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Grading Policy for ESRM 301

Grading Philosophy

Students learn best when provided with principles, shown examples, and asked to extrapolate through synthesis and application of the principles to real world issues. We will combine lectures with short field trips and problem-solving sessions. Grading will be based on the elements listed below.

Exams -- ~30% of final grade

1. There will one take home mid-term. It will be given out at the end of class on Thursday Feb. 1 and will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday Feb. 6 (15% of grade)
2. There will be a take home final. It will be given out on March 7 and due March 15 at the beginning of the presentations (15% of grade).

Both of these exams will consist of one or more synthesis questions, designed to help you integrate the class material. You should be thinking about how subjects relate to each other as we move through the quarter.

Reading reports -- ~20% of final grade

Every Thursday night there will be reading posted on the web page for the following week. Each student is expected to do the assigned reading and to hand in a report responding to a posted question. The response will be due AT THE BEGINNING of class on the Tuesday of the next week.

Click here for some useful guidelines on how to write reading reports.

Click here for some tips on how and when to use citations

Links to CBE style guides:

1. University of Washington's CBE style guide for the most common citations
2. CBE guidelines from Ohio State University. http://library.osu.edu/sites/guides/cbegd.html

Term Project -- ~35% of grade (proposal ~5% of grade, project itself ~30% of grade)

You will be assigned to a group to investigate the physical, biological, and social characteristics of three sites, one of a hardscape area called "plaza," one of a mixed hardscape and vegetated area called "park," and one of a natural vegetated area called "greenbelt." You will choose the sites within your group; a one page description of your proposed sites is due on Jan. 30. You will then answer specific questions and make original observations at each of the three sites, making comparisons. You will write a report and make a presentation to the class during the time scheduled for the final, March 15. This report should incorporate material learned throughout the quarter.

Natural History Reports -- ~10% of grade

You will do a natural history profile of one plant and one animal found in the urban environment. We will provide you with a list to choose from, but if you have a favorite that you do not see, talk to us about it. Each organism will be profiled by only one students, so sign up early if you have a favorite! You will turn in a one-two page profile (format below) of each organism. You will also be prepared to talk about them to the class on Feb. 8 or Feb. 15, using NO MORE than three powerpoint slides, which will be due the Tuesday before your presentation.

Participation -- ~5%

Participation is an essential learning element of the course. You are expected to attend and fully participate in all class sessions and assigned activities and to submit all assigned reports & projects.

Instructors' prerogitive

Grades assigned at the conclusion of the quarter reflect the instructors' assessment of each individual student's accomplishment and learning. The percentages above represent the instructors's intent at the beginning of the quarter but the instructors' reserve the right to make adjustments to those percentages in order to reasonably reflect the ultimate importance ovf the varoius elements of the course to the overall accomplishment and learning in the course.