Grading System for Math 293 Section N3 for Spring/Summer 2016

Revised after class meeting on 5/23/2016

Grading for the course

Grading for the course is based on points earned on the five(5) tests (11.1-11.5, 11.6-12.3,13.1-13.5, 13.6-13.10, and 14), our comprehensive final exam (covers all previous work and chapter 15), and a departmental final exam. Each test is worth 100 points. The comprehensive final exam is worth 300 points. The class has suggested and agreed that the departmental final is important and that the experience of taking the departmental is worth exceptional effort. To that end, the class as agreed to take the departmental final on Monday, August 1, 2016, and to individually put forth their maximum effort to do well on this test. However, given the unique formulation of the test, the class has requested, and I have agreed, that the departmental final exam is worth 0 points toward the total points for the class. Thus, the maximum score is 800 points. Grades are assigned as

Total semester points	Assigned Grade
720 to 800	A
640 to 719.99	B+
560 to 639.99	C+
480 to 559.99	D+
0 to 479.99	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

With the exception of the deaprtmental final, all tests may be retaken. Grading for each test, the chapter tests and our comprehensive final, is based on a weighted rolling average of at most the last three times the test is taken by the student. 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 your previous version of that 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 following receipt of your request. Generally students sign up for a retake on the form I bring to teach class. This provision for retaking a test 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 14 test and on our comprehensive final. I am sorry about that, but grades are required to be submitted a day and a half after the final class. 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 after class and at other mutually acceptable times. I want you to succeed and I want to be there to help you understand the problems and the solutions.

Test availability

Our tests (but not the departmental final) are on the web site. They are available now, altough I retain the right to make changes in them at any time. Your will be notified, via email, if any such changes are made. [For the most part, I have to be able to do this in case someone finds an error in one of the problems. I do not expect to see any major changes.] 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 that 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]. Please note that you aree free to just schedule your original attempt on a test to be given in the testing center, even to the point of scheduling it ahead of the test in class.

Notes for tests

Tests and our comprehensive exam are closed book, with no access to or use of computers, phones, pagers, or any electronic devices other than the approved calculators. However, you may bring any personally hand-written notes to the test. These notes should be on standard 8.5x11 inch paper. 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. 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.

I have yet to be given the rules for the departmental final. I will pass those along as soon as I have been given them.

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 three but have 95's on the other four tests, a 255 on the final, and a 75 on the departmental final, then the student would have earned 710 points 4*95 + 255 + 75 = 380 + 330 = 710 and the resulting grade would be a C+.

Last time to take a test

All tests must be completed by 9:00 p.m. on August 1, 2016. Note that the testing center closes much earlier than that.

Return to the Main Math 293 page