of a rigid body
VII. Structural analysis
VIII. Internal Forces
IX. Moment of Inertia of an Area
X. Friction

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Develop 2 and 3 dimensions Free Body Diagrams of structures and/or structural components
2. Perform equilibrium analysis of rigid bodies in two and threedimensions.
3. Determine the forces acting on the elements of frames and trusses.
4. Obtain mathematical and graphic representation of the shear force and bending moment on beams subjected to
concentrated and/or distributed loading.
5. Determine the centroid and moment of inertia of areas.

GENERAL CLASS POLICY

1. Make-up tests will not be provided, and the missed test will be graded as ZERO. If a student misses a midterm test for a
medical reason, the student must provide a doctors statement. In that case the missed test will be transferred and credited
toward the Final Examination: (For example, if you missed the second test for a medical reason, the final examination will be
counted as 17% + 12% = 29% of the total grade). Every student must take the final examination and no makeup exam will
be offered.
2. The problems to be solved during the recitation sessions and homework will be assigned to be solved using
MasteringEngineering (on-line software). You will need to register using the code contained in the textbook you purchased.
Access to MasteringEngineering can also be obtained at www.masteringengineering.com. In this case you will need to decide
if you want to obtain electronic access to both the textbook and the online assignments, or only access to the online
assignments.
Answers to all assignments must be entered using Mastering Engineering (www.masteringengineering.com). Mastering
Engineering will allow you up to 6 attempts to enter the correct answer before grading as incorrect the problem you are
working on. Once you have entered the correct answer the software will notify you immediately. Use 3 significant digits after
the decimal point throughout your calculations. There will not be partial credit for erroneous answers.
3. No makeup recitation session problems will be provided. If due to a valid reason (medical reason, etc. Documentation to
demonstrate you missed the lecture for a valid reason needs to be provided) you missed a recitation session the weight of that
recitation session will be added to the weight of the final exam. All recitation sessions will have the same weight towards
your final score, thus since we have 14 recitation sessions, each session will count for 1/14 15 points of your final score,
therefore if you missed one recitation session for a valid reason, your final exam will be (17 + 1.071) % of your final score.
4. Quizzes will be given without previous notification. Quizzes will count for 15% of your final score. No makeup quizzes
will be given. If you missed a quiz due to a valid reason (medical reason, etc. Documentation to demonstrate you missed the
lecture for a valid reason needs to be provided) the weight of that particular quiz will be added to the weight of the final exam
For example, if you missed a quiz worth 1% of the final score, the final examination will be counted as 17% + 1% = 18% of
the total grade).
5. There will be NO curving of the grades.
6. You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate and
Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery,
multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. [The policies can be found at
www.www.wmich.edu/catalog under Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If there is reason to believe
you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the
opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You
should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or
test.
7. The use of laptops and cellphone during lecture is forbidden unless the instructor explicitly allows it.
8. The use of the solutions manual for solving homework is forbidden.
9. The use of textbook and class notes during recitation sessions is permitted.
The use of the solutions manual and/or online aid (such as chegg.com) is forbidden. Ask the instructor in case you are not
sure if a certain source of information is allowed.
Using any forbidden aid during recitation will result in a score of zero in three recitation assignments, including the one in
which the forbidden material was used.
A student using any type of forbidden aid for second time will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and charged with
academic dishonesty.
10. The use of devices capable of storing electronic files or accessing the internet during tests and lecture is forbidden. Using
any electronic device different to a calculator during a test will result in a score of zero in that test/exam. The use of mobile
telephones during tests, lecture, and recitation sessions is forbidden.
11. Once a homework has been assigned, its due date will not be extended under any circumstances.
12. In all quizzes, midterm tests and final exam the use of notes and textbook is not allowed.
13. For problem solving during recitation sessions, tests and exams, only simple calculators are allowed, as approved for the
national Fundamentals of Engineering exams:
http://ncees.org/exams/calculator-policy/
The use of a calculator that is not allowed during a test, an exam, or a recitation session will result in a reduction of 30 % in the
score of the corresponding activity.
12. Final grades are made available to the student through http://gowmu.wmich.edu according to the calendar established by
Western Michigan University.
13. Succeeding in this course requires a minimum of at least 6 hrs. of effective study per week in addition to lecture/recitation
time.
14. In case you consider the grading of a test or quiz was unfair or incorrect, you have a maximum of 144 hrs (6 days) after
the graded paper was returned to you by the instructor to ask for a revision of the assignment, after this period there will be
no review of the grading under any circumstance.