Eff'n thar is enny quesshuns o' corncerns about gradin' policy, Please mail inquiries t' Billy Joe.Kolibal@usm, dawgone it.edu. Eff'n yo' need t'see me about a particular problem, please schedule an appoint.

Basis of th' Class Evaluashun

Etch student is assessed based on a cumulative point sco'e fum 0 t'100. Th' sco'e is based on examinashun papers, bonus points an' on class participashun (problem solvin'). The algo'ifm is explained unner th' topic Sco'in' an' Course Grades. Graduate students haf an addishunal projeck grade in mixed unnergraduate/graduate classes which is part of th' assessment an' some addishunal rules an' policies apply.

Examinashun Papers
Typically in a lower level class (100 -300 level) thar are at least four examinashuns, one of which cornsists of a midterm paper, an' one a comprehensive examinashun. In an upper level class (400 an' above) thar is only th' midterm paper an' a comprehensive examinashun paper. Dependin' on th' syllabus, in a graduate level class (500 an' above) addishunal projecks is assigned, cuss it all t' tarnation.

Th' midterm paper is aimed t'provide an extensive assessment of th' student's ability t'wawk wif th' material an' t'reason in an untimed environment. Th' midterm paper is allus a len'thy paper. an' th' student is usually given one week t'complete th' midterm paper. On account o' of this, th' level an' quality of wawk is specked to be high.

Th' comprehensive examinashun paper covahs all material which is discussed in th' course an' is usually given in class toward th' end of term, dawgone it. Other exams is specific t'topics o' chappers.

All in class examinashuns is open book, open notes unless otherwise specified, cuss it all t' tarnation. This hyar means th' quesshuns is designed t'tess reasonin' an' th' ability t'wawk wif th' material, ah reckon.

Etch paper o' exam is wo'th 100 points. Th' course grade is based on th' avahage sco'e obtained on all examinashun papers, plus bonus points which is arned fo' solvin' mo'e difficult problems less points deducked fo' failure t'participate in class.

Bonus Problems
Bonus problems is typically given as extry problems on examinashun papers, o' else is given durin' th' course of the semester, t'be turned in at th' required time. Bonus problems is mo'e difficult an' challengin' problems which are available fo' students t'gain experience beyond th' requirements of th' course. These problems usually have point values fum 1 t'10. Students is not required t'do these problems, but it is t'th' student's benefit t'attempp them on account o' they are counted af'er th' examinashun results is avahaged, cuss it all t' tarnation.

In classes wif a mixed graduate an' unnergraduate component th' bonus points is wo'th only ha'f as much fo' th' graduate students takin' th' course.

Class Participashun (Assignments an' Homewawk)
Thar is no credit given fo' homewawk assignments, howevah on account o' examinashun papers is based on th' material an' problems which is to be foun' in th' homewawk assignments, it is beneficial t'attempp all of th' problems. Furthermo'e, students is required t'be able t'solve o' attempp to solve homewawk problems in class. Failure t'participate in this hyar ackivity will result in th' lost of up to 5 points fum yer final sco'e.

Students is specked t' demonstrate an ability t'solve assigned problems in class an' will be penalized fo' failure t'participate.

Sco'in' an' Course Grades

Th' class grade is based on th' student's arned point sco'e fo' th' semester. This hyar arned point sco'e is computed usin' th' avahage of all points arned on papers t'which th' bonus points is then added, cuss it all t' tarnation. Fum this hyar sco'e, up t'5 points may be lost fo' failure t'participate in class wawk.

Determinashun of Class Grade
Th' class grade is assigned based on

• 90 -100 : A
• 80 - 90 : B
• 70 - 80 : C
• 60 - 70 : D
• 00 - 60 : F

Grades which fall on a grade boun'ary, fo' example a sco'e of 90, is decided at th' discreshun of th' instrucko' based on th' participashun of th' student in class.

Fo' graduate students in mixed unnergraduate/graduate courses (e.g, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells!, 400/500 level courses) th' highess grade arned is lessened by one letter grade an' th' addishunal graduate projeck grade is used t'determine whether th' assessment is raised one grade o' not.

Example student grades.

Further Considerashuns an' Rules

Late Papers
Enny material han'ed in late wifout havin' obtained prio' approval results in a 50% facko' bein' applied t'th' students sco'e on thet paper. Material han'ed in on over one week late wifout prio' approval is not accepped, cuss it all t' tarnation.

It is th' student's responsibility t'contack th' instrucko' concernin' enny schedulin' cornflicks which may result in late papers.

Considerashuns fo' th' Student
On account o' of th' impo'tance attached t'solvin' bonus problems an' on account o' no examinashun results is curved o' no'malized, it is strongly emphasized t'th' student thet they attempp as menny bonus problems as postible. These provide a mechanism fo' improvin' perfo'mance; howevah, unlike `curvin'' exam results, they require thet th' students take th' initiative t'improve their sco'es.

Th' examinashuns is struckured so thet wifout attemppin' t'solve enny of th' bonus problems th' avahage grade thet kin be specked by a student is a high C o' low B. Eff'n thar is a need fo' better grade, it is impo'tant t'attempp bonus problems.

In a lower level class th' fust exam will allus be befo'e th' drop date. This hyar allers students t'assess wifout penalty whether they desuhe t'continue wif th' class. In an upper level class, se'f-assessment is th' responsibility of th' student.