Grading Contract
The work in this class consists of 4 programming assignments, 3 exams, and 6 research deliverables (13 graded pieces total; see the types of work page). The 13 pieces are designed so if students complete them all, they will earn a B. If you earn a B in the course, you will have learned a lot about computational systems biology.
Additionally, there are 4 items graded as “Submitted / Not Submitted” and 13 labs graded as “Present / Absent” (17 low-stakes pieces total). Most (if not all) of these should be submitted/marked - there are opportunities to make up labs you cannot miss.
The table below is based off of requirements for a B. There are 8 opportunities for an Excellent (programming assignments, exams, and the final research deliverable) - earning one or more Es will improve your grade beyond a B if you have completed all pieces. If you partially complete pieces, miss assignments, or miss extra labs, that reduces your grade. However, one E will bump up a partially complete piece to a complete piece.
To interpret the table, if you have an “excellent” piece you can swap it to bump a “partially complete” piece up to make it “complete.” Then use the number of M/P/C/E pieces to find your grade. The number of missed pieces is considered first.
| Earned Grade | Assignment Requirements | # Missed Graded Pieces Allowed (13 total) | # Missed Low-Stakes Pieces Allowed (17 total) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Requirements for a B and at least three pieces are Excellent: one must be a programming assignment (P1-P4), one must be an exam (E1-E3), and one must be the research deliverable R6 | 0 | 0 |
| A- | Requirements for a B and at least two pieces are Excellent | 0 | 1 |
| B+ | Requirements for a B and one piece is Excellent | 0 | 2 |
| B | Complete the 13 graded pieces (P1-P4, E1-E3, R1-R6) | 0 | 3 |
| B- | Requirements for a B, except 1 piece is partially completed | 0 | 4 |
| C+ | Requirements for a B, except 2 pieces are partially completed | 0 | 4 |
| C | Requirements for a B, except 4 pieces are partially completed or missing | 1 | 5 |
| C- | Requirements for a B, except 5 pieces are partially completed or missing | 2 | 5 |
| D | Requirements for a B, except 6 pieces are partially completed or missing | 3 | 6 |
| F | Requirements for a D are not met | >6 | >6 |
Examples
- A student who completes the 13 graded pieces and submits all low-stakes pieces earns a B. This is what I expect from all students.
- A student who gets excellents on all eligible assignments and completes the remaining graded pieces, but misses 2 of the low-stakes pieces, earns a B+.
- A student who partially completes 2 of the 13 pieces and completes the rest earns a C+.
- A student who misses 1 graded assignment and completes the rest earns a C.
- A student who misses 2 graded assignments, partially completes 3 others, and submits all low-stakes assignments earns a C-.
Assessment Communication
We will discuss your course plans at multiple points throughout the semester. In the first week, you will share your reasons for taking the course, what success in the course means to you, and your plans for achieving that success. Over fall break, I will email you about your progress on the programming assignments and exams, and you will share your goals for the research project in a brief assignment after retuning from break. We will check in during the labs in the second half of the semester to make sure you are on track to achieve your goals. You are welcome to talk with me any time about your progress in the course and how it aligns with your goals. Communication is key.