««««««««««««««««««««

 

Course Particulars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

««««««««««««««««««««

Grading System

««««««««««««««««««««

 

 

 

Website – http://homepage.smc.edu/morgan_david/  I will make extensive use of this website to communicate with you. You are responsible for awareness of the information posted there, e.g., announcements, grade reports, assignments. Access the website from any SMC computer lab, or an internet-connected browser anywhere.

 

Cheating – results in automatic zero on the affected work and automatic issue of an Academic Dishonesty Report Form. The Form enters your record along with regular grades to indicate your dishonesty. I am exerting an honest effort to contribute to your education for your benefit. If you intend to repay it with deception drop the class.

 

Makeup work – Assignments: not accepted after due date. Makeup tests: will not be given. If exactly one test is missed, at the end of the semester I will assign it a surrogate score, perhaps for example equal to the average of your other tests minus 10 penalty points (one letter grade). If more than one test is missed they will remain as zeros. Tests will not be dropped. If the final exam is missed you will not pass the course.

 

Missing assignments – far more damaging to an arithmetic average than poor assignments. “D” or “F” is worth 50 or 60 points; “missing” assignment is worth 0. F is far better than zero. Turn in something rather than nothing.

 

Drop policy - be sure to formally drop the class if you decide to stop participating in it. Though I try to drop students whose continued participation is in doubt on the school’s prescribed drop dates, don't rely on it. Leaving yourself officially enrolled without submitting the required work results in an F. Please protect your academic record by dropping if you don't participate, and participating if you don't drop.

 

Absence – affects your grade. While the usual formula for calculating final grades has no explicit “absence factor,” absence affects grades two ways. Occasional absence limits your class awareness and subject-matter knowledge, which expresses itself in your work. And for chronic absence I will reduce the final calculated grade at my discretion (usually by one letter). If you enroll please attend; if you don’t attend please don’t enroll.

 

To reach me outside class:

 

You could also leave messages or materials at the post office in the Liberal Arts (LA) building, room #102. Label your envelope with my name and ask the staff there to put it in my mailbox. I usually pick up mail once or twice a week. This method is less reliable than email.