FAQs

1. How is the course "curved?" The course grading scale may be adjusted at the end of the semester. Individual exams and assignments are not curved. Currently, the letter grade cutoffs for the course are:

  • 93% A
  • 90% A-
  • 87% B+
  • 83% B
  • 80% B-
  • 75% C+
  • 65% C
  • 50% D

At the end of the semester, these cutoffs may be "lowered" (e.g. the B- cutoff may be 78% instead of 80%), but they will never be raised. Do not rely on any potential curve, as it is common for certain cutoffs to not change. If you want a certain letter grade, make sure you use the above scale.

2. Are individual exams curved? No, individual exams and assignments are not curved. If there is a "curve" in the course, only the course grading scale will be adjusted.

3. Can extra credit be earned? No, there is no extra credit in the course, so be sure to complete your assignments on time and do well on your exams and quizzes. However, we do drop your lowest written HW score, your lowest quiz score, and your two lowest WebAssign scores.

4. What happens if I miss an exam? If you miss an exam due to an illness or family emergency, be sure to contact the professor ASAP with your supporting documentation. If excused, your final exam score may take the weight of your missed midterm. This would make your final exam worth 50% of your course grade.

5. I have to leave campus before the final exam date. What should I do? You must take the final exam at the scheduled time, except under extremely rare circumstances. This time is set by the university registrar to avoid conflicts. Pre-purchased plane tickets or travel arrangments is not an excuse for missing the scheduled final exam time. Missing the final may result in a failing or incomplete course grade.

5. What should I do if I miss a recitation? Make sure you submit your HW to your TA before the due date. This can often be done digitally by scanning your HW as a PDF (or using an app that can convert pictures to printable PDFs). Late HW is otherwise not excepted. If you know your will miss a recitation due to university event (such as athletics, etc.), contact your TA to see if a make-up quiz can be scheduled. Otherwise, it will count as your single lowest dropped quiz grade.

6. How may quizzes and HWs do you drop? Your 1 lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Your 1 lowest written HW assignment will be dropped. Your 2 lowest WebAssign assignments will be dropped.