This page does not represent the most current semester of this course; it is present merely as an archive.
Grading is one of the aspects of a course that instructors enjoy even less than students. Still, we are stuck with them, so here goes.
| Portion of course | Percentage of Final Grade |
|---|---|
| Labs | 10% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Exam 1 | 15% |
| Exam 2 | 15% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Homework | 30% |
Your final grade is computed based on the percentage of points you have earned and is designed to match the GPA value of each letter. For reasons I do not understand, that is not a linear scale: for example, A- − B+ = 0.4 grade points while B+ − B = 0.3 grade points. For reasons even farther from my ken, the most common grading scale I have seen is also not linear but differently spaced than the grade points. Following is a scale spaced like the grade point scale:
| You get | if you score |
|---|---|
| A+ | near the top |
| A | ≥ 93% |
| A− | ≥ 90% |
| B+ | ≥ 86% |
| B | ≥ 83% |
| B− | ≥ 80% |
| C+ | ≥ 76% |
| C | ≥ 73% |
| C− | ≥ 70% |
| D+ | ≥ 66% |
| D | ≥ 63% |
| D− | ≥ 60% |
| F | otherwise |
I do not round grades. 92.99999919% is not ≥ 93% and is thus an A−, not an A.
I do not curve grades. However, I might adjust rubrics based on systemic problems in assignments that are revealed as part of the grading process.
If I believe you have cheated, I may apply an arbitrarily harsh grade penalty up to and including an F in the course. This penalty is independent of any findings of the University Honor System.