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General Course Policies
The following general policies apply to all courses taught by Dr. Melvin R. Corley unless the official syllabus for the course specifically states a different policy.
1. All work submitted for grading is expected to be the original work of the person under whose name the work is submitted. This includes examinations, homework, computer programs, and design problems. Specifically prohibited is the use for any purpose of publisher textbook solution manuals intended for instructor use only. Any instances of academic misconduct will be considered serious offenses and will be punished with a penalty which may include an "F" in the course. Refer to the Louisiana Tech University Academic Honor Code. I expect students to subscribe to the Honor Code by the following statement: "Being a student of higher standards, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity."
2. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. Unless you have obtained permission in advance to turn your assignment in after class, late assignments are not accepted.
3. The instructor's office hours will be announced in class and posted on his World Wide Web home page and office bulletin board. Every effort will be made to keep these hours free for student consultation without an appointment. Other times may be made available on an individual appointment basis.
4. Cell phones and pagers may not be used during class. Please turn them off before entering the classroom.
5. Grading of examinations, homework, computer programs, and design problems will be based on technical considerations (mathematical model adequacy, appropriateness of stated assumptions, computational accuracy, etc.) and non-technical considerations (neatness, professional approach, grammar, spelling, etc.). All drawings (excluding preliminary sketches) must be machine generated. Diskettes containing CAD drawings may be required in addition to the hard-copy output.
6. When a problem requires a computer solution, the general policy is that any appropriate computer resource may be used. The choice of the programming language, computer platform, application tool, etc., is left to the student unless explicitly stated otherwise.
7. Letter grades will not be assigned until the end of the course. Assignments and exams are designed to yield a grade distribution having a mean of approximately 75% and strong central tendency. A chart showing the numerical grade distribution will be circulated as each major graded assignment and exam. In assigning final letter grades, a composite course grade distribution is prepared and those in the neighborhood of the course average will be assigned the grade of 'C'. A 'D' will be assigned to those whose average grade is substantially below the class average, yet have demonstrated a minimum level of competency to justify passing the course. An 'F' will be assigned to any student who has not demonstrated a minimum level of competency. A 'B' will be awarded to those who perform substantially above the class average, and an 'A' will be assigned only in cases of exceptional performance.
8. In the event of a question regarding an exam grade or final grade, it will be the responsibility of the student to retain and present graded materials which have been returned for student possession during the quarter.
9. Students needing testing or classroom accommodations based on a disability are encouraged to discuss those needs with me as soon as possible.