Grading Policy

Grading Policy

Take your pick:

For the more conventional:

Grades will be determined from a cumulative score that is obtained from labs, project, and competition according to this distribution of credit: midterm project: 30%; labs: 30%; final competition: 40%. All labs (L) will add to a maximum of 30 conventional points, the midterm project (M) will be worth a maximum of 30 conventional points, and the final competition (F) will be worth a maximum of 40 conventional points. The total conventional points (TCV) for labs, project and final is calculated as follows:

  TCV = M + L + F

For those who like to explore and dislike exams:

Grades will be determined from the number of brownie points that are accumulated during the semester. Brownie points will be awarded upon successful completion of a relevant project or other activity that is agreed to in advance by both the student and the professor. The number of brownie points for a given project must be negotiated but is typically between 5 and 25. Some of the harder labs may count for brownie points - this is to be negotiated. A project that is worth 25 brownies could be the development of a new assignment, say regarding Haskell Monads. An activity worth 5 brownies could be research to settle a question that arises in class. A successfully completed difficult lab may add 10 brownies to the student's total. A student receiving at least 100 brownies for the semester get an "auto A." A student receiving at least 92 brownies is eligible for an "auto A-," a student receiving at least 87 brownies is eligible for an "auto B+," and a student receiving at least 80 brownies is eligible for an "auto B." A student with a brownie total that is less than 80 must be graded using the conventional scheme above. A student with at least 80 brownie points may elect to be graded using the conventional scheme. In that case, brownies will be exchanged for conventional points according to the conversion rate in Note 1 below.

For the creative but risk averse:

Try some exploratory projects but also take the exams and do the labs. The highest of the two grades (conventional and exploratory) will be awarded. Or, cash in your brownies for conventional points and be graded conventionally. See below for the points conversion scheme.

Note 1:

Brownie points may be converted to conventional points. The following table shows the conversions (all conversions are from integers to integers - the converted value will always be rounded down to the nearest integer).

Brownie Range		Conversion Factor

0 to 19		0.10
20 to 39		0.15
40 to 49		0.20
50 to 59		0.25
60 to 69		0.30
70 to 79		0.35
80 to 89		0.50
90 to 99		0.75
Over 99		1.00

As examples, 70 brownie points converts to 24 conventional points, 10 brownie points converts to 1 conventional point, and 5 brownie points converts to 0 conventional points.

Note 2:

Conventional points may be converted to brownie points using the same table as above. For example, 70 conventional points converts to 24 brownie points. If you convert, then change your mind, you lose big: for example, 70 conventional points will then be replaced with 3 conventional points.

Note 3:

You do not have to declare how you want to be graded (if you have a choice) until finals week.

Note 4:

Occasionally, brownies will be awarded for attending class. This could add as much as 15 brownies to your total.

Note 5:

Purpose of the brownies:

Brownies are not intended as extra credit - rather they are intended to provide opportunities for students to do independent research or development that they find motivating in areas related to this course. So, a student might produce one or more results that would substitute for a lab or two that the student skips.
Brownies are also intended to encourage attendance. Every once in a while, about 14 or 15 times a year, attendance will be taken and 1 Brownie will be awarded to each person whose attendance has been recorded.
Student interaction always helps improve the lecture sessions in several ways. But working online tends to reduce interaction which is not good. So, occasionally puzzles will be offered during the lecture and solvers will receive Brownies depending on the their difficulty and impact of the solution.