Components

1. Assignments (36%)
   
   
• Refer to the Assignments page for current details of the assignments schedule.
• Four assignments are planned, all of equal weight.
2. Lab/tute Participation (4%)
   
   
• It is expected that students take part in tutorials.
• For each of the lab sessions, there is an exercise that each student is expected to complete in the 2-hour session.
• This 4% component of the course mark is easily earned. One only has to participate.
  
  
3. Mid-semester Quiz (10%)
   
   
• The quiz is one hour long, and is closed book.
• This component is redeemable. That means that If your performance on the final exam is better than that on the quiz, the percentage from the final will be used for the quiz.
• There will be no second sitting for the mid-semester quiz. If a student is sick or is out-of-town then the quiz mark will be derived from the from the final exam.
  
  
4. Exam (50%)
   
   
• The exam is 3 hours, closed book, conducted at the end of semester.
• The homework tests much the same material as the exam but reasonable performance in the closed book tests is required because the continuous assessment process is sometimes abused.
  
  

Final Mark (100%)

• Normally, the final mark is the sum of the above components.
• Because the assignment mark is not a reliable indicator of achievement in the unit, the final (course) mark will be capped at the percentage (Quiz+Exam)*(100/60)+10.
• Consequence 1: a student may have good assignments, but after scoring 30% on the (redeemable) mid-semester test, he/she will need 40% on the final to pass.
• Consequence 2: a student may have excellent assignments, but a credit level performance in the exam will mean that a high distinction becomes impossible.