Detailed explanation of grades in Phys 3070

Course grades are determined from the following components:

40% (total) for exams (There are 2 midterms and a final, weighted equally. I will drop the lowest!)
24-5% for an in-depth collaborative term paper/final project (see syllabus)
25% for homework (total, split appropriately between long answer and CAPA) (I'll drop one each of CAPA and long answer!)
5-6% for your daily in-class attendance and participation (see syllabus. I'll drop three classes worth!)
5% for your weekly online participation (See syllabus. I'll drop one!)
Clickers: will be used for attendance. (So, please register your clicker for this class: go to our clicker info page ) But also, clicker questions are pure extra credit: they can reduce the total exam weight by up to 15% of the exam total (i.e. up to 6% of your total grade.)

To be even more explicit: your total course points (100 maximum) are computed as (numbers may change by ~1% in end, at my discretion)

40%*(ave exam score) + 24%*(final project) + 12%*CAPA + 13%*(long answer) + 6%*(in class particip) + 5%*(online particip) + 15%*(clicker score as %)*40%*(100% - ave exam score)

where e.g. Clicker score = (your total clicker pts)/(max clicker pts after dropping lowest 3 days worth)
Ave exam score = (your average % for exams 1, 2 and final, after dropping the lowest)
(I may change the relative weight of CAPA and long answer, the sum will be 25%)
CAPA score = (your total CAPA points after dropping one) / (max total possible after dropping that same one)
etc.

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

89-100 = A's (including A-'s)
78-89 = B's (including B-'s and B+'s)
67-78 = C's ("")
56-67 = D's ("")
<56 = F
(I will set exact +/- cutoffs later)
If the class average comes out lower than I expect (due to say, some accidentally overly tough exams!) I will certainly consider "stretching" the scale down a bit (i.e. being more generous than the above). But, I promise that no matter what, I will not get tougher than the above. That means even if everyone in the class gets 91%, I 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.  I 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" the exams, (and fills back in as a perfect score) up to 15% of the exam total:  it's thus a bonus that eases the pressure on exams. (That also means that missing clicker points has NO negative impact on your grade!)

 

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 me. 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 me about it! )   


Clickers: Most classes 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 15% of your total possible exam score (i.e. 6% of the total course grade, since exams nominally add up to 40% of your grade) The more clicker points you pile up, the less your exams will weigh, up to the max reduction%. If you miss a day, or get some wrong now and then - no worries. There is NO PENALTY for missing clicker points!

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