Grading

Four things go into your course grade:

-           Midterm test

-           Final Exam

-           Problem sets and quizzes

  The course grade will combine these in the following way:

 

Grade = 0.15 x (avg. best 4 quizzes) + 0.25 x (avg. best 4 problem sets) + 0.2 x midterm test + 0.4 x Final exam

Most exam questions will be in the same format and level of difficulty as the assignments, although remember that time pressure can make things more complicated.   

Assignments: There will be five problem sets distributed throughout the semester. They will typically be made available on a Thursday/Friday and will be due the following Monday morning at 8.30 am. The course policy will be not to accept late assignments or grant extensions: a late assignment will translate into a grade of zero. In addition, there will be five short quizzes whose solutions will be submitted electronically.

Problem sets and quizzes share two main purposes: help students to structure their work and check the corresponding progress, on one side, and allow a quasi-continuous assessment of this evolution by the teaching team, on the other. The questions and problems used will be similar in complexity to those used in "practice lectures" ("tutorials").

 

Quizzes are considered individual work and should be understood as such. You are permitted to collaborate on the homework assignments. However, each person must submit a separate write-up. Problem sets might be solved in groups, defined during the first week of lectures. If you select to work within a group, each person is asked to list the members of the group atop their submission.