Grades in AP Physics C

[dthiessn@nslsilus.org (David Thiessen)]

Hi Physics Phriends,

What Jack Uretsky wrote:

> The sad fact is that we have colleagues who will certify almost
> all of their students as A or B students without regard to their actual
> understanding of the subject matter.  We suffer from the presence of
> students who were certified as A or B students by their math teachers,
> although they may be mathematically illiterate.

leads me to ask what grading standards other AP Physics C teachers use.

In order to model the 'real thing', I give a 35 question 45 minute AP style
multiple choice test and a 45 minute 3 question free response test (from
old AP exams) for each unit with the understanding that physics is a linear
course and that test questions on later units can and will test concepts
learned  (or, at least, taught) in earlier units.  Since the tests are AP
level in difficulty, I tend to grade them on an AP scale:

     (1) 34 - 45 is a 5 meaning extremely well qualified -=> A
     (2) 27 - 33.9 is a 4, well qualified, A-
     (3) 21 - 26.9 is qualified, B
     (4) 15 - 21.9  is possibly qualified, C
     (5) 0 - 14.9  is no recommendation, D, F

Homework (problem sets and labs) count for 25% of their pre-final semester
grade (20% of semester grade since the final exam counts for 20% of the
semester grade)

For my diligent and conscientious students, this seems to be a fair grading
scale.  However, there are always those students who are bright enough to
get a grade they are happy with doing virtually no outside work,  at least
that was they way it was until I got the administration to support a
Minimum Requirement assignment 4 or 5 years ago (much as a term paper is a
minimum requirement in some other courses, even though not doing it would
not drop the student's grade below failing, the student gets an Incomplete
grade until a serious effort at a term paper is made, otherwise, the grade
is F, regardless of classwork average).  This is similar to Jack's minimum
grade on the final exam:

> Since that time my grading standard has contained the following
> caveat: "However, a minimum grade of 20% on the final exam is required
> in order to receive a passing grade for the course."

Here's my minimum requirement for AP Physics C:

Using AP Free-response test items going back to the late 1960's, I assemble
10 years worth of test questions (30 problems) and they are required to do
them.  30 mechanics problems 1st semester and 30 E & M problems 2nd
semester.  If they do only 29, they get an incomplete until that 30th
problem is done.  If the incomplete is not made up by a certain time
(usually 2 weeks) after the end of the semester, their grade is changed to
an E (failure) regardless of their class average. If they satisfy all three
interim due dates, I will increase their semester grade by one-half letter.
If they go the imcomplete grade route, their semester grade is dropped by
1/2 letter for each two weeks late.

My rationale, as I tell them, is this:  The AP test questions were meant to
be worked in 15 minutes with no collaboration with others, no use of
outside resources, and, until last year, no access to formula sheets.  If
they can not work these problems spending as much time as they want (or
need), using the textbook or other resources, and getting help from the
teacher or other students, then they are in deep doo-doo when it comes to
the AP test in May.

Don't even THINK about doing something like this if (1) you do not have the
personal fortitude to see it through (it's a major hassle), and (2) you do
not have the support of your administrators to back you up.

If I had young children at home who needed the gifts of time and good
memories from their daddy, I wouldn't do this (my two children are happy,
well-adusted adults).

The major hassles are (1) to get the students to do this even though it
counts little on their grade, (2) to minimize copying, especially when I
encourage students to work together to learn from each other (3) to
minimize what I call "conning" -=> scribbling around on their paper work
which cannot be followed and then putting down the correct answer from the
answer key (another advantage they won't have on the "real" test).

To reduce the "conning", they have to turn in their "constructive
floundering" scratch sheet and "clean up" their solution procedure on the
printed problem sheet.  To show them how easy it is to catch copying,  I
give them a little booklet showing at least 20 examples of STUPID copying
and 5 examples of conning making them think I can catch this stuff.

The results:  My students AP scores have been fantastic ever since I
started doing this. Better in physics than these same students do in AP
Calculus and other AP courses.  Student after student has returned and
credited the 30 problem packets and the AP style unit testing for their
"higher than expected" AP score.   "What about the good teaching?"  I know
better than to ask that.  We teachers can never win:  If students do well,
it's because they're smart, and if they do poorly, it's because the teacher
didn't teach it very well.  Which leads to an aside:  Last November, a
student, who I had caught copying on the 30 problem packet (e.g., several
had Q = CV = (3 uF)(5 V) = 10 uC  stupid !!) returned after 3 semesters of
college and told me he had switched from engineering to political science.
WHY?  He said he had a lot of bad teachers in engineering.  I asked him,
"You mean it had nothing to do with the fact that you were too lazy to do
much work in Honors and AP physics and that I caught you copying in AP
Physics?  Did you do the work assigned in your engineering courses?  Did
you copy the work of others?"  He sheepishly said he had to go and I do not
expect him to visit again.  I'm too old and too close to retirement to now
pull my punches.

One last comment on 'too long' post:  Although it is not school policy, any
student in AP Physics 2nd semester is required to take both the Mechanics
and   E & M tests.  I simply got tired of students getting senioritis and
spring fever, deciding not to take the tests, and then becoming a
distraction to the other students who want to do well on the test.  So
everybody takes the test if they don't drop by the 6-weeks drop date.

I would appreciate your comments on how you grade in AP Physics C.

Also, should lazy students be permitted to coast along until they are
mature enough to realized the damage being done?  After all, it's their
life, not ours.  And besides, they can always switch to political science
!!

The word "Politics" must come from "Poly" meaning "many" and, of course,
"Tics" are blood sucking insects.

Bye, David





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