Grading

Points in BIOS 100 may be earned in both the laboratory and for lecture examinations. Each hourly examination is comprised of 50 multiple-choice questions, each worth two points. The final examination is optional - if you choose to take the final, we will drop the lowest exam score. Note that there is no penalty for taking the final examination - if this is your lowest score, we will drop the final examination score. If you miss one of the two hourly examinations, you must take the final examination. The final exam is cumulative and will contain all new questions. No Makeup Exams will be given! 

Points are also earned through the completion of laboratory exercises. There are thirteen laboratory exercises, each worth 10 points. You will be allowed to drop your lowest laboratory grade. If you miss a lab, you will be allowed to make it up only during the week in which it is offered. No makeups will be allowed after the labs are taken down for the week! 

The final grade will be determined by the following grading scale:

A: 375 - 420
B: 330 - 374
C: 285 - 329
D: 240 - 289
E: 0 - 239

News, announcements, and other supplemental information will be provided on the website and the blackboard site. The URL is:

www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/summer2007
blackboard.uic.edu

Be sure you check this website out as it provides much information regarding both the lecture and the laboratory portions of the course.

Other Notes

Due to complications that have occurred in the past, I am forced to make the following clarifications

• In laboratory, you are frequently working in groups. However, all assignments are individual efforts, not group efforts. We encourage you to discuss your answers before hand, but all work submitted must be your own. If I suspect lab exercises were copied, all parties involved will receive zero credit.

• All laboratory assignments must be initialed by your TA before you leave. Assignments submitted without TA initials will receive zero credit

• We are not responsible for lost exam scantrons - if your scantron becomes lost, you will not receive a grade for that exam and must take the optional final. Life is hard and unfair. 

• Blackboard is meant to be a place where you can find out your scores on labs and exams. However, it does not drop the lowest exam or labs, so if you want to know your score, you must do this. See, your math teacher was right, you will need to use this skill every now and then.

• If you are taking more than one class, check early to see if there is a final exam conflict.

• You may only have ONE MAKE-UP Laboratory per semester - if you need to make up more than one lab, you must have prior approval from the instructor. We have had too many people abuse this policy in the past and have to take a much harder stance on this behavior