M W F; 10:10 - 11:00 pm
Molecular Biology

Douglas W. Smith

York 2722
BIMM 100

5254 Muir Biology Building

Fall, 2000
x42620; dsmith@ucsd.edu

Grading Policy

Three Step Policy and Procedure for Grading:

1. Grades are based on scores from 2 midterms and 1 Final Exam

Each Midterm is worth 25% and the Final Exam is worth 50% of the Total Course Score.

2. Final Exam scores are never dropped from Grade determination. However, students can drop one of the Midterm Scores. This is done as follows:

Three values of the Total Course Score are calculated, as follows:

a. Score 1 = First Midterm + Second Midterm + Final Exam.

b. Score 2 = 4/3 * [Second Midterm + Final Exam]. This excludes the First Midterm.

c. Score 3 = 4/3 * [First Midterm + Final Exam]. This excludes the Second Midterm.

The highest of these three Total Course Scores is then used as your Total Course Score.

NOTE: The 4/3 factor is needed because:

One Midterm + Final Exam = 3/4 [First Midterm + Second Midterm + Final Exam]

and the scores Score 1, Score 2, Score 3 need to have the same maximum totals.

3. If the mean for one of the Midterms is significantly lower than the mean on the other Midterm and on the Final Exam, the above procedure would result in exclusion of the Midterm with the lower mean for almost all students. This is equivalent to not having given this Midterm.

To avoid this, if this situation arises, the scores of the Midterm with the low mean are first normalized to yield a mean equivalent to that of the other Midterm and the Final Exam. The exam distributions are usually sufficiently close to normal distributions that skew problems can be ignored.

Then the procedures given in Step 2 above are carried out.

NOTE: Grades are given only at the end of the course. Plus and Minus grades are given. In case of "borderline cases", input from the TAs for the course regarding student performance in Discussion Sections can be meaningful. Grades given are based on the distribution of the Total Course Scores. "Natural break points" in the distribution are used in Grade assignments as much as possible. The mean in this distribution is usually in the B- range, and there are usually about 15% A's given. Very few students receive F's (the number, however, may not be zero).

If you have problems or comments, send email to Doug Smith

M W F; 10:10 - 11:00 pm	Molecular Biology	Douglas W. Smith
York 2722	BIMM 100	5254 Muir Biology Building
Fall, 2000		x42620; dsmith@ucsd.edu