Course Materials
Do I need to buy the text?
Yes. I will assign readings and homework assignments from the text. I will also cross-reference my lecture notes with chapters in the text so that you can use the text for supplementary reading. Note also that it is illogical for you to spend thousands of dollars on an education and then try to skimp by not buying the books that are integral to that education.

Can I use an old edition of the text?
Yes, but at your own risk. I cannot make accommodations for the fact that you are using an old edition, or a different book. It is your responsibility (1) to verify that your edition contains the same readings and questions as those assigned from the current edition, and (2) to make use of a current edition when the old edition does not contain the same readings or questions.

Exams and Grading
Why do your multiple choice questions sometimes include "None of the above?"
In life, problems do not come with multiple choice options. While several solutions may present themselves, there is always the possibility that the correct solution will be something that you had never considered. I would be remiss in my duty to prepare you to apply critical thinking skills to real-world problems if I did not force you to face the possibility that the correct answer might be something other than the options laid before you.

Should I guess on exams?
Pure guessing will hurt you. Educated guessing, however, can help you. If you can eliminate one or more of the options and then guess from among the remaining options, then, on average, you are better off guessing than not.

Will you e-mail me my grade for the semester?
No. I only report final grades to the registrar. Given the number of students I have, the cost to me to look up and e-mail individual grades exceeds the aggregate benefit to the students of getting their grades a few days earlier than they would through the normal channels. If you really have to have your grades soon, give me a stamped, and self-addressed envelope and I will mail you your grade. If you have questions about your performance on the final exam, please contact me after you receive your grades from the registrar, and I will be happy to answer your questions.

Do I need a calculator for this course?
All you need is a basic calculator, nothing fancy.

I didn't get a copy of the syllabus (or other document).
All handouts for your course can be downloaded from this web site. Hit the Home button (on the bottom), then select your course. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the appropriate handouts at the appropriate times.

Communication and Contact
When are your office hours? Where is your office?
My syllabus contains my office hours, location, and phone number.

Why didn't you respond to my e-mail?
I respond to all e-mails -- often within a matter of minutes, or within a day. My address is kford@nvcc.edu.

I had questions, but I didn't want to bother you.
For the duration of the course, I am yours pretty much 24/7 (though the probability of my providing a timely response diminishes with the lateness of the hour). You are not bothering me, nor taking my time away from other things -- my job is to answer your questions and to help you to understand the course material. Make use of me while you have me. By the time the final exam rolls around, it may be too late to improve your standing in the course.

Is there a tutor for this course?
Tutors for this course can be scheduled by going to the Tutorial Office, located by the cafeteria. I encourage you to use the tutors, but as a supplement to communicating with me outside of class. Tutors are not an adequate substitute for asking me questions during office hours or via e-mail or IM.

Exams, Assignments, and Class Schedule: Important Dates

I didn't know we had a homework assignment/exam.
All exam dates, and homework assignments and their due dates are listed on the web site. It is your responsibility to check the web site for new assignments. Missing a class is NOT an excuse to not be ready for a test or for not having done an assignment. It is advisable that you always get the notes from a classmate, when you need to miss a class.

When is our next exam?
Look on your syllabus.

What material will we cover on a given day?
Look on your sylabus. For each class day, I show the textbook chapter(s) I intend to cover that day. I will update this schedule periodically to reflect our actual progress in the course.

Exams and Grading

I understand the material, I just can't answer the exam questions.
There is a difference between understanding and knowledge. Frequently students confuse the two. Knowledge requires only non-divergent thinking (i.e. rote memorization). If you are knowledgeable , then you will be able to answer correctly exam questions that are similar to examples given in the lectures and homework assignments. Understanding requires divergent thinking (i.e. reasoning by analogy, constructing logical extensions, applying theory in unfamiliar contexts). If you understand , then you will be able to answer correctly exam questions that are dissimilar from questions you have seen before but which you can answer by drawing on the material presented in the lectures and homework assignments. The goal of a technical education is knowledge. The goal of a university education is understanding.

What are the chances of my earning an A/B/C in this course?
Students in my courses usually exhibit the following grade distribution:
10% of students earn an A
40% of students earn a B
35% of students earn a C
15% of students earn a D or F

I missed an exam, can I make it up?
No. If you received prior approval (from me) to miss the exam, or the reason for your missing the exam precluded prior approval, then I will adjust the weights of your other exams, homework, and participation such that the missed exam does not factor into your grade. If you missed the exam without prior approval (when you could have obtained prior approval), or you could not obtain prior approval but never bothered to explain to me why you missed the exam, then you receive a zero for the exam.

Do you curve exam grades?
Occasionally, depending on how the class as a whole performs.

Why did you give me a C/D/F in the course?
I don't give grades. You earn grades. Your course grade is the weighted average of your exams and homework/participation. If, for example, you earned B's and C's on the exams, you should not expect to earn an A for the course.

Can I do extra work to improve my grade?
No. The opportunity for extra credit is sometimes offered to the class as a whole, not to individual students.

Will you give me an extra half-point (one point, etc.) to bump me to the next letter grade?
No.

Can I take an "incomplete" in the course?
In most cases, no. Incompletes can only be given in cases in which circumstances make it impossible for the student to complete the course. I do not give incompletes for poor performance.

Will this be on the test?
If I mention it in class, it appears in an assigned reading, or it appears in a homework assignment, it is fair game for the test.

What material is covered on the exam?
Your syllabus spells it out.

How do you grade our homework assignments?
The purpose of the homework assignments is to prepare you for the exam. To this end, I am more concerned that you put forth a good effort than I am in you answering homework questions correctly (though, come exam time, you need to have mastered the homework questions). I will mark homework as "done" or "not done" on the basis of the effort you put forth. Detailed answers to homework assignments are posted on the web-site.

Do you mind if my homework isn't stapled?
I do not mind. You, however, do. If your loose pages get mixed in with other students' assignments, you may not get full credit. I do mind, however, if your homework is messy, sloppy, stained, done in spiral notebook paper, or difficult to read. To be safe, type it whenever possible.

Last updated on May 19, 2004
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