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Grading (August
1, 2020) General Information A
student’s final grade for the course will be based upon the total number of
points earned. Students shall have the
opportunity to earn a minimum of 1000 points that are divided between those
available via the lecture component of the course and those through the
laboratory component, The pertinent
details are provided below. In
brief, the lecture component is worth 80% of a student’s course grade. The laboratory component is worth 20% of a
student’s course grade. There are a
few “built-in” opportunities to earn bonus points (see below). However, a student’s final course grade is
based upon an absolute scale, i.e., there is no curving of this scale. Moreover, a student’s success in the
laboratory must meet certain levels to receive a particular final course
grade. These details are discussed in
the relevant sections below. Students
need to take note that all examinations, quizzes, and other graded activities
(e.g., SmartBook assignments, LabSmart
exercises, etc.) shall be administered via the CONNECT learning
platform. Most examinations and
quizzes shall take place in the class room, therefore students must possess an
appropriate laptop computer to take this course. In addition, most examinations and quizzes
shall be electronically proctored.
Details regarding the proctoring procedure shall be detailed at a
later time. Lecture Grade Components Examinations. Dates for examinations have been
established (see Lecture
Schedule). These dates are subject
to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
Five
examinations will be given throughout the semester. The first four are worth 100 points
each. The last exam, which shall be semi-comprehensive,
is worth 125 points. Collectively, all
five examinations are worth 525 points towards a student’s course grade. Take
note: each student in each lecture session shall not have the same version of
the examination. Typically,
examinations shall be mainly comprised of multiple-choice questions, true/false
statements, and matching problems.
However, fill-in-the-blank type questions and short essay questions
may be used as well. These
examinations will focus solely on material covered since the previous
examination, yet current material often builds upon that previously covered
in the course. The last examination is
semi-comprehensive mainly covering recent material, but it will include a
number of questions covering previously presented information. Students must understand two important
course policies regarding the examinations: i) Make-up
examinations will be given ONLY at Dr. Cooper’s discretion upon either
verification of an “excused absence” or an acceptable extenuating
circumstance. Make-up examinations may
take any form, including the use of oral or essay questions. ii) Except for extenuating
circumstances, it is unacceptable for a student to request to take an
examination at a time other than scheduled.
Having a second examination, or
even a third examination, the day before, the day after, on the same day of
the scheduled microbiology examination is not even remotely a rational or
valid reason to request a change in the microbiology examination date. (Out of curiosity, did you ask the other
instructor to change the date of their examination?) Moreover, a request to take an examination earlier/later for vacation,
holiday, or like purposes is entirely unacceptable. The latter is especially true of the final
examination. Do not make plans to
finish the semester earlier than 10:00 AM on December 11th. Requests to take Exam V on a different
day/time shall not be honored. CONNECT SmartBook
Exercises. For each chapter covered, students should
complete an assigned SmartBook exercise via
CONNECT. The dates that these
exercises are opened and closed have been scheduled (see the table below and Lecture
Schedule). All exercises will be open
at 8:00 AM on the stated date and close at 10:00 AM on the stated date. The deadlines are firm – there shall be no
extensions! Each exercise will
incur a significant amount of time to complete. Therefore, plan accordingly. Collectively, the exercises are worth 175
points towards a student’s course grade.
Partially completed exercises earn partial credit. Non-submission of an exercise for any
reasons will result in a score of “0” for that assignment. SmartBook Assignments on CONNECT
Quizzes.
Students shall have two chances to take the assigned weekly quiz. The first opportunity shall be in
class. However, due to the current
circumstances pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic, a new feature will be
implemented this semester for BIOL 3702 and BIOL 3702H – the “Second Chance
Quiz”. The Second Chance Quiz” shall be
made available to students who miss an in-class quiz due to their absence, or
to any student who did not fare well on the in-class quiz. Both types of quizzes are worth the same
number of points and cover the same material.
Also, please take note of the following items: 1)
Each student in each lecture session shall not have the same
version of the in-class or Second Chance quiz. 2)
Each quiz shall be mainly comprised of multiple-choice
questions, true/false statements, and matching problems. 3)
Quizzes will focus solely on material assigned for that
particular week. 4)
If a student takes both types of quizzes, only the highest
score shall be counted towards a student’s total course score. 5)
In-Class Quizzes and Second Chance Quizzes can never be “made
up” regardless of reason. Because
students have two chances to take the weekly quiz, the excused absence policy
does not apply to either quiz.
Extenuating circumstances may be considered by Dr. Cooper, but his
decision is final. In-Class
Quizzes: Dates for
eleven (11) in-class quizzes have been established (see Lecture
Schedule). These dates are subject
to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
These
quizzes are worth 5 points each. A
missed/unsubmitted quiz will incur a score of “0”. However, this grade component is worth 50
points total. Hence, if a student
misses one in-class quiz, no real harm will occur to the student’s course
grade. Missing more than one quiz may
have an impact upon the number of points a student can earn. However, a student does have an opportunity
to take a Second Chance Quiz regardless if the in-class version was submitted
or not. As a reminder, there are no
make-up chances for the in-class quiz. Second
Chance Quizzes: Second Chance Quizzes have been scheduled for specific days and times, usually on a
Friday through to Saturday at noon.
Please refer to the Lecture
Schedule for specific dates and times.
These quizzes are worth 5 points each. A
student may take a Second Chance Quiz regardless if the in-class version was submitted or not.
If a student scores better on the Second
Chance Quiz than the in-class version, then the former score shall be
recorded for that week’s quiz score.
If a student scores worse on the Second Chance Quiz, then the score of
the in-class version shall be recorded. As a reminder, the privilege to take the
Second Chance Quiz is a one-time opportunity not subject to the excused
absence policy. That is, there are no
make-up chances. Active Learning Activities: Five (5) in-class activities have
been scheduled. The specific details
shall be provided by Dr. Cooper at the time of administration. Each activity is worth 10 points, thereby
contributing a potential 50
points towards a student’s course grade. Bonus Points.
There is
no inherent right for “bonus points”. Bonus points are only a courtesy that may be extended to students. Please
take note of the following: ·
The availability of “bonus points” is wholly at Dr. Cooper’s
discretion. Usually, examinations and
the occasional quiz include one or more bonus points. ·
Students MUST NOT ask for bonus points or special
projects to earn bonus points. Such requests
will be denied. ·
Bonus point opportunities are never able
to be “made up”. If a student misses
them by being tardy, absent, or otherwise, the opportunity is gone. ·
Known “bonus point” opportunities include the following
non-mandatory elements: o
Assessment Quiz. Students cannot study for this in
class quiz to be given during the first week of classes (see Lecture
Schedule). There will be no extensions
or “make ups” granted if the quiz is not submitted. o
Prep Microbiology exercise
(available via CONNECT). This exercise is worth
10 bonus points – 1% of the course grade.
It is available on August 17th at 8:00 AM and is due on
August 28th at 10:00 AM (see Lecture
Schedule). This is a firm deadline
with no possible extensions. o
Syllabus Acknowledgement and Liability
Waiver. Submission of these elements by the stated
deadlines will earn a student one (1) bonus point each. See the “Syllabus Related Assignment” file
in CONNECT to complete these requirements. BIOL 3702L Laboratory Grade Components Safety Quiz.
This quiz, worth 15 points towards a student’s overall laboratory
score, will cover those important safety items and rules as presented by the
laboratory instructor. Please refer to
the web page BIOL
3702L Laboratory Safety Rules and Procedures. IMPORTANT NOTE: Any
student not scoring at least 12 points on the safety quiz shall not be
permitted to participate in any laboratory activity. The student must repeat taking the quiz (a different
version) until a minimum score of 12 or better is achieved. Pre-Lab
Quizzes. Nine (9)
scheduled pre-lab quizzes (meaning before attending a
laboratory session), worth 10 points each, have been
scheduled. The scores of these
quizzes will be counted for a total of 90 points
towards a student’s overall laboratory grade.
The quizzes will cover the material provided in the laboratory
instructions for the exercise(s) performed or to be
performed that day/week. These
pre-lab quizzes must be taken prior a scheduled
laboratory period in which the student is enrolled and has been
assigned. Quizzes will normally
(but not always) be available via CONNECT sometime on the Friday before the
following week’s laboratory exercises.
That is, if a student is assigned the 8:00 –
9:30 AM laboratory session on Wednesdays, the quiz must be taken prior to
8:00 AM that day. However, take note,
due to holidays and the coronavirus pandemic interfering with a normal
semester schedule, some particular pre-lab quizzes
for specific laboratory sections shall be given at different times. Regardless, no exceptions to this
submission deadline shall be granted. Students are encouraged to confirm the
individual quiz deadlines on CONNECT. Laboratory
Reports.
These reports are
worth a total of 100 points towards a student’s overall laboratory
grade. Note: At this time a plan for
paperless submission of reports is being considered. Details will be provided at
a later date. Regardless,
unless otherwise noted by the laboratory instructor, laboratory reports
submitted after the time stated by the instructor shall not be accepted and a score of “0” shall be recorded. Skills
Tests. These exercises, worth a total of 45 points
towards the overall laboratory grade, are designed to assess a student’s
mastery of particular microbiological skills.
The particular instructions for these Skill Tests shall described in
handouts provided as links in the laboratory web page. The Skill Tests to be
performed this semester and their point values are as follows:
Microscopy (5 points); Streak Plate (5 points); Gram Stain (5 points); and
Bacterial Unknowns (30 points). Again,
however, at this time a plan for paperless submission of reports is being considered.
Details will be provided at a later date CONNECT
LearnSmart Laboratory Exercises. Students are to
complete three Learn Smart Laboratory Exercise, each worth 10 points (a total
of 30 points towards the overall laboratory grade). The dates that these exercises are open and
closed have been scheduled (see BIOL 3702L Schedule of
Laboratory Activities; see also the composite Lecture
Schedule). All exercises will be
open at 8:00 AM on the stated date and close at 5:00 PM on the stated
date. These exercises will incur a
significant amount of effort on a student’s part – about 1 to 1.5 hours each.
Therefore, students should plan accordingly. Deadlines
for these exercises are firm and will not be changed or extended upon a
student’s request. Partially completed exercises will earn partial
credit. An exercise not submitted on
time will incur a score of “0”. Laboratory Etiquette/Citizenship.
This grade element, worth a total of 20 points towards the overall
laboratory grade, represents a subjective assessment by the laboratory instructor
regarding a student’s demeanor in the lab, including collegiality, ability to
follow instructions, cooperation in keeping the lab neat and clean, following
instructions (especially safety guidelines), etc. Bonus Points.
There is
there an inherent right for bonus points. At the discretion of the laboratory
instructor, bonus points may be
made available. Students MUST NOT
ask for bonus points or special projects to earn bonus points. In addition, bonus point opportunities are never able to be “made
up”. If a student misses them by being
tardy, absent, or otherwise, the opportunity is gone. Laboratory Grade Policy.
Laboratory
Grades Matter! As a reminder, the laboratory section of
this course is worth 20% of the overall BIOL 3702 course grade, or 200
points. However, the grade components
for BIOL 3702L comprise various opportunities to earn 300 points. Therefore, the total number points earned
by a student in BIOL 3702L will be normalized (i.e., proportionally
converted) to represent 20% of the course grade. Regardless of the number of points a student
has accumulated in this course, the following policy applies to a student’s
final course grade. ·
Students who earn 140-159 normalized points (equivalent to a “C”) in
the laboratory section of this course shall not be eligible for a final
course grade of “A”. ·
Students who earn 120-139 normalized points (equivalent to a “D”) in
the laboratory section of this course shall not be eligible for a final
course grade of “B” or better. ·
Students who earn 100-119 normalized points (equivalent to a “F”) in
the laboratory section of this course shall not be eligible for a final
course grade of “C” or better. Honors (BIOL 3702H) Laboratory Grade Components Schedule of Activities. See the Honors
Laboratory Home Page for details.
These activities, some of which are based upon real-time application
of microbiological skills, are subject to change. Grading. A student enrolled in the laboratory
component of BIOL 3702H will be evaluated using the
following components: ·
Laboratory Safety: 10% Students
shall be expected to actively follow all safety
rules and procedures throughout the semester.
Dr. Cooper will note any deficiencies in this area on an individual’s
weekly report (see below). Early
in the semester, a student must pass a safety quiz with a score of at least
80% before being permitted to participate in the
laboratory. ·
Attendance/Effort: 25% A
student’s active participation and presence in the laboratory shall be monitored by several means, including attendance of
class meetings and weekly reports (see below). It is expected
that students put forth more than a minimal effort to accomplish the goals of
their assigned project. It is anticipated that a student shall commit to actively participating
in the laboratory for a minimum of 10 hours per week. Dr. Cooper will note any deficiencies in
this area on an individual’s weekly report (see below). ·
Weekly Reports/Group Notebook: 25% Students
shall be required to submit individual reports on a
weekly basis regarding their activities for the week, results obtained, areas
needing attention, and a brief synopsis of next steps. Dr. Cooper will note any deficiencies on
this report and return it to the student. In
addition, groups working together on a particular project
shall maintain an up-to-date and detailed laboratory notebook. The notebook is subject to periodic
inspection by Dr. Cooper. ·
Laboratory Etiquette/Citizenship: 10% Students
shall work collaboratively and collegially with all persons in the
laboratory, abide by all safety considerations, perform their respective
share of routine laboratory tasks, and maintain an orderly and clean
laboratory environment. Dr. Cooper
will note any deficiencies in this area on an individual’s weekly report (see
above). ·
Semester Report: 15% A
group of students assigned to a particular project
shall prepare a scientific report that details the group’s methods, results,
and conclusions. The specific
parameters for the preparation and grading of this report shall be provided by Dr. Cooper.
·
Public Presentation: 10% A
group of students assigned to a particular project
shall present their work in a public forum (e.g., biology seminar, QUEST,
etc.). Depending upon the type of
presentation, this may require with a PowerPoint or poster presentation that
details the group’s methods, results, and conclusions. The specific type of presentation and the
parameters for its preparation and grading shall be
provided by Dr. Cooper. Total Points. Using the above grade components for
students enrolled in the laboratory component of BIOL 3702H, the total number
of points shall be calculated based upon a possible
200 points that can be earned. Grading
Scale With
consideration of the laboratory grade policy noted above, the following
unconditional grading scale will be used to determine a student’s final grade
in this course: ·
Grade of A = 900 or more total points earned ·
Grade of B = 800 – 899 total points earned ·
Grade of C = 700 – 799 total points earned ·
Grade of D = 600 – 699 total points earned ·
Grade of F = 599 or less total points earned This grading scale is absolute! For example, a grade of “B” will be given
to a student who earns 899 points. NO EXCEPTIONS! My reasoning is simple – at a minimum, every student in this
course has the opportunity to earn 3% or more of the total course points as
bonus points. Students should realize
the following: a good
grade is not an entitlement; it is an earned honor. Please
report any “broken” links to Dr.
Cooper |
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Youngstown State University
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, age,
religion or veteran/military status in its programs or activities. Please
visit the EIT Home Page for contact information for persons designated to
handle questions about this policy. It is possible that portions of
this web page are not wholly in accord with the American with
Disabilities Act. If this is the case,
a student currently enrolled in this course should contact Dr. Cooper (crcooper01@ysu.edu; 330.941.1361) and
compliant material shall be provided as soon as practical. |
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