Grading Policy
Each assignment will be graded based on a matrix that allocates points for that assignment to aspects of the content and format. At the end of the course, points will be tallied out of 100% to assign a final grade.
Assignments submitted late will lose 1 point per day of lateness. Due dates are non-negotiable except in case of documented excuse (illness, family emergency).
Points out of 100% correspond to the following letter grades:
| min | max | grade |
| 95 | 100 | A |
| 90 | 94 | A- |
| 85 | 89 | B+ |
| 80 | 84 | B |
| 75 | 79 | B- |
| 70 | 74 | C |
| 65 | 69 | C- |
| 55 | 64 | D |
| below | F | |
IMPORTANT NOTE ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Cheating and/or plagiarism results in failure of the class – it’s that simple.
Cheating is the attempted or unauthorized use of materials, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another to copy your work
- Unauthorized collaborating on a take home assignment or examination
- Using unauthorized notes during a closed book examination
- Using unauthorized electronic devices during an examination
- Taking an examination for another student
- Asking or allowing another student to take an examination for you
- Changing a corrected exam and returning it for more credit
- Submitting substantial portions of the same paper to two classes without consulting the second instructor
- Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination
- Allowing others to research and write assigned papers including the use of commercial term paper services
Plagiarism includes copying sentences or parts of sentences from any source without citation; “forgetting” to include citations; copying, downloading, extracting or otherwise using internet sources without citation; copying from another student; presenting any one else’s work as your own; or “inadvertently” copying sentences, sentence fragments, paragraphs, pages, from any source. Plagiarism is also reproducing sentences or parts of sentence but substituting synonyms while maintaining syntactical structure, as in the following example:
Original: There is considerable debate in the scientific community as to the sources of global warming.
Plagiarism: There exists substantial disagreement in the scientific field about the causes of global warming.
Not Plagiarism: Scientists are engaged in ongoing disagreement and discussion on the sources of global warming.
I take cheating and plagiarism extremely seriously. If you have any doubts or questions about whether your work might constitute plagiarism, please see me.
In addition, I am required by College policy to submit a report of suspected academic dishonesty to the Office of the Dean of Students. This report becomes part of your permanent file.
