Lab Grading

====== Standards ======

===== (EP) Experimental Procedure =====
This Standard covers skills related to the process of planning and executing an experiment in scientifically rigorous manner.  Examples of such skills include:
  * The ability to figure out how to use available apparatus to accomplish a specific goal with out explicit instructions on what to do and how to do it.
  * The ability to determine what data needs to be collected and over what range of values in order to accomplish a specific goal.
  * The ability to recognize potential systematic biases in your measurements, assess their magnitude, and modify your apparatus and procedures as necessary.

===== (DA) Data Analysis =====
This Standard represents skills directly related to the analysis of data.  Examples include:
  * Performing calculations correctly.
  * Understanding how to propagate uncertainties through calculations.
  * Plotting and fitting data to simple functional forms.

===== (SC) Scientific Communication =====
This Standard represents skills necessary to communicate the results of scientific investigation clearly and precisely.  Examples of these skills include:
  * The ability to appropriately present data such as in tables or plots, with proper uncertainties and units.
  * The ability to describe complex phenomena and procedures clearly and precisely, using proper scientific terminology and avoiding jargon and meaningless statements.

===== (DC) Drawing Conclusions =====
This Standard represents skills necessary to draw appropriate conclusions from a body of scientific investigation.  Examples of these skills include:
  * Drawing conclusions which are supported by your experimental results.  
  * Properly quantifying the degree of confidence you have in your results.  Phrases such as "we think our results are pretty good", "we were within 2% of the accepted value" and "human error" are unacceptable.

====== Individual Report Grading ======
Points are not deducted for errors in a report.  Each individual report will be assessed based on the four standards given above.  Each Standard can receive one of three scores based on the associated criteria:

^ Score              ^ Points  ^ Criteria                                                                                                                                                                ^
| Satisfactory       | 2       | The report meets all of the specifications given for the Standard in the wiki page for that lab.  Any errors or omissions are minor, and would require trivial corrections.  |
| Needs Improvement  | 1       | The work represents a good faith effort, but one or more specifications for the Standard contain significant errors or omissions.                                       |
| Incomplete         | 0       | The work presented is not meaningful and not indicative of a good faith effort.  Substantial work is missing.                                                           |


With four standards that adds up to 8 points per individual report.

You receive 2 points for completion of the at home assignment.


Thus 6 labs for the quarter plus the at home assignment adds up to a total of 50 possible points for the lab component of the course.  Different faculty have different grading schemes for their course, so they will scale your lab score accordingly.