Grading Rubrics for MAT 363 Assignments

This document gives an overall description of how numerical scores will be assigned to the most common assignments in this class: labs, discussion activities, board work, daily scribe work, and problem sets. Rubrics for the Pythagorean Theorem project and Sketchpad project will be given out later when those projects are assigned. Grading standards for quiz, test, and exam problems will be essentially along the same lines as you see below, although the point values for those items can vary, hence no “one size fits all” rubric is given.

Lab Activities Labs are graded on a scale of 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 with those five numbers being the only possible grades. These scores are based on completeness and effort -- NOT on mathematical correctness. However, although mathematical correctness is not a factor in these grades, you must TRY to get your math right or else you are not putting forth a full effort.

Grade Criteria

8

A serious, concerted effort to complete each task and answer every question was given. All Sketchpad constructions are done correctly and are "robust" (they can be manipulated without losing the essence of what they were constructed for). All verbal responses regarding a construction are clearly related to that construction, and all mathematical conjectures and guesses are supported by evidence from the construction.

6

A serious, concerted effort to complete tasks and answer questions was given on at least 75% (not but 100%) of the lab activities. Verbal responses are mostly supported by correctly-done Sketchpad constructions. But there are a few instances of omissions, incorrect or non-robust Sketchpad constructions, or verbal responses which are incoherent or unsupported by the evidence in the construction.

4

Between 50% and 75% of the lab activities show evidence of serious, concerted effort. Verbal responses are sometimes supported by correctly-done Sketchpad constructions. But there are a recurring instances of omissions, incorrect or non-robust Sketchpad constructions, or verbal responses which are incoherent or unsupported by the evidence in the construction.

2

Only 1-2 of the lab activities show evidence of serious, concerted effort. There is sporadic correspondence between a construction and a verbal response about the construction. There are a few instances of correctly-built Sketchpad constructions. Instances of omissions, incorrect or non-robust Sketchpad constructions, or verbal responses which are incoherent or unsupported by the evidence in the construction are the rule rather than the exception.

0 The lab activity was not handed in or was handed in late; or the work on the entire lab activity shows little to no evidence of serious effort.

Discussion Participation in discussion on a particular day will be worth 0, 1, 2, or 4 points.

Grading Rubrics for MAT 363: Page 1 of 3

Grade Criteria

4The student shows up for class on time, stays for the entire time, and provides thoughtful and good-faith (but not necessarily correct) answers to every question posed to him or her by the professor in the course of discussion.

2The student shows up for class on time, stays for the entire time, and provides thoughtful and good-faith (but not necessarily correct) answers to most, but not all, questions posed to him or her by the professor in the course of discussion. (An example of a non-thoughtful answer is "I don't know" or "I didn't get around to working on that one".)

1The student shows up for class on time, stays for the entire time, but does not give thoughtful answers to most of the questions posed during the class. Or, the student provides thoughtful answers to most discussion questions but does not show up on time for class.

0 The student was absent.

Daily scribeStudents who are designated as the daily scribe for a particular class meeting are exempt from answering discussion questions (unless he/she wants to answer one). Instead, that student's job for the day is to take down notes from the class, write up solutions to the exercises for discussion, and post them to the course web site using LaTeX within 24 hours of the class meeting. The daily scribe receives a grade of 0, 1, 2, or 4 based on his or her work.

Grade Criteria

4 The notes and solutions are complete, correctly transcribed, written up using correct LaTeX on the course web site, and posted within 24 hours of the class meeting.

2One of the following has occurred: There is a serious error or omission in the transcription; mathematics is not written up using correct LaTex; or the notes are posted past the 24-hour deadline.

1 Two of the occurrences above has taken place.

0 No notes are posted, or notes with numerous omissions and errors, are posted within 24 hours.

In the case of errors, these will be pointed out by the professor and other students; if errors and omissions are not corrected within 48 hours of the class meeting, the scribe's grade reverts to 0.

Board WorkStudents who elect to put up their work on solutions to board work problems will be graded on a scale of 0, 3, 6, 9, or 10 with those scores being the only possible grades. Students will also be responsible for writing up their solutions on the course web site using LaTeX.

Grading Rubrics for MAT 363: Page 2 of 3

Grade Criteria

10

The problem statement is clearly presented. The logic in the solution is correct. Diagrams and Sketchpad constructions are accurate and clearly labeled. The solution is complete; all cases have been examined, all significant steps have been justified, all assumptions have been clearly stated. The solution is organized clearly and explained well.

8

The problem statement is clearly presented. The logic in the solution is mostly correct. Diagrams and Sketchpad constructions are accurate and clearly labeled. The solution is complete; all cases have been examined, all significant steps have been justified, all assumptions have been clearly stated. Some portion of the solution is not clearly explained. The solution is well organized.

6

The problem statement is clearly presented. There is a flaw in the logic of the solution. Diagrams and Sketchpad constructions are accurate. Some portion of the solution is missing: a case that has not been examined, a significant step that has not been justified, an assumption that has not been stated. Some portion of the solution is not clearly explained. There are issues with organization.

4

The statement of the problem is unclear or incorrectly paraphrased. The logic has a serious flaw or more than one minor flaw. Diagrams and Sketchpad constructions are not accurate. Some portion of the solution is missing: a case that has not been examined, a significant step that has not been justified, an assumption that has not been stated. The solution is not clearly explained. The proof is poorly organized.

2

This grade is reserved for any instance of the following special problems with solutions. Any instance of these in a solution will result in a grade of "2" regardless of the other qualities of the work. • The solution attempts to prove a general statement by giving specific examples,

without an attempt to generalize. • The solution attempts to prove a conditional statement (If A, then B) and assumes the

conclusion (B) to be true. • The solution makes an unwarranted assumption that trivializes the problem. (For

example, proving two triangles are congruent by first assuming they are isosceles where the theorem statement does not assume this property.)

• The solution attempts to prove a biconditional statement (A if and only if B) but fails to consider one of the two conditional statements involved.

Other items may be added to this list later.

Problem SetsProblem Sets will be graded on the same scale as board work, with the addition that a solution which is not turned in at all will receive a 0.

Grading Rubrics for MAT 363: Page 3 of 3