TESTS AND QUIZZES

Midterms: Two, both mandatory.  See the course calendar for dates.  Think of these
as "giant quizzes".  They will be during the first half of the period. 
The second half of the period is a normal lecture and
can have clicker points, mini-quizzes etc.  So, don't walk out after the midterm is done!

If you miss a midterm without 1 week's documented, approved advance notice, then the
grading contract is broken and your grade will be entirely up to my discretion.

Final Exam:   It will be comprehensive and is mandatory. Weighting will generally be 50%
for material covered on the first two midterms and 50% for all other material.
The Dept. of Physics & Astronomy recommends checking student ID cards at final exams. Please bring yours.
If you miss the final exam without 2 weeks' documented, approved notice or
a documented, verifiable excuse I accept after the fact, you will fail the course no matter
what your grade was going into the final.

You are responsible for coming to me after you miss a midterm or the final.

In-class Quizzes: unannounced and sometime during class.  If you arrive
after the class begins and there is a quiz, you may have to sit somewhere in the front, where I tell you.

Mini-Quizzes:  Although many clicker questions are for participation only
(so it doesn't matter whether you get it right or not), there may be some which
not only will provide a participation point but will additionally count toward one or more "mini-quizzes", which
will be totalled up with other mini-quizzes and then averaged with the other, in-class quizzes.  
I will announce questions which count toward a mini-quiz before I give them.

You can drop the lowest quiz grade.  Taking a quiz also gives you a bonus participation
point. Missed quizzes (in-class or mini) CANNOT be made up. 

Quiz/Test Policy:
You need a documented reason from a third party (not a family member, e.g. physician, note from
funeral home director  or pastor, lawyer, university official such as band director, sports coach etc. or
similar) for missing  a quiz, midterm or the final.   Give me advance notice unless it's an unforeseen event.
Vacations with plane tickets already purchased and other non-University activities
are not acceptable reasons for missing quizzes, midterms or the final. 

You get a bonus clicker/participation point for taking a regular quiz.  So, taking a quiz and getting a zero
is better than skipping it.  Even if you guess randomly, you should get some points.  The way
I grade assumes that you attempt every question and that you will get some points even by
random guessing.  Skipping quizzes or tests will significantly lower your grade.

Additional points for  in-class quizzes are earned by taking online quizzes (pre-tests).  They are
required as part of the course.