Mat200/Proof Writing Through Discrete Mathematics

Grading Policy (Spring 2017)

Course Title: Mat200/Proof Writing Through Discrete Mathematics

Instructor: Dr.Edward Conjura

Text:  Discrete Mathematics with Applications
       (4th edition)
       
       by- Sussana S. Epp
 
Syllabus: Selected topics from book as reflected in course
          syllabus (see link below)

Meeting Times & Places : Spring 2017 Semester 
                         Section 03 -M/R  09:30AM-20:50AM
                                     Room SC-P223    
                                     W    09:00AM-09:50AM
                                     Room SC-P223    

                         Section 04 -M/R  11:00AM-12:20PM
                                     Room SC-P223    
                                     W    10:00AM-10:50AM
                                     Room SC-P223    

                         SC-P = Science Complex-Math/Physics Wing

----------------------------

Mat200/Proof Writing Through Discrete Mathematics



Who Should Take This Course

	This course is required for all majors in the 
Department of Mathematics and Statistics. It is also required
for the Minor in Mathematics 




Course Philosophy/Main Goals and Objectives

	The main focus/goal of this course is to teach 
students how to do mathematical proofs. Proofs are 
at the heart of all Mathematics and knowing how to do 
proofs will be an expectation in most, if not all courses 
taken in the majors offered by the Department of Mathematics 
and Statistics.


 Course Syllabus for Mat200 




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.

   Class participation is a TCNJ contributing factor towards
grading. When absent from class or late to class, participation
can't take place. Therefore, 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, it will be considered late 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. 

   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. Assignments will generally be
made through the web. However, there will be assignments made
during lectures that do not appear on the web.
   
   Missing a test:
   
   There will be two tests and a final exam in this course.
There will also be some announced quizzes.
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 will generally 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. 

	In the case of quizzes, no makeups will be given but the
lowest quiz grade for the semester will be dropped. Like test
grades, combined quiz grades will also be graded on a curve with
the curve being no less than straight percentage.

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, 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 unsure of 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
checking over their written solution with another student. Do
not pass solutions to assigned work nor accept them from another
student unless approved teamwork has been allowed. Also, asking
a tutor for help on a homework problem is acceptable, but asking
a tutor for help on an assignment that will be collected and
graded will 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 may 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 me by the team. 

	Please note that even if you work as a team on assigned 
homework, at the end of the semester when the homework 
portfolio is collected, every student must submit an individual
Homework Portfolio.


Course Requirements and Grading

   Grades will primarily be based on: 
 
       Three exams (two scheduled individual exams 
                    and an individual final exam)

       Quizzes 
       
       Homework Portfolio (teamwork optional)

   Class participation and board work may contribute toward 
   improving your grade. Extra credit assignments will 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:


                  Test #1          100 pts / 22% (1hr 20min) 
                  Test #2          100 pts / 22% (1hr 20min) 
                  

                  Final Exam       150 pts / 33% (3hrs) 

                  Quizzes           50 pts / 11%

                  Homework
                  Portfolio         50 pts / 11% 

   
  Homework:  


   The Homework Portfolio must contain the following 
information on a cover page:

                    
  
                     name  
                               ( + names of other team members)
                               ( or only your name if individual
                                 work)

                     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
                         (both web and in class assignments)

                     dates due

                     lists of problems assigned (if appropriate)
                     

    The following must appear with the answers to homework questions:
    

                     chapter/section number (if appropriate)

                     the page number  (if appropriate)

                     problem number  (if appropriate)

                     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 table of content 
and 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:

   Homework 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. 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 and the supplement to the text
for this course. Please remember that sometimes the answers 
you see in your texts will not include the missing details 
that demonstrate logic and process and so simply submitting 
the answer found in the answer key may 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 on 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).

    

Last updated 1-16-2017