Dr. Z.'s Class Policy for Math436 (History of Mathematics), Spring 2017

Last Update: April 19, 2017

GRADE: The max. number of points is 500, with the following breakup.

• 9 Quizzes: 10 points each (drop the two lowest grades): 70 points
• Well-organized notebook: 20 points
• 2 Midterm Exams: 110 points each
• Final Writing Project (with Oral Presentation of 4 minutes each given during the last two classes, April 27, and May 1): 190 points.

ALL QUIZZES AND EXAMS ARE OPEN (YOUR PERSONAL) "HISTORY" NOTEBOOK (see below)

VERY IMPORTANT:

• Attendance is strictly mandatory and enforced!
• No electronic devices! (mobile-phones, laptops, iPads, iPods, iPhones, etc.) No texting during class!
• It is mandatory to take notes of everything I say in class, and write on the board. Please buy TWO SINGLE-SUBJECT notebooks, and write on the cover: The course's name and your name and E-mail (in case it gets lost).

  • The first Notebook should be labelled "History", and will contain the history homework, in your own handwriting. You are allowed to use it during quizzes and exams. Don't use it for any other subjects. The homework should he handed in by the indicated due date, and will be inspected during the quiz.

  • The second Notebook should be labelled "Real Math Class Notes", and is to be used to take notes in class. This notebook is NOT allowed to be used during quizzes and exams.

• If you have a justified absence, then in your notebook, in the space where you would have taken classnotes, date it, explain why you were absent (e.g. tape-in doctor's note, or a signed statement: "I swear on my honor that I felt so bad that I couldn't make it"), and then in your own handwriting copy the posted solution to that day's attendance quiz, and if applicable, the real quiz. Of course, you should also do the homework (that includes a two page summary of the assigned portion of the book).
• Every Thursday (starting Feb. 2, 2017) will start with a weekly quiz. At that time I will inspect the homework and the notebooks. The quiz does not count unless you present your homework.
• Every class will end with a 10-minute informal "quiz", asking you to do some problems covered in that day's class. It doesn't count towards the grade, but I use it first, to check attendance, but more important, to make sure that you know how to do the problems, and in case that many (or even some) people didn't get it, I'll try to do a better job in reviewing it. After each lecture I will send E-mail to everyone, with the complete solutions, and you should decide whether or not you got it right. If you didn't, you should make every attempt to come to my office hours Hill 704, MTh 9:10-10:10am.
• Makeup exam policy: there are no make-up midterm exams or make-up quizzes. If you have a justified absence (and can prove it by a note from a doctor or a dean) in any exam or quiz, your score would be pro-rated. (For example, if you were absent from exam 1 or exam 2, then I will divide your total score by 380 and multiply by 500; If you were absent from both exams 1 and 2, I will divide your total score by 260 and multiply by 500, but let's hope that you will make it to all exams and all classes!). If you have an unjustified absence in a midterm exam or quiz, your grade for that exam or quiz would be 0.
• If you believe that the grade that you got in an exam or quiz is in error, or have questions about it, write your question/complaint in a written note, and attach the graded exam/quiz to it. It will be returned to you during the next class, either with the corrected grade (if I agree with your correction, e.g. I made a mistake in adding-up), or with the same grade, with a note by me explaining to you why the grade you got is the correct one.