Grading Scheme for Physics Class

Projects Work Ethic Big Picture Checks Final Exam Standards 10% 10% 10% 10% 60%

Projects refer to large outside-of-class projects that are assigned once a quarter over several weeks, and are usually done in groups. More on these later Work Ethic refers to the grade you get for showing that you complete the work that is assigned to you in a timely and thorough manner, not whether it is correct. It applies to lab work, in class work, and the rare graded homework assignment. This does NOT apply to the vast majority of non-lab homework (which is not even collected) except for the rare case where I expressly stipulate otherwise. Even if you can demonstrate that you understand 100% of the concepts weve learned and also can demonstrate mastery at performing a lab and writing a lab write-up, you still cant earn that A without simply doing the work assigned in a timely fashion. So if you are a physics genius, but you are exceptionally lazy when it comes to being a student, the best you can earn is a B. If you are very hardworking but are struggling with the concepts, then you can consider this category free points that help your overall grade. The grading is simple, for every project that is not done on time and in a thorough manner, 1 of the 10 percentage points is lost. I allow for two freebies per semester. Big Picture Checks (BPCs) are assessments of your ability to connect learning from different units and put it all together to show deep understanding of the subject. These checks only come once every few weeks and are designed to separate the A students from the rest of the class. They show if you can see the forest through the trees, so to speak. Yes, as you do them, it does feel like you are simply taking a test. But since they are each worth only about 2% of your final grade, you neednt be concerned that your grade will be made or broken here. The Final Exam is graded like any other final exam youve ever taken. "Standards" refers to my SBG system for earning credit for actually understanding the material. Most standards are assessed using lab reports and quizzes, some using in-class work and some from the

occasional collected homework assignment (Yes, Ill let you know if Im going to collect something). Scores change as the semester goes on, and scores can drop as well as rise depending on your latest work. For the yearlong standards, assessment is on-going and A's can be earned and then lost. For the content standards only, once an A is achieved, no more work need be done on this standard, except on the BPCs and the final exam.