Exams
in Animal Behavior at Austin
College
There will be
four written exams. The second and third
exams are not cumulative, but I expect you to remember concepts from
earlier in the course and to be able to apply them to later material;
inability to do so will affect your grade on later exams. The final is
partially comprehensive but mostly covers material from the last
section of the course. Dates of the exams are listed in the paper
syllabus. The exams will be designed to test simultaneously your
knowledge of factual information and your understanding of concepts.
The exams will consist of short answer essay questions (about a
paragraph in length, for instance explanations of vocabulary or
descriptions of processes), and of longer essays (two to four
paragraphs in length, for instance applications of behavioral and
evolutionary theory to a specific ecological situation, or comparisons
of explanatory models). In some cases you will read a paragraph or two
that describes behavioral and ecological phenomena, and then answer
questions about those phenomena. I might present a data set and ask you
to interpret it. I also try to give you choices among at least some of
the questions, so that you have more flexibility during the
exams.
Grading summary:
| Midterm exams (80
points each) |
240 points |
| Final exam |
90 points |
| Independent research project |
60 points |
| Laboratory reports |
150 points |
| Total |
540 points |
At
the end of the course each student will
have amassed
a proportion of the total points possible. Any adjustments in scores
are
made at that time; I do not curve individual exams. The proportions
will
be converted into final letter grades according to the following scheme:
| 100% - 92.5% = A |
87.49% - 82.5% = B |
77.49% - 72.5% = C |
67.49% - 62.5% = D |
| 92.49% - 90.0% = A- |
82.49% - 80.0% = B- |
72.49% - 70.0% = C- |
62.49% - 60.0% = D- |
| 89.99% - 87.5% = B+ |
79.99% - 77.5% = C+ |
69.99% - 67.5% = D+ |
59.99% - 0% = F
|
Students taking
this course S/D/U must make a grade of at least 70% on
each graded assignment to make an S in the course. A course average or
any individual piece of graded work with a grade less than 70% but 60%
or above will result in a course grade of D. A course average or any
individual piece of graded work with a grade less than 60% will result
in a course grade of U.
The Austin
College bulletin describes grade assignments as follows:
A – Unusual and
superior achievement
B – Intelligent,
articulate achievement, above-average in fulfilling
course requirements
C – Passing
work, representing graduation average
D – Passing work
below the standard required for graduation
F – Failure
without privilege of re-examination
Assignment of
letter grades in this course will adhere to these
standards.