A student must pass the laboratory part of the course in order to pass the course.  Laboratory reports recorded in the laboratory manual will be graded on the basis of accuracy in recording and interpreting data, describing results, and answering questions associated with the laboratory exercise.  The passing grade for the laboratory is a 50% average.

A grade of zero will be assigned either for failure to perform an experiment or for failure to hand in a lab report on time.  The report on the experiment is due at the end of the class period.  If you arrive more than 10 minutes late, you will not be permitted to do the lab.  If you miss a lab, you must inform the instructor on the day you return to class.  A make-up lab must be performed during the next lab session when you report to class even without an official excuse, however, an official excuse must be presented within a week to have the report graded and the points recorded.  You will forfeit your make-up lab if you fail to make it up during the next lab period upon returning to class.

 

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

Class Attendance Policy

Each student is expected to attend all lectures, seminars, laboratories and field work for each registered course, including the first class session. Attendance is required to verify official enrollment and continuance in each course. When students are absent from class for authorized reasons such as death in the family, illness, hindrance by true emergency situations or University activities, they will be allowed to make up assignments/examinations that they missed. Instructors, of course, are not obligated to provide makeup opportunities for students who are absent, unless the absences have been officially approved. Official excuses can be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs. An officially excused absence, however, merely gives the individual who missed the class an opportunity to make up the work and in no way excuses him or her from completing the course requirements. Students receiving veterans’ benefits are required to attend classes according to the regulations of the Veterans Administration, in addition to those requirements set by the University for all students.

 

Instructors are required to keep an accurate attendance record for all students enrolled. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the University or drop a course, within the allowed timeframe, when this is the desired course of action.

 

      (All excuses, from a doctor, or of whatever form, should be turned in to the Office of Student Affairs AND NOT TO ME. I will only consider EXCUSES OBTAINED FROM THE OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS.  EXCUSES ARE DUE FOR MISSED CLASS ASSIGNMENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS ABSENT.  When you pre-inform me about the days on which you will be absent, and I consent to allowing you to take an early test, etc, do not take my consent to mean that I have given you the permission to be absent.  You will still have to obtain an official excuse from the office of Students Affairs for the missed days when you return in order for me to record your scores.)

 

WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE

 

A student may withdraw without penalty from a course prior to midterm.  The deadline date for withdrawing from a course (usually the Tuesday after midterm week) is stipulated in the academic calendar.

When a student, as a result of emergency circumstances, is forced to withdraw from a course after the established withdrawal date for the term, the student may petition, in writing, the dean of the school in which the course is offered for approval to withdraw from the course.  A student may not withdraw from a course after the deadline if he or she is failing.  The dean will contact the instructor to determine the student’s scholastic standing at the time of the request to withdraw.

If the student registers and decides not to attend class(es), or stops attending the class(es), the course must be officially dropped through the Registrar’s Office or a grade of “F” may be recorded by the instructor.

If the student improperly adds a course, and does not process a drop/add form through the Registrar’s Office, no credit will be allowed, and he or she will not receive a grade for the course.

 

 
HOMEWORK

 

The class will be divided into several groups with each group consisting of not more than 6 members. Each group will elect a leader who will keep record of attendance. At the end of a chapter, each group should schedule a meeting and solve the homework problems assigned for the chapter.  Every member of a group must record the solutions to the homework problems in his/her homework book. THE RECORDS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE MATHEMATICAL STEPS AND UNITS TO NUMERICAL PROBLEMS.

 

At the next class session, following the completion of a chapter, students will be called randomly to answer homework questions. The student answering the question should present the solution from his/her own homework book. The member will NOT be allowed to use the homework book of another student even though they may both belong to the same group.

 

5 points will be scored for each right answer and 0 point for a wrong answer.  All the members belonging to the group, except for students who did not attend the group session, or are absent on the homework session day, will be awarded that score.

 

When a student belonging to a group fails to give the right solution to a problem, the problem will be passed on to another group.  A question with multiple parts will be treated as separate problems.  Each student should listen attentively to the solutions given by members of other groups and compare them with theirs and, if necessary, make the corrections in their homework books.  HAVE YOUR HOMEWORK BOOK WITH YOU every time you come to class.

 

VERY IMPORTANT

 

A student who anticipates missing a homework session should submit his/her homework book through a member of the group to me.  However, an official excuse will be needed to record the graded work.  The solved problems will be graded without penalty (20 points).  However, points will be deducted for wrong answers.  A student who is absent during a homework session and submits his/her homework book later will be penalized.  The homework will be graded out of 15 if it is turned in 1 day later, out of 10 if turned in 2 days later, and will earn 0 points if turned in 3 or more days later.  The student must present an official excuse to have the scores recorded.  Zero points will be awarded a student who fails to participate in the group session and fails to answer a question correctly in a homework session.

 
CLASS PROJECT
 
The class will be assigned a project.  The project may constitute writing a research paper on a scientific topic or seeking the solution to a scientific problem.  Reports should conform to the format used in research paper writing learned in Eng 131/132.  That is, there should be an introduction, body, conclusion, and bibliography with references within the report relating to the sources of materials.
 
QUIZZES

 

Be prepared to take at least a quiz when you report to class each day.   There is no make-up quiz irrespective of the reason of absence, be it official or not.  The cumulative points earned (in percent) are bonus points that will be added to the total tests scores.

 

TESTS

 

There will be a test, consisting of 50 questions, after the completion of every two chapters.  The tests will be of the multiple-choice form and will cover the objectives of the chapters.

Make up Test

 

A student who misses a test will be eligible for a make up test, if and only if the absence is officially excused.  A make up test must be taken with in one week after returning to class.

 

FINAL EXAM

 

The final exam will be comprehensive. It will be of multiple-choice form.

 
EVALUATION

 

The following weights will apply to your overall grade:

 

Homework                   20%

Lab                              15%

Quiz                             bonus (only if present.  There is no makeup quiz even with an official excuse)

Project/Essay              10%

Tests                           30%

Final exam                   25%

 

 

GRADES

 

Note:  A score of 50% or more on the lab component is necessary before this grading scale is applicable.

 

Homework assignments, laboratory exercises, tests, project and the final examination will be weighted according to the chart above and will test objectives 1 - 31.

There will be a total of 50 questions on each test.  The final examination will consist of 100 questions.

 

In order to pass, you must achieve 50%. 

To receive a grade of “D”, you must achieve 50%.

To receive a grade of “C”, you must achieve 60%.

To receive a grade of “B”, you must achieve 70%.

To receive a grade of “A”, you must achieve 80%.