GRADING POLICY

Grades:
Your grade will be based on the best 4 of the following 5 scores (100 points each):

Quizzes/Labs (lowest score dropped), Midterm 1, Midterm 2, Final, Final
For example, if you do poorly on one of the midterms (and well on everything else), then that midterm doesn't count. Note that the final counts twice, so that a poor final still counts (at least) once.

However, please note that quizzes/labs can not be used to pull up very poor exam results: To pass the course, you must have a passing average on the exams, and to obtain a course grade of C or better you must have at least a C average on the exams. (The lowest of the 4 exam scores listed above is dropped when computing the average.)

Quizzes/Labs:
Most weeks there will be either a Quiz or Lab during recitation, based on the homework. Quizzes are closed book, but open notes; labs involve group work followed by an individual write-up of the result, which can not always be completed during recitation.

Exams:
There will be 2 midterms and a final. All exams will be closed book; the use of (both sides of) a 3×5 index card of notes (and a calculator) is permitted. The final is comprehensive, and will be roughly 50% on old material and roughly 50% on new material.
(The index cards are cumulative: you may bring all previous cards to all exams. For the final, instead of 3 index cards, you may substitute one side of an 8½×11 sheet of paper.)

You must bring your OSU ID to each exam. No exceptions!

Excused Absences:
Absence from an exam or quiz will be considered excused if both of the following conditions are met:

  • The absence is for a legitimate OSU-related activity (such as intercollegiate athletics) or due to serious illness, or due to a family emergency.
  • Appropriate documentation is provided in advance. (In an emergency, you must contact me as soon as is reasonably possible.) Medical excuses must provide documentation that medical assistance was sought before the quiz or exam.
  • Please note that an excused absence does not entitle you to a makeup exam or quiz. One excused absence normally results in that score being the one which gets dropped. For two excused absences, the grading scheme is slightly changed. For instance, two excused absences from quizzes (both must be excused) entitle you to drop both. In this case, your remaining scores will be rescaled appropriately, but you do not get to drop the lowest remaining score. Two excused absences from exams (or an excused absence from the final) will normally result in a grade of I (incomplete) in the course, which would need to be made up by taking the appropriate exam(s) the next time the course is offered.

    Makeups:
    Makeup exams will only be given in truly exceptional cases; most situations are automatically covered by the ability to drop 1 score and/or the excused absence policy above. There will be no makeup quizzes. (However, it is often possible to arrange to take a quiz in another section the same day.)