Course Policy

Quizzes. There may be a 5-10 minute quiz once or twice a week.

Homework Assignments. They will be due every week (last class of the week, unless otherwise announced).

Mathematical Writing. I expect you to write in complete sentences. It should be written legibly with generous margins and room between lines. Assignments written in TeX will receive extra credit.

Exams. There will be two or three 50-minute exams.

Final Exam. It will be comprehensive and cumulative.

Grading Policy. Individual problems will be graded as follows: A - 10 or 9 points, B - 8 points, etc. I will give partial credit if you've made meaningful progress in the problem.

The scores for exams and homework will be combined according to the formula provided in the syllabus. The total score will then determine your letter grade according to the table below. I assign grades only for individual problems in homework, quizzes and exams; my spreadsheet does the rest. The scale A: 90-100, B: 80-89, C: 70-79, D: 60-69, F: <60 may be adjusted (very slightly) after all scores are in. There will be no curving.

Missed Assignments and Exams. There will be no late homework or make-up exams. However you can recover the points lost if you have a valid reason (illness, death in the family, approved institutional activity, see below) and submit an explanation in the form of an e-mail (later you may be asked to provide a note from a relevant authority). The procedure is as follows. I will use the corresponding part of the next exam to come up with a score for a missed homework. I will use the corresponding part of the final exam to come up with a score for a missed exam. In other words your score will be deferred until the next, bigger test.

Attendance. You should make all efforts to be there. Expect a high degree of "continuity" from one period to the next, so that if you miss a class (for any reason) next time you may feel lost unless you work out the lesson at home.

In Class. During lectures, feel free to interrupt me at any time if you want to ask a question, or if you feel that I am moving too fast. In fact, I expect you to participate in class work by asking questions, answering questions, correcting mistakes, making suggestions, comments, possibly solving problems on the board, etc. Immediate feedback will be greatly appreciated! To ask a question, you don't have to raise your hand, just go ahead and ask (you can attract my attention by saying "Question!" or "Peter!"). Bring the book!

Getting Help. Come see me during my office hours. You can ask for help with homework problems that YOU HAVE TRIED (bring your work), explanations, hints, etc., but not for the actual solutions.

Academic integrity. Cheating will result in the zero grade for the assignment.

University excused absence policy

(online catalog, p. 121, at http://www.marshall.edu/ucomm/catalog/interim.htm)

Class Attendance
Each instructor evaluates the importance of student class attendance. The course
syllabus provides a clear statement of the class attendance policy as well as the instructor’s
policy on unexcused absences, make-up examinations, and related matters.
Excused absences fall into three categories: (1) university sponsored activities; (2)
absences as a result of illness or death in the family; (3) absences resulting from major
religious holidays.
For excused absences, the student should not be penalized. This means that any
benefit or academic choice that accrues to students who are in class will not be denied to
students with excused absences.
University-Sponsored Activities
1. Academic activities including, but not limited to, performing arts, debate and individual
events, honors classes, ROTC, and departmental functions. These absences are to be
excused by the academic dean within whose unit the activity is sponsored. The
academic dean must pre approve any notice that is sent to faculty regarding absences
of this type.
2. Athletics. These absences are to be excused by the Dean of Enrollment Management,
who must pre approve any notice sent to faculty.
3. Other university activities, including student government and student organizations.
These activities are to be approved by the Dean of Student Affairs and excused by the
Office of Academic Affairs prior to any notice being sent to faculty.
Absences As a Result of Illness or Death in the Family
1. Illness: The student who seeks an excused absence for an illness must submit written
confirmation of treatment by the attending physician or other health professional
which includes: a description of the illness/accident; date of onset; and prognosis/
ability to return to class. (A sentence on a prescription pad will not be sufficient for
documentation.) This documentation should be presented on the day the student
returns to class to the Assistant/Associate Dean of the student’s college for verification
and notification of faculty. Notification will normally be in the form of a memo to
all concerned faculty excusing the student for a specified date or dates.
2. Death in the Immediate Family: “Immediate Family” is defined as spouse, child,
parent, legal guardian, sibling, and grandparent. Exceptions to this list can be made at
the discretion of the dean of the student’s college. The student who seeks an excused
absence for this purpose must submit one of the following to verify the relationship to
the deceased: an obituary with the student named as a relative; a funeral program
with the student named as a relative; a verification of the death and the relationship
by a clergy person or funeral home personnel (must be on letterhead stationery). The
documentation should be submitted to the Assistant/Associate Dean of the student’s
college on the day the student returns to class. The Assistant/Associate Dean will
then send a memo to all concerned faculty excusing the student for a specified date or
dates.
Absences As a Result of Religious Holidays
Absences resulting from major religious holidays will be excused when the student
presents the request in advance of the absence to the Dean of Student Affairs. The dean
will indicate his/her approval on the request and send it to the Office of Academic Affairs
for final approval prior to any notice to faculty.
It is the student’s responsibility to present to all of his/her faculty the approved
notice of an absence that would be excused under the terms of this policy.