PHY2048 Final score estimate:
Use the formula,
(Ex1 + Ex2 + Ex3 + Ex4)
HITT score
∑ HW * Q score x25 +
x70 +
x5 = FinalScore
80
Total HW problems -10%
Total HITT points-10%
Where:
Ex# are your exam scores. The exams will be 20 problems each with one point per
problem. Exam 4 is the cumulative final exam which is also 20 problems and is weighted
equally with the other exams, giving a total possible exam score of 80 points (hence the
division by 80). The exams are weighted to count for 70% of your course final score.
HW*Q is the weekly homework score multiplied by the associated quiz score (as a
fraction of 1). These are summed over all weeks of the semester and divided by the total
number of HW problems (126 in the Fall semester though this can vary a little) minus
10% of those (forgiveness for illness, …). The HW*Quiz portion is weighted to count for
25% of your course final score. You can not get more than 25% for this portion so if the
10% forgiveness results in you getting more than this it is knocked back to 25%.
HITT score is the sum of the HITT points you have received, which is divided by the
total number of HITT points possible minus 10% of those (forgiveness for illness, missed
classes…). In the Fall semester there were 104 HITT questions. The HITT portion counts
for 5% of your course final score. You can not get more than 5% for this portion so if the
10% forgiveness results in you getting more than this it is knocked back to 5%.
Example grade projection:
Suppose we are through exams 1 and 2, with your scores being Ex1=12, Ex2= 9. Let’s
project this performance forward and assume Ex3=12 & Ex4 = 9. Suppose that to date we
have had 78 homework problems and after multiplying each HW set by the associated
quiz I find I have 45 HW*quiz points. Let’s project this performance forward to an
assumed 126 total problems: (45/78)*126= 72.7 and let’s assume I anticipate getting 3/5
of the HITT credit.
Then,
(12 + 9 + 12 + 9)
72.7
3
x70 +
x25 + x5 = 55.78
80
126 − 12.6
5
Giving, according to the scale below, a middle range grade of C. To see what you might
get if you perform better in the future, bump up your projected performance. E.g. if you
work very hard and manage to ace the next two exams, this becomes a FinalScore =
73.40 for a letter grade of B.
THERE IS NO CURVE IN THIS CLASS. Curves pit students against each other in
competing for a better grade but education research has shown that learning from peers
can be an effective learning aid both for the students who get the help and for those who
give the help (the latter clarifying their thoughts in the process). You are encouraged to
form study groups and work together to bring the entire level up. We would be ecstatic to
give all A grades in this class.
The letter grade scale is:
FinalScore Grade
90-100
A
80-89.99
B+
70-79.99
B
60-69.99
C+
50-59.99
C
45-49.99
D+
40-44.99
D
0-39.99
E