Grading

Grading Policy

The grades you earn on all assignments and exams will determine your final grade in this course (see grading scale below). Assignments and exams are weighted equally. Please note that all points given in this course (including extra credit and bonus points) are numeric points, not percentage points.

To calculate your grade, sum the points you have earned for assignments and exams, as well as any extra credit and/or bonus points you have earned. Then divide by the total points possible for the course and multiply that number by 100. This will give you a percentage grade, which will allow you to determine your letter grade using the grading scale below.

Please note that under NO circumstances will I change the grading scale, bump up a grade, or add points for a student at the end of the semester. Final grades will be based on the number of points you earn (including extra credit and bonus points), no exceptions. There is no end-of-term negotiation period where students plea and barter for additional assignments or extra credit or for a better grade in the course.

I highly recommend that you keep track of your grades throughout the term so you can assess your grade on an ongoing basis. This tracking will prevent any surprises at the end of the session.

I also highly recommend that you talk with me early in the term if you are struggling with the course or if something happens that may interfere with your ability to perform well in the course (e.g., severe illness, hospitalization, pregnancy / having a baby). If you come to me early, we can discuss ways to help you perform well in the course. If you wait until the end of the semester, it is likely that little or nothing can be done for you at that point.

Grading Scale

A: 94 – 100%

B+: 88 – 93%

B: 82 – 87%

C+: 76 – 81%

C: 70 – 75%

F: < 70%

Note that a grade of C or higher is required for all Psychology majors and minors.

Extra Credit Opportunities

You may earn up to 10 extra credit points for this course for the semester by 1) participating in studies currently being conducted by researchers in the Department of Psychology, 2) completing article summaries, and/or 3) completing 2 additional assignments.

Participation in Sona Studies: Computer sign-up for the psychology studies in which you may participate is located on Sona at http://etsu.sona-systems.com (see the “Using Sona-Experiment Participation” guide on D2L). After you create a username and password, you may browse through the studies being offered and sign up to participate in different studies. Studies conducted in a laboratory are worth substantially more credit than online surveys. The number of Sona credits you earn are the number of extra credit points that will be applied to your grade. Participation in Sona studies must be complete by 11:59pm on Friday, August 12.
Article Summaries: You may also earn extra credit by completing a 2-3 page summary of an empirical research article pre-approved for this course (see D2L for the articles) per credit needed. One summary counts for 2 extra credit points. You must provide an APA style citation for the article that is being summarized within your summary. These summaries must be completed and submitted to the D2L dropbox no later than 11:59pm on Tuesday, 11:59pm on Tuesday, August 9th.
Completing Extra Assignments: In addition to the two assignments you are required to complete, you may complete an additional two assignments. Each one is worth 5 extra credit points. These must be submitted by 11:59pm on Tuesday, August 9th.

You may combine any of the options above to earn up to 10 extra credit points toward your final course grade. Please note that all extra credit points are raw points, not percentage points. Any extra credit points you earn will be added to your points total at the end of the term.

Bonus Points

Each student will begin the session with 3 bonus points. You will get to keep these bonus points as long as you do not ask me any questions that can be answered by either referring to this syllabus or to the announcements on D2L (under “News”).

These points are like extra credit points and will be added on to your points total at the end of the term (along with any extra credit points you earn).

If, however, you ask me a question that can be answered by referring to this syllabus or to the announcements on D2L, you will lose these bonus points.

This is not meant to discourage you from speaking to me, but rather to encourage you to seek out answers to simple questions yourself and to keep me from answering the same questions over and over again (a particular pet peeve of mine).

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you have that cannot be answered in the syllabus, with any concerns you have, or if you need assistance.

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