Grading policy - A&P2 Lecture
Course Grade Weighting
Assignment |
Option A |
Option B |
Option C |
Tests |
54.0% |
30.0% |
15.0% |
Final |
20.0% |
20.0% |
20.0% |
Homework |
0.0% |
0.0% |
19.0% |
Quizzes |
0.0% |
24.0% |
20.0% |
Case study |
5.0% |
5.0% |
5.0% |
Discussion |
10.0% |
10.0% |
10.0% |
Start of the semester quizzes |
1.0% |
1.0% |
1.0% |
Attendance |
10.0% |
10.0% |
10.0% |
Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
Course grade ranges |
|
A |
Greater than or equal to 90.000% |
B |
Greater than or equal to 80.000%, but less than 90.000% |
C |
Greater than or equal to 70.000%, but less than 80.000% |
D |
Greater than or equal to 60.000%, but less than 70.000% |
F |
Less than 60.000% |
Students will automatically be given the highest grading option at the end of the semester in lecture classes where more than one grading option is available. Lab classes have a single grading option.
I do not believe in curving grades as it is unfair to all students in the class and goes against my academic ethics, so please do not ask me at the end of the semester. The grade you earn is the grade you get.
It is the student responsibility to keep track of their grades and how each category affects their overall course grade. In the “Class/Course information and files” folder on iCollege there is a pdf file titled “How to calculate your lecture grade” for lecture classes” or “How to calculate your lab grade” for lab classes”. You can check that you correctly calculated your grade by emailing a picture of your completed “How to calculate your lecture/lab grade” file to Dr Hollier as an attachment in iCollege. Dr Hollier will verify your calculations but will not do them for you. Final course grades calculated by Dr Hollier will be the only valid course grades. If required, Dr Hollier will provide the course breakdown calculations to you to show how your course grade was generated.
Dr. Hollier will post current course averages each week in iCollege (this could occur at any point during the week, based on when Dr Hollier has time to post grades). This will represent the highest current average if more than one grading option is available. Grades posted each week represent your course average based on all assignments which had a due date on or before the previous Sunday at 11:59pm. Assignments will be dropped in the weekly course average only after you have one more assignment grade in that category than the number listed as being dropped. If you want to know how that average was calculated, complete the grade tracking file “How to calculate your lecture grade” for lecture classes” or “How to calculate your lab grade” for lab classes”. You will receive a notification / email in iCollege if your current average is less than 70% on the day or the following day after the grade is posted.
The course grade is based on the weightings listed in the course grade table above, and the policies in this syllabus for how many items are dropped in the different assignment types / categories (see table below). The iCollege gradebook is used to post grades to students, not to calculate grades. Subtotals in iCollege are automatically generated and are meaningless in regard to your overall course grade calculation. The subtotals iCollege automatically generates do not take into account grade weightings for different types of assignments, do not list values for all assignments, and/or may include assignments that have no course grade. You MUST calculate your course grade and average using the grade weighting in the course grade table and policies in this syllabus, not just simply adding up total points as listed in iCollege.
At the end of the semester, your course grade will be posted in iCollege as “[Short course name] Overall Course Grade”. [Short course name] will be the short name of your course, for example A&P1 Lecture or Micro Lab. This overall course grade applies the scores you earned on your assignments throughout the semester to the grade weighting listed in the “Course Grade Weighting” table above. It includes all grades, which includes extra credit. You can convert this numerical grade into a letter grade using the “Course grade ranges” table above. Subtotals in iCollege are automatically generated and are meaningless in regard to your overall course grade calculation.
Subtotals in iCollege are automatically generated and are meaningless in regard to your overall course grade calculation. The subtotals iCollege automatically generates do not take into account grade weightings for different types of assignments, do not list values for all assignments, do not assign a zero for assignments you did not complete, and/or may include assignments that have no course grade. Subtotals in iCollege are automatically generated and are meaningless in regard to your overall course grade calculation.
To view your course grade in PAWS you may need to complete the course survey(s) that are available in PAWS when they become. If the surveys are being given, then they must be completed for all courses that you took this semester before all grades will be displayed. The grades in PAWS will be viewable in PAWS according to GSU “Grades available to Students via PAWS” date as listed on the GSU website / calendar. I have no control over this date, which is why I post your numerical grade in iCollege.
GSU now uses a “Thank A Teacher Program” (https://cetl.gsu.edu/programs-grants-awards/thank-a-teacher-program/) in addition to the student evaluations located in PAWS:
Each semester, CETLOE collects thank you notes from students across the university to share with faculty. Students are invited to participate in the Thank A Teacher Program through announcements on their iCollege pages at the end of every semester, and they have responded to the invitation!
Notes collected through Thank a Teacher are shared with faculty at the end of each grading period and the response from faculty has been truly humbling. Many of them tell us that one note from a student made their whole semester worth it!
Students interested in writing Thank You Notes to their teachers will be able to do so in the last three weeks of any semester. Just log into iCollege during the last three weeks, and you’ll see a link to a form for your note. Please be aware that thank you notes DO NOT replace student evaluation of instruction, so be sure to take the time to complete that as well.
Faculty receiving notes should consider the note an official university communication and add the note to their teaching portfolios or annual review.
Questions about the Thank a Teacher program can be directed to Jennifer Hall (CETLOE Associate Director) at jenniferhall@gsu.edu
Number of assignments dropped
Assignment category |
Number of items dropped |
Tests |
2 |
Homework |
1 |
Quizzes |
1 |
Discussions |
Scores for 2 weeks values as posted in iCollege |
Attendance (number of weeks excused before absence authorization from the Dean of Students is required) |
Scores for 2 weeks values as posted in iCollege |
Case study |
0 |
Start of the semester quizzes |
0 |
Important topics extra credit tests |
0 |
Notes for dropped assignments
- The above table contains the accurate information for how many items of each assignment type are dropped in the course. This information supersedes any reference in other parts of this syllabus that may contradict this. Dr Hollier has done his best to ensure that this table is the only place where this information is listed.
- Assignments will be dropped in the weekly course average only after you have one more assignment grade in that category than the number listed as being dropped.