Organic Chemistry at Arizona State University

I do not grade on a curve. If I grade on a curve, that means that I have decided before the start of the course that only a certain percentage of you will get an A, a certain percentage will fail etc. Is this a good approach? I think not! If I grade on a curve then you are competing against each other, which may not be fair for a variety of reasons (e.g. some people may have taken the class previously etc.). Also, I would like all of you to have at least the opportunuty to get an A. More importantly, if I get a point distribution that is a "bell-shaped" curve, then as a teacher I have clearly not influenced the range and distribution of abilities coming into my class. I might as well have just told you to teach yourself! An ideal curve is one that is skewed towards the high points end. One interpretation of such a curve is that I have managed to change the average abilities related to organic chemistry as a teacher, and this, of course, is what I am striving for! Unfortunately, many factors influence the shapes of point distribution curves, and this is only one possible explanation. For example, all I have to do to get such a curve is write an easy test!

This is the reason that you have a point totals to aim for. Everyone who reaches a certain points total gets that grade.

To get an A, a student must get 850 points and thus demonstrate excellence in a subject
To get a B, a student must get 750 points and demonstrate mastery of a subject
To get a C, a student must get 550 points and thus show good understanding of a subject

If at the end of the semetser, you do not get the grade that you wanted in this class, ask yourself the following question. If you missed an A, did you really demonstrate excellence in organic chemistry? If you missed a B, did you really demonstrate mastery of organic chemistry? If you missed a C, did you really demonstrate good understanding of organic chemistry?

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Examination Procedures

I do not believe that cheating is a significant problem in this class. However, it is only fair to everybody if the potential for cheating is minimized. For this reason the following procedure will be followed during each midterm and final exam.

Later in the semester when the number of students decreases we may enforce the rule that there must be one empty seat between each student, however, at the beginning of the semester there are not enough seats, so sit anywhere you like, BUT LEAVE THE FRONT ROW EMPTY. The front row will be reserved for late-comers.

You ARE REQUIRED write down the name of the person sitting to your LEFT and the person sitting to your RIGHT on the cover page of your test before you start. If you are sitting at the end of a row, enter "AISLE". Write the name of the person to your left/right even if there are one or more empty seats separating you.

Tests that are handed in with the "neighbor name" spaces blank will receive a score of zero

BEFORE the tests are distributed, you will be instructed to put all study materials away, and you will also be asked to remove your hats. If you are particularly attached to your hat(!), you may turn it "backwards".

The use of molecular models is allowed. However, for purposes of using time efficiently, it is best that by the time the test comes around you have learned to solve problems without them. If you do bring models, DO NOT BRING THE ENTIRE KIT! You will INEVITABLY spill it on the floor! Instead, bring a couple of fragments of molecules that you have already constructed and that you can modify for your purposes. Calculators are NOT ALLOWED since only very simple math is required in CHM 233/234 that you can easily do in your head, and contemporary calculators are too easily programmed to store information.

IF YOU FINISH THE TEST EARLY, HAND IT TO ME OR A TA AND LEAVE QUIETLY.

IF YOU ARE STILL WORKING WHEN TIME IS CALLED, IMMEDIATELY STOP THEN HAND YOUR TEST TO THE PERSON ON YOUR RIGHT. PASS ALL TESTS DOWN THE ROW TO THE PERSON WHO IS SITTING IN THE AISLE SEAT. AFTER YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR TEST DOWN THE ROW YOU MAY LEAVE. WE WILL COLLECT THE TESTS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING IN THE RIGHT HAND AISLE SEATS.

If you are EVEN REMOTELY SUSPECTED of cheating by me or by one of the TAs, your test will be pulled at the end of the exam, so that it can be compared with your neighbors.

SOME TESTS WILL OCCASIONALLY BE PULLED RANDOMLY. If your test is pulled at the end of the exam, it does NOT necessarily mean that you are suspected of cheating, it is just like being pulled out of line at the airport for a search, it just happens to be your unlucky day.

Also, please remember that if a fire alarm goes off during a test, I will assume that it has been deliberately set. A new test will be given the following week, and the material in the lecture that is missed will become YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN.

Some tests (some at random, and some not) will be photocopied for comparison with tests resubmitted for a regrade. Altering an exam for regrading is obviously considered cheating.

Any student caught cheating will be withdrawn with a failing grade and reported to the Dean. Use common sense.

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