This course will use a combination of compensatory (work in one category compensates for work in another category) and non-compensatory (work in one category will not compensate for work in another category) grading techniques for determining the final course grade.
Thesis statements, written exercises, and in-class group assignments, for example, are a non-compensatory element of the course grade. In other words, you cannot make up for daily written work by doing well on other assignments. In order to receive an "A" for the course, you must receive an "A" grade in the daily written work and in the essay and evaluations. If you receive a "B" grade in the daily written work, a "B" is the best grade you can earn in the course.
The following is the scale for the daily work:
| Grade | Percentage of Daily Written Work Receiving a "Pass" Grade | ||
 |
A | 93% | |
| B+ | 88% | ||
| B | 80% | ||
| C+ | 77% | ||
| C | 70% | ||
| D | 60% | ||
The total points for the daily written work will consist of 60 points for the twenty thesis statements and written assignments plus an indefinite number of points assigned to in-class group assignments. In-class group assignments will be assigned 3 points each.
Because daily written work cannot be accepted when you are not in class, and recognizing that students might miss one or two class session due to illness or the like, each student will be given 6 bonus points to compensate for two class absences or two missed daily assignments.
- The weight of the rest of the course work will be determined as follows:
13% on course participation;
27% on the three argumentative essays;
24% on the three critical evaluations;
18% on the three revised argumentative essays;
18% on the final essay.
Moreover, because the essays and evaluations are developmental (that is, you learn by doing), the weight of each essay and evaluation increases through the period of the course according to following scale:
| Essays | Evaluations | Revisions | |
| First | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Second | 9% | 8% | 6% |
| Third | 12% | 10% | 8% |
The grading criteria for each aspect of the course is presented in the following pages.
