GRADING

How are grades determined for this class?

70% of your grade is based on the lab, and 30% is based on the in-class quizzes.   For more details read the Syllabus and the Grading page of this website.

Will there be a grading curve at the end?

Nein.  We stick to the departmental grading scale that's in the syllabus and posted on the Grading page, but we do look at borderline cases.  "Borderline" means within 1 percentage point of the next higher grade.

QUIZZES

How do I know what will be on the quizzes?

Quiz questions are based on the previous week's experiment, so if you paid attention in class, read and understood the introductory material in the lab manual, and understood the procedures and calculations required for the experiment, you will be well-prepared for the quizzes.  Quiz questions come from these sources:
1)    Material covered in lecture the week before.
2)    Material in the Lab Manual introduction to the previous week's experiment.
3)    Calculations similar to those required for the previous week's lab.
4 )   Questions similar in concept to the post-lab questions.

Almost every week there will be calculational problems as well as short answer problems. You will need a calculator every week except for the quiz on Experiment 3.

Can I take a make-up quiz if I miss lecture?

Nyet.  There are no make-up quizzes.  You are allowed to drop one quiz, so if you miss a lecture, that's the quiz you will drop.

What happens if I miss two quizzes?

You drop one zero, and the other one counts toward your grade.  Each individual quiz is worth 3.75% of your overall grade.

If I miss a week of lab, do I still have to take the quiz the following week on the lab that I missed?

Yes you do.  You will have missed the lecture, so hie thee to the Power Point Presentations page and take a look at the material that was covered in lecture. Familiarize yourself with the experimental procedure even though you didn't do it.

LAB REPORTS

Where do I turn in late lab reports?

You can turn them in to the stockroom (4.134), to your TA or any other CH204 TA, or to me (5.220A).  Whomever you turn the report in to will sign and date it and put it in your TA's mailbox.

Turn in late reports ASAP -- do not wait until the following week to turn them in, because you lose 10% per day on late reports.

If I miss a lab, is the lab report that was due that day automatically late?

Not the first time, but yes after that.  If you are absent once, the report that was due that day will be due when you return, without penalty.  However, if you turn it in to the stockroom soon enough, your TA might be able to grade it with the others from the class and get it back to you sooner.  If you turn it in the following week, there is no penalty, but your TA may not get it back to you as quickly.  If you are absent a second time, the report that was due that day is automatically late.

Can I make up a missed lab later that same week?

It is sometimes possible to make up a missed lab during another time slot on Monday or Tuesday. If you know in advance that you will miss a lab, let me know as soon as possible.

GENERAL

Do all the labs take four hours to complete?

No.  Most of them can be done in 2½ - 3 hours, but there are a couple that will take 3½ or 4 hours to complete.

What happens if I have to miss a week?

We drop the lowest lab report grade, so if you miss a week you will get a 0 for that Experiment, and that will be the one you drop.  You still have to do the pre-lab and post-lab for that experiment, and those grades are not dropped.

STILL GOT QUESTIONS?

E-mail Dr. Anderson or your TA.