Class Grading

[Jaci Glassick 2G]

"Each test and exam has a total score but is not assigned a grade. Only at the end of the class when the class average score (out of 500 points) is known are final grades assigned. This class does not use a curve. Group learning (Chemistry Community, Study Groups, Peer Learning, etc.) is encouraged. 50% or higher is required to pass with a C- or higher."

This brief quote is taken from the syllabus. After the midterm, I wanted to review the grading system for the class. So if I'm understanding this correctly, letter grades will be assigned at the end of the quarter and they will be based around the class average of points? Please correct me if I'm wrong! Thank you!

[Chem_Mod]

correct

[Alexa Hernandez 3k]

Correcto!
I'm not sure how that would exactly work though...

[emma brinton_3B]

does this mean the class is on a curve?

[Celine 1F]

you're right!

[Michelle Chan 1J]

How exactly does this work? So is the class curved in the end?

[AKhanna_3H]

The class is not curved and letter grades are not assigned to tests and midterms. At the end of the quarter Dr. Lavelle will create the cutoffs for A/A-/B+ etc. depending on what the end points are. This means that to get an A in the class you may have to get a different percentage than the standard 93%. It all depends on what the overall grades are at the end and where he decides to do the cutoffs, so just try your best throughout the quarter!

[Claire Grover 3G]

Yes! Even though we get a point score for every test we won't find out the actual letter grades until the end of the quarter.

[Lizette Noriega 1H]

Yes, that's correct. The grades will be dependent on the number of points and the cutoffs made by Dr.Lavelle with regards to the class average

[KayleyW_3L]

The good thing is he will never curve down, only up.

[Madeline Phan 1E]

So for our midterm, we will just get a raw score for now?

[Angela Prince 1J]

The good thing is he will never curve down, only up.

Wait, so is there a curve or not?

[Sjeffrey_1C]

I think when he says there isn't a curve he means a bell curve, meaning there isn't a specific grade distribution he wants. But it does seem like he will be curving the class, or not using a standard grading scale. This way if the overall grades aren't very high, he will shift the cutoffs so that people do better in terms of their overall grade!!

[Yailin Romo 4G]

it says on the syllabus that to pass the class you only need half the points thus 250 out of the total possible points in the class which is 500

[Hailey Kim 4G]

So for our midterm, we will just get a raw score for now?

Yes. Today in lecture, Professor Lavelle said that midterm scores will be released next Wednesday.

[Salma Fawzi 4G]

On the syllabus it mentions students need half the points to pass the class, so does that mean that the class is curved up?

[Yailin Romo 4G]

It's not curved but if you are worried about passing then you only need half the points so 250/500 to pass the class.

[Yailin Romo 4G]

It's not curved but if you are worried about passing then you only need half the points so 250/500 to pass the class.

[Ian Morris 3C]

It can be curved up if the class percentage is much lower than anticipated so I wouldn't count on it. I would focus on getting at just the 250 points required for the C- is your main goal is just to pass.

[Chanel D_4E]

I think you only need 250/500 to pass the class with a C-

[Chanel D_4E]

Does anyone know how many points a B- would be per se if 250/500 is a C-?

[JohannaPerezH2F]

it's not on a curve but if in total points you accumulate 250 points or more then you have a passing grade

[GEOVANNAO_3F]

so to clarify, the class is not curved, but a grade is assigned at the ended based on the class average?

[KayleyW_3L]

so to clarify, the class is not curved, but a grade is assigned at the ended based on the class average?

Yes, this is correct.

[pJimenez3F]

yes correct

[205150314]

So how can we try to figure out the grade we might get? or si there no way of finding that out right now

[205150314]

So how can we try to figure out the grade we might get? or si there no way of finding that out right now

If the midterm average was like a 75 then what would be considered an A for that test if the professor based the grading scheme on the average?

[Cindy Adiwidjaja 1B]

I saw from previous years' posts that Lavelle also adds 10 points to every one's score out of 500. I do not know if this is still true, but this popped up a lot in Chemistry Community.

[KayleyW_3L]

I saw from previous years' posts that Lavelle also adds 10 points to every one's score out of 500. I do not know if this is still true, but this popped up a lot in Chemistry Community.

Wow that would be very nice of him! So it's kind of like extra credit? I hope he does this

[Annie Ye]

I saw from previous years' posts that Lavelle also adds 10 points to every one's score out of 500. I do not know if this is still true, but this popped up a lot in Chemistry Community.

That would be great if he does curve the points!

[Aman Sankineni 2L]

I hope he ends up curving the class.

[504939134]

I hope this is true! But yeah I have heard that his final grades are curved but test aren’t.

[Claire Grover 3G]

Yes I believe that is correct!

[Abigail Menchaca_1H]

Let's hope it gets curved!

[Elizabeth Johnson 1I]

lets pray there is a curve/grade shift

[Rosa Munoz 2E]

Hope there’s a curve!

[chimerila]

I think when he says there isn't a curve he means a bell curve, meaning there isn't a specific grade distribution he wants. But it does seem like he will be curving the class, or not using a standard grading scale. This way if the overall grades aren't very high, he will shift the cutoffs so that people do better in terms of their overall grade!!

Thank goodness, bell curves are the absolute worst.

[Cindy Adiwidjaja 1B]

After having taken the class, I can confirm that there is no curve. The amount of points you receive is the exact grade you get in the class. The only "curve" he does is gives you a C- if you get at least 250 points.

[Jaklin Astvatsatryan]

After having taken the class, I can confirm that there is no curve. The amount of points you receive is the exact grade you get in the class. The only "curve" he does is gives you a C- if you get at least 250 points.

I can second this and that getting a 250 points gives a C-

[Cindy Adiwidjaja 1B]

After having taken the class, I can confirm that there is no curve. The amount of points you receive is the exact grade you get in the class. The only "curve" he does is gives you a C- if you get at least 250 points.

I can second this and that getting a 250 points gives a C-

Thank you for backing me up!

[VioletKo3F]

Is it possible to get a lower letter grade after the curve? For example, if I have a 450/500 (90%), is it possible that I'll get a B+ because the class average is too high?

[Annie Chantasirivisal_4G]

Is it possible to get a lower letter grade after the curve? For example, if I have a 450/500 (90%), is it possible that I'll get a B+ because the class average is too high?

He doesn't curve down, only up! Even if the class average was high, he'll just use a straight scale at that point and make 90% an A-.

[Patricia Cardenas]

After having taken the class, I can confirm that there is no curve. The amount of points you receive is the exact grade you get in the class. The only "curve" he does is gives you a C- if you get at least 250 points.

This is correct based off of my experience with Lavelle last quarter.

[Alan Cornejo 1a]

This is correct, although the only real curve is that you need 250 points to pass the class with a c-

[Anna Chen 1K]

I agree, you will get a C- if you get at least 250 points.