Assignment of Grades

We will be following a traditional grading distribution based upon a 1000 point system. If you earn 90% or more of the available points (>900) you are guaranteed an A in the course; 80-89% will be guaranteed a B grade; 70-79% a C; 60-69% a D; below 60% an F will be assigned. Plus/minus grading may be used. These are the guaranteed grades. I reserve the option to lower the grade cutoffs under special conditions. I will not raise these demarcations. In other words, should you earn 790 points during the quarter, you are guaranteed a C BUT might receive a C+, a B-, or a B.

Please note:

No portion of this class is graded on a curve nor do you want me to grade on a curve. The grading policies described above are the guidelines for the course.

Attendance:

If you believe you can successfully complete the course without regularly attending, you should petition to take the course by examination. Attendance to class is important. We have noticed that students that miss more than 4 classes tend to struggle in obtaining a C in the class. Furthermore, the university has a policy that for every 3(three) class periods missed your grade will be lowered by one full letter and I will enforce this policy, I plan to take roll on a regular basis (every day at the beginning of class, I will count 2 late arrivals as one absence). Therefore, weigh your decision carefully before missing class. If you do decide or have to miss class you are responsible for any material/information given during the class period. There will be no extensions granted to anyone for "not knowing" an assignment was due or an exam/quiz was going to be given that day.

Exams:

There will be four 50-minute exams given during the lecture period of the course. They will be given on the dates outlined in the class schedule grid which can be accessed by clicking here. No exam will be taken at times other than those listed unless there are certified extenuating circumstances which must be documented in writing at least three (3) days before the day of the exam. Please note that wanting to go home early is not a valid reason. The format of the exams will include objective (matching, multiple choice, etc.), short answer, calculations, and essay types of questions. Answer keys to exams and quizzes WILL NOT be available. If you wish to discuss a problem in a given examination you are welcome to come to office hours and I will gladly work with you. I am human, which means I do make mistakes; therefore, if you discover I made an error grading your exam you must use the Regrade Request form that you can find here. Scheduling make-up exams is your responsibility not mine. Make-up exam arrangements must be made no later than the day you return to school and must take place before the exam is returned to the rest of the class.

Final Exam:

The final exam is a comprehensive exam of similar format as that of the regular exams. It must be taken at the time scheduled. There are NO exceptions.

Cumulative Exam:

As stated in the CHEM 111 syllabus last semester there will be a cumulative exam Chapter 1-Chapter 18 and Chapter 21-Chapter 22. The exam will consist of about 60 multiple choice questions and you will only be given 50 minutes to answer the questions. This is the exam administered by the American Chemical Society to ensure all certified chemistry programs cover the same material.

Cheating:

Any student found cheating on an exam or quiz MUST receive an F in the course according to University regulations. Carefully weigh the alternatives before you consider cheating. Remember that using a graphing/programmable calculator is considered cheating.

Homework:

There will be two type of homework. You will have an online HW which is due the last day of class as well as worksheets created by me which will be due as the semester progresses. NOTE: You must obtain an access card (password) to WebAssign by the end of the first week of school. 

Laboratory:

Concurrent enrollment in a Chem 114 (laboratory course) is required.

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