ICS 311 Spring 2015 Assessment (Grading)

The approach to assignments, exams, and relative weighting is intended to assess multiple aspects of your developing expertise in algorithm design, analysis and implementation. In summary, the components and their default weights (percentages and points, where 10 points = 1% of your grade) include:

• Quizzes (110 points = 11%, 22 quizzes of 5 points each).
• Class (Group) Problems (210 points = 30.5%, 21 days, 10 points each).
• Homework (Individual) Problems (300 points = 30.0%, 10 problem sets of 30 points each).
• Peer Evaluation (60 points = 6% of grade, from 10 weeks (provided via homework responses).
• Midterm Exams (200 points = 20%, two at 100 points each).
• Final Exam (120 points = 12% of grade).

We reserve the right to adjust the total number of points depending on circumstances.

Points, Percents and Letter Grades

A "point" will be worth 0.1% of your grade. For example, an item worth 100 points is 10% of your grade, and a perfect score is 1000 points. At the end of the semester, we add up all your points and divide by 10 to get your percentage of points earned, capping it at 100% (it is possible to earn over 1000 points via peer evaluation).

To determine letter grades, we use a 4-percent spread per grade increment, i.e., 100-97=A+, 96-93=A, 92-89=A-, 88-85=B+, 84-81=B, 80-77=B-, 76-73=C+, 72-69=C, 68-65=C-, 64-61=D+, 60-57=D, 56-53=D-, 52-0=F. If upon inspection of the distribution of grades we feel that too many students who understand the material are not getting the grades they deserve, we may then make adjustments in favor of students (especially for those who did well on exams).

Components

Quizzes (11%, 110 points):

Before the classes that are based on readings and screencasts, a brief online quiz will be due. These quizzes will test basic understanding of the chapter on which the day's topic is based, such as whether you can simulate the operation of the data structure or algorithms or get the main point of the analyses of their relative merits. Most quizzes will not involve mathematical analysis or proofs: problems requiring deeper thought will be left for the classwork and homework problems.

Quizzes will be given in Laulima, and will be automatically graded. Solutions will be given in class immediately after the quizzes are due, so quizzes cannot be made up. If you encounter a network problem while taking a quiz, immediately email your answers to the instructor. (Since multiple choice questions may be randomized, don't say "I chose answer B"; say (for example) "I chose lg(n)".) Then the time stamp of your email along with Laulima's record of your start time will be used to verify that you had the answers on time.

We are expecting 22 quizzes worth 5 points each. We don't include Topic 1 or the special topics, but Topic 2 and Topic 14 have two quizzes.

Class (Group) Problems (21.5%, 210 points):

All regular classes will include signicant time working in small groups on problems that help expose conceptual issues in the material and prepare you to work on the take-home portion on your own. Class problems will require much more thought than the problems given on the quizzes. You turn your work in as a group (a single shared document in Google Docs per group), and the work is graded for the group based on 10 points. We will discuss the solutions in class after your work is turned in. The TA will grade problem classwork. See also "Peer Evaluation of Class Participation" for points earned for participating in the group sessions.

Homework (Individual) Problems (30.0%, 300 points):

On 10 of the weeks you will have homework problems in which you do more extensive work following up on the class work. The homework problems will combine the topics of both days of the week (MW or TTh, depending on which section you are in). You should do the homework problems individually. Exam questions often are similar to homework problems, so this is your chance to make sure that you understand concepts and can work problems on your own, not just in a group context. The work is graded based on 30 points per homework. The TA will grade homeworks. We will discuss solutions in class after the exercises are due.

Peer Evaluation of Class Participation (6%, 60 points)

Each week in which there is a problem set, each individual in the group will assign points distributed across the other individuals in the group to assess how effectively they collaborated in the group. You should allocate the points according to how well the others worked as team members, including their role in team functioning (e.g., keeping the group focused and organized, or playing another important role), and how much they helped others understand the material (e.g., by explaining what they understood), as well as their contributions to the actual problem solution. Even asking good questions can be a contribution.

Each week you will have 6 points to distribute across all of your peers. You can distribute the points equally, give them all to one person, or do something in between. For example, if everyone participated equally, you would give the same number of points to each person; while if there was one person who did more work and the other who did less you might move a point from the latter to the former.

This is fair under changing group sizes. Suppose everyone allocates points equally. Then:

• If there are 4 people, each gets points from 3 other people, but each is dividing 6 points across 3 people, so each person gets 3*(6/3)=6 points.
• If there are 3 people, each gets points from 2 other people, but each is dividing 6 points across 2 people, so each person gets 2*(6/2)=6 points.
• If there are 2 people, each gets points from 1 other person, so each person gets 1*(6/1)=6 points

The total points for the semester is 60 points since points are reported on each of the 10 problem sets and the average number of points if allocated equally is 6 points per week. Some additional rules:

• You need not allocate all the points available to you (for example, if you feel that other group members were not helpful).
• You cannot allocate any points to yourself! Points allocated to yourself will not be recorded.
• You will allocate these points when you turn in your homework assignment. To encourage you to do this, you will be given one extra credit point for each assignment in which you assess your peers.
• If a person accumulates more than 60 points this will be treated as extra credit, offsetting points lost elsewhere.

Midterms (20%, 200 points):

There will be two midterm exams taking one class period each. Problems will be harder than those on the quizzes, and some may be as hard as those on class and homework problems. Problems will cover both understanding of the algorithms and how to analyze them. They will cover the most recent set of lecture topics, but cumulative "review" questions may also be included. Exams will be closed-book, but open-notes (details to be described before each exam). No electronic devices will be allowed. Each midterm is 100 points; there are two for 200 points or 20%. The instructor will grade all midterm exams.

Final (12%, 120 points):

The final exam will take place at the time scheduled by the university and will be longer than a midterm exam. It will cover the final set of lecture topics, but also include review of the entire semester. It will be different from the midterm exams, emphasizing the ability to apply concepts from the semseter. Since the final is longer and is cumulative as well as covering recent material, it is weighted more (120 points). We will attempt to schedule both sections to take the final exam at the same time and place. Grading may be shared between TA and instructor.

Extra Credit

We no longer offer extra credit options other than the extra points discussed above. These complicate the grading too much.

Flexibility

We each have our own strengths. If a student performs significantly better on one area than others, we may elect to put greater weight on the area that gives the student a better grade. We are more willing to do this with strong exam performance, as exams are not easy and are proctored so we know it's the student's work.