Course Work
Assignments will be posted on the
course web page
and returned electronically.
Course work will consist of
- Problem sets
- Quizes
- A class project
Students registered for ASTR/PHYS 428 will encounter additional problems
on the problem sets and quizes.
Grades
Grades will be on a curve. The highest performing students will receive the
highest grades, and vice-versa. The absolute scale is irrelavant: if the
best score is 50% that will still warrant an A; if the worst score is 90% it
will not.
Aspirationally, quantitative weighting will be 50% problem sets,
40% quizes, 10% project.
Given the likelihood that the COVID-19 pandemic
may undermine the best laid plans,
an assessment of work completed will be made
at the end of the semester to check whether the proposed weighting scheme
remains fair.
Missed Assignments
All work is due when it is due. The instructor reserves the right to
apply an arbitrary and capricious penalty to work turned in late, typically
a 20% reduction per day.
There will be no make up work. You are granted one free pass on one
problem set and one quiz: your lowest score
on one of each will be dropped.
This provides some flexibility to accommodate periods of illness (of any kind).
If you are ill for an extended period that causes you to miss more than that,
then we'll cope with that as it happens. I hope to provide everyone with an
excellent educational experience with tolerance for the unique circumstances
of this semester while also maintaining high academic standards.
One thing we will not have: on-line exams proctored by
Big Brother-ish software. We will either do in-class quizes or
take-home exams, as the situation warrants. You are of course expected
and required to maintain high standards of academic integrity in any
circumstance.