Frequently Asked Questions

Course Details (ODTÜ only)

1. CAPACITY :

(a) What should I do if I receive "Course Capacity is Full" message?
(b) I can't register for the course even though it's below capacity.

(a) To ensure fairness, course capacity is increased at random intervals, with limits known only to me.
Please do not inquire about the capacity — such inquiries are deleted immediately.

(b) Starting from the 2021 Spring semester, even if the course is not at full capacity, you may not be able to register immediately. The system generates an error stating that The vacant quota of this course becomes available to be added by a student within random time. This is to prevent unauthorized parties from reserving seats for trading purposes. No one—neither the instructor, department, student affairs, nor system admin—can control this process. You'll need to keep attempting to register through the system.

If you are unable to register during the official registration period, attend the course and try adding it during the add/drop period. If attending without registration, fill out the query form and select "Guest Student".

2. SECTIONS:

Can I register for "Section 2" in SPRING semester?

No, Section 2 in the Spring semester is reserved for 3rd-year ESE students, for whom it is a must course. The schedule and room capacity are designed specifically for them, and no extra seats are available. Do not attempt to register for Section 1 and attend Section 2.

In summary: If you are not an ESE student, you cannot register for Section 2. Period.

I am from the ESE department. Can I register for "Section 1" in FALL semester?

No. As an ESE student, this course is mandatory in your 3rd year, 2nd semester (Spring), and you must register for Section 2.

If you remain enrolled in Section 1 during the Fall semester, your final grade will be marked as NA (Non-Attendance).

3. ELECTIVE TYPE:

My department requires me to take the course as a "xxx elective".

There are no restrictions on the elective type from the Physics Department. You should choose the type that best fits your department's requirements. If your department requires a letter from the instructor, bring the form to my office or class for signing.

4. ODTUCLASS -or- GUEST STUDENT:

I’ve just registered for the course, -or- I haven’t received advisor approval yet, -or- The course isn't on ODTUCLASS.
How can I access the course details (links, exam dates, essays, etc.)?

• Please be patient. Synchronization between ODTUCLASS and SIS isn't immediate, and enrollment updates occur early each morning. 

• Advisors aren't automatically notified when you're ready for approval, so you'll need to inform your advisor directly. Once Approved, your ODTUCLASS will be updated the next morning.

• If the course isn't listed in ODTUCLASS by Wednesday noon, notify me via the query form (select "Guest Student"). In the worst case, attend the class in person and sign the attendance sheet.

5. COMPATIBLE COURSES:

What happened to ASTR 201 and ASTR 202, and what is ASTR 200?

The Physics Department has offered ASTR 201 (ending with the Solar System) and ASTR 202 (starting with the Sun and covering Cosmology) since the 1960s. However, starting Fall 2019, ASTR 200 was introduced, combining both course contents into a single semester.

ASTR 201 and ASTR 202 are no longer offered. If you've completed either ASTR 201 or ASTR 202, they are compatible with ASTR 200, and you can replace either with ASTR 200.

Course Content

1. I’m from the XYZ department. Is this course suitable for me?

Although this course is rooted in science, it is taught conceptually with some basic references to "relations in physics" (e.g., energy and frequency). You won't be solving equations. However, you’ll need to understand concepts such as "as frequency increases, an object's energy increases."

Also, keep in mind that the course is content-heavy—we'll cover 17 chapters in 13 weeks (see the schedule for details).

2. What do you mean by conceptual course?

This course has been taken by students from a wide range of departments, and the failure rate has remained consistently low since 1999. Many non-science majors, such as students from Philosophy (PHIL), Administrative Sciences (ADM), and Sociology (SOC), have successfully completed the course.

Thus, there is no reason to think that this course is only for science and engineering students.

• If you're from a non-science department, the key is to grasp the lecture content, which is available online, as well as in textbooks and other resources.

• I will present the physics content conceptually by first defining terms in plain language and supplementing the material with visuals such as figures and tables.

• However, I will also introduce some basic relationships (e.g., "energy increases with the frequency of radiation") to make these visuals more understandable. These relations are necessary to provide a complete understanding of topics, such as exploring the observable universe.

• Exams will not require you to solve equations, memorize numbers, or recall specific names. Instead, they will focus on conceptual understanding of the relationships between ideas.

3. What about the course materials for non-science majors?

For non-science majors, this course is designed to focus on conceptual understanding rather than in-depth mathematical or physics-based analysis. While a basic familiarity with algebra and fundamental science concepts like gravity and light can be helpful. 

The course will primarily explore celestial phenomena, the solar system, and stellar life cycles through lectures and visual aids, emphasizing comprehension over technical application. The materials provided will guide you in navigating the vast field of astronomy without prior technical knowledge.

4. Why do you teach 3 consecutive lectures as a single block?

Why not have 50-minute lectures?

Each week's lecture is packed with content, and splitting the material across two days per week proved ineffective. As a result, the official 3 x 50-minute lecture schedule has been reorganized into two longer lecture blocks, with the duration depending on the amount of material covered.

Exams

1. What will be the content of exams?

• Each exam will cover different chapters, which are listed on the course homepage.

• All exams will consist solely of multiple-choice questions.

• The number of questions in each exam will correspond to the weight of that exam in the overall assessment (i.e., percentages).

• As mentioned in the course description, exams will not include questions requiring equations, nor will you need to memorize specific numbers or names. However, there will be conceptual questions based on the relationships discussed in the course material.

2. How can I get a make-up exam?

Attendance on the announced exam dates is expected. However, if you have a valid reason, you may take a make-up exam.

• The content of make-up exams will be identical to the regular exam they replace.

• You can only take a make-up exam if you have:

1. A valid excuse (e.g., medical report, death of a relative, official event requiring your attendance) supported by documentation.

2. A schedule conflict with another exam, confirmed by the other course's instructor (see the next question).

• After the add/drop period, follow these steps to request a make-up exam:

1. Use the query form (select "make-up").

2. Indicate the exam for which you are requesting a make-up.

3. Provide a valid reason for missing the original exam.

4. Upload the necessary supporting documents using the "Query Form - File Upload."

3. When will the make-up exams be held?

All make-up exams will take place after the final exam, typically on the same day as the final but at a later time.

4. How do I confirm my absence if I’m sitting for another course's exam?

• Take the other course's exam as scheduled.

• After the exam date, the instructor of the other course must send me an email from their institutional address, with the following format:

Dear Sinan Kaan Yerli,

My student (NAME SURNAME, STUDENT ID) entered [MT1|MT2|FIN] exam of COURSE ID (COURSE NAME) on DD.MMM.YYYY at HH:MM.

best wishes,

INSTR. NAME SURNAME

SIGNATURE

5. How can I provide confirmation if I attend YOUR exam but miss another course’s exam?

• Take my exam as scheduled.

• Afterward, I will send an email to the other course's instructor from my institutional address with the same content as shown in the previous answer.

6. What should I do if both Midterm 1 (MT1) <and> Midterm 2 (MT2) conflict with other exams?

This situation will delay your performance feedback until after the final exam, which is not ideal since make-up exams are held after the final.

I strongly advise you to drop or withdraw from this course as soon as you finalize your exam schedule to avoid this issue.

7. Can I get a make-up exam for the FINAL?

Yes. the same procedure applies for the final exam. Follow the instructions provided above.

Essays

1. Why can't I see the essay questions?

Essay questions are presented in quiz format. To view the questions, you must attempt the quiz. You can either continue editing your existing attempt or create a new one. Only your last attempt will be graded after the deadline.

2. In which language(s) should we write the essays?

First of all, the key in essays is NOT the format or language, it is the content which has to be written by you only! Therefore your copy-paste will be noticed immediately whatever the language it is written.

Therefore you can write in any language that I could read.

The most important aspect of your essay is the content, and it must be written entirely by you. The format or language is secondary, but plagiarism—copy-pasting content—will be detected, regardless of the language used.

You may write your essay in any language I can read.

3. What should I do if I miss the upload deadline?

You have ample time to work on, revise, and upload your essays. If you miss the deadline, you will lose the associated points.

There is a 3-hour grace period for submitting essays (i.e., you can submit until 03:00 if you're still working on it). After that, no submissions will be accepted.

Attendance - Rules

1. What are the facts about attendance?

If you attend ALL lectures:

• 14 weeks x 2 lecture blocks = 28 blocks of course load, which equals 10 points and corresponds to almost one letter grade.

To help you plan your attendance, consider the following examples:

• 1 block of absence = 0.36 points deducted from your total attendance points (which is 10 points); this won’t significantly affect your letter grade.

• 14 blocks of absence (half the semester) = 5.00 points deducted from your total attendance points; this will lower your grade by just under half a letter grade.

2. I signed the attendance sheet. Do I get full attendance point?

The official 3 x 50-minute lectures are condensed into two long lecture blocks (around 60 minutes each).

• For the first 7 weeks, the attendance sheet is circulated near the end of the 2nd block. Each signature is worth 2 points.

• For weeks 8-14, the attendance sheet is circulated twice: At the beginning of the 1st block; Near the end of the 2nd block. Each signature is worth 1 point.

Note: You cannot sign the attendance sheet if it’s on my desk.

3. Is there a mandatory limitation for attendance?

University regulation is clear: Attend all lectures. However, I understand that life happens. The more you attend, the better you’ll follow the course material and grasp the concepts. That’s why you're here—to learn about the universe!

4. What do I do if ONE lecture block conflicts with my schedule?

The university requires full attendance, but conflicting schedules are a reality.

• Each week, you must attend at least one of the two lecture blocks (50% of the course load).

• If you regularly miss one block, please fill out the query form (type: attendance). If your reason is valid, I will adjust your final grade based on your other course activities.

5. What do I do if TWO lecture blocks conflicts with my schedule?

• The course consists of two lecture blocks per week. Missing both will severely affect your performance (this has been the case for the last 25 years).

• Therefore, please drop the course if you foresee missing both blocks regularly.

• If you have a special reason for not attending any lectures, fill out the query form (type: personal).