Your course grade will be based on two equally-weighted components:
Grade Assignment
You must turn in at least half of the homework and take both exams, or
you will get an F. Beyond that, grades will be assigned on the
following scale:
| A: | 81 | - | 100% |
| B: | 61 | - | 80% |
| C: | 41 | - | 60% |
| D: | 0 | - | 40% |
Note: this doesn't mean it's easy to get an A, it means
my assignments, my exams and my grading are all rigorous
Due Dates, Late Homework and Makeup Exams
Unless stated otherwise, homework is due before class on the
due date.
I will be accepting late homework under the following conditions:
-
If you will be unable to complete an assignment on time, send me
e-mail in advance explaining the circumstances, and the
desired extension. If, in my judgement, the circumstances are
unavoidable and the extension is reasonable, I will grant the
extension (note that students on University business have an
automatic right to a reasonable extension). I reserve the right
to require documentation of the circumstances.
-
If, as a result of an emergency (such as a medical emergency),
you are unable to turn in an assignment on time, let me know the
circumstances as soon as possible. If, in my judgement, the
circumstances were an unavoidable emergency, I will take the
homework late. I reserve the right to require documentation of
the circumstances.
-
Note: conflicts with homework in other classes, simply
failing to complete an assignment on time, and oversleeping, are
not reasons I will accept for late homework.
Automatic Withdrawals
I do not drop students for persistent absence nor persistent failure
to turn in assignments. If you don't turn in the assignments or take
the exams, and you don't withdraw from the course, you will fail.
Grading Standards
It's important to remember that, while I will supervise the TA and I
will discuss the grading with him or her, I will not in general review
in detail the grading of the problems (if I did, there
wouldn't be any point in having TAs; I'd spend as much time looking
over their shoulders as I would have grading). So, if in your opinion
these standards are not being adhered to, you need to inform me of the
situation as soon as possible.
-
If this class has a TA, the TA will grade the assignments and I
will grade the exams.
- Each question will be given a clearly stated maximum point
value, on the original assignment or exam. Subparts of
questions may or may not have such a maximum. The points don't
have to add up to 100; your score will be converted to a
percentage.
- The assignments are equally weighted, not the points. If one
assignment is graded on a total of ten points, and another is
graded on a total of twenty points, then the points on the
latter assignment are only worth half as much as the ones on the
former.
-
Some questions lend themselves to having particular point values
removed (ie -1, -5, etc) for particular mistakes, while
for others it is more appropriate to simply assign an overall
score based on the quality of an answer. In either case, there
will be a note on your assignment stating why you didn't get
full credit on every problem.
Under university policy, Incompletes may be given only if a student
has passed the first half of the course, and is precluded from
successful completion of the second half of the course by a
documented illness or family crisis that the instructor believes
genuinely precluded successful completion.
Unless otherwise stated on an assignment, assignments (including
programs) in this class are to be completed individually. Copying
of assignments is plagiarism and will not be tolerated. You are
responsible for maintaining the security of files under your
account; in cases of plagiarism I will ordinarily regard both
parties as equally guilty.
If you have or believe you have a disability and would benefit from
any accommodations, you may wish to self-identify by contacting the
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office located at
Garcia Annex (phone: 646-6840). If you have already registered,
please make sure that your instructor receives a copy of the
accommodation memorandum from SSD within the first two weeks of
classes. It is your responsibility to inform either your instructor
or SSD representative in a timely manner if services/accommodations
provided are not meeting your needs.
If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit safely
from the premises in an emergency or which may cause an emergency
during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the
instructor and/or Ms. Jane Spinti, SSD Coordinator. Feel free to
call Ms. Elva Telles (EEO/ADA and Employee Relations Director) at
646-3333 with any questions about the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All
medical information will be treated confidentially.
