Policies for "Ethics and the Professions"

Grading scale:

All papers, examinations and other work for credit will be graded on the basis of a raw score equal to the percentage of the total number of possible points (100). The final letter grade will be determined by the total raw score. Thus, two people with the same raw scores will receive the same letter grade. The scale of determination, however, is made only at the end of the course, once all the grades are in. Estimates may be offered earlier.

Class attendance:

Students are expected to attend classes. In the unlikely event that a class needs to be canceled (e.g., because of weather), I will try to leave a message on my voice mail (575-5826).

Late papers:

Late papers will be accepted, but the instructor reserves the right to deduct up to one point for each day a paper is late.

Spelling and Grammar:

Mistakes in spelling and grammar are not appreciated. While no points will be taken off any paper or examination solely for mistakes in spelling or grammar, clarity is important in philosophy and errors in spelling or, particularly, grammar can make writing more difficult to understand. The same applies to illegibility. A paper with such errors may therefore receive a lower grade than it otherwise would, because it may therefore be less clear than it could be. Furthermore, the instructor may disregard any claim made in an ungrammatical sentence.

Make-up tests:

Make-up tests will be given where a reasonable (to the instructor) and verifiable excuse for inability to take the test at the scheduled time is offered. Any make-up tests, however, will be offered without options. For example, if on the normal test students were asked to answer three out of five questions, the student taking the make-up test will have no choice about which three questions to answer (and the questions may be different from those offered in the original examination). However, in classes where the instructor is teaching multiple sections, whenever possible instead of taking a make-up test the student should (after notifying the instructor) simply take the test at the time another section (taught by the same instructor) is taking it.

Reevaluation:

Any student may request that any paper, examination, or other course work be reevaluated if she or he feels that it has been unfairly or carelessly graded. No penalty will be imposed for taking advantage of this option, of course, but neither is there any guarantee that the grade will not decrease if the work looks inferior on the second reading.

Incompletes:

Failure to complete the assigned work on time is not a sufficient reason to be granted a grade of "incomplete" in the course. Giving birth to a child the morning of the final examination is, if a good faith effort has been made up to that point to keep up with the work.

Academic Dishonesty:

Cheating will not be tolerated. If academic dishonesty is suspected, it will be reported to the judicial coordinator and to the All University Judicial Board, where appropriate.