The midterm was out of 104 points. Opportunities for extra credit totaled about 15 to 20 points.
Scores above 88 or 90 suggest a trajectory toward an A grade,
scores close to or above about 80 suggest a B-like trajectory,
scores below 60 suggest you should be concerned about not passing.
This is a continuous spectrum and one shouldn't place too much emphasis on magic breakpoints.
No matter what, if you do well enough on the final, you can pass the class.
If you did well on the midterm: good work. My advice is: don't slack off. The final is is very important for everyone.
I think the most important thing to get from the midterm is a sense of:
what sort of questions you will be asked, and
how to prepare for them and answer them on an exam.
Since our tests emphasize problem solving, I feel strongly that the best way to prepare is by practicing problem solving. Reading is of rather limited value because you are not being tested on retention of information, but rather on your ability to solve simple yet difficult problems.
If you read the blog posts assiduously in the week or two leading up to the final, then you will know what is going to be on the final. (One can see, looking at the blog, that the practice problems and posts on midterm preparation tell you what will be on the test and more.) I know these problems can be very difficult; i think a good process gives you the best chance to succeed.
The final can be approached in the same way. It will focus on a few important, selected problems. From the blog posts, you will be able to discern what those will be. Even now in the class, our emphasis is on selected topics that I believe are the most important. Those are the topics you will be tested on at the end of the quarter. Ideally the final, and the emphasis that precedes it, can enhance your learning in addition to its role for evaluation. I try to limit the number of topics we cover, so that we have possibility of some depth of coverage and understanding of the most important and memorable aspects of the course.
Thank you for posting the test prep and practice problems on the blog for the midterm =) They were my primary study tool and I found them super helpful. Hope to see more extra credit on the final too!
ReplyDeletei just did all the homework problems... what a waste of time. i wish i had just focused on the practice problems on the blog... Lame hopefully the class is some what curved.
ReplyDeletehmmm. Your comment suggests that the HW problems were not relevant and I disagree with that. i think if you were really able to do all the HW problems, then you would be able to do all the midterm problems.
ReplyDeleteMy concern is that you are suggesting going from one extreme to another.
Another way to think about it is that it would have helped you to read the blog posts related to midterm preparation. There was a lot in the blog on midterm preparation including:
1) a discussion of what would be on the exam
2) a list of slected HW problems to redo and study
and
3) practice problems.
All 3 parts are equally important imo.
Ya the blog postings seem to be very key as to doing well in this class... I just wish i had focused more on that rather that trying to figure out all those other intense homework problems that required lots of other reading, and understanding, (like that ping pong ball problem.) But i will definitely have a better understanding and be able to prepare for the final. thanks
ReplyDeleteSounds good.
ReplyDeleteThe ping-pong ball problem. I had completely forgotten that. It seemed so vague and ill-defined (and sort of pointless).