Grading
8. Grading
8.1 Grading of the Lab: The lab grade constitutes 20% of the total grade for the main course. The lab grade is calculated out of 20 and is sent to the main course instructor at the end of the semester.
a- The passing grade for the lab is 10 out of 20. Due to technical reasons, a score of 9.50 or higher is considered a passing grade. A score up to 9.49 (up to 2 decimal places) will result in failing the lab.
b- The lab grade is rounded to two decimal places when it is announced at the end of the term. However, the unrounded grade is sent to the main course instructor.
c- Passing the lab is a prerequisite for passing the main course. For any reason, if a student does not receive a passing grade for the lab, he/she loses the right to take the final exam, regardless of their main course exam scores, and will receive an F grade in both the course and the lab.
8.2 Lab Grade Components: The lab grade consists of two main components: the lab exam grade and the experiment grades.
a- The lab exam (written) is worth 8 points out of 20, and the experiment grades are worth 12 points out of 20.
Effective from the Spring semester of 2025:
b - The 12-point experiment score consists of two separate components: The experiment participation score (6 points) and the applied exam score (6 points).
8.3 The Participation Score: 6 points can be earned by attending the experiments (excluding the applied exam) on time and providing sufficient participation.
a- The student will receive full 6 points for each experiment if the lab instructor is convinced that the student has sufficiently participated in that experiment and therefore approves the experiment's post-lab report.
b- If a student is considered not to have participated sufficiently in the experiment and their post-lab report is not approved, he/she may still try to complete the experiment if time allows and convince the lab instructor that he/she has completed it. The lab instructor may request the student to present their experiment report, data, and calculations, and may ask them questions to be convinced.
c- A student who does not participate in the lab within the first 30 minutes or whose post-lab report is not approved by the lab instructor will receive a zero for the participation score and will be considered as not having participated in the experiment.
d- The participation score average is calculated by dividing the total participation points by the number of experiments (excluding applied exams) MINUS ONE, at the end of the semester. Therefore, missing a single experiment does not affect the student's participation score, but students who miss multiple experiments will see a decrease in their participation score accordingly.
e- Absence in experiments will not be excused due to health issues or similar situations, and no make-up opportunity will be provided. However, under the conditions specified in the make-up clause, if reported on time, the student may be given the opportunity to make up the experiment in a different section. This right is only valid for official assignments and does not apply to health issues.
f- Missing the experiments will not result in failing the lab. A student who earns the required score in the lab exam and applied exam can still pass the lab.
8.4 Applied Exam Score: The impact of the two applied exams conducted during the semester on the lab grade is 6 points out of 20.
a- Each applied exam is graded out of 6 points.
b- At the end of the semester, the higher score from the two exams will be added to the participation score as the applied exam score, resulting in a total of 12 points for the experiment score.
c- If a student does not show up within the first 10 minutes of the applied exam, he/she will miss the exam and receive a score of zero. If neither of the partners shows up for the first session of the exam, the student ranked lower alphabetically by last name and first name (from A to Z) will be allowed to take the second session, while the other student will receive a score of zero.
d- If a student participates in only one applied exam, the score of the exam he/she attended will be considered as their applied exam score.
e- Absence in applied exam will not be excused due to health issues or similar situations, and no make-up opportunity will be provided. However, under the conditions specified in the make-up clause, if reported on time, the student may be given the opportunity to make up the applied exam in a different section. This right is only valid for official assignments and does not apply to health issues.
f- Missing the applied exams will not result in failing the lab. A student who earns the required score in the lab exam and patricipation in experiments can still pass the lab.
8.5 Lab Exam Score: The lab exam is conducted as a written exam on the date, time, and classroom specified in the lab schedule and 8 points can be earned out of 20.
a- The lab exam can be conducted as a multiple-choice or written (essay) exam. The method of the exam, the number of questions, and other details will not be disclosed before the exam.
b- A student who does not attend the lab exam will receive a zero. It is not possible to reschedule or accept any excuses, such as health-related issues, for the lab exam.
c- In extraordinary and special situations, if the lab coordinators are notified in advance before the exam, the lab committee may convene to evaluate the situation and make a decision regarding the student.
d- Missing the lab exam will not result in failing the lab. A student who earns the required score in the applied exams and patricipation in experiments can still pass the lab.
8.6 Academic Rules & Honesty:
a- All analysis (except data taking) of the student shall be done individually. This includes lab reports (analysis), post-lab reports, assignments/quizzes (if there is any) and lab final.
b- Applied exams should be totally done individually, without any help from labmates or instructors. No electronic devices or any form of material (sheets, books , pdfs etc.) other than a scientific calculator and the applied exam sheet are allowed.
c- Blank and clean applied exam sheets should be brought to the exam room. Any pre-written sheet (even if a small letter or a short word) would be an attempt on cheat.
d- During the applied exam, sharing calculator or decive, nor pen/pencil/erasor is prohibited. Students cannot talk to each other.
e- During the applied exam, students cannot leave their experiment table other (except when they need to hang the equipement and take data on the hanger in some of the experiments).
f - Sharing applied exam data, copying data and bringing them to the applied exam, or using someone else's data will be considered as cheating.
g - Lab exams are just like any other course's exam and the same rules apply.
h- Any suspicion that violates academic rules/honesty will not be tolerated and actions will be taken in accordance with the school's disciplinary regulations.
8.7 Summer Terms: Points mentioned in this article may change in the summer semester and the change is announced on lab website (Article 10)
NEXT: 9. Other Matters
