CONDUCT DURING EXAMS: An exam begins when I hand out the first test. After that, you may not talk, except quietly to me, and you may not consult any written materials without prior permission. In a lab exam, you may not look at any questions except those at your current station. Violators will receive an “F” on the exam.
TESTS, TERM PAPERS, AND PLAGIARISM: I encourage you to discuss course topics and test questions among yourselves; it’s a good way to learn. When I assign grades, though, I want them to be based on your own effort. If two people turn in substantially identical answers, no amount of explaining is going to convince me not to give both papers a zero. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The University provides for punishments than can include expulsion, and the Biological Sciences Department aggressively prosecutes cheating.
GRADING: I’ll tell you the criteria for grading at the beginning of the course; sometimes I adjust grading criteria (always toward the lenient side), and if I might do so for your course, I’ll tell you that, too. Unless I tell you otherwise, plus/minus grading will be used. I don’t enjoy arguing points on tests and I tend to be very hard-nosed about such things, so if you want to argue, make sure you know what you are talking about first. Important: After I have turned in the final grades for a course, I will make grade changes only for arithmetic errors, or to change a "U" to an “I” for someone with a documented excuse for not completing the class. It’s not fair to you or anyone else in the class if I reevaluate someone’s grade and revise it upward without being able to revise yours and everyone else’s grades as well.
MISSED TESTS AND INCOMPLETE COURSEWORK: I expect you to complete the course requirements. If you miss an assignment without a legitimate reason, you will receive zero points for it. If you do not complete the course, you will receive a “U”. If you want to avoid these calamities, you must come and explain the circumstances of the missed work to me, and we can make alternate arrangements. In some courses, I will drop the lowest exam grade—in those courses there are no make-ups of missed tests. In other courses make-up exams will be oral or written, at my discretion. “I” grades are only given for good reason. The University has strict rules for “I” grades, and you should make sure you understand them before you ask for an “I”.
FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS: I generally give explicit instructions for the format of term papers, projects, and collections. This serves three purposes:
Giving you explicit instructions is like giving you the answers on a test—I expect you to get them right. Failing to follow instructions in the broad (not picky) sense can result in anything from a one-letter-grade penalty to a zero on the asignment. So be careful!
OFFICE HOURS: My office hours are for your use. If you don’t understand the material, come and see me about it before the tests rather than at the end of the quarter. The time outside my office hours is for my use, for teaching, professional activities, meetings, and such, but I can always make time to see you, if you let me know in advance. If you catch me in the hall or drop in on my office without an appointment, I may have time to talk with you right then; if not, I’ll let you know. If I’m missing from my office during an office hour and there isn’t a note on the door telling you where I am, it probably means I am in the restroom or running a quick errand, and will be back shortly.
RETURN OF ASSIGNMENTS: Tests will be returned in class, or you may pick them up during office hours. I encourage you to pick up final exams and term papers as well, especially since I often write comments on the latter that may be of some use. Understandably, many students do not return to pick these up; to avoid gravitational collapse of the accumulated papers, I follow University policy and discard them after a quarter.
TARDINESS: It is better to come in late than not at all, but please do so quietly.
TAPE RECORDERS: Unless I tell you otherwise, you may record my lectures if the recordings will be only for your own personal use (that means you can’t sell copies).
TALKING DURING LECTURES, other than as a part of class discussion, will not be tolerated; it distracts other students and annoys me. If I am disturbed by talking, I will exercise the options of rude staring, verbal warning, expulsion from the lecture, and expulsion from the class, in that order, at my discretion.
WHY ARE YOU IN COLLEGE? I operate under the assumption that you are here to learn, that you wish to become an educated person. I realize many of you have more immediate and practical goals, but I’d appreciate it if you’d humor me.
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This page Copyright © 2002 by Curtis Clark. Last revision Monday, March 25, 2002.
This is the official classroom policy of Curtis Clark. It is subject to change without notice to anyone but students currently enrolled in his courses.