TAs are required to have student evaluations when they teach an independent section. If you didn't order forms before, get in touch with Garrett Yoshitomi in the advising office (C036) immediately to do so. For more information, see Evaluations by students and faculty.
TAs teaching independent sections are required
by the department to give a final exam.
By the
Final Examination Guidelines of the university, in almost all cases
you must give this exam at the time indicated by the university's
Final Exam Schedule. The guidelines say in part
"An instructor shall not schedule a final class examination before the
beginning of finals week. An instructor shall not, except in very
unusual circumstances, grant permission to individual students
for an early examination."
Examples of "unusual circumstances" that might justify giving a student an
exam early include starting an academic program at another school or
a scheduled performance for a semi-professional musician.
"I already have plane tickets for the day before the exam" is not
sufficient; sorry, but the student should have checked on exam times
before buying the ticket.
Summer quarter does not have a finals period. In that quarter, you should give a last test that is in some way cumulative, but because of time constraints you may not be able to give a truly comprehesive final. Some instructors give a two part final on the last two days of class.
The time and location of your final exam is included on MyUW with your other instructor information. The time is determined by the UW Final Exam Schedule, which you can reach via the UW Academic Calendar. The room is your regular classroom, unless you have requested another room from the Math Student Services Office (C-36). Math advising and the registrar discourage changing the exam time within exam week. The guidelines give a procedure for asking, but permission may not be granted. If you are teaching two sections of the same class, you may choose to let students take the exam with your other section. If you do, set a deadline (e.g., the last day of class or the day before the first of your two exams) for them to email you a firm commitment to take the final with the other section.
When writing your final exam, keep in mind that you want to evaluate all your students, from the best to the worst and in particular those close to the 2.0 level. An exam should include questions at varying levels of difficulty. You should include several questions, or major parts of questions, that the "C" student should be able to work through, even if they make some errors. There should also be a question or parts of a couple of questions that will distinguish the "A" students from the "C" students.
A student needs a grade of at least 2.0 to use the course as a prerequisite, and probably to use it as a program requirement for most degree programs. (One exception: A student needs a 2.5 in Math 120 to enter Math 124.) Therefore the most important decision in setting your grade scale is probably the choice of the lowest acceptable performance for a 2.0 course grade. Set this standard with the thought that you are saying who is ready to move on to courses with yours as a prerequisite. A 2.0 or better doesn't mean the student should know everything in your course, but that he or she has a reasonable grasp, at least while taking the course, of the major concepts and skills. See also the page on Grades for information about grading scales and typical grade distributions.
Most people use a linear or piecewise linear grading scale. For instance, you could determine a linear scale by setting the lowest point total or percentage for which you want to give a 4.0 and a 2.0. Or it might be appropriate to set the 4.0, 3.0, and 2.0 levels, or the 4.0, 2.0, and 0.7 (the lowest non-zero grade) levels, and linearly interpolate for all other scores. The "convert" command in the "Class Grade" column in Catalyst GradeBook (see next section) will do this automatically.
Do not email grades (or any other confidential information). Federal regulations (FERPA) prohibit emailing confidential information about students. More information about FERPA.
All course grades are submitted online through Catalyst "GradeBook," Canvas "Grades," or "GradePage" during the "on-line grading period" (usually the 8th week of the quarter until 5 PM on the Tuesday after exam week). GradePage can be used only for submitting course grades. GradeBook can also be used to allow students to see their own scores on tests and other work throughout the quarter, and to keep grade records that you do not choose to share with students. I do not know anything about Grades on Canvas, but assume it is similar to GradeBook.
About GradeBook. The Catalyst GradeBook facility can be used to record scores and grades and to let students see their own scores and grades, as well as to submit course grades to the Registrar. You can set up a GradeBook for your class at any time. You can include as much or as little as you wish, and you get to choose which information in the GradeBook is available to students. Each student can see only his or her own information, of course. See the online help information for Catalyst (link at upper right corner of page) for instructions to give your students about how to see their scores and grades.
The online help information for Catalyst is fairly good, and
continually improving. Two hints for GradeBook in particular:
(1) If you have kept your records in your own spreadsheet, the easiest way
to transfer then to GradeBook is to set up the categories and "assignments"
(items in each category) in the GradeBook, download it as a (mostly blank)
spreadsheet, cut-and-paste values into the columns you downloaded,
then upload the modified sheet originally downloaded.
The upload process is a bit tedious, but easier and less error-prone
than copying scores individually on the website.
(2) For the Total Score column, the automatic calculator makes assumptions
that may not match your method of computing total scores or grades.
If you use it, check carefully that the results match what you intend
(especially if you "publish" this information to students before the final).
About GradePage. Gradepage is used only to submit grades, and only during the "on-line grading period" (usually the 8th week of the quarter until 5 PM on the Tuesday after exam week). You can reach GradePage by clicking on "Grade and submit now" in the "Class Resources" section of your MyUW page; or from the "Teaching" view of your MyUW page under "Tools, Services, and Resources." Or, here a link to GradePage.
More information about Online Grading.
If you miss the deadline for submitting grades, or need to change a grade later, use the online Change-of-Grade Request form. (There is also a link labeled "Change Submitted Grades" on the "Teaching" view of your MyUW page under "Tools, Services, and Resources.") If you are submitting or changing multiple grades, note the option to upload a spreadsheet of changes.
Math Student Services (C-36) needs several things from you
at the end of the quarter.
(1) A copy of your score and grade records. If a student comes in
for advising, or to complain about a grade, this detailed information
helps the office deal with the student.
(2) Students have the right to see their final exams at least through the
next term (not including summer). If you do not want to keep the exams,
or will not be here, give the exams to the Student Services office.
(3) Turn in your textbook and any related materials you have borrowed (unless
you are teaching the same course the next quarter, including summer).
(4) Evaluate your grader, if you had one. You'll probably get an email about
this; please reply.
Return to the
Index for the 3xx Instructor Guide.
Most recently updated on December 11, 2015