COURSE POLICIES

Missing Tests

The weekly tests serve as a spur to you to study and as a means for us to evaluate you. We do not, however, want to lower your grade unreasonably when you are absent from a weekly test.

Therefore we shall replace your two lowest weekly tests with your renormalized grade on the final if it is higher.

If you inform your recitation professor that you will miss a weekly test over a week in advance and have a reasonable excuse (MIT sporting event, family wedding, etc.), he can instruct the grader to excuse you from that particular test and replace that test grade by your average grade on the other weekly tests. This policy is also applicable without advance notice on tests for which you have a letter from a Dean or Doctor that you are unable to take that test. These liberal provisions are limited to two tests (in addition to replacement of the two lowest tests) over the term, and do not apply for the last two weekly tests of the term.

Recitation professors should implement these guidelines by sending an e-mail about excuses to the head tutor, Hugh Manini, at hmanini@mit.edu. Hugh should reflect these e-mails in his report of the class grades for the tests.

Late CyberTutor

If you want an extension on CyberTutor, ask your recitation instructor.

Late Written Homework

Late written homework can be accepted with permission of the recitation instructor until 10 AM Thursday, when the solutions are handed out.

Missed Group Problems

We will eliminate the two lowest grades for all students regardless of the reason for the absence or poor performance. Beyond that, excuses will be accepted only with a note from a Dean or Doctor.

Changing Recitations

You must obtain written permission from the NEW recitation instructor, then tell Alicia in the Physics Education Office, Room 4-352

Grading Complaints

Grading errors occur on a random basis. Therefore, we believe that it is unfair for students who complain to have only a portion of their test regraded. If you feel that your test has been unfairly graded simply submit it with the test of the following week marked REGRADE at the top. It will be entirely regraded and the new grade will replace the old grade whether it is higher of lower. Note that by giving weekly tests, we have reduced the impact of every exercise in this course to below 5% of the total grade (except for the final).

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