Guidelines —
A: Exceptional, superior. Content, clarity and conciseness are in upper 10% of expected student performance.
B: Undeniably above average; good to very good in media form. Content, clarity and conciseness can use mild improvement. Occasional errors say more about proofreading than mastery of grammar.
C: Average but acceptable. Meets basic expectations for content,
clarity and conciseness. Several errors indicate need to improve
grammatical and organizational skills. Student shows potential
to improve.
D: Weak, unfocused. Organization is below average; grammar and
spelling errors are unacceptable; work may reflect a lack of
understanding of the assignment.
NP: Unacceptable, well below expectations of an average student.
Serious errors in grammar, spelling, and organization.
Percentages —
Class participation: Showing up for every class and lab, showing up on time, meeting
deadlines, doing the reading and engaging in a bit of discussion
are all minimal requirements of every student. Merely meeting
that standard earns a C in class participation. Failure to meet
it risks a D or NP. A's and B's in class participation are earned
only by students who significantly surpass that minimum. A willingness
to accept constructive criticism and to incorporate it into revised
work is another component of class participation.
Optional rewrites: Some — not all — of the writing assignments early in the term may be rewritten after receiving your grade; this is optional. Notification of the option will be made only after the assignment is turned in, so each project should be treated as the final version and given your very best effort.
GTFs will specify details and will average the two grades, although there is no guarantee that the rewrite grade will be higher. Don't assume that a high grade can be ensured merely by touching up shortcomings noted on an original assignment of modest quality. Raising your grade may well entail improvements in structure, clarity, and focus, as well as technical details such as punctuation.
If you take the rewrite option, write REWRITE in the upper left
hand corner. Staple the rewrite on top of the marked-up original
and turn them in together.
"House rules" affect grading:
• Attendance is mandatory in lectures & labs. You must attend the lab you sign up for. If you must miss a class because of sickness or a true emergency, you are responsible for catching up on all details. Please do not contact me or your GTF and ask, what'd I miss? Instead, take the initiative to contact fellow students; I would get notes from at least two reliable sources. Then, if you have any questions whatsoever, by all means contact me or your GTF right away.
If you miss a lab, fail to pick up an assignment, and then show up unprepared for the next lab, you have effectively missed two opportunities to enhance your class participation grade.
• Coming to lectures or labs late or unprepared is considered rude and unprofessional.
• If you are late to lecture, please enter through the second door near the middle of the room and take the nearest seat as quietly and as unobtrusively as you can. Once the front door is closed at the beginning of the class, please do not pass through it on the way in.
• Please do not talk while I am trying to talk.
• Please fill up the seats from front to back. Thank you.
• As specified in Section 1, late assignments will be marked down one letter grade per day, so please plan your calendar with care. There will be no makeup for assignments that are missed altogether, except in cases of documented hardship or a medical problem. Written excuse required.