3. Estimating Your Scores

How can you interpret how well you are doing?

Look at your normalized score.
- Positive normalized scores generally mean that you are doing well - above my minimal expectations.
- Negative normalized scores generally mean you are doing below my minimal expections.
- How far away you are from the average is measured in standard deviations. Being a full standard deviation away from the average (+1.0 or -1.0) is significant. As a general rule, 70% of the class will fall within the range -1..+1. 95% of the class will fall in the range -2..+2.
On the Grades page, assignment scores carry an estimated grade. This is a rough calculation based upon how I have interpreted the normalized scores in previous semesters and/or in similar courses.

The estimated grade is expressed on ODU's 4.0 point scale, with 0=F, 1=D, 2=C, 3=B, 4=A.

This estimate is only an approximation. If you are one of the first students to submi an assignment, this estimate may change considerably as more students submit, until the class' standard deviation stabilizes. Also, I reserve the right to re-interpret the normalized scores later in the semester if it becomes apparent that the assignmetns for the semester have proven harder or easier than I anticipated.

Another factor is that, in my official calculation at the end of the semester, I often wind up discarding scores from students who dropped the course, who are caught copying assignments from others, or who try to manipulate the course statistics by deliberately submitting worthless assignments.


2. Assigning Letter Grades	\|