The numerical scale given here will be the guideline for assigning final grades in this course. The numerical scale may or may not be lowered in assigning the final grades, but will not be any higher than that indicated. 

A quiz will be given about every week. They may, or may not, be announced. The lowest quiz score will be discarded. The three exams will cover both lecture and reading assignments. A comprehensive final exam is optional for this course.

Missed quizzes and exams can be made up only if: a) Notification is given in advance of a justifiable absence, or b) An unanticipated, justifiable absence is verified.  In accordance with the University rules governing absences, as provided by the University Senate Rules Sections V - 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 (http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part2.html), an excess of each three (3) unexcused absences for lectures will result in a drop in the final letter grade for the class. Unexcused laboratory absences can not be made-up and will count as a zero (0) for that laboratory write-up. If a student has excussed absences in excess of one-fifth of the class contact hours, the student will be required to withdraw from the course (University Senate Rules Section V-5.2.4.2).

Instructions for the individual project are given on a separate sheet (note: graduate students cannot use any topic relating to their thesis for their class project). All assignments submitted by students should represent their own work and ideas unless appropriate recognition is given to the original author. University policies related to plagiarism can be found in your copy of Student Rights and Responsibilities or at http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part2.html section 6.3.1.  Any student whom the instructor has sufficient evidence to believe has cheated or plagiarized in the course will receive an automatic "E" (failure) in the entire course. There will be no exceptions.