University of North Carolina School of Public Health
Department of Epidemiology

EPID600, Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health

Course grades (Internet edition, Fall 2006)

Numeric grades, on a 0-100 scale, are computed as a weighted average of your scores (after each is converted to a 0-100% scale) for the following activities, weighted 20% for small group participation and 80% for individual examinations and case study answers, as described below. Numeric grades are translated into letter grades through a conversion scale.

Small group participation

Each small group will work on several projects during the semester, such as the case study on HIV and behavior change in Zimbabwe. The grade assigned to the result will be used in conjunction with peer ratings to contribute 20% of the overall course grade.

Twice during the semester, you will be asked to critique the performance of other members of your small group. This critique will be both qualitative and quantitative and will be based on written criteria related to the performance and contribution of individuals as group members. The evaluations that your small group members and, in some cases, your teaching assistant submit about you will be provided to you as averages, with any comments.

The purpose of the peer evaluations is to provide you with: (1) feedback about your performance in the group; and (2) a way to express your opinion about how other students in your group are performing. Peer evaluation is an important function that you will both perform and undergo throughout your professional career. The peer evaluations will be made twice, to give you opportunity to grow as a member of a professional group.

Your grade for small group participation will be computed as the product of the average grade that your small group receives on graded projects and your TA’s assessment of your group’s performance multiplied by your peer evaluation score.

Three individual examinations

Each of the first two examinations contributes 30% of the overall grade and contains about 20-30 multiple choice, true-false, computation, and short answer questions. (The case study on HIV and behavior change in Zimbabwe was an examination in a previous semester, and several other case studies contain questions from past examinations.) 5 percentage points for each of these examinations can be earned by submitting answers to selected case study questions - see below - in which case each examination contributes 25% instead of 30%.

The third examination contributes 20% of the overall grade and consists of 4-8 essay questions that would form part of a structured critique of a published report of an epidemiologic study.

All examinations are take-home, open-book, and untimed. You will submit your examination answers via webform. The due dates may be interpreted as referring to your choice of time zone. Your identity will be masked during the grading process.

Selected case study questions

Up to 10% of the course grade can be earned for adequate answers to selected case study questions (denoted by asterisks on the submission form). These answers are submitted via webform and reviewed by your teaching assistant. The case studies are intended as a learning activity rather than an evaluation activity, so if your answers reflect a reasonable amount of effort, even incorrect answers can receive full credit. Your TA will rate the answers to each case study, except for the first and last modules, as full credit (1 point) or something less, up to a maximum of 10 percentage points on your final grade.

The UNC-CH Honor Code (link) applies to all submissions described above, with the following exclusions: 1) all exams and case studies are “open book” - you may use any public source; 2) even if you are submitting case study answers for credit you may discuss case study answers with other members of your small group as long as you work on all questions rather than dividing up the questions. You may not use instructor answers provided by or obtained from another student.

Sample grade calculations

9/4/2006vs