Detailed explanation of grades in Phys 2020

Exam 1	Thurs. Sep 27, 7:30-9:15 PM	12%
Exam 2	Thurs. Oct 25	12%
Exam 3	Thurs. Nov 29	12%
Final Exam	Tu. Dec Dec 18, 4:30-7 PM	24%
Homework	CAPA	15%
Lab	Pretests and lab particip (combined)	15%
Written homework	Due most Fridays (with frequent "break" weeks)	10%
Clickers and online participation	In-lecture (and also occasional on-line participation activities, like surveys!)	Extra Credit: up to 14% of midterm tot (i.e. 5% of course)

Note: if you miss more than 2 labs, or the final, or 2 exams, you cannot receive a passing course grade!

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

(36 - (clicker score*5) ] * (Ave exam score) + clicker score*5 + 24*final + 15*(CAPA) +

10* (written homework) + 15*(combined lab grade)

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 we add in 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.

Earlier in the semester, when we try to estimate your grade (e.g. after the first midterm), we just substitute your first exam for *all* the exams above (so it gets weighted by 12+12+12+24 = 60%! So obviously, our grade estimate near the beginning of the term isn't all that accurate.

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

90-100 = A's (including A-'s)

79-90 = B's ( " B-'s and B+'s ")

68-79 = C's (" ")

55-68 = D's (" ")

< 55 = F

(We will set exact +/- cutoffs later, but most like 90-91=A-, 89-90 = B+, etc)

Please note that this scale is built on the TOTAL course grade. Some people try to "translate" this to individual exams, but this really isn't appropriate, since labs and homeworks (30% of your grade) are typically much higher in this course than midterm scores. (So, when thinking about your grade, remember to combine exams, homeworks, and labs in the appropriate way first before mentally estimating your grade!)

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, maybe A-, but you get the point.) In my experience teaching this course, however, we have rarely needed to stretch this scale in the end (at least not by more than a point or two). We are perfectly comfortable giving well more than half the class A's and B's, if they are earned. 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 will 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 14% 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!)

IMPORTANT: Collaborative work is valuable and effective, and we 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 labs and written homeworks. These are meant to be 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 lab. Solutions will appear on the web.

Grading: If you feel your exam was unfairly or incorrectly graded, please write up a brief note explaining why you think there was a mistake in the grading, and talk to your TA as soon as possible (within ONE WEEK of when you get it back). If, after this discussion with your TA, you continue to believe you need a regrade, your TA will pass the exam and your note along to Prof Becker who will make a decision. 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. You can add another "side" for each exam (so, 2 sides for exam 3, a new front page added for exam 4, and 2 pages double-sided for the final)

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, labs, and homeworks. But, it will rarely if ever 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 Wed night (technically, CAPA stops accepting inputs Thurs morning at 8 AM)

Note: We will excuse one CAPA set, 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, we 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.

Lab Pretests are given every week. They are meant to encourage you to look over the upcoming lab ahead of time - typically they are graded mostly on "effort", although on some occasions when the answer is straightforward or comes from information given in the lab writeup it will also be graded on correctness - this is at the discretion of your TA.

Lab Participation is required. Please show up every week. If you miss more than 1 lab, you cannot pass physics 2020! Participation points come from working on the physics - you won't get participation points for coming and talking about other homework problems (or the football game...) You must write and work on the lab, with your partners, to get participation credit.

Written Homeworks are due Fridays at 2 PM . We will automatically drop one worst (or missed) written homework without penalty, but no more. These are an important part of the course, they are a chance for us to see your "thinking" about physics. We intend to ask questions which may require some thought or a little creativity. 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 and writing it up 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!)

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 point for getting the correct answer. If we ask a "survey" question (usually right at the start of class) I give 2 pts for any answer. Your clicker score counts as a bonus (extra credit), and will REPLACE up to 14% of your total possible midterm score (i.e. 5% of the total course grade, since midterm exams nominally add up to 36% 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. We drop three days worth, and in any case, there is NO PENALTY (of any kind) for missing clicker points!

There will be occasional opportunities to fill in an online survey or otherwise participate in the course (by asking questions on an online forum, e.g.) on our D2L site. Keep your eyes on that, we will give points for participation that will add in to your clicker score.

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