EXAMS

• For each exam, each student should bring a #2 pencil,a calculator for numerical calculation (Graphing calculators are permitted) and a picture ID.

• There will be three one hour midterm exams. The exams are closed book, but you may use one 8-1/2 x 11 inch or smaller sheet of hand-written notes and equations (you may use both sides of the sheet).

• There are no makeup exams. However, if you miss a midterm exam for any reason you will be allowed to drop this exam and the midterm portion of your final grade will be based on the other two midterm exams. Only one exam will be dropped. If you take all three midterms, your lowest midterm exam score will be dropped when calculating your final grade.

• Midterm exam questions will be both numeric and conceptual, e.g. true or false. Approximately half of the exam will be numeric and the remainder will be conceptual. Your score on each midterm exam will be calculated relative to 90% of the possible points on the exam (so, scores over 100% are possible and allowed). At least 10% of the midterm problems will be modified* homework problems. One problem on the second midterm will be a modified* problem from the first exam. Two problems on the third midterm will be modified* problems from the first two exams.

• There will be one cumulative 2 - hour final exam. One third of the final exam will be based on material covered in the last homework sets. The other two thirds will be based on material covered in the first ten homework sets. Approximately half of the exam will be numeric and the remainder will be conceptual. Your score on the final exam will be calculated relative to 90% of the possible points on the exam (scores over 100% are allowed). At least 25% of the final exam problems will be modified* problems from the midterm exams. The exam is closed book, but you may use two 8-1/2 x 11 inch or smaller sheets of hand-written notes and equations (you may use both sides of the sheets). The final exam will not be dropped -- it is University policy that students missing a final exam will receive a grade of 0 for the course.

• If you are living or travelling far from the MSU campus at the time of the exam, beyond a reasonable commuting distance, or if you are traveling with an MSU-sponsored program, you may be able to arrange a proctored off-campus exam. Arrangements must be made well in advance of the exam. Requests made after the deadline will not be accommodated and you will have to take the exam on the MSU campus.Click here for deadlines and details for arranging an off-campus exams.

• Grading scales for exams will not be curved unless there was a mis-wording or error.

*-- Modified could mean that if the original problem gave x and asked for y, the modified problem might give y and ask for x. For conceptual problems, modified could mean covering the same concept.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME EXAM PROBLEMS GIVEN IN PREVIOUS COURSES

Physics 231C Home

Last updated: May 13, 2010