// Points you can earn in this course
Here are the points that will be available for you to earn throughout the semester:
- Daily Quizzes
Drop three lowest/absent
2 points each x 25 Daily Quizzes = 50 Points - Homework Quizzes
Drop one lowest/absent
10 points each x 5 Homework Quizzes = 50 points - Midterm Exams
100 points each x 2 Midterm Exams = 200 points - Final Exam
200 points x 1 Final = 200 points
I may occasionally offer small extra credit opportunities to the class for attending seminars, reading articles, watching videos, or other things, for a maximum of 20 possible extra credit points per student. All extra credit opportunities will be available to the entire class. I reserve the right to consider class participation and presentations when determining borderline grades.
// How will course grades be determined?
If you show an A-level mastery of calculus in this class, then you will get an A for the course. The same goes for any other grade you might earn in the course.
At the end of the semeter, I will determine your grade by adding up the total number of points that each student earned throughout the course, ranking those numbers from highest to lowest, and considering the difficulty and expectations of the course to determine where fair cutoffs are for A-level work, B-level work, and so on.
// Is there a curve?
There is no such thing as a “curve” in my classes, because I do not use the arbitrary scales that you may have been used to in high school (the old “80 percent is an B,” etc). I will give you letter grades on quizzes and tests so that you have a sense of how you are doing in the class. I do not use Canvas to post numerical approximations of your grade throughout the semester, but you can always look at a weighted average of your own performance on quizzes and tests to estimate how you are doing in the course. In addition, I am happy to talk to you in person about your grades at any time.
Most importantly, you are not competing with each other; the grades of other students in the class have no absolutely no bearing on your grade. You’re either doing A-level work, or you’re not; how other people happen to be doing in the class cannot change that. I am perfectly happy to give you all A’s if you each perform at that level. Work together and help each other!
// How can I approximate my grade right now?
You can easily approximate your grade in Math 232 at any point during the semester, as well as make predictions about your likely final grade based making future goals. Just compute a “GPA” based on the letter grades you have received so far, and those you hope to receive in the future. You can use an online tool such as the one at back2college.com and weight things correctly by entering the number of points for each type of assignment as the “Credit Hours”; see the example below.
// Withdrawls
The last day you can drop a class without anything appearing on your transcript is the university Course Adjustment Drop/Add deadline of January 17. After that, you can drop a class and get a “W” on your transcript until the university Withdrawl deadline of March 17. In extraordinary situations, grades of “WP” or “WF” can be given after the Withdrawl deadline, at the instructor’s discretion. In my classes “WP” grades can only be given if the student has a current average of “C-” or better in the class at the time of withdrawl. Please discuss your situation with your academic advisor before withdrawing from this or any class.