Soc. 3210: Sociological Theory

Grading Policy and Test Statistics

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 7:21 AM

The guidelines for determining final grades are detailed below.  See also Withdrawal, Delayed Grade, and Extra-Credit guidelines

All course grades will be posted in the online grade book in the class MyGateway site. Individual grades can be accessed via the My Gateway web site.  Select "Tools" and click on "My Grades." Students can access their individual grades via the "My Grades" link located in the "Tools" area of the class MyGateway site.  The grades in MyGateway are for individual tests, quizzes, and assignments only.  The "current estimated grade" found in the grades area of MyGateway will reflect your current estimated grade based on available points at the time of an announcement indicating an update (NOTE: Test and Exam scores are not automatically included in the "current estimated grade." "Current estimated grades" will be updated with exam scores (usually) the day after an exam deadline, and an announcement will be made). Final grade calculations are made using the schema described below.

Mid-Term Exam

As: 2 (7.4%) Bs: 7 (25.9%) Cs: 10 (37%0 Ds: 5 (18.5%) Fs: 3 (11.1%)
Mean: 48.2 (74.1%) Median: 50 (76.9%) Mode: 52 (78.5%)(3, 11.1%) N: 27 out of 29 (93.1%) Range: 61-28 (93.8%-43.1%)

A range 65-59
B range 58-52
C range 51-46
D range 45-39
F range 38 and below

Grading:

Final grades will be calculated based on a total of 500 points. Students who submit work past a due date are subject to penalties, point deductions, or not having their work accepted for grading.

72 hour rule: Grade updates will be posted in MyGateway throughout the semester. Students are expected to review their grades on a regular basis--especially following a grade update. I work hard to let you know where you stand in the course at any given time--I expect you to show due diligence and concern as well. Concerns about posted grades must be addressed within 72 hours of grade posting, otherwise posted scores will be considered accurate and final, up to the time of posting.

Items included in calculating the point total:

  1. Syllabus quiz: 15 points possible
  2. Attendance: 30 points and Online and In-Class Participation: 30 points expected (including Introductory message)
  3. Sociological Theory Wiki Project: 260 points possible
  4. Mid-term Exam: 65 points possible
  5. Final Exam: 100 points
NOTE: All course grades will be posted in the online Grade book in the class MyGateway site.  Students can access their individual grades via the "My Grades" link located in the "Tools" area of the class MyGateway site.  The grades in MyGateway are for individual tests, quizzes, and assignments only.  The "current estimated grade" found in the grades area of MyGateway will reflect your current estimated grade based on available points at the time of an announcement indicating an update (NOTE: Test and Exam scores are not automatically included in the "current estimated grade." "Current estimated grades" will be updated with exam scores (usually) the day after an exam deadline, and an announcement will be made).  Final grades will be based on the following scale:
    • 465 and above A
    • 464-450: A-
    • 449-435: B+
    • 434-415: B
    • 414-400: B-
    • 399-385: C+
    • 384-365: C
    • 364-350: C-
    • 349-335: D+
    • 334-315: D
    • 314-300: D-
    • 299 and below: F
Percentages displayed for "current estimated grade" in the MyGateway grade book represent letter grades as follows:
    • 93% and above A
    • 90-92% A-
    • 87-89%: B+
    • 83-86%: B
    • 80-82%: B-
    • 77-79%: C+
    • 73-76%: C
    • 70-72%: C-
    • 67-69%: D+
    • 63-66%: D
    • 60-62%: D-
    • 59% and below: F

Academic Dishonesty and other misconduct will not be tolerated. See the partial listing of conduct for which students are subject to sanction at the end of this syllabus. Or, view the entire document by visiting: http://www.umsl.edu/studentlife/dsa/student_planner/policies/conductcode.htm

    Extra Credit: The idea of "extra" credit is an oxymoron.  There is only credit! THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT in my classes. Students can earn additional points for exceptional levels of participation in the class discussions and online forums; however, if you are having difficulties with the course work, get help as early in the semester as possible.  Adding more work will NOT help you, and if you cannot do the regular work adequately, any additional work will not be to your benefit.  More IS NOT (necessarily) better.  Rather than worrying about doing more work-FOCUS on the regularly assigned work and do it to the BEST of your abilities.
    Delayed Grade Policy: If a student is unable to complete the FInal Exam (due to exceptional circumstances), a Delayed Grade can be negotiated.  Students MUST contact the instructor by 5:00 pm on the last day of the Final Exam to document their reason for being unable to complete the test, and to request a delayed grade.  If students DO NOT initiate the request for a delayed grade, a score of ZERO (0) will be assigned for any uncompleted work. Delayed grades MUST be made up by the end of the following semester (Summer and Interim Semesters excluded).  Failure to make-up a delayed grade by the end of the following semester will result in an F being recorded for the course grade.  Delayed grades WILL NOT be extended past one semester unless exceptional circumstances (as decided by the instructor) are evident.

    Withdrawals: From the Office of the Provost--The close of the 12th week of the semester is the last point that a student may drop a class without compelling reasons. Having a low grade at the 12th week point is NOT a compelling reason to drop a class. If there is a compelling reason, e.g. serious illness or injury that incapacitates a student, being called up for military service, the death of an immediate family member, etc. Dropping after the 12th week requires approval of the instructor and the dean. Here’s the Bulletin policy:

    Dropping/Adding Courses
    To add courses to their original enrollment, students must get approval from their advisers. Students may not enter courses after the first week of a regular semester or the first three days of the summer session. Courses may be dropped, without approval and without receiving a grade, through the fourth week of a regular semester. Spring, summer, and fall session calendars include specific deadlines. Students who officially drop one or some of their classes may have fees reassessed and/or refunded based on the current fee reassessment schedule.

    From the fifth through the twelfth weeks of the fall or spring semesters (for summer session, the third through the sixth weeks), students may withdraw from a course with an "Excused" grade, providing they are passing the course and receive the approval of their instructor, adviser, and dean's office representative. Otherwise, a failing grade is given.

    Students not attending classes who fail to drop officially receive F or Y grades, depending on how much they participated in class. After the allowable period, "Excused" grades are given only in exceptional instances where the instructor's approval and dean's approval are given. These grades are recorded on the students' official records at the end of the term. If an F grade is recorded, it is counted in computing the grade point average. No partial credit is granted to students who withdraw from a course during any semester or otherwise fail to complete the work required for full course credit.

Individual grades can be accessed via the My Gateway web site.  Select "Tools" and click on "My Grades."

NOTE:

Written work submitted in this class will be subject to plagiarism checking using SafeAssign.

SafeAssign, a plagiarism detection software, is now available to all students and instructors. This tool checks your paper against proprietary databases of papers and the Internet. After submission, your instructor will receive an “originality report” containing results of the matching process. Your paper will also be added to UMSL’s internal section of the anti-plagiarism database to be used to compare future submissions by other students and to help protect your work from plagiarism.

You can also use SafeAssign yourself to check drafts of your papers. The English Department Writing Lab has created a free course site on MyGateway where you can go to find resources to help you in writing and citing papers properly. By enrolling in this course, you can submit drafts of your work to SafeAssign. You will then be able to privately view the “originality report” and make corrections to your work before submitting it formally to your instructor. Go to http://mygateway.umsl.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_36517_1 and then click on the “Quick Enroll” link to get access to the free course site.

NOTE: CONDUCT FOR WHICH STUDENTS ARE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS FALLS INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: http://www.umsl.edu/studentlife/dsa/student_planner/policies/conductcode.htm

1.  Academic dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism, or sabotage.  The Board of Curators recognizes that academic honesty is essential for the intellectual life of the University.  Faculty members have a special obligation to expect high standards of academic honesty in all student work.  Students have a special obligation to adhere to such standards.  In all cases of academic dishonesty, the instructor shall make an academic judgment about the student's grade on that work and in that course.  The instructor shall report the alleged academic dishonesty to the Primary Administrative Officer.
a.  The term cheating includes but is not limited to: (i) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; (ii) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; (iii) acquisition or possession without permission of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff;(iv) knowingly providing any unauthorized assistance to other student on quizzes, tests, or examinations.
b.  The term plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: (i) use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without fully and properly crediting the author with footnotes, citations or bibliographical reference; (ii) unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials; (iii) unacknowledged use of original work/material that has been produced through collaboration with others without release in writing from collaborators.
c.  The term sabotage includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized interference with, modification of, or destruction of the work or intellectual property of another member of the University community.
2.  Forgery, alteration, or misuse of University documents, records or identification, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University.
3.  Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, conduct proceedings, or other University activities, including its public service functions on or off campus.
4. Physical abuse or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person.

URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/3210/0320grades.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel: rok@umsl.edu
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 7:21 AM

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