Grades
Grading in the Self-Directed Course
The self-directed course comes in several flavors:
Exam option
Under this option, the course grade is based on the course examination, which consists of the following 2 parts:
- (30%) an examination given during the last scheduled "lecture" (50 - 75 minutes);
- (70%) the final examination given during finals week (3 hours).
Project option
Under this option, the course grade is based on your project grade. That, in turn, is based on a presentation of your project, and the project itself.
Under this option, you negotiate a contract with me as to what you will do. Part of this contract may be a grade clause. That is, a clause in which we agree on what level of performance gets what grade. In any case, there is the small matter of evaluating the extent to which you have fulfilled your contract. This question is taken up by me, you, the TA, and possibly other students who have chosen the Project option.
Freestyle option
Under this option, you negotiate a contract with me as to what you will do. Typically, you will contract for some combination of project[s] and examinations. Part of this contract may be a grade clause. That is, a clause in which we agree on what level of performance gets what grade. In any case, we must evaluate the extent to which you have fulfilled your contract. This process too may be negotiated as part of the contract. Subsequent change requires the consent of all parties to the contract.
Grading in the Teacher-Directed Course
This is the grading for the course, taken in the customary manner.
- October 19:
- Programming Assignment 1 due (5pm)
- October 26:
- Programming Assignment 2 due (5pm)
- November 2:
- Programming Assignment 3 due (5pm)
- November 9:
- Mid-quarter exam (in class)
- November 23:
- Programming Assignment 4 due (5pm)
- November 30:
- Programming Assignment 5 due (5pm)
- December 12:
- Final Exam (8am)
The final grade is a function of these component grades:
- Programming assignments: 50%
- Mid-quarter examination: 15%
- Final examination: 35%
The grade distribution is determined by the undergraduates. If the class finishes with at least 25 people, then the average course grade of the undergraduates will be between 2.4 and 2.6.
Course Examinations
You have access to practice examinations so that you will have a good idea what your course examination will entail.
Answers are provided for these practice examinations.
I recommend that you take these examinations seriously: do not look up the answers until you have finished the exam in the specified amount of time (75 minutes for midterms, 3 hours for finals).
If you take a practice examination, you can, upon request, have it graded. This is only to provide you with feedback regarding your mastery of the material, as evidenced by your answers to the examination.
Based on this, you can assess your readiness for the course examinations.
Practice Examinations
I have included below all the examinations that I have given for this course.
In-class examinations
Final examinations