From an absolute perspective, grades denote the
following performance levels:
A - Can prove theorems, calculate, and count with fluency without help.
B - Can prove prove theorems, calculate, and count quite well with some help.
C - Can make notable progress proving theorems, calculating, and counting with significant help.
D - Can barely prove thorems, calculate, and count with extensive help.
F - No clue what to do, even with extensive help.
Grades are computed as follows using a combination of absolute and relative standards. For each student, a semester score is computed as a weighted linear sum of the activity scores on all required course activities, using the weights given below. The set of scores is sorted and the instructor draws cutoff lines. A score of 90-100 guarantees an A; a score of 80-89 guarantees at least a B; a score of 70-79 guarantees at least a C; and a score of 60-69 guarantees at least a D. I reserve the right, however, to "curve" the grades in the students' favor (I will never curve grades in students' disfavor). There is no predetermined distribution of grades: everyone could earn an A, or everyone could fail, depending on how the students perform. Typically about 20% of the class will earn an A; 30% of the class will earn a B; and 40% of the class will earn a C. The exact placement of the cutoff lines will depend on a combination of absolute and relative standards.
In addition, to pass, each student must make a serious effort to complete all required activities (homework, Exam I, Exam II, test of fundamentals, Final Exam). Thus, for example, if you do not hand in a sufficient amount of homework, or if you miss any exam, then you will fail, regardless of your semester score. Achieving less than 60% of the total possible homework points would typically be clear evidence of lack of serious effort or adequate performance. The quizzes are ungraded and for practice only.
To pass the course it is also necessary (but not sufficient) to achieve a passing score on the test of fundamentals, which is a a straight-forward test of the most important basic concepts and vocabulary from the course.
An automatic extension is always granted for any homework problem (only) that requires skills and material not covered before the due date.
Academic dishonesty, in any of its many forms, will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely (including up to expulsion from school). Read university policy on this subject. Understand and avoid all forms academic dishonesty. For example, avoid plagiarism, which involves representing someone else's work as your own.
Joint work is never allowed on any quiz or exam.
Please note the following hierarchy of university titles: Grader < Teaching Assistant < Lecturer < Instructor < Assistant Professor < Associate Professor < (Full) Professor < Chair < Dean < Provost < President < Chancellor. Use the highest applicable title, especially when speaking in the presence of others. Essentially all assistant professors and above are doctors (i.e. hold earned PhDs), but not all doctors are professors (this is why "professor" is more respectful than "doctor.") Most instructors and below do not hold hold PhDs. Regular faculty are tenured (have gained job security through passing a rigorous evaluation) or are on a tenure track (will undergo a tenure evaluation); adjunct faculty by definition are not. Most associate and full professors are tenured; most assistant professors are not. At UMBC, most adjunct faculty are part time, and most regular faculty are full time (though the term "adjunct" does not necessarily imply part time).