Grading System for Math 170 for Fall 2013

Grading for the course

Grading for the course is based on points earned on the four(4) chapter tests and the final exam. Each chapter test is worth 100 points. The final exam is worth 200 points. Thus, the maximum score is 600 points. Grades are assigned as

Total semester points	Assigned Grade
540 to 600	A
480 to 539	B+
420 to 479	C+
360 to 419	D+
0 to 359	F

You may note that grades such as B, B-, C, C-, D, and D- are not assigned. They will not be given. I can barely justify the assignment of the five grades noted in the table. A finer distinction is an absurdity!

Grading for tests

Grading for each test, the chapter tests and the final, is based on a weighted rolling average of at most the last three times the test is taken. Thus, if a student takes a test once then that is the test score. If a student takes a test and then does a retake of the test, the recorded test score is equal to one third of the sum of the first test score and twice the second test score. For example, taking a test and getting a score of 70 and then taking a retest and getting a score of 82 results in a recorded test score of 78, (70 + 82*2 )/3 = (70+164)/3 = 234/3 = 78 The recorded test score for taking a test and two retests is one-sixth of the sum of the first test score plus twice the second test score plus three times the third test score. For example, taking a test three times and getting scores of 70, 82, and 90 results in a recorded test score of 84, (70+ 2*82 + 3*90)/6 = (70 + 163 + 270)/6 = 505/6 = 84 The recorded test score for taking a test five times ignores the results of the first two tests and only does the weighted average of the final three tests. For example, taking a test five times and getting scores of 70, 82, 90, 90, and 96 produces a recorded test score of 93, the scores for the first two tests are ignored, (90 + 2*90 + 3*96)/6 = (90 + 180 + 288)/6 = 558/6 = 93
Note that with this system it is possible to raise your grade to 100 for a test score even if you bomb the test the first time. You just need to keep retaking the test until you get three 100's in a row.

Retaking tests

There are limitations related to taking retests but most of those limitations are merely time limitations. You may not even sign up to take a retest until the previous test has been graded and returned to you. After that you may request, in writing, a retest and that retest will be available by the next class meeting. This is really generous for the early tests because you have the rest of the semester to do retakes. As the semester progresses the time to retake a test diminishes to the point where there is little time to do retakes on the chapter 8 test and on the final. I am sorry about that, but grades are required to be submitted a day and a half after the final day of the semester. Still, this does mean that you have ample opportunity to get used to the testing style and to learn how to prepare for and take the tests. The other restriction is that if you have a grade of 75% or less on a test, you may not sign up for a retake unless you have seen me to go over the mistakes on the earlier test. I am available at mutually acceptable times, usually at the end of class or right after class. I want you to succeed and I want to be there to help you understand the problems and the solutions.

Test availability

The tests are, or will be, on the web site. They will be available at least one week before the scheduled date of the test. Note that every time you reload the web page for a test the system generates a new test (and, of course, a new answer sheet). You are free to practice the test as often as you like. When it is time to take the test I will simply go to the same web page and produce a written test for you. That test will have to be taken in class in the allotted amount of time and on the scheduled day. Taking tests on the material is part of the course and it is meant to be a learning experience. Class time is allocated for taking each test so there is no need to ask you to come to campus outside of the scheduled class time for essential class work. On the other hand, retests are made available as a courtesy and because things happen. It is your responsibility to find the time out of your schedule to take restests. Retests will be given in the testing center [this poses another limit to taking retests because the testing center is only open certain hours and it gets backed-up at the end of the semester].

Notes for tests

Tests and the exam are closed book, with no access to or use of computers, calculators, phones, pagers, or any electronic devices. However, you may bring any personally hand-written notes to the test. These notes should be written in a standard "blue book". You may not have any copies of other peoples notes or of pages from books or printouts from the web, etc. All notes must be your hand written notes. There is, however, no limitation to the number or such notes, nor on the number of "blue books" that you may use. For example, if you wanted to transcribe the textbook, or transcribe problems from the text along with solutions to those problems, or transcribe practice tests along with your notes and work on those tests, feel free to do so. I reserve the right to inspect your notes during any test and reserve the right to not accept any test or exam that you are taking if I find anything other than hand-written notes in your material, whether or not I actually see you using those unallowed notes on the test. The testing center will be instructed to follow the same rules.

Missing a test in class

Missing a test in class is not a particularly good idea, but neither is taking a test for which you are not at all prepared. If you miss a test in class then you will have to request, again in writing, that the test be made available in the testing center. Thus, missing a class test does not generate a score for the test but it does mean that you will have to spend time in the testing center to take it. Although missing a test does not give you an official zero score for the test, it also does not give you any points for the test. Since the final grade for the course is based on accumulated recorded points, completely missing a test has the effect of getting a zero. Thus, if a student were to miss test two but have 95's on the other three chapter tests and 185 on the final, then the student would have earned 375 points 3*95 + 185 = 285 + 185 = 470 and the resulting grade would be a C+.

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