Detailed explanation of grades in Phys 1120

Exam 1	Tues. Sept 14, 7:30 PM	15%
Exam 2	Tues. Oct 12	15%
Exam 3	Tues. Nov 9	15%
Final Exam	Tu. Dec 14, 4:30PM	18%
Homework	CAPA	15%
Tutorial participation	Pretests and tutorial particip (combined)	7%
Tutorial homework	Due at start of tutorials	15%
Clickers	In-lecture (and occasional on-line participation)	Extra Credit: up to 12% of midterm tot (i.e. 5% of course)

To be even more explicit: your total course points (100 maximum) are computed as

(45 - (clicker score*5) ] * (Ave exam score) + clicker score*5 + 18*final + 15*(CAPA) +

15* (tutorial homework) + 4.5*(tutorial particip) + 2.5*(pretests)

where e.g. Clicker score = (your total clicker points)/(maximum total possible clicker points, after dropping your lowest three days worth, plus any extra points from online participation, e.g. surveys we link to)

Ave exam score = (your average % for midterm exams)

CAPA score = (your total CAPA points) / (maximum total possible) (after dropping one!) , etc.

After computing this course score (from 0-100), we will use a (slightly generous) standard scale:

89-100 = A's (including A-'s)

78-89 = B's ( " B-'s and B+'s ")

66-78 = C's (" ")

55-66 = D's (" ")

< 55 = F

(We will set exact +/- cutoffs later, but most like 89-91=A-, 88-89 = B+, etc)

IMPORTANT! If the class average comes out lower than we expect (due to say, some accidentally overly tough exams!) we will certainly consider "stretching" the scale down a bit (i.e. being more generous than the above). But, we promise that no matter what, we will not get tougher than the above. That means even if everyone in the class gets 91%, we will happily give everyone A's! (Well, in that particular case, A-, but you get the point!)

This is "friendly curving" - the scale can curve in your favor in the end, but it will never curve against you.
We do this to encourage collaborative work and a supportive atmosphere - it's not a competition with other students, helping someone else in the class should not harm your grade in any way!

Also note that your clicker score "unweights" midterm exams, (and fills back in as a perfect score) up to about 12% of the midterm exam total: it's a bonus that eases the pressure on midterms. (That also means that missing clicker points has NO possible negative impact on your grade... other than maybe not learning the material, of course!)

Collaborative work is important, effective, and I encourage it in all parts of the class (except during midterms and the final) It means students working together, discussing ideas and even specific problems. It means asking for help when you need it, and giving help whenever you can. It does NOT mean copying. On any assignment in this course, what you turn in must be, in the end, your own work. Copying an answer from someone without understanding it (e.g. plugging in your own numbers into a copied formula for CAPA) is NOT collaboration, it's cheating. If you are not sure, feel free to ask your professors or a TA. We're always happy to talk. This course operates on an assumption of trust and respect - if you feel comfortable,what you're doing is probably fine! (and vice-versa: if it feels uncomfortable, it's probably not o.k., and you should talk to us about it! )

MORE DETAILS ABOUT GRADED PARTS OF THE COURSE FOLLOW:

Exams will be a mix of multiple choice and long answer questions. The long answer part will require explanations, very much like tutorials and tutorial homeworks. These are one hour exams, but you have an hour and a half to do them. You will receive a numerical score online (in the form of % correct), and will get the exam back in recitation. Solutions will appear on the web. If you feel your exam was unfairly or incorrectly graded, please talk to your TA or Profs. Holland or Pollock as soon as possible. For obvious reasons, we cannot change your grade if you misbubble, so please be VERY careful when you bubble in the scan sheets!

You may bring a single sheet of 8.5 in. x 11 in. paper to exams, with your own handwritten notes.

As you have gathered, we are not interested in having people memorize formulas or problem solutions. Exam questions will be closely related to material from lecture, texts, tutorials, and homeworks. But, it will never be identical - you need to understand the concepts, not memorize facts or solutions.

Calculators with scientific notation are allowed and sometimes needed. (You will not be allowed to share calculators or crib sheets.)

Please read and follow the CU honor code. Don't use high (or low) technology to try to take advantage of us. We trust you on this, please respect and value that trust!

The final exam will be cumulative (it will cover all material from the course), but it will focus more on new material from the end of the semester. It will be a 2 hr exam, but you have 2.5 hours for it.

CAPA homework is due weekly, late Friday night (technically, Sat morning at 8 AM)

Note: We will excuse one CAPA, automatically. CAPA gives you instant feedback, with no penalty for wrong answers. However, you have a limited number of tries, typically 5 per question. After that, CAPA will ignore whatever you try to input. So, I urge you to work on the CAPA hw away from the computer - try to solve the problem carefully, and just use CAPA to "check". If you sit at the terminal with your calculator, and make notes in the margins, you will not learn much physics, and run the risk of using up your tries on trivial/algebraic errors.

Pretests are given every week, usually running from Friday at noon until Tuesday at 8 AM. You can't do them earlier or later that those cutoff times. You get 100% credit for submitting anything. We will drop one missed pretest without penalty, but no more. There is a timer on the web page that will cut you off after 15 minutes - we don't want you spending TOO much time on them. (You can get around the timer if you want, just don't bother) Please make an honest effort at the pretests every week, think about the problem carefully. These are important "practice problems" for exams, you will see something like them on midterms (and, with a similar time constraint!) Your responses also help guide TA's when they prepare for tutorial. Most important, pretests tell you what you are expected to learn in recitation that week. At the end of tutorial, think back on the pretest - make sure you understand it! Feel free to ask your TA, or Profs. Holland or Pollock , if you still think you don't "get it" after the tutorial is done.

Tutorial Participation is required. Please show up every week. We will automatically allow one absense without penalty or "reason", but no more. Participation points come from working - you won't get participation points for coming and talking about other homework problems (or the football game...) You must write in your own tutorial book (don't forget to bring it every week!) to get participation credit. Those notes are for you - you don't have to turn them in. They'll be useful for the tutorial homework (next item)

Tutorial Homeworks are due at the start of recitation. We will automatically drop one worst (or missed) tutorial homework without penalty, but no more. They are based on what you did in tutorial the previous week, but extend it a little, give it just a little twist to see how well you understood the main concepts. These are an important part of the course, counting slightly more than CAPA (and equal to any single exam!) You may get help from TA's or other students, but in the end, your work must be your own. (Do not copy someone else's solutions, "getting help" means talking about the ideas, but figuring it out for yourself!) It's not easy explaining and justifying your answers, as these homeworks often ask, but it's an essential skill for this course (and beyond!) Midterm exams will include "tutorial-like" questions - again, not identical to what you've done, but based on the same ideas and in the same style.

Clickers: EVERY class there will be some clicker questions. In general, they count as pure extra credit (see top for details). Unless otherwise announced, you will get 2 pts for clicking in, and you get 2 additional points for getting the correct answer. If I ask a "survey" question (usually right at the start of class) I give 4 pts for any answer. Your clicker score counts as a bonus (extra credit), and will REPLACE up to 12% of your total possible midterm score (i.e. 5% of the total course grade, since midterm exams nominally add up to 42% of your grade) In this way, the more clicker points you pile up, the less your exams will weigh. If you miss a day, or get some wrong now and then - no worries. There is NO PENALTY (of any kind) for missing clicker points!

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