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Explanation of the Status Report
Near the end of the semester, students in Principles of Accounting will receive a print out referred to as a "Status Report." The purpose of this status report is 1) to communicate the points which the student has accumulated on exams, homework, and quizzes during the semester; 2) to calculate the points needed on the final exam to attain the particular grades possible in the course; 3) to allow the student to "audit" the teachers' records and the clerify or correct any information recorded incorrectly; and, most of all, 4) to encourage students to work hard to complete the remaining material achieving their full potential.
Hopefully, the following comments and explanations will assist students in understanding how the information was determined and the implications which the information has for the future.
For years students would visit our offices near the end of the semester to review where they stood in the course and to ask what they needed on the final exam to earn a certain grade in the course. We found that we always seemed to make the calculation in the same way. As more and more information accumulated in the office was automated, we would look up the information on the computer and make the same calculation each time. Later, we developed a spread sheet to save time with the calculation -- we would look up the information, enter it into the spread sheet and let the computer do the calculations. Ultimately, we were able to have the computer find the information from the various files and automatically enter it in the spread sheet. We gladly provided this information for students who asked.
One day it occured to us that if a few students were interested in knowing this information, perhaps ALL students would be interested in knowing their status in the class. This is where we take the greatest risk with distributing the status report to all students. If one student is discouraged enough to conclude that it is hopeless to take the final exam -- if one student quits, we should only provide this information privately, in our offices, for students who ask for it. Providing the information to all is intended to be uplifting and encouraging. Please take it in the manner in which it was intended.
What if a student has a question about information in the Status Report?
Please realize that everyone's status report is uniquely different -- different exam scores, different homework points, different quiz scores, different number of absences. If you have specific questions, please see your discussion leader after class or in our offices, and we will attempt to answer your questions. It is much easier to answer your question if we are looking at your status report with you. Some of the common questions are answered here.
How can students resolve discrepencies with the information in the Status Report?
If students have evidence that information is incorrectly reflected in the Status Report, the table below describes the individual to whom they should go to resolve the discrepency:
Concern Whom to See Exam Scores Mr. Gregg Homework Points Mr. Gregg Quiz Points Mr. Gregg Internet Bonus Points Mr. Gregg Attendance Mr. Gregg All discrepencies must be resolved by the date indicated on the status report itself.
What information is included on the Status Report? (click sample to see a larger version)
The status report lists the scores achieved on the first and second exams this semester, the total homework points to date, the scores on the best five quizzes so far this semester, and the bonus points earned for BYPs. The lowest grade to drop so far is indicated; obviously, this could change depending on the score achieved on the final exam. The present average is indicated as well.
The computation of the grades possible to be achieved are listed. If it is not possible to earn a particular grade, that possibility will not be listed. If the HW/Q minimum has been met, the calculation is determined as follows:
Line A B C D 1 Points Possible in the Course 2 Percentage Needed (line 1 x line 2) 3 Total Points Needed 4 Less: Points Accumulated (see Status Report) x x x x 5 Remaining Points Needed (line 3 minus line 4) x x x x 6 Remaining Points Possible (the final and remaining HW) x x x x 7 Percentage of Remaining Points Needed (line 5 / line 6) % % % % How will remaining homework and quiz points effect the points needed on the final?
The following comment appears on each status report:
NOTE 1: For each 2 points accumulated on additional homework or quizzes, the percentages are decreased XX points where the XX could possibly be 2, 1, or 0 points.
2: For students who have done well on each exam and on their homework and quizzes, they will be keeping all their points and dropping half the final exam. In the meantime, for each two points earned, the percentages stated on the status report are decreased by TWO points! This is the best position to be in. Please accept our congratulations and appreciation for a job well done this semester!Students are encouraged to keep up with their own points accumulated and to estimate the points needed on the final themselves using the relationships described above. Should student desire, they may download a copy of the Excel spreadsheet similar to that used to prepare the original status report, enter the points they have accumulated, and see updated computations of scores needed on the final to earn certain grades. Click here to download a copy of the spreadsheet.1: Most students are in this category. For each two points earned between now and the final exam, students in this group can reduce the percentages indicated on the status report by ONE point. This is what I call a two-to-one relationship. Achieve 10 points and reduce the percentages needed by 5 points. Please keep up with the points you earn the remainder of the semester and update you needed points accordingly.
0: This information may or may not be subject to change the remainder of the semester. Presently, this number is zero because the HW/Q total is the student's lowest grade to drop. If adding the remaining points to the present total causes the HW/Q total to be greater than the student's lowest exam score, the number would change to ONE and provisions described above would apply.
How important is the remaining homework?
Extremely important!!! Everyone will benefit from completing the remaining homework. The direct benefit is that this material is the major part of the final exam; students are urged to learn all they can from the completion of the homework in their attempt to do well on the final exam.
If the HW/Q total is ...
110
Best position to be in. Great job this semester! Thanks! Every point accumulated on HW is one less point you need on the final! Way to go!!!lowest exam
Area of least potential benefit.
Have already met the minimum but doing the remainder of the homework will not cause the total to be greater than the lowest exam score. Will drop HW.
Best reason to work HW is to learn. How refreshing!60
Possible to reach minimum.
Extremely important that you work homework to achieve the minimum to be able to drop the lowest 100 points.21
Will not reach HW/Q minimum.
Crucial that you continue to work homework since it will count.
Will not be able to drop 100 points.Homework POINTS are more important to some students than others. The chart attempts to show that. Students who have not yet met the HW/Q minimum (60 total points), but could reach the minimum by doing homework simply MUST to enough homework to reach the minimum. Not doing so will prevent them from dropping their lowest points this semester. Achieving the minimum will allow the student to drop their lowest 100 points and will greatly improve their average for the course.
How is the attendance penalty determined?
There is no penalty for the first FOUR absences in the course. The penalty for the fifth absence is small; the penalty gradually increases with the number of unexcused absences. Refer to the table in the syllabus which shows the way the penalty is accessed.
Remember that the only absences which are excused are those administratively excused by a university official. Illness is NOT an excused absence.
