Grades in this class arise from a mix of many different ways to judge your work, NOT solely from your performance on exams. Be sure you understand the components!
The result is a grade that is a more accurate representation of your performance in the class. It also means that you can blow one midterm exam and still get an A if your work in other categories is first rate! Here is the breakdown. It also means if you do very poorly on any one category -- say you don't hand in any homework -- it may be difficult to get a decent grade or even to pass the class!
- Components --
- Component grades -- Each of the components will be assigned grading patterns. As explained in the mechanics page, on exams and quizzes, scores above 75% are considered to be A, above 60% a B, and above 45% a C. On other components there are other assignments. Since we expect you to attend all classes, recitations, and labs, an A on participation is expected to require 95%, a B 90%, and a C 80%. Homework grade assignments depend on how the class responds to the particular problems assigned, but in some previous years, an A has required about 85% and a B about 75%. Lab report grades are assigned at the end of the term, since the specific assignment may depend on the way individual TA's grade. Lab grading may be adjusted for differences among the patterns of individual TAs.
- Overall grades -- The overall
grade is created by adding the scores for each grade for each
category. For example, there are 400 exam points and
160 participation points. An A on the exams requires 75% or
300 points. An A on participation requires 144 points. So
if you get 100% of the participation points (160=144+16) ,
you can get only 300-16=284 points (71%) on all your exams
and still earn an A on these two categories.
- This means that good scores in some categories can compensate somewhat for weaker scores in others. But be careful! Not doing most of the homework could cost you more than 200 points! That would be very difficult to compensate for no matter how well you performed in other categoies.
- It is difficult to know exactly where the final grade cutoffs will lie at the end of the semester, since some of the boundaries depend on how the class performs during the term. But in the past, the boundary for an A typically falls somewhere between 80-85% of the total points, a B typically falls somewhere between 70--75%, a C in the 60-65% range, and passing, about 50%. NOTE: THIS MEANS THAT IN THIS CLASS A SHARP BOUNDARY WILL BE SET THAT WILL FALL IN THESE RANGES, NOT THAT IF YOU FALL ANYWHERE IN THOSE RANGES YOU WILL GET THAT GRADE!
- Your total points on ELMS (and the resultant percentage that ELMS calculates) CANNOT be taken as a guarantee of a particular grade. We will try to have them provide a reasonable estimate, but in particular, they may overestimate your clicker participation scores. If you are concerned about your grade or cumulative points, please do not hesitate to talk to your lecturer in person.
- Plus and minus grades -- Within 25 points of a grade boundary will earn a - (for above the boundary) or a + (for below the boundary).
| Section | Total points (scaled if needed) |
Percent |
| Homework | 300 | 25% |
| Midterm exams (100 pts each) | 200 | 17% |
| Final exam | 200 | 17% |
| Lab Reports | 165 | 14% |
| Quizzes | 100 | 8% |
| Reading and Pre-Lab Questions | 75 | 6% |
| Lab/Recitation Participation | 70 | 6% |
| Lecture Participation (clickers) | 75 | 6% |
| Survey Participation | 15 | 2% |
| Total | 1200 | 100% |
These divisions are not guaranteed. We may adjust due to unforeseen circumstances that cancel classes or HW - snow, tornadoes, etc.
