My Grading Policy: ALS 3203

P. M. Choate - Fall 2009

Grading a course that involves encouraging students to try new things and fail without fear of retribution poses a real challenge. This course is about learning how to use personal computers to accomplish a variety of tasks. One cannot use computers and not have failures. Therefore, I have arrived at the following method to grade your performance in this course.

• If you complete a lesson by its deadline, and follow directions, you will receive full credit for that lesson. Because you will make mistakes as part of the learning process, you normally will not be penalized for erroneus results. You must be able to experiment and try out things without fear of penalty, so the emphasis in this class is deadline and following directions. If you do not follow directions, you will not receive credit for the lesson..
• PUNITIVE POINTS - If you post an inappropriate message to the class list-serv, or a message that shold have been intended for only me, or any email message without an appropriate subject, your final grade may be reduced at the discretion of the instructor.
• Lesson Completion certificates - Part of the requirements for full credit for each lesson is a completion certificate that you must submit to receive credit for the lesson.
• Credit will be earned for assignments completed on time according to instructions. Weekly exercises or tasks will be used to introduce you to new concepts or review old ones. Simply follow directions (that means you must work at the assigned tasks) to receive full credit for each assignment. This includes proper naming of files according to directions. I will post dates that I expect lessons to be completed by. Pay attention to these.
• In order to receive a passing grade in this course you must complete all assignments by the last day of scheduled classes, submit a single certificate of completion for each lesson (when you have completed it), submit two text files listing the content of your als3203 folder, and a final zipped file of your als3203 folder containing all of the work you have done for the semester.

• No assignments will be accepted after the closing date for the semester.

Assignments are due no later than their announced date and time (if such is announced). NO assignments will be accepted late and missed submissions will be assessed a grade of 0 (zero). All assignments are due by the last day of classes for the semester. If you have not turned in all lessons by the end of classes, a full grade may be deducted for each day late after the semester deadline. (This will happen only under special circumstances).

Receiving a grade of "I"

There are always a few students that request an incomplete grade at the end of a semester. Sometime this is a legitimate request, other times it is an attempt to get a second unearned chance due to not working hard enough to complete the course requirements. Here are the requirements that satisfy an assignment of a grade of "I". These are a combination of the University and our department's regulations:

"A grade of I may be given as an interim grade if and only if each of the following conditions are satisfied.

Note: An incomplete grade request will not be accepted after the official last day of class." (Summer sessions may have finals before the last day of classes. In this case request for an "I" and a signed contract should be made before the scheduled Final Exam).

1. The contract for an "I" grade is made before the final exam and/or project due date.
2. The student has completed a major portion of the course with a passing grade, but is unable to complete all the requirements because of extenuating circumstances (see University of Florida Undergraduate Catalog)
3. Documentation of extenuating circumstances is provided to the instructor (letter from doctor, infirmary, etc.)
4. The instructor agrees to assign a grade of I .
5. The student and instructor agree on the work needed to complete the course requirements and when work is to be completed.
6. Complete and sign College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Incomplete Grade Contract - at   http://www.cals.ufl.edu/documents/incompleteGradeContract.pdf

Today is: