How I assign grades:

Graded items: You will be turning in a large number of assignments, virtually all of which will be graded.  You will be taking a small number of quizzes and video presentations (no, you don't need a web cam).   

There will be a test at the end of each of the 4 units. After you have completed all of the assignments for a unit, you will request the exam for that unit.  At that point, you will have a 48-hour window to complete the exam. You will not be taking a comprehensive final exam for this class (summer 2014).

Grading: I am dividing the assessments in this course into formative and summative assessments.  In general, the first time you are assessed on something, it is considered to be a formative assessment, and it's primary goal is for you to learn and get good feedback on your learning.  The last assessments (tests) are always considered summative assessments, and the primary goal of these is for me to determine how well you have learned the content.  A few assignments and quizzes that occur before the tests may be considered summative assessments, if they are assessing knowledge and skills that have been previously assessed in other ways, on other items.

Formative assessments contribute 25% of your final grade
Summative assessments contrubute 75% of your final grade

My default grading scheme is:
A- is 90-92%
 A is 93-100%
B- is 80-82%
 B is 83-87%
 B+ is 88-89%
C- is  70-72%
 C is 73-77%
 C+ is 78-79%
F is below 60%
 D is 60-67%
 D+ is 68-69%

I decide at the end whether percentage grades that are, for example, between 92 and 93% are assigned to A- or A.  I usually look at the summative assessments to help me make that decision.  I also (very occasionally) will raise all or some of the grades if I feel that the work you have done shows a greater understanding of the subject than the percentage reflects, but I don't do the opposite: if your percent puts you at a particular grade, you may be sure that I will not lower your grade, even if you did say something clueless on the last test.

If you have any other questions you would like to have answered in this document, send them my way. 

The due dates/planning your schedule: I am setting due dates throughout the summer.  I will not be deducting points for late work, but I will be giving some extra credit for staying caught up.