GRADING OUTLINE FOR ATM211 (1317/1316) - SPRING 2008 Mike Landin (ES 324, 442-4572) Office Hours landin@atmos.albany.edu MON/WED: 1-3 PM PRIMARY REQUIREMENT FOR A PASSING GRADE: for each non-valid *missed* forecast (in excess of 1, up to a maximum of 8 missed forecasts) you will be penalized one partial letter grade. (For each missed forecast, you will be assigned a PERSISTENCE forecast for that day.) If you miss 9 or more forecasts, then you will automatically receive a failing grade (E). FORECASTING: Everyone *MUST* forecast on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays beginning on Monday, March 10th, as well as for Case #0 on March 5th (except for March 24-26 & April 21). Forecasting must be completed by 10 PM local time each day for the Case Studies (1-4) and by 7:45 PM local time in the "real time" cases (5-7). Each student who completes 100% of the total (20) forecasts will receive a partial letter grade *bonus* increase on their final grade. Additionally, students ranked in the approximate "Top 33%" of the class in the final "Total Points" rankings will receive a partial letter grade *bonus* increase on their final grade. "FORECASTER WORKBOOK": You will be given a workbook, which will contain Forecasting Worksheets to be filled out during each forecast week. An *incomplete* workbook will only serve to lower your grade. You will be asked to hand them for checking during EXAM #2 and at the FINAL EXAM. FORECASTING DUTY ASSIGNMENT: the class will be broken up into four groups of (7-8) and each group will be assigned a forecasting week (MON/TUE/WED) in which they will prepare the weather charts for the rest of the class. The "Team Leaders" for each group will be the top students in the class after Exam #1. (The exact procedures of the "Duty Assignments" [A-F] will be outlined in sample assignments during the first phase of the course.) **THURSDAY MAP DISCUSSIONS: Each Thursday, beginning March 6th (and excluding 3/27 & 4/17), a weather Map Discussion will be presented. Attendance is MANADATORY for this class. An *unexcused* absence from Map Discussion will result in a partial letter grade drop on your final grade ... the 2nd such absence will be a full letter grade drop ... and a 3rd absence will result in a failing (E) grade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXAMS: there will be two exams and a Final exam, which together with the weekly quizzes (see below) will count toward 75% of your final grade: QUIZZES (30%): each Friday class (Airport IDs/METAR/GEOGRAPHY) EXAM #1 (15%): Thu, Feb. 28th EXAM #2 (15%): Tue, Apr. 8th FINAL EXAM (40%): Thu, May 8th (3:30 PM) Note: an "E" exam grade will result in loss of all final grade "perks" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- WEATHER MAP ANALYSIS: There will be five (5) weather map plotting and analysis assignments, which will be graded as a "+", " /+", " /", " /-" or "--" and will count toward 15% of your final grade. Late maps lose any chance of "+" and the maps increase in value. The Map Exercises are due on designated Fridays per instructions. A very poorly done map or a severely late map can receive a "Zer-OUCH!" grade (O = -3.0 GPA). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOMEWORK: You will be required to work up the assigned exercises as we move along. Homework will count toward 10% of your final grade. Late homework is *not* accepted! Each homework assignment not handed in will result in a "Zer-OUCH!" grade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEXTBOOKS: "SEVERE AND HAZARDOUS WEATHER" (2nd Edition) by Rauber, Walsh & Charlevoix, "METEOROLOGY TODAY" (7th Edition) by C. Donald Ahrens (your ATM210 text), along with "WEATHER MAPS: How to Read and Interpret All the Basic Weather Charts" (3rd Edition) by Chaston. All three texts will be used in the followup course - ATM311 - next fall. Also, "Storm" by George R. Stewart (which was to have been read over the winter break). ATM211 WEATHER FORECASTING LAB KIT: to be purchased at Chem Stores, anytime on or after Thursday, 1/24. The price this year is ~$35. (If you need another laminated Skew-T, please see me.) ************************************************************************* ATTENDANCE: due to the special nature of this course and its "experience factor," attendance is *mandatory* and will be kept. Chronic non-attendance will adversely affect your final grade. *************************************************************************