Mat127/Calculus A (BioCalculus)
Grading Policy (Fall 2016)
Return to Grading Policy Menu
Course Title: Mat127/Calculus A (BioCalculus)
Instructor: Dr.Edward Conjura
Text: BioCalculus
by- Stewart & Day
Syllabus: Selected topics from book as reflected in course
syllabus (see link below)
Meeting Times & Places : Fall 2016 Semester
Section 10 -M/R 09:30AM-10:50AM
Room SC-P229
W 09:00AM-09:50AM
Room SC-P229
Section 11 -M/R 11:00AM-12:20PM
Room SC-P229
W 10:00AM-10:50AM
Room SC-P229
SC-P = Science Complex-Math/Physics Wing
----------------------------
Mat127/Calculus A (BioCalculus)
Who Should Take This Course
This course is a special section of Calculus A
designed for Biology Majors. The calculus topics covered are
almost identical to those covered in other sections of
Calculus A, but the major difference between this couse and other
sections of Calculus A is that the majority of the examples
covered will focus on the life sciences. There are one or two
topics in the other Calculus A sections that we will not
cover. However, we will also cover a few topics in this course
that are not included in the other Calculus A sections.
It is also worth noting that the text we are using will serve
as an excellent reference for any biology or science major
who has an interest in doing more advanced study in the
quantitative methods side of the applied sciences.
It is also important to note that students taking this course
will meet the prerequisite requirements for the Calculus B & C
courses taught at TCNJ.
Course Philosophy/Main Goals and Objectives
The main focus/goal of this course is to teach
students the basics of the calculus for real-valued functions
of a real variable, and use examples from the life sciences to
motivate the calculus topics being covered. The following link
lists the topics covered in the standard calculus course.
Most but not all of these topics will be covered in this course,
and a few topics covered in this course do not appear in the
normal syllabus. This is an experimental course, and if it is
successful, a revised syllabus will be created for subsequent
offerings of BioCalculus.
Course Syllabus for Mat127
Attendance and Grading
This course is graded on a "letter grade" basis and your
grade will primarily be determined by tests, quizzes, homework
and participation. Tests, quizzes, and homework will form the
foundation for grading. However, class participation and work
ethic may also be used to improve or lower a grade.
I personally believe that it is impossible to do well,
or even pass this course without attending scheduled classes.
I also realize that sometimes events occur that may result
in you missing or being late for a class. We all get sick,
and sometimes things come up that require a change in schedule.
If you provide me with an acceptable reason for missed time, I
will accept it. However, as the following policy makes clear,
I do reserve the right to lower your final grade for excessive
unexcused absences or tardiness due to your lack of regular
participation in the course.
Three or more unexcused absences could result in a drop in
grade by as much as one letter. The same is true for five or
more times being late to class without a valid excuse.
An unexcused absence will also count as you being late.
For example, if you are late three times and absent twice
without acceptable excuse, your course grade could be lowered.
However, if you are absent twice and late only once without
acceptable excuse, it would not be since your late total would
only be three.
Late or Missed Work:
Work missed because of an unexcused absence will, if accepted,
be marked late; with a percentage of the total credit deducted.
Assignments must be submitted in class unless other
arrangements have been established, such as submission through a
computer interface.
Work left in a mailbox (electronic or otherwise) or slipped
under a door, etc may not be accepted and will be considered
late until submitted in the required manner.
If you miss the beginning of class and walk in at any time
during class to hand in work, or you leave class early without
my permission, you will be considered absent unless
a valid excuse is provided. If you are not in class to hand in
work, but give it to someone else to submit, the same applies.
Any work required when you are absent without an excuse will
be assigned a grade of 0.
Responsibility For Knowing About Assignments:
Each student is responsible for assignments made by the
professor whether or not he/she is present during the class
period when assignments are made. Some assignments will be
made through the web and in the electronic homework system
called Webassign. However, there will be assignments made
during lectures that do not appear on the web or in
Webassign that you will be responsible for.
Missing a test:
There will be two tests and a final exam in this course.
Missing any one of them could have a serious impact on your
final grade. The only way a makeup will be given is if the
reason for missing the exam is very serious. If you are sick,
a doctors excuse may be required.
Not feeling well and stopping by the
college infirmary may not be accepted as a reason
for a makeup. You must also notify me as soon as possible if you
believe you will be unable to take an exam; preferably prior to
when the exam is given but certainly within 24 hours of the exam
time and date. If possible, a makeup date should be set within
24 hours of the date and time the test is given. If the test is
graded and returned and the test is not made up, in general a
makeup will not be given. There will be no makeups given for
missed quizzes. A makeup will not be given for collected
written assignments unless a valid excuse is provided.
As mentioned, there will also be some announced quizzes.
In the case of quizzes, no makeups will be given but the
lowest quiz grade for the semester will be dropped.
Work Submitted and Grading
Standards for Work Submitted
Your work will be graded on the basis of content
(correctness) and other academic and professional standards
(academic honesty, timeliness, neatness, organization,
presentation style and completeness). For example, paperwork
submitted should be stapled, with no rough edges. In the case of
the homework portfolio (described below in more detail),
it must be in a 3-ringed binder. Also, there should
be nothing crossed out and it should be readable.
In general, work should be done in pencil or on
a computer so that minor errors can be corrected neatly.
Credit will be deducted for failure to do any of the above
and/or the work will be returned as unacceptable,
depending on the extent and/or frequency of the problem.
Acadmeic Dishonesty
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Any case of
academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to college
policy, with minimal recommended punishment generally being a
grade of "F" for the course.
VERY IMPORTANT: Reference to any outside source must
be provided with each assignment. Failure to do so will be
considered as plagiarism.
If you are ever uncertain as to whether or not your behavior can be
considered as cheating, please check with the professor for an
interpretation. For example: for problem sets, students are
strongly encouraged to collaborate in planning and thinking
through solutions, but must write up their own solutions without
simply copying the written solution from another student. Do
not pass on solutions to assigned work nor accept them from another
student. Also, asking a tutor for help on a homework problem
is acceptable, but asking a tutor to do an assignment for you
that will be collected and graded for regular or extra credit
will be consider a case of ACADEMIC DISHONESTY!
Teamwork
In this course you will be allowed to work in teams on
homework. You will find that working in teams will improve
your learning ability and it will develop interpersonal skills
that are essential for success in the "real world".
If approved teamwork is done, the names of all team
members must be listed in the documentation for work done.
It will be assumed that the percentage of work that each
member contributed to the final product is equal. If this
is not the case, differences in effort should be reported
to the professor by the team.
Course Requirements and Grading
Grades will primarily be based on:
Three exams (two scheduled individual exams
and an individual final exam)
Quizzes
Written Homework (teamwork optional)
Webassign Homework
Class participation and board work may contribute toward
improving your grade. Extra credit assignments may also be
made available to all students in the class.
The point weight toward the final grade of each of the above
will be as follows. Due to unforeseen events, the weights
below may be adjusted, but in this case an explanation for
the change will be provided.
Test #1 100 pts / 21.1%(1.3hrs)
Test #2 100 pts / 21.1%(1.3hrs)
Final Exam 150 pts / 31.5%(3hrs)
Quizzes 50pts
Webassign Homework 45pts
Homework Portfolio 30pts
________________________
Total 125 pts / 26.3%
Important Note: The final total of 125 will not change
for the above three activities.
However, individual totals
may vary dependent of factors
such as the number of quizzes
given.
=====================================
Grand Total 475 pts /100%
Homework:
Homework will take two forms. The first form is electronic
and will be done through the Webassign Electronic Homework
System. Each student will work the same type of problem, but
different students will be given different specifics for the
same problem.
Due dates and times will be made for each Webassign assignment
and if work is not completed by the date and time set, a grade
of 0 for each problem will be recorded.
You will be allowed to rework Webassign problems as many times
as you wish to.
The second form of homework will be paper and pencil type
that are assigned directly from the text. These assignments WILL
NOT be collected during the semester (except for pretests), but
will become part of a Homework Portfolio that will be collected
at the end of the semester.
The written Homework Portfolio must contain the
following information on a Cover Page:
person's name
Note: If you worked as a team for the
entire semester, then each person
must still submit an individual portfolio, but
the portfolio must also contain the
names of other members of the team.
course prefix, course number, course name
and section
course meeting days/times
(including semester)
course meeting location
instructors name
The Homework Portfolio must also include a table of content, which will note
assignment titles/descriptions
dates due
lists of problems assigned (if appropriate)
The following must appear with the answers to written
homework questions:
chapter/section number (if appropriate)
the page number (if appropriate)
problem number
problem statement
(at least enough of the problem statement
so a reader or grader can make sense
out of it)
Also, problems must be listed in the homework portfolio in
the order assigned.
REMEMBER: Neatness is a virtue.
Don't use pen unless you plan
to do perfect work! If you use pen and have
excessive cross out corrections, points will be
deducted
Homework:
Webassign homework and homework from the textbook will be
assigned for each topic covered in the course. In general,
it will serve as a basis for exams, and by doing homework
you are reinforcing your learning and preparing for the
tests/quizzes. Webassign assignments will have due dates.
Textbook homework will not be collected on a daily
basis but at the end of the semester a Homework Portfolio
will be collected from each individual
and graded according to a rubric.
The following rubric will be used in the grading of
the Homework Portfolio.
Rubric used to grade Homework Portfolio
Basis for Test Questions:
In all cases exam/quiz questions will be based on material
found in the homework assignments, class notes, and the
text.
The Required Nature of Your Answers on Homework:
A VERY important thing to remember in this course is that
final answers are of no value without supporting work. Simply
stating a final answer, without supporting evidence, will
generally be graded as a failing effort.
Your work must include the logic used, and the process
followed in arriving at the final answer in order to be
considered for full credit.
Please note that correct textbook problem answers can
be found in the back of the text for some of the problems.
Please remember that in almost all cases the answers
you see in your texts do not include the missing details
that demonstrate logic and process and so simply submitting
the answer found in the answer key in general will not result
in full credit.
How Final Grades are Assigned
Final grades will be based on a 'curve' but cutoffs will not
exceed straight percentage (e.g. cutoff for an A will be no more
than 90% of total points, no more than 80% for a B, 70% for a C,
and 60% for a D). Homework will generally be graded close to
a straight percentage basis and in-class tests/quizzes will be
graded on a curve which is <= straight percentage.
During the semester only letter grades will be assigned
(e.g. A, B, C, D and F). At the end of the semester, final
grades will include +/- grades (e.g. A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+,
C, C-, D+, D and F).
Return to Grading Policy Menu
Last updated 7-27-2016