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In order to determine the extent of conceptual understanding and skill mastery an individual has learned in BI 101, exams and portfolios are used to assess conceptual understandings and skills. In Appendix A of the activity manual, assessments are matched with specific objectives, so it is possible to determine what will be covered on specific exams and portfolios.
Exams
Exams are primarily used to assess conceptual outcomes (portfolios are used to assess skill outcomes). There are three exams, two during the term, and a final exam during finals week. The dates and times of the exams are assigned by the OSU registrar and posted in the OSU Course Schedule. The final exam date and time is also assigned by the OSU registrar and posted in the OSU final schedule.
Monday Oct. 19, 6pm |
Monday Nov. 9, 6pm |
Thursday Dec. 10, 4am |
Exam locations will be announced in laboratory and recitation and posted on the course website the week prior to each exam. They will also be posted outside of the laboratory and recitation classrooms (129 and 127 Weniger). Exams are not given in the lecture hall (Milam Auditorium) due to excessive disruption as students finish at different times. Exams are multiple choice in format, and last year’s exams are in Appendix D at the back of the activity manual. Bring your OSU Student Identification and number #2 pencils to each exam. Scantrons are provided.
Portfolios
Portfolios are primarily used to assess skill outcomes. There are three portfolios due during the term. The dates and times are:
| Portfolio | Due Date | Due Time |
| Portfolio #1 | Monday, October 12 | Due by 5:00 p.m. |
| Portfolio #2 | Monday, November 2 | Due by 5:00 p.m. |
| Portfolio #3 | Monday, November 23 | Due by 5:00 p.m. |
Portfolios are submitted through the mail-slot in the door of 127A Weniger Hall (the room between lab and recitation). Each portfolio has a cover page (included in Appendix B at the back of the activity manual) with a checklist. This coversheet will be the first page of the portfolio, and everything on the checklist is to be included in that portfolio. Portfolios are to be submitted within a document folder (clear cover, three-hole binding, any color), available for under a dollar at the OSU bookstore and many other retailers). The same folder can be reused for all three portfolios if desired. No other folders or binders are acceptable due to the bulk of 800+ portfolios and need for clear covers for grading and totaling.
Grading
BI 101 grades are a reflection of what has someone knows (conceptual understandings) and can do (skills). The total number of points possible in BI 101 are:
| Assessment | Points |
| Portfolio #1 | 15 |
| Portfolio #2 | 20 |
| Portfolio #3 | 25 |
| Exam #1 | 40 |
| Exam #2 | 40 |
| Final Exam | 60 |
Total |
200 |
The same grading scheme is used for all students taking BI 101. No additional work or grading opportunities are given to specific students, ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to a fair grade. BI 101 grades are a reflection of what someone knows (conceptual understandings) and can do (skills).
All BI 10X courses are criterion graded, meaning that if you make the following number of point out of the 200 total points, you are guaranteed the indicated grade (barring any extreme circumstances, such as university closures, etc). We do not curve, so if a large number of students master the course material, a large number can earn high grades. Students are not competing with each other for grades. The point cut-offs could be lowered if class data indicates that a particular exam question or portfolio assignment was too difficult or poorly detailed. This does not occur frequently, due to thorough proofing of exams and assignments.
Points |
186 |
180 |
174 |
166 |
160 |
154 |
146 |
140 |
134 |
126 |
120 |
<120 |
Grade |
A |
A- |
B+ |
B |
B- |
C+ |
C |
C- |
D+ |
D |
D- |
F |
Grade Points |
4.0 |
3.7 |
3.3 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
1.7 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
Only points round up, not percentages, and points only round up once. For example, 139.50 points (or higher) would round up to 140 points, a grade of C-, 139.49 points would be a D+.
S/U Grading (AR18. Alternative Grading)
At least 140 points have to be earned to get a C- in BI 101. If you are not sure whether you should choose the S/U option, consult your advisor. Typically it is most critical to choose the S/U option if a lower grade point average will impact a scholarship or financial aid in some manner. If there is a possibility of getting the unsatisfactory grade, it may be important to weigh the impact of a low grade (D+, D, D-, F) without the S/U option, versus possibly having to re-take a science lab course with a “U” grade.
Extra Credit Lecture Puzzles
There are three extra credit puzzles given throughout the term in lecture, each worth one point (three points total). These puzzles must be completed and turned in during the lecture in which they are administered to receive credit. There are two purposes for these puzzles. First, the extra credit puzzles provide an opportunity for exploring a lecture topic in more depth. Second, these extra credit points may help students who are “stuck” between grades move up to the next grade. For instance, consider two students with a total number of 158 points (a grade of C+), one student with one extra credit point, the other with three extra credit points. The student with one extra credit point will receive the C+ (total of 159 points), the student with three extra credit points will receive a B- (total of 161 points). These are the only extra credit points offered in the course. The course grade is calculated on a possible scale of 200 points (see above).
Grade Changes
The same grading criteria and cut-offs are used for all students taking BI 101. No additional work or grading opportunities are given to specific students, ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to a fair grade. In other words, students who request additional work or other special grading considerations before or after the course is completed are always denied these requests. OSU grade changes are intended to be used only for clerical or computational errors. In BI 101, these errors could occur if the exam scantron was filled in improperly, or a portfolio was graded incorrectly. These errors are rare, but if you think one may have occurred, contact Lesley Blair immediately. For a possible exam scantron error, e-mail your name, lab section number, and concern to Lesley. For the portfolio, write a note explaining the concern, attach it to the entire portfolio including the coversheet (you can staple all the pages together and keep the portfolio cover if desired), and turn it in to Lesley at lecture or during office hours. If it is the third portfolio, drop the portfolio and note into the mail slot in the door of 127A Weniger.
Exam Conflicts
All exam times were listed in the schedule of classes at the time of registration. If you have scheduled a conflicting class or have a conflicting exam at the same time as a BI 101 exam, you may be able to take the BI 101 exam slightly earlier on the same day, or a different format exam later in the week. Contact Lesley Blair for arrangements as soon as possible. No exam will be given on a date earlier than the scheduled date.
Missed Exams
If you are ill, contact Dr. Lesley Blair before the scheduled exam. There are no make-up exams, except for students with serious, unavoidable conflicts (such as military commitments, hospitalization, or death of an immediate family member). Makeup exams in essay format are given for students with these reasons for missing the standard exam, later the same week as the scheduled exam. With 800+ students, there are unfortunately many emergencies each term, and since grading make-up exams takes approximately one hour each exam, this is only an option for serious, unavoidable conflicts. Arrangements should be made with Lesley Blair as soon as possible.
Requests for Early Exams (AR 16. Finals Week)
Students frequently request early exams due to travel plans or other considerations. Due to the size of the course, the exam times dates and time listed in the schedule of classes will be followed. The final exam will be given according to the "Schedule of Group Examinations.” There will be no final exams given prior to the scheduled date/time.
Missed Lectures
One of the skills stressed in this course is note-taking: the ability to listen, record, and learn. In BI 10X courses, student exam scores are higher if they attend lectures and generate their own notes. The lecturer will not provide notes, but is available if you would like assistance with note-taking skills (also see section on note-taking in this syllabus). If you miss a lecture, it is recommended that you get notes from classmates, read through them carefully, and ask the teaching team if you have any questions over the material.
Missed Laboratories and Recitations
Lab and recitation activities are important sources of material for the exams and portfolios. If you missed an activity and would like to learn what was missed, you can attend any Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) office hour (also posted outside 133 Weniger) later that week or the following week to go over the activity. You are not able to attend another lab/recitation section, utilize the GTA office hours instead. It is recommended that you read over the missed activity before attending to maximize the time available with the GTA. If you know you will miss lab or recitation at the end of a week before an exam or portfolio due date, it is recommended that you attend GTA office hours earlier in the week, prior to missing the activities.
Late Portfolios
Late portfolios are any portfolios turned in past the 5 p.m. due date cut-offs. Late portfolios will receive point penalties because (1) students had extra time to prepare the portfolios, and (2) late portfolios are not available for the Monday p.m. team grading session and will require extra attention. Late portfolios can be turned in at only two locations/times (GTAs are not to accept late portfolios), students turning in late portfolios must turn them in as follows: (1) The next day at lecture (immediately before or after the 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. lectures). These late portfolios will receive a 25% point deduction, or (2) Two days late at from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to room 125A Weniger (Course Coordinator's office hours). These late portfolios will receive a 50% point deduction. Portfolios slid under the door of room 125A Weniger (Course Coordinator's office) after hours will be dated as received on the next date (eg. if a portfolio is not turned in before the 5 p.m. due date cut-off, will be marked as received on Tuesday at lecture. Portfolios turned in after the "immediately after lecture" time will be marked as turned in on Wednesday. Portfolios turned in after the 11 a.m. cut-off on Wednesday will receive no credit.). If you are ill, contact Dr. Lesley Blair before the portfolio is due. The only portfolios accepted more than two days late would be in the case of a serious, unavoidable conflict (such as military commitments, hospitalization, or death of an immediate family member). Arrangements should be made with Dr. Lesley Blair as soon as possible in these cases.