Frequently Asked Questions in Bio 112

• What happens if I miss a test? You can replace the grade by counting your final exam twice.
• What happens if I miss two tests? Then you are better off dropping the course than having a zero factored into your average. In other words, you cannot count your final exam more than twice.
• Is the final exam optional? In lecture the final exam is NOT optional. If you miss the final, you will have a zero factored into your average.
• Can I use the final exam to replace a low test grade? Yes. If your final exam grade is higher than your lowest test grade, I will automatically drop your lowest test grade and count your final exam grade twice.
• Can I take a test early? No. The test is only offered on the days listed on the test schedule and weekly outline.
• Will questions from the practice tests show up on the real test? NO but the concepts will.
• What if I do not have access to a computer or printer at home? You can go to the Learning Center on the first floor of the Academic Center. The computers in the Learning Center are connected to the internet so you will be able to access the websites you need there. The Learning Center also has printers.
• Should I do the questions at the end of each chapter? Yes. They are an excellent source for testing yourself.
• Should I do the practice tests on the CD that came with the book? Yes. They are an excellent source for testing yourself.
• What is going to be on the tests? Everything in the book is fair game for the tests but I feel the most important concepts are in the notes. You can expect about 90% of the questions on the exam to come from the notes. The rest of the questions will be from concepts in the book that are not necessarily covered in the notes.
• What is my average in the lecture part of class? It is your test grades added up and divided by the number of tests taken.
• Does the final exam grade count more than a test grade? No, unless you opt to count your final exam grade twice for a missed test or to replace your lowest test grade.
• Can I do extra credit in this class? No. Your grade in this class is 100% objective and is based ONLY on test scores.
• Are there short answer or essay questions on the tests? No. All tests are multiple choice, true/false or matching.
• Is there are curve in this class? No, there is no curve. However, on every test I give back 2 questions automatically. These are not 2 specific questions but any 2 questions you do not like.
• Will I feel like the test is unfair? No. Most students feel the tests are very fair. The tests very much cover the notes and what we discuss in class. You will most likely feel the test covers a lot of material but you will not feel it is unfair.
• What happens if I miss too many homework assignments? You will be dropped from the course. The course policy clearly states that a student must complete in a satisfactory manner at least 10 of the homework assignments to receive credit for this course.
• Do I round up final grades? Yes, if your grade is 79.5 it will round up to an 80. However, if your grade is 79.4 it DOES NOT round up; it will be recorded as a 79.
• Isn’t a 69.4 close enough to get a C in this class? NO. Remember that I give you back 2 questions for every test you take. Therefore, your test grades are 3-4 points higher than you actually make. So the 69.4 is really a 66.4. YOU NEED AT LEAST A 69.5 TO GET A C IN THIS CLASS.

• When you think you know the material, take the practice test on the material. If you did not pass the practice test then you will NOT pass the real test.
• Answer the learning activity questions WITHOUT using your notes or textbook. If you cannot answer the questions on your own then you will not be able to answer those questions on the real test.
• If you have time, do the review questions at the end of each chapter and take the practice tests on the CD that came with your textbook.

Most Common Mistakes by Bio 112 Students

• Underestimating the amount of time you need to study for the test. In general, you need to study 3-6 hours outside of class for every hour you would normally spend in class! For many students, you will spend more than this!  On average it takes about 1.5 hours to cover most chapters in an on-campus class setting.
• Not doing the homework assignments. I can promise you that MOST of these questions will show up on your tests. Also, the course policy clearly states that a student must complete in a satisfactory manner at least 10 of the homework assignments to receive credit for this course.
• Not doing the practice exams. This is the best way to test yourself before you come to take my test. If you fail the practice test, you will fail my test. If you fail the practice test, then you do not know the material well enough to be tested on it.
• Waiting until the end of the semester to bring up their grade. It is VERY difficult to bring up a low test average at the end of the semester so do everything you can to keep your average up throughout the semester.