GRADING POLICY
MTH 254

Grades:
Your grade consists of two parts, an exam grade and a lab grade.
Midterm, Final, Final
Thus, if you do better on the final than the midterm, then the midterm doesn't count. Note that the final counts twice, so that a poor final still counts (at least) once.
If your lab grade is satisfactory, that's it. If your lab grade is unsatisfactory, your course grade is lowered one step, from A- to B+ to B to B-, etc. (The one exception is that a solid A will not be lowered.)
Labs:
There will be several group activities each week. Many of these activities (the "labs") will involve some sort of presentation at the end of class, as well as a written summary due with the following homework assignment.
A grade of satisfactory requires participation in all but three of the labs.
Participation in turn requires attendance, including on-time arrival, not leaving early, and turning in required written work on time. If you miss a lab, you are strongly encouraged to complete it on your own and discuss it with me afterward, but in most cases you will not be given credit for participating in that lab.
Homework:
Except during exam weeks, several homework problems will be assigned at the beginning of each week. You should bring your written solutions to class on the date specified.
A satisfactory homework grade requires all but one assignment to be turned in on time.
Your overall homework score counts as the equivalent of a single lab, that is, failure to obtain a satisfactory homework grade reduces the number of allowed lab absences from three to two.
Exams:
There will be a single midterm and a final. All exams will be closed book; calculators will not be permitted. The use of (both sides of) a 3×5 index card of notes is permitted. The final is comprehensive, and will be roughly 35-40% on old material and roughly 60-65% on new material.
(The index cards are cumulative: you may bring all previous cards to all subsequent exams.)
Absences:
Absences for whatever reason are normally covered by the ability to drop the lowest exam grade and to miss up to three labs. If you are absent from more than the allowed number of exams, you will normally receive a grade of I (incomplete), which would be made up by taking the appropriate exam(s) the next time the course is offered. If you miss more than the allowed number of labs, this will reduce your course grade as noted above.
However, some absences, such as those due directly or indirectly to the pandemic, will be exempt from these rules provided they are discussed with me at the earliest reasonable opportunity, and preferably beforehand if at all possible.
Please note that missing the final automatically results in a grade of I.
(If you are not doing passing work otherwise, missing the final results in a grade of F.)
Makeups:
Makeup exams will only be given in truly exceptional cases. There will be no makeups of the group activities.
Cheating:
My policy on cheating can be found here.