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Soil Science 230
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Your grade will be
based on a possible 1000 total points.
720 points (72%):
three (3) hour exams, 240 points each, with an optional
240-point comprehensive final exam.
140 points (14%):
twelve (10) group conferences, 12 points each, with an
additional 20 points when you serve as the assigned conference
reporter.
140 points (14%):
respond to a daily "knowledge inventory" quiz, related to the topic
of the day.
Hour
Exams: The three hour exams will be strictly multiple choice
questions. Each exam will have one or two extra credit questions.
Answering an extra credit question incorrectly will never lower
your grade; it can only improve your grade.
Optional
Final Exam: If you feel that your hour-exam scores do not
reflect your understanding of the subject, you can take the
optional, comprehensive final exam worth 240 points. If
you take the final exam, your cumulative exam score will count
only the three highest exam scores. The comprehensive final
exam is an option you should seriously consider if you feel you
are doing better than your cumulative hour-exam scores indicate.
Group
Conferences: The 10 group conferences give you an opportunity
to actively express your understanding of the links between
"textbook" soil science and "real-world" soil
science in a setting other than an exam. Each of you will be
assigned to a group of 7-8 students for these discussion
questions. There are no individual scores, only a group score.
The 10
group conferences give you an opportunity to actively express
your understanding of the links between "textbook" soil
science and "real-world" soil science in a setting
other than an exam. Each of you will be assigned to a group of
7-8 students for these discussion questions. Merely
participating in the conference each week earns you the weekly
point quota.
Conference
Reporter: Each week, I will designate one group member to
serve as conference reporter. Every group member will be a
reporter at least once.
The assigned reporter will review the
conference discussion and write a brief (3-4 paragraph) summary
report. If circumstances prevent the first-alternate from
reporting on the designated week, the second-alternate should
write the report and fulfill the requirement.
Don't
panic just yet! The group-discussion grades are based strictly on
participation. Here is what will earn your group the
highest possible score on each weekly discussion question:
Submit
your own comments on the conference topic, posted each Friday
afternoon.
Read
the comments of other group members.
Respond
to the comments of other group members.
Write
(if you are the designated reporter) 2-3 paragraphs
summarizing the consensus of your conference.
Knowledge
Inventory: You are expected to come to class prepared, having
read the assignment for that class meeting. Toward that end, you
must complete a single-question quiz for each class meeting.
Your cummulative grade
is based on the percentage of the total possible points you earn
for each activity.
Example:
Suppose your first two
exam scores are: 189 and 211. The total is: 189 + 211 = 400. By
November 14th, you will have completed 10 of your
discussions--missing one because of illness--and served as
reporter once, giving you a group-conference score of: (10 x 9) +
20 = 110. Your current total score is: 400 +120 = 520 points,
earning you a current percentage of: 520/(480 +120) = 86.7%,
equivalent to a letter grade of "AB".
Letter Grade Percent
Score
A greater than: 890 points
AB 850 to 889 points
B 790 to 849
BC 750 to 789
C 680 to 749
D 625 to 679
F less than: 624
If you are having
difficulty, please come and see me.
- OFFICE:
Soils Annex, Room 107
PHONE: 262-9956 (W) or
256-3586 (H)
VOICE
MESSAGES: 262-9956 or 262-2633
EMAIL: wfbleam@facstaff.wisc.edu
Office Hours (107 Soils
Annex): by appointment
The three basic rules
are: 1) come to each class meeting prepared; 2) ask questions
when you do not understand; and 3) participate in your discussion
group. I am always ready to answer your questions. Each lecture I
will "publish" a hand-out at the Web Site
summarizing the major points covered that hour. The daily
hand-outs are not a substitute for lecture notes. They simply
highlight what I feel are important ideas.
If, for some pressing
reason, you cannot take the exam at the scheduled time you must
contact me in advance to let me know you will be absent. There is
no excuse for failing to notifying me. You will always be able to
leave a message. Please, call before 9:00 pm if you call me at
home.
Soil Science 230 Home
Copyright © 1999
William F. Bleam, Univ. Wisconsin-Madison
Modified: 9/2/99