Your grade is based on the following items:
| Assessment Item | With no optional paper | With optional paper |
| GROUP WORK | ||
| Big Class activities (participation) | 7 % | 7 % |
| Discussion (participation points, including discussion section assignments) | 5 % | 5 % |
| Laboratory (participation points, including discussion section assignments) | 5 % | 5 % |
| Big Project: Final Report (done in laboratory) | 5 % | 5 % |
| Performance Assessment (done in laboratory) : | 2 % | 2 % |
| Group Process Activities (ground rules, interim evaluation, and final evaluation) | 6 % | 6 % |
| EXAMINATIONS | 0 | 0 |
| First Hour Exam | 17 % | 14 % |
| Second Hour Exam | 17 % | 14 % |
| Lab Final Exam | 12 % | 10 % |
| Final Exam | 24 % | 22% |
| Oprional Paper | 0 | 10 % |
| 1 | 1 | |
Two unusal items in the grading scheme merit some discussion.
The optional paper is a 3-5 page paper due in May which is related to the class. A set of possible topics will be distributed in May. If you do the optional paper, it counts - and it can hurt your grade. For example, if you have a B average in the class, you do the optional paper, and earn a C- on it, your course grade will suffer.
The lunar log is not listed above because it will factor into your exam grades. One of the discussion section assignments requires you to obtain records of the phases of the moon over a one-month period. If you obtain these data from an almanac or from the world wide web, they count as a regular discussion section assignment. If you obtain these data by making the observations yourself, then you will have completed a lunar log, which can earn you ten extra points on your lowest course examination - the first hour exam, the second hour exam, or the lab final. You will only earn credit for the lunar log if you:
For more information on the lunar log, see the lunar log web page.