Analytic Geometry and Calculus 16B (002 LEC) Spring 2015 Course Policy

Homework

Homework will be assigned weekly. The homework corresponding to material covered during a given week is due at the beginning of the following weeks discussion session. Homework will be posted on this site every Monday evening, giving you more than a full week to attempt it.

Assignments will be graded on a coarse scale based on spot checks for correctness and completeness. Your two lowest scores will be dropped. You may check your answers to odd-numbered problems in the back of the book, but you need to turn in solutions, not just answers. You may discuss the homework problems with your classmates, but you must write your solutions on your own. Doing the work yourself is crucial to learning the material properly. Make use of discussion sections, office hours, study groups, etc. if you need assistance, but in the end, you should still write up your own solutions.

I am aware that it is not hard to find solutions manuals on the internet. Copying said solutions on a homework assignment is illegal and will result in a negative grade for that assignment, and potentially in more serious consequences. (Also, it will not help you learn the material).

The homework load for this course is heavy at times, but it is essential for learning the material. Be organized, and don't leave things for the last moment. (You cannot complete the homework assignment if you start on the night before it is due.) Work in small installments, and ask questions in section and during office hours.

Quizzes will take place roughly every two weeks in discussion sections. They will last about 15 minutes, be of a similar difficulty to the homework and cover material from the two preceding weeks. You're lowest score will be dropped from your grade. Here is the quiz schedule:

Quiz	When
1	Week 3 (2/2 - 2/6)
2	Week 5 (2/18 - 2/20)
3	Week 7 (3/2-3/6)
4	Week 9 (3/16-3/20)
5	Week 12 (4/6-4/10)
6	Week 14 (4/20 -4/24)

There will be no make-up quizzes.

Exams

There will be two midterms and a final. Due to scheduling constraints it is not possible to give makeup exams. However, because of the grading scheme, you can miss one midterm, for whatever reason, without penalty. On the other hand, missing both midterms or missing the final will seriously harm your grade and make it very difficult to pass the course. Please check the dates now to make sure that you have no unavoidable conflicts!

• First midterm: Monday February 23 (10-11am).
• Second midterm: Friday April 3 (10-11am).
• Final exam: Tuesday May 12 (3-6pm).

Calculators and notes will NOT be allowed for the exams.

To obtain full credit for an exam question, you must obtain the correct answer, put a box around it, and give a correct and readable derivation or justification of the answer. Unjustified correct answers will be regarded very suspiciously and will receive little or no credit. The graders are looking for demonstration that you understand the material. To maximize credit, cross out incorrect work.

In general midterm exam grades cannot be changed. The only exception to this is then there has been a clerical error such as a mistake in adding the scores (if this is the case immediately inform your GSI) or if part of the solution has been accidentally overlooked by the grader. In RRR week I will set aside an afternoon when you can come and speak to me personally about any grading queries you have. Final exams cannot be regraded.

Disabled students requiring accommodations for exams must submit to the instructor a "letter of accommodation" from the Disabled Students Program at least two weeks in advance. Due to delays in processing, you are encouraged to contact the DSP office before the start of the semester.

Cheating is unacceptable. Any student caught cheating will be reported to higher authorities for disciplinary action.

Grades

Grades are calculated as follows:

Homework	10%
Quizzes	10%
First Midterm	20%
Second Midterm	20%
Final Exam	40%

Each of the above grades will first be curved into a number on a consistent scale. Section grades will be adjusted to account for differences between GSI's in quiz difficulty and grading standards. Your lowest curved midterm grade will be replaced by the curved final exam grade if it is higher. Finally, the curved grades are added up and converted into a final course grade.

Curving means that the difficulty of exams does not affect your grade: if an exam is extremely difficult, then a lower score will be sufficient to get an A, while if an exam is very easy, you might need an extremely high score to get an A. Experience shows that this is the most fair way to proceed. Very roughly the A/B boundary will be slighly above the upper-quartile, the B/C boundary will be slightly below the median and the C/D boundary will be around the lower-quartile.

Please note: incomplete grades, according to university policy, can be given only if unanticipated events beyond your control (e.g. a medical emergency) make it impossible for you to complete the course, and if you are otherwise passing (with a C or above).