Scores

LSC322: Fundamentals of Ecology Laboratory
Dr. Ty C.M. Hoffman
Arizona State University

To maintain privacy, your scores are available only via Blackboard. You should carefully read the following explanations of some of the scores you will see listed in Blackboard.

"Maximum Possible Final Score" is the score you would receive if you were to get 100% on everything remaining. Obviously, this is unrealistic, but it’s intended to demonstrate that the longer you take to make a drastic improvement (if necessary), the less effect it will have on the final grade. In other words, if your current score is lower than you thought it would be, you need NOW to do whatever is necessary to improve. Each additional score will have less of an effect (either positively or negatively) on your total score than the previous scores have had. It’s mathematically impossible to make up for poor scores after a certain point. This will become more obvious as more scores are added.

"Projected Final Score Assuming 25% Improvement" shows what your final score would be if, on everything remaining, you do 25% better than you’ve done up to now. Please be aware that achieving a 25% improvement is a very difficult task (and almost no one makes that big an improvement). The number is there so that you’re aware of just how much work will be necessary for you to receive the score you’re aiming for. Also, be aware that a 25% improvement is not the same as adding 25% to your average score. A 25% improvement is doing one-fourth better on future assignments than you've done on past assignments. For example, if your average score is 60%, then a 25% improvement is NOT 85% (60 + 25). Rather it is 75% (60 x 1.25).

There are multiple scores listed as "Minimum Score Required ...". These indicate what you will need to score on each of the remaining assignments if you wish to pass the course with a C, B, or A. These will appear as "Not Possible" if the respective letter grade becomes mathematically impossible.

The "Blow-off Score" is the final score you will receive if you choose to take a zero in the remaining assignments. I've included this score to help students decide how much time to devote to the final examination. By comparing the "Maximum Possible Final Score" with the "Blow-off Score", you can determine whether showing up for the final examination will make any difference. You won't really be able to make a determination until everything except the final examination is already completed.

If your scores do not appear on Blackboard, it's probably because you haven't submitted the Rules Consent Form.