Physics Lab Grading and Attendance Policies

Revised 11 May 2006

Each lab will be graded out of ten points by the TA. That grade will be based on the report you submit, perhaps on quizzes of your understanding of the pre-lab material, and perhaps on the TA's assessment of your actual laboratory procedures. Responsibility for assigning the grade is entirely in the hands of the TA, while the decision on what weight to give to the lab work is entirely the responsibility of the lecture class instructor.

Missed labs — There are three types of absences:

1. Absences excused by the Student Academic and Financial Affairs Committee of the Academic Senate - documented by a statement from the Office of the Registrar. In accordance with Student Rules and Regulations IV.B.4., these absences will be permitted to be made up.
   • Documented requests for these make-up labs must be made to the Faculty Member in Charge at least one week in advance.
   • Recognizing that advisors, etc., do not always provide copies of the statement from the Office of the Registrar in a timely fashion, undocumented requests should also be made to the Faculty Member in Charge at least one week in advance. In these cases, make-up labs will be arranged, but the report will remain ungraded and the lab considered not made up until the documentation is provided.
   • It might be possible to arrange make-up labs with less than one week's notice, but it is not guaranteed. Circumstances that absolutely prevent one week's notice from being given will be considered.
   • Unless circumstances have prevented providing timely notice, if less than one week's notice is provided and it is not possible for the lab to be performed with another section, it will be considered that you have declined the opportunity to make up the lab, and the lab will not be made up.
2. Absences for which accommodation is requested by the Office of the Dean of Students - documented by an email from the Office of the Dean of Students to the Faculty Member in Charge.
   • Make-up labs will not be permitted for any reason which causes a single lab session to be missed.
   • Make-up labs will be permitted for the second or subsequent absence due to personal or family problems.
   • The Office of the Dean of Students is aware of, and approves of, this policy.
3. Other absences - Other absences may not be made up, and earn a grade of zero.

Note that your TA may not arrange a make-up lab for you, nor may you perform a lab on your own. Here are some examples of situations in which absences may or may not be made up.

At the end of the term your poorest lab grade (which may be an absence that was not made up) will be dropped.

• A single absence that has not been made up will be dropped, and have no further effect on the lab grade.
• If there are two absences that have not been made up, one will be dropped and have no further effect on the lab grade. The other will be assigned a grade of zero. In addition, the lab average will be multiplied by 0.80.
• If there are three absences that have not been made up, the lab, and thus the entire course, is failed.

A final lab grade out of 100% will be calculated and recorded. This grade will be transmitted to your lecture class instructor for use in determining your class grade.

A student whose final grade on the lab work is reported as below 60% will be have failed the lab and, thus, failed the entire course.

A student who earns a lab grade of above 60% will have passed the lab.

Return to the 2231 administrative index.