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I was wondering whether the WebAssign physics homework is graded on a curve. My physics class in hs used an online hw service, but even if I got a 98%, it was still an A. With all the crazy Cal students, I assume the average would be a 98, giving me a B or C. Correct me if I'm wrong.

By Jab93 (Jab93) on Friday, July 30, 2004 - 11:04 am: Edit

I was a grad student at Berkeley as of last year (finally graduated this spring)... and I was a T.A. for the Physics 7 series...

(1) Homework grades were not curved then... the hop was that everyone would get a very high homework score...
(2) Although I have never, ever seen a professor curve homework grades in my 4 years of undergrad, and 8 years of grad school... it still
entirely depends on each individual professor... they basically have the freedom to grade any damn way they please.
(3) I'm saddened that Berkeley is using an online homework system... they did not in the past... this must be a new thing (as in just the past year or two)... these online systems really suck... and they reinforce bad habits in problem solving... not to mention that the problem selection is pretty damn weak...

By Sakky (Sakky) on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 01:51 pm: Edit

I think the real answer is yes and no. Homework scores may not be curved explicitly. But what often times happen (as alluded to in jab93's point #2), your entire consolidated score (exams, lab-reports, homework) is compiled and then that final score is curved to determine your final grade. What that means is that for all effective purposes, your homework is curved because it becomes part of that consolidated score.

Again, I would reiterate what jab93 said, which is that every physics prof basically chooses to grade as he/she sees fit, as long as they follow the guidelines stipulated by the department (I believe those guidelines stipulate that only 15% of the grades for the Physics 7 series can be A's, 35% can be B's, or something like that - basically, an enforced curve, and a rather harsh one at that).

By Jab93 (Jab93) on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 04:08 pm: Edit

Sakky,

There was no "enforced" curve, no pre-set percentages or quotas for each grade... and the curve wasn't that harsh at all...
For two semesters, I assisted two different profs with assigning final grades...
They made histograms, and looked for "natural" breaks in the data to assign cut-offs, to minimize the number of students on the cusp of two grades, and to not arbitrarily assign different grades when there is only a small point differential... the profs had very rough quotas in mind in the beginning, but they were quite flexible in the end... the semesters I was
teaching, 70% got a B- or higher.

By Jab93 (Jab93) on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 04:10 pm: Edit

That said...
Who knows what the current professors will do...
Really, professors have COMPLETE, ABSOLUTE control over grading... and you will DEFINITELY encounter one or two wierd professors with unusual grading methodology at some point in your undergraduate career... no matter where you go.

By Uhohcollege (Uhohcollege) on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 04:18 am: Edit

I have Prof Chiao, I was wondering if you guyz knew how homework was calculated into the class grade. I know its worth 15 total points but like.. does that mean that he just adds up the total points and then divides by 15? Because it seem slike hw means nothing then.