Problem benchmarks
From BIOL 300 Wiki
Earning points for problem benchmarks (First half of the semester):
- You will spend most of your time in class during the first half of the semester working on problem sets, which we call problem benchmarks. The syllabus lists which problems you should be working on during each class session.
- If you and your teammate complete the problem benchmark in class, you are encouraged to check off with one of the instructors that day:
- You will show the instructor that you have done all the work, and you will answer questions to demonstrate full conceptual understanding of the material.
- If you are not ready to check off during that class:
- You must complete the remainder of the problem benchmark before the next class.
- At the beginning of the next class, a "lightning checkoff" will occur, in which you show one of the instructors that you have done all the work.
- Later during that same class, an instructor will come back to ask detailed questions and ensure that your conceptual understanding is correct.
- Your problem benchmarks are graded both on the correctness of your answers to the problem set and how well you demonstrate conceptual understanding of the material through discussion with an instructor.
- If you demonstrate a full conceptual understanding, you will then earn 1 point for the benchmark problems.
- If you do not demonstrate a full conceptual understanding, you may earn less than a full point for the benchmark problems.
- If you did not have any relevant material to show the instructor during the lightning checkoff at the beginning of class, you will get a grade of 0 for that benchmark.
| Example Student | Lightning Checkoff (points) | Conceptual Checkoff (points) | Total for Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All problems complete and correct (0.25) | Complete and correct understanding (0.75) | 1 |
| Small but significant gaps in conceptual understanding (0.5)
Lack of comments (0.5) |
0.75 | ||
| Little or no understanding of the completed work (0) | 0.25 | ||
| 2 | Significant "good faith" attempt on problems (0.25) | Reasonable misinterpretation but correct solution by the conceptual checkoff (0.5)
Small errors/small part of problem incomplete (0.5) |
0.75 |
| Larger conceptual difficulties (0.25) | 0.50 | ||
| Little or no conceptual understanding (0) | 0.25 | ||
| 3 | Very little or no work complete (0) | No points possible (0) | 0 |
- Even if you received a grade of 0 for a set of benchmark problems, you must complete the work and demonstrate conceptual understanding before you can be checked off for the next set of benchmark problems. Since each part of the course builds on previous parts, you must master earlier parts to advance to the next sections. Keeping up with the deadlines is very important to complete the course successfully.
- Instructors will generally check off both members of a team at the same time. In general, we will not check off a partner if the other member of the team is more than one benchmark behind, because it is important for both teammates to be working together to keep up with the class material.
