Course Syllabus

ECE 1240 – Introduction to Circuit Design

Course Taught:  MWF 9:40-10:30 WEB 2230

Professor: Dr. Neil Cotter, necotter@ece.utah.edu, (801) 581-8566 (office), MEB 2268

Office Hours:  MWF 10:40-noon (often later, also check MEB 2265 lab)

Last day to drop:             Friday, August 31

Last day to withdraw:      Friday, October 19

Undergraduate Policies on Appeals, Withdrawals, Equal Access, etc.: https://www.coe.utah.edu/students/academic-affairs/academics/semester-guidelines Links to an external site.

Prerequisites:

MATH 1210 or 1310 or 1311 (grade of "C-" or better).   If (when?) you find you may have forgotten some math information you need in this class, check out the Khan Academy and others linked in the RESOURCE section of the assignments for help.  The MATH tutoring center Links to an external site. and TAs are also available to help you.

No previous experience with electronics or programming is assumed or needed in this class. We will be starting from scratch. However, many students in this class will have had some experience, either formal or informal, and a few students will have had a lot of experience.  If you are someone with little or no experience, do not be intimidated!  We will be working together, and the course is designed to start from the beginning.

CORE  COURSE  INFORMATION

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The main goal is that at the end of this class, you will have the skills to successfully invent a sensor system of your own choosing.  

At the conclusion of ECE 1240 students should be able to: 

• Design and evaluate (with theory/math and simulation), simple electrical/computer engineering circuits using voltage and current sources, resistors and capacitors, op amps, and diodes to accomplish specific engineering tasks. 
• Explain applications in electrical and computer engineering including: electrical circuit design, sensors, signal processing, communications, electromagnetics, control and embedded systems.

REQUIRED/RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS

Textbook:  Free "Textbook Circuit Analysis and Design" 3rd Ed. by Ulaby, Maharbiz, and Furse  Links to an external site.

• The Circuits textbook, (THIRD EDITION) will be used in ECE1240 and ECE2240.  This textbook was originally chosen for its readable/understandable explanations.  Dr. Furse in our department then helped write the 3rd edition and added a lot of additional explanations and real world applications.  I hope you will find it a "good read".  Can you use an older hard copy version of the textbook?  Yes, you can, although you will need the newer version for ECE 2240 next semester.  If you like, you may purchase the textbook on your own, but that is totally optional.  (NOTE:  Dr. Furse does not accept profits from the use of this textbook in this course. She will donate any profits thus obtained to a scholarship fund.  She wrote this book to help you learn.)  Here is the COMPANION SITE Links to an external site. for the textbook.

Do I NEED a laptop computer?

• Well, technically no.  You are welcome to use the ECE Computer Lab in MEB 2265.  To get 24/7 keycard access, fill out the form in the ECE Stockroom (after you get your UofU student ID card).  Software for the Analog Discovery 2, Matlab, LTspice, Microsoft Office, and other software packages are all installed in this lab.  You can access the video lectures and class website there as well.  BUT it will surely be a LOT easier if you have a computer at home, whether it is a desktop or laptop.  A personal tablet (ipad, etc.) is not enough for this class -- the Analog Discovery 2 requires a USB interface.  A tablet is a great supplement to a PC (you'll probably love it for watching video lectures), but not a good substitute.

Calculator:

• You will also need a calculator to do your homework and exams.  Depending on the method you use to solve problems, the calculator may need to be capable of handling matrix math, including complex matrices.  Calculators that will do the job include TI 85 and up, and also TI 36.  The TI 83 and 84 may be sufficient for complex numbers used in the latter part of the course if you do more work by hand.  I find the TI-36X Pro to be a good calculator for ECE 1240 and 2240.

EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS INCOURSE

Work Load:  It is anticipated that a typical student will need to spend the following amount of time each week:

3 hours watching videos

3 hours in class

6-9 hours on homework

Additional time studying for exams.

12+ hours per week

 PLEASE plan your schedule so that you have time to learn the material.  I am delighted to have the opportunity to teach you about electrical & computer engineering, which I hope you have as much fun with in your career as I have in mine.  I am very confident that you will find many times in your career when you will be able to apply this material, and I hope that you will not only learn from the class but enjoy it as well.  

FLIPPED CLASS (Step-by-Step) -- ECE 1250 is NOT your average lecture class: What Students Should Know About the Flipped Classroom

 Step 1: 1-2 days BEFORE class... Look at the Question of the Day (QOD).  This is material you will learn in the lecture/text for that day.  

 Step 2: 1-2 days BEFORE class ... Watch the lecture videos (OR read the textbook section).  Take notes that answer the QOD. 

 Step 3: Come to class and bring questions from videos.  Class will NOT be a repeat of the lecture videos.  We will work together actively solving examples and some of your homework problems, and answering questions (so bring your questions with you).  And we will talk about how to apply what you are learning in real-world applications.  Teaching this way approximately doubles the amount of time we have together, and gives me time to really work with you on the common problems that crop up in your homework.

 Step 4: Finish your homework THAT DAY.  If you can spend some additional time that day (or at least before the next class) finishing the homework for that day, you will be well-prepared for the next day, which typically builds on the previous day.  If you wait until the homework is due, you will probably feel somewhat lost as the week progresses.  Sure, you can pick this up on the weekend, but that is less efficient.  It is fantastic if you can work with other students on your homework, so get a study group together.  You will learn from other people's questions and problems as much as you learn from your own successes.

Go to Step 1 to Prepare for the next day  ...

To do well in this class:  Keep up in class, study hard, do well on  your midterms, and you do not have to take the final exam.  That's right, it is optional.  The final basically serves as a 'retake' for any or all midterms.  But, if you bomb a midterm, or all of them for that matter, all is not lost.  You can completely erase mistakes made during the semester and make up your grade on the final.  The time allotted for the final exam is approximately 2.5 midterm exams, however, so trying to take all the exams during the final exam time is unlikely.  If you do retake an exam at the final, you will automatically receive the higher of the original and retake exam scores.

Homework:  Assignment due dates are noted in the tentative schedule and due online by one minute to midnight on the day noted. No late assignments will be accepted.  However, your lowest homework grade will be dropped.  If you plan on being absent on a day that a homework set is due, you may either turn it in earlier or have a friend turn it in for you.  Homework will not be accepted late.

Although collaboration with fellow students on homework assignments and studying is encouraged, you will benefit most from the homework if you attempt to do the problems before consulting with your friends.  While it is perfectly reasonable to discuss your approach to solving the problems with a friend, the final write-up of the solution must be your own work.

Homework will be your main study guide.  Therefore, think of it as preparation for each exam.  Please write clearly, show all of your work in an organized manner, and put problems in the proper order.  Make sure you understand all of the homework.

For most problems the grader will simply check to see that you’ve done it and that your paper shows the necessary work to get the answer. Only a few problems will be checked in greater detail. You may collaborate with others to learn how to do the homework, but you must write down your solution in your own hand.

You will probably learn more from doing the homework than any other part of this class. If you thoroughly understand the homework, you will know what the class is about, and the exams will be easier for you.  Solutions to the homework will be posted on the course website.

Quizzes:  The quizzes will be in-class only and will be practice for exams.  Each quiz will be one question that might appear on the upcoming exam.  See class schedule on home page for quiz dates.  You must attend class on quiz dates to get credit for the quizzes.  The lowest quiz will be dropped.  No make-up quizzes will be given.

Permission codes and Lab Waiting Lists:

If you want to change your lab section, and the one you want is full, please submit a permission code request form Links to an external site. (use 2nd link) to get on the waiting list.  Mandi Peterson processes the requests and can let you know how many are ahead of you, so you have an idea if you are likely to get into that section or not.  Mandi also handles permission codes for the class, with the permission of the professor.  If you are needing special permission for some reason, please email me necotter@ece.utah.edu.

Exams:  Four midterms are scheduled as shown on the class schedule.  Please check your personal schedule to be sure that you do not have conflicts with these exams.  You must take exams on the day listed in the schedule on the Home page unless you have a university excused absence.  At the instructor's discretion, student may be allowed to take oral make-up exams in cases of emergency and with advance notice.  The final exam will give you a chance to improve earlier exam scores, as described above in "To do well in this class". 

Questions of the Day: For each lecture, you should make notes in your own words on one page (or use both sides of one 8.5" x 11" piece of paper).  You will be able to use these notes on the exams.

Extra Credit:  Extra Credit can be used if you forget to turn in your homework, if you just don’t do it, etc.   These can be used to give you a maximum of 100% on your combined HW/Lab scores.  Extra credit assignments can be turned in  through the last day of class.  You can find extra credit throughout the semester on the class website.

Errors: If you find a mistake in the online lecture notes, textbook, solution manual, lab handouts, etc., email me the mistake (details, please, so I can fix it!) plus your corrections.  You may receive extra homework points for mistakes found, if you are the first person in the class to notice them. Here are errors already found in the textbook (sorry, no extra credit points for these!)  Circuits-2e_errata.pdf Download Circuits-2e_errata.pdf

Schedule:  Refer to the course Schedule on the Home Page for due dates of homework and labs. This information is subject to modification by announcements in class or by information sent via email or by changes in the online versions of the schedule.

Grading: 

Midterm 1 or Final Part 1          20%

Midterm 2 or Final Part 2          20%

Midterm 3 or Final Part 3          20%

Midterm 4 or Final Part 4          20%

Homework                                  16%

Quizzes                                       4%    

Total                                         100%

Extra Credit                                 3% (max)

Grades are assigned by an absolute grading scale based on percentage total for course:

≥ 93%    A       ≥ 90%    A-

≥ 87%    B+     ≥ 83%    B      ≥ 80%    B-

≥ 77%    C+     ≥ 73%    C      ≥ 70%    C-

≥ 67%    D+     ≥ 63%    D      > 60%    D-

≤ 60%    E 

Disability Accommodations:  The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.  If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD).  CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.  All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.

Cheating Policy:  Just don't

Here are some things that constitute cheating in this class:

1)     Copying someone else's work on an exam.  If you accidentally see another student's work on an exam, WRITE a NOTE in your exam and tell me during the exam.  Honesty is of great value.  You will not be penalized for this.  Do not pass any papers to anyone for any reason during the exam.  Do not sit near your study partners during the exam.  If you use any scratch paper for doing exam problems, please just staple it at the back of your exam.  Loose scratch paper could look like notes passed between students.

2)     Copying the homework solution.  I hope you WILL work in groups on your homework, and I hope that every team member will contribute to this work.  However, you must write up homework solutions in your own words. 

What happens if you cheat?  Under UofU policy Links to an external site., you can (and will) receive an E in the class, be suspended from school, or be expelled from the university.  So just don't cheat.

I'm glad to have you in my class!  I hope this will be a great semester for you, that you will learn a lot of really interesting things, and that you will fan the spark of interest you have in engineering into a good flame!

-Your Professor, Dr. Cotter