GEOG 101 GRADING

1. Grading Components:

                        Exam 1                        = 20% of your grade
                        Exam 2                        = 20% of your grade
                        Exam 3                        = 20% of your grade
                        Required essays       = 40% of your grade(10 at 4% each; see below)
                        Optional extra credit   = Can only increase your grade, not reduce it, by up to the points listed with the option.

2. Exams.

• The exam format is multiple choice questions, some aimed at a map or diagram.
• Exams are not cumulative. Each exam will focus on the lecture topics covered in that third of the course. Tentative dates are noted on the calendar. Actual date for each exam will be confirmed at least a week in advance.
• All exams must be taken. If you miss any exam, an essay-style make-up will replace it.
• There will be no re-take exams. You have one chance to do well on each exam.

3. Required Thematic Assignments

• From the Written Assignment handout, select just 10 topics from the topics menu (see next paragraph). Missed assignment(s) will earn 0 points and be included as such in your term average. Each part has a deadline. Late penalty applies. One additional assignment question from each part may be used for extra credit.
• Part I. Introduction to Geography: Concepts and Techniques.
• Part II. Physical Geography: Earth’s Natural Landscape and the Processes that Created It.
• Part III. Human Geography: Earth’s Cultural Landscape and the Role of People in its Creation.
• Assignment selection is limited to maximum/minimum choices from each of the three parts of the course for a total of 10 required assignments: your options are: 2+4+4 or 2+5+3 or 3+4+3 or 3+5+2.
• It is best to submit at least one required assignment each week during Part I, Part II and Part III until the maximum for that Part is reached. This will ease your burden prior to each exam.
• All assignments are due no later than 10 PM on the last Thursday of the period when the assignment is issued, with a lateness penalty applied beginning at 11 PM.
• Do not use a topic or news article for more than one question within the same part.
• However, you may use a topic or news article to discuss pertinent aspects related to questions posed by assignments in the other two parts. If you do use the same topic or news article more than once without addressing a different issue, the second assignment will be returned ungraded.
• See PRESENTATION GUIDELINES on page 2 of the Handout for complete details. Each assignment must be typed and have a minimum length of one full page, not counting the restated question, bibliography, footnotes and any illustrations. Maximum length is two pages of text. Illustrations are optional unless asked for in the assignment. The bibliography must have at least two sources (not including Wikipedia) to document your information. Footnotes may be added as needed. Short and long responses will be returned ungraded, as will hand-written essays. FOCUS ON THE ASSIGNMENT QUESTION.
• Assignments handed in late will be penalized with a grade reduction.

4. Extra Credit.

There are several ways to earn extra credit. You may attempt all. Extra credit work is optional. It can only increase your grade, not reduce it.

a) Atlas Exercises. In each part of the course, prior to the exam, there will be an atlas exercise for extra credit on topics relevant to the exam coverage. You will be alerted when the extra credit exercise is available. Each exercise is due no later than the printed date. Points will be added to that exam grade according to the following formula:
           
                                   100-90% correct          = 8 extra credit points
                                     89-80% correct           = 6 extra credit points
                                     79-70% correct           = 4 extra credit points
                                     69-60% correct           = 2 extra credit points
                                     59-50% correct           = 1 extra credit point  
           49- 0% correct or not submitted        = 0 extra credit points

An answer sheet for the atlas extra credit exercise answers will be attached at the end of the questions. This is to be emailed to agrande@hunter.cuny.edu by the due date and time. NO answer sheet will be accepted after the stated due date/time, no matter how valid your reason.

b) Geographic Essays. You have the option to submit for extra credit a maximum of five analytical essays from the “Thinking Geographically” (TG) section at the end of chapters 1-12. Only one discussion point may be selected from each TG box for the chapter selected. 

IMPORTANT: This is NOT the “REVIEW & DISCUSSION” section at the end of the chapter.

• Each essay must be typed and have a minimum length of one full page not counting the restated question and bibliography (1.15 line spacing with 1" margins). Maximum length is two pages. In the first sentence of each essay, you are to note the textbook edition and the chapter number and summarize the point being discussed. Document facts and opinions of others with bibliographical and footnote entries.
• At the end of the semester, each essay deemed "Good for Extra Credit" will earn you one percentage point over and above your final term average of test scores with a maximum of 5 percentage points added to your final term average. For example, if you hand in four acceptable essays, you will increase your final average by 4 points; if you hand in 2 essays you will increase your final average by 2 points.
• Extra credit essays may be emailed to agrande@hunter.cuny.edu at any time before the Monday, May 17, 2021 deadline.
• It is best to write and submit an essay after you have read the chapter, rather than waiting for the last week of the semester to do prepare them.
• SUBSTITUTION: you may substitute up to three unused assignment questions from Parts I, II and/or III for a TG chapter-focused essay (one per Part).  If you use three substitutes you may only submit two TG essays for a total of 5 extra credit geographical essays.

c) Other Forms of Extra Credit.

• A discussion paper, research paper or project of your choice may be used if approved in advance by Prof. Grande.
• Depending on the presentation of the topic, this extra credit option may add from 1-5 points to your final term average.

NOTE: Written proposals are due no later than Apr. 8, 2021 and the work is due by May 14th.

 

No Extra Credit will be accepted after May 14, 2021. None will be accepted on the day of the final exam.