Math 121 - Calculus for Biology I Fall Semester, 2003
	© 1999, All Rights Reserved, SDSU & Joseph M. Mahaffy San Diego State University -- This page last updated 01-Sep-03

 

This page will provide you with information on how the course will be graded. I do grade on a curve, which depends on your performance relative to the others in this class and on my experience with teaching the class for many years, using some variation of the policy that will be described in some detail below. At some point early in the semester, you will receive a confidential code name, which will be used to give information about how you are doing in class. About the time of the first exam, a complete listing of scores and your grade at that time, referenced by this code name, will be posted on my website.

The class consists of two lectures and one computer lab (2 hours) each week. Thus, the grading of the class is weighted 2/3 on quizzes and exams from the lecture, and 1/3 from the lab. (You will discover that there is a strong relationship between the material in the lecture and the material in the lab.)

Quizzes and Exams: Quizzes (20 pts) will be given every other Thursday (except exam weeks). It is your responsibility to work the homework problems that should provide some idea of what is expected in the quizzes. I will be deciding on a specific homework policy. There will be 4 quizzes during the semester, which are mainly used to see that you are keeping up with the homework as they only account for about 10% of your grade.

The majority of your grade is determined by hour long exams and the final (about 55% of your grade). There will be three exams (100 pts) during the course of the semester and a final (200 pts). No exam or quiz scores will be dropped. Should you have an illness or other reasonable excuse for missing a quiz or an exam, then you should notify me immediately so that arrangements can be made for a make-up. Contact me at either 594-3743 or by email mahaffy@math.sdsu.edu.

Lab: The computer labs will provide practical applications of Calculus to Biology and will constitute 1/3 of your grade. (Each lab will account for 3-4% of your total grade.) The labs will be worked in pairs  and attendance is mandatory (unless you receive an excused absence). Unless otherwise specified in class, the computer lab write-ups will be on Tuesday following the computer lab. Failure to attend lab without an excused absence will result in you having to work the lab alone. The lab instructor has the option of deducting 20% for any unexcused absences. If labs are not turned in by 5 pm on the Tuesday, then you will receive a deduction of 20% for turning in a lab on Wednesday and no credit after 5 pm Wednesday (unless special permission is given in advance by your lab instructor). You will drop your lowest lab grade for the semester.

There will be a lab final at the end of the semester that you will work on your own. It will be worth twice the amount of an individual lab and will cover material from the entire semester.