Grading
The lab portion of this class counts for a total of 18 points, divided into
- Quizzes. (5 points) Weekly quizzes, given at the beginning of lab periods, on the lecture material. 5 points.
- Recitation questions. Non-graded. Recitation questions are similar in flavor to actual exam question; understanding recitation is the best preparation for exams.
- Pre-lab readiness assessments. (3 points) Done online (in WebAssign) before lab meetings.
- Lab write-ups. (10 points) Your (or more frequently your team’s) work will be graded. Most labs are multi-week affairs and will be evaluated only at the very end according to our rubric:
- Completeness (0-3): Did you answer everything asked?
- Style (0-3): Did you use correct language, use technical terms correctly, make clean and comprehensible plots and table, and include units where appropriate?
- Rigor (0-4) Are your conclusions reasonable and supported by your data? Do you describe your data and use it to buttress your conclusions / explanations? We are aware that not every experiment works so you are not being graded on correctness; however, you will be penalized if you are obviously doing sloppy work, or if weirdness happens and you don’t seem to notice it or provide any explanation.
- Attendance
The lab / recitation is an important (and mandatory) part of the course. Any absence must be documented in writing on the basis of personal or health emergency or the GA Tech rules for excused absences. A makeup lab (at the end of the semester) will be used to compensate for excused absences only.
Civil discourse
Be polite and respectful. We hope you’ll love your labmates, but (sadly) that doesn’t always happen. There are tensions and strains between coworkers in real life as well; this is your opportunity to practice cooperating gracefully even if your partner grates on you.