Scores in Carmen and total score

[Zellmer, Robert]

I got the following question from a student after quiz 4:

"The quiz which was just posted on Carmen and my recitation grade changed drastically.
Is it because the two lowest quiz grades were already automatically dropped before and
it was only considering my one best score.  Now it's using quiz 4 (my lowest score) as
one of the dropped quizzes?"

The answer at this point is yes, it would be.  We're dropping the lowest 2 quiz scores.
We've had only 4 quizzes.  Thus, at this point Carmen is dropping 2 of the 4 quiz scores
and only including your two best scores in the recitation average.  At the end of the
semester, we will have had a total of 12 quizzes.  The 2 lowest scores won't count toward
your final recitation average, only the 10 highest will go toward your average.  This will be
a total of 400 possible points from quizzes in the recitation assignment group score.

Furthermore, for the recitation average it's averaging 2 quizzes with all the attendance
scores to this point.  Most people are getting 10/10 for every recitation.  That's good, it
means you're attending. At the end of the semester, we'll be dropping (excusing) your
2 lowest attendance scores. Some TAs may have already done this if you've missed a
recitation.  For most of you who wind up attending all the recitations we'll be dropping
(excusing) 2 attendance scores which are 10/10 so your total from the attendance won't
really change.  At the end of the semester 12/14 attendance scores (120 total possible
points) will be included in your recitation score.  By the end of this week, Monday
recitations have 5 attendance scores and Wed. and Fri. have 6 attendance scores.

At this point only 2/4 quizzes are being added into the recitation score verses 5 or 6
attendance scores.  Thus, the attendance scores are contributing more to the
recitation score, possibly making it artificially inflated.  At the end, attendance will
contribute 23.1 % (120/520) of your recitation score and the quizzes will contribute
76.9% (400/520).

Sometimes people want to play around in Carmen to see where they truly stand at this
point after the first midterm.  You can enter scores for the remaining parts of the course.
To do this you'll need to do a few other things first.  The grading scale for the course
is in the syllabus.  It is a fixed grading scale, no curve.  Remember though, since we
have quizzes we'll take that into account at the end in some way.  Even so, ignore that
for now since, while you may not believe it, the quizzes don't have a huge affect on
the total course score compared to other lecture sections.

If you want to get a better idea of your Recitation total at this point, we've had 4 quizzes
worth 40 pts each for a total of 160 pts.  For Mon. recitations you've had 5 recitations
worth 50 pts total and Wed and Fri recitations you've had 6 recitations for a total of 60 pts.
Don't drop anything.   Average all 4 quizzes and recitation attendance scores.  Here's an
example for Wed. recitations.  Let's say your 4 quizzes total to 100 pts out of 160 total pts
(62.5%) and you have 60/60 for recitation (100%).  That's a total of 160/220 pts, or an
average for recitation of 72.7% .  Note recitation helped raise your average for recitation.
So, assuming you'll have a 62.5% on the quizzes and 100% for recitation attendance
at the end of the semester use 73% to estimate your overall recitation score.

The average on Mastering at this point is 80%.  This includes people who haven't done
any MC and those who've dropped the course.  They don't get removed from MC so
their scores are still figured into the MC average, even though at the end they won't be
included in Carmen.  It should show you your average so far.  You can use this average
for your on-line homework portion if you're playing around in Carmen with your scores.

I've added a placeholder to the Online Homework assignment group.  This should allow
it to show up in your gradebook and manipulate it to see where you stand going into the
2nd midterm.  It's set for 100 pts (not the actual points you'll get from Mastering once it's
synced).  Take your average score from Mastering and use that percentage to add the
points in.  For example, if you have an 85% total in Mastering, enter 85 points for this
placeholder in your gradebook.  That will change your course percentage.  I will
delete this place holder right before I sync the Mastering, sometime at the end of
the semester.

Right now, even if you have a high recitation score, MC score and lab score I would be
more concerned with your midterm score.  It is probably a better indicator of where you
stand right now.  If your midterm score doesn't reflect your score on the quizzes and MC
it could mean you're not retaining the information.  That may mean you need to change
you're studying habits.  If you didn't attend a "How to Learn" session, watch the recorded
one from the start of the semester.  It's in the Lecture Module in Carmen.  You might also
make an appt to speak to me.

There's also a link below that will help with this and may be easier to use than Carmen.
Do what I've indicated above for the Recitation and Mastering portions of the course.
Use the percentages for lab and MT 1.  Then you can "play around" with scores for
midterms 2 and 3 and the final.  First use the percentage you got on midterm 1 for
the midterms 2 and 3 and the final to see what your course percentage would be.
Then you can estimate what you would need on the remaining exams to get your
desired grade.

https://uglabs.cbc.osu.edu/1220/grades-projector.html

After having said all the above, I'm not sure it's that helpful, except to see if you may be
in real danger of not passing.  If you figure out right now you need 80% on everything from
this point on to get a C+  (because you only have 50% right now) and shoot for the 80%
don't be surprised if you might not make it.  You shouldn't be "shooting" for a score other
than 100%.  Simply try as hard as you can for the remainder of the course.  Change how
you're doing things.  Watch the "How to Learn" video if you didn't come to a session or
haven't watched it yet.  Pay close attention to what I'm saying to do and try to follow it
completely.  Get more help.  Come to office hours.  Do the best you can do.  Don't just
try to slide in above a certain score.

If feel you're really in dire straits feel free to e-mail me and we can set up a meeting.


Dr. Zellmer
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