BIO182: General Biology for Biology Majors II
Dr. Ty C.M. Hoffman
Estrella Mountain Community College

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


"Max 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.

 "25% Imp" 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 three scores listed as "Min Score for...". 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. Notice that you want these values to be as LOW as possible, because each one is a hurdle you must get over if you wish to receive the corresponding final grade. If the "Min Score for C" shows an asterisk (*), then it is impossible for you to pass the course, and you should withdraw immediately and save your time and energy for any other courses you might be taking.

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 "Max 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. Here are two examples:

  1. If your blow-off score is 86% or better, then you are already guaranteed to receive an A (even with a zero for the final examination), so there's no need to take the final examination (other than for fun).
  2. Your blow-off score is at or above 66%, and your maximum score is below 76%. In this example, you will get a C whether you score 100%, 0% or anything in between on the final examination, so there's no need to take the final examination (other than for fun).
 Finally, keep in mind that I post these numbers to encourage you, not discourage you. But part of encouragement is to keep you thinking realistically.

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