A. CONTACTING PROFESSOR BILLETER: [top]

OFFICE: Rm. HT-725 Health & Technology Bldg.

OFFICE HOURS: In the Fall and Spring semesters I usually schedule some office hours at Border's Bookstore Cafe in Waldorf (ALL my students in ALL my classes are welcome but these hours are designed for the convenience of Oceanography Telecourse students and Waldorf Center Zoology students.) I will announce my office hours for this semester soon. Write them in this box:
 

Billeter's Office Hours and optional help sessions:  I have no formal office hours in the summer. Contact me via email if you'd like to meet with me. If I am teaching at Anne Arundel CC this summer, you are welcome to come to the review sessions I hold there before each exam. They are typically 7-9pm on three Fridays in Arnold, MD. CSM does not have these required sessions. See the  AACC oceanography syllabus on my website for location and dates. CSM students are welcome to attend my AACC oceanography telecourse review classes. Contact me before you drive up to be sure the course is being offered at AACC and the dates are correct. The AACC class is cancelled Summer 2008.

OFFICE PHONE: (24 hrs 7 days) 301.934.7815   or   301.884.8131 x7815   or   301.870.3008 x7815
FAX: 301.934.7688               BIO DEPT. 301. 934.7843
E-MAIL: paulb@csmd.edu (college)            The college's web page is www.csmd.edu

I PREFER THAT YOU CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL
MAILING ADDRESS:  Paul Billeter (BIO);  College of So. Maryland;  P.O. Box 910; 8730 Mitchell Rd;.LaPlata, MD 20646-0910

 

Welcome to the world of telecourses in general and the worlds of oceanography, science, and the telecourse "Endless Voyage" in particular. This may be the first telecourse you've taken in college and it is important that you clearly understand the nature of this learning format as you begin to explore and exploit it. This is a telecourse, not a web course. We do not use WebCT.

Oceanography telecourse is a three-credit college science course. It is comparable to other sections of Oceanography taught on campus in the traditional classroom setting. You will have the opportunity to work as hard and to learn as much as you would in a traditional classroom. You'll receive the same credit and your records and transcripts will reflect that you took the same course as the on-campus version of oceanography. The difference is that you have chosen to do most of the work on your own, without attending regular lecture sessions. The standards are as rigorous, your efforts in learning as high, and your rewards as great in the telecourse section, but instructional television demands that YOU take most of the responsibility for your learning. You will forfeit the classroom dynamic of frequent direct interaction with classmates and instructor which can be an invaluable part of learning. I have tried to incorporate some things into this course to partially compensate for this loss of the classroom dynamic, but the social nature of a college campus and the direct face to face interaction between and among students and professors is generally absent or greatly reduced in telecourses.

High levels of self-motivation and low levels of procrastination are particularly important for the telecourse student. THEREFORE, SOME STUDENTS PROBABLY WILL NOT DO WELL IN TELECOURSES UNLESS THEY ALTER THEIR PERSONAL BEHAVIOR IN THE AREA OF ACADEMIC PURSUITS AND STUDYING. IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU REQUIRE CLOSE DAILY CONTACT WITH PROFESSORS AND CLASSMATES, OR THAT YOU ARE NOT STRONGLY SELF-MOTIVATED, OR THAT YOU HAVE A TENDENCY TO PROCRASTINATE, TELECOURSES ARE EITHER NOT FOR YOU OR THEY ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP LEARNING SKILLS AND PATTERNS THAT WILL OPEN UP A NEW REALM OF LEARNING. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, I URGE YOU TO WORK THROUGH THE DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONNAIRE AT THE COLLEGE'S WEBSITE AND CONSIDER THE RESULTS CAREFULLY.

The Introduction in the Course Study Guide contains additional information on the structure of this telecourse. Please read it.

DISTANCE LEARNING, INCLUDING TELECOURSES, IS A LEARNING FORMAT THAT IS EXPANDING YEARLY AND WILL BE OF EVER INCREASING IMPORTANCE TO A PURSUIT OF LIFE-LONG LEARNING NOT ONLY IN COLLEGE, BUT ALSO IN INDUSTRIAL, CORPORATE, MILITARY, RECREATIONAL, AND OTHER SETTINGS! IT CAN ONLY BE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO IMPROVE YOUR ABILITIES AT LEARNING IN THIS STILL SOMEWHAT-NEW EDUCATIONAL MODE.
D/L might even save you some CA$H!!

C. "THE ENDLESS VOYAGE" TELECOURSE   [top]

"Endless Voyage" and other telecourses are a modified version of the classic "correspondence course" learning format. But, in addition to books, assignments, and a distantly-located instructor, telecourses include a series of tele-lessons presented on CDs or DVDs. A telecourse in oceanography allows me to bring you lectures by eminent oceanographers, take you to the Antarctic to study penguins, to Australia to study coral reefs, and to the abyssal depths to study life five miles under the sea surface. You will see entire oceans from outer space and examine microscopic plankton as tiny as a red blood cell. "Endless Voyage" is a well-conceived and well-produced undergraduate level introduction to general oceanography. It not only contains a good deal of information about the oceans, but also gives historic insight into this science, talks about experiments (i.e., not only what we "know" about the oceans, but "how" and "why" we think we know it!) and explores this science's pertinence -- the effects of oceans on people and peoples' effect on them.

The course is constructed around the TEXTBOOK and a series of 26 HALF-HOUR VIDEO LESSONS (we only do 23 Lessons, Omit 6, 17, 26) entitled, "The Endless Voyage." The other components of the course are a STUDY GUIDE, some optional PROJECTS and FIELD TRIPS, YOU, and ME. Although this course is comparable to an on-campus section of oceanography, it is not exactly the same. Much of the information in all oceanography courses anywhere is the same, but each professor, text, telecourse, etc. has their own emphasis and style.

The text, Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science is a well-respected, introductory text used by many colleges for both telecourse and on-campus classes. The 26 (23) tele-lessons are a mixture of biological, physical, chemical, and geological topics. Historical, anthropological, sociological, geographical, and economic topics associated with the oceans are also addressed. The extra credit projects (all optional) reflect my preference for biological aspects of oceanography, but you will see that through various options, you have a rather wide latitude of choice of topics for supplemental projects and field trips if you wish to embellish the course to meet your own particular needs and interests.

I anticipate a challenging and adventure-some learning experience and I urge you to work hard, learn as much as you can, and earn the highest grade possible consistent with your efforts, your abilities, and the priority you place on your college education.

D. COURSE REQUIREMENTS     [top]

To complete BIO 1200 Oceanography Telecourse at CSM you are required to:
1. Master and be examined on the 26 (23) lessons which comprise the course.

2. Earn a "passing grade" (A, B, C, or D) for your exam average.

These are essentially the only requirement for this course...Study the material, learn and understand it, and pass the exams! I urge you to seek my assistance if you discover you need it and furthermore I urge you to participate in the extra credit options, especially the field trips to museums. This is not an "easy" course; especially in the summer. It is rigorous and demanding and you will have to work hard and keep up to earn a high grade.

E. TEXTBOOKS     [top]

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1. Study Guide, "The Endless Voyage 3rd Edition", by Paul Billeter and Robert Given.
2. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science, 6th. ed., by Tom Garrison

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F. DISABLED STUDENTS POLICY     [top]

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If you have a learning or other disability (e.g. hearing problems, vision problems, etc.) please inform your instructor and contact Ms. Glennis Bacchus, the college's learning specialist. Her office is in the Student Success Center and her phone is 301.934.7614. Ms. Bacchus will verify your status and provide you with appropriate accommodations.

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G. CDs or VIDEOTAPES    [top]

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The college has copies of the 26 Tele-lessons on CDs for you to borrow. Check them out from the CSM Library early and get started right away!!!

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Obtaining the videotapes or CD's is your responsibility. I think you may fetch them from the LaPlata Campus Library or arrange to have them delivered to the Calvert or St. Mary's campus libraries. Contact your campus library for details. Do not contact me about problems getting CDs/tapes because I can't help you. Call the library or Paul Toscano 301.934.7615. Contact me only if they can't help you.

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If you find that one of your borrowed CDs is defective, the CDs are available for on-campus viewing at all three campuses' Libraries. The Library Hours can vary from campus to campus and from semester to semester. The current hours of operation for the various campuses are available on the college's website. You can also call to verify your library's hours.

(LA PLATA: 301.934.7133;  LEONARDTOWN: 301.863.6679;  PRINCE FREDERICK: Call 410.586.3056 or 410.855.1211)

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H. EXAMS and MISSED EXAM POLICY     [top]

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This course has three exams. Your exam average determines your final grade. (You may also earn up to 10 points of extra credit, see below.) The exams are available at the Testing Centers on all three campuses. You will take your exams at your campus' Testing Center anytime BEFORE the deadlines on the schedule below (Part "L"). The Test Centers' hours are given on the College Website. You should arrive at least 2+ hours before the Testing Center is scheduled to close so you'll have sufficient time to take the test (1 hr 40 min.) and look over your mistakes (at least 30 min.). DON'T COME AT CLOSING TIME! The proctors work hard, just like you, and they want to go home at closing time, just like you.

MISSED EXAM POLICY (Please Read Carefully)

You may take any exam early, and you may go to any of the three campuses to take your exams. At the end of the testing period at each campus, the exams are packed up and returned to me. There are almost always some students who, for various reasons, (ranging from terribly tragic to incredibly lame) miss exams. If your personal habits, job, automobile, alarm clock, friends, parents, children, commanding officer, parole officer, boss, social calendar, beach/barbecue/boating schedule, other responsibilities, or life in general, conspire to make it impossible to take your exam by the deadline or anytime earlier, I have made it possible for you to take a make-up exam during an AUTOMATIC GRACE PERIOD. You need not contact me for permission to take an exam during the grace period and it is unnecessary to bring in a doctor's note or any other type of excuse. Just go take it, accept your 15 point late-penalty, and try to plan better for the next one. (Oceanography's  Commandment #1: " NO WHINING!!" applies here. Mathematically, you can make up a 15 point penalty on one of three exams by earning 5 points of extra credit.)

• Make every effort to take the exams on time !!!!!

• ALL late exams must be taken at the La Plata Campus

• ALL late exams will be assessed a 15% penalty !!!

After the grace period expires, if you have not taken your exam, you will receive a zero. On rare occasions for extraordinary reasons I will extend the grace period  (check the definition of "extraordinary" in the dictionary before you seek an extension.)  Depending on the college's exam schedule THERE MAY NOT BE A GRACE PERIOD FOR EXAM #3!!! CHECK THE SCHEDULE ON THE LAST PAGE OF THIS SYLLABUS.  If extraordinary circumstances make it impossible for you to complete your course, you may be able to take advantage of the grades of "incomplete" or "audit." The college has strict guidelines, deadlines, and procedures for these grades. See your college catalog for details about grades of "incomplete" and "audit".

AUDIT: There is a deadline for switching from credit to audit. You may not switch from credit to audit unless you are passing the course. If you decide to switch from credit to another status, and you are not passing, you must withdraw (W), rather than audit (AUD). The grade of incomplete (I) is an option under extraordinary circumstances. See the college Catalog or Student Handbook for details of the "I" grade.
 

I. GRADING     [top]

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Your final grade is the average of the 3 Exams. I will count the final exam twice if it helps your average. This allows people who got a "slow start" to make up for it, to some extent, by scoring a high grade on the final.
Final Grade = [(Exam 1 + Exam 2 + Final Exam ) ÷ 3] + Extra Credit

OR

Final Grade = [(Exam 1 + Exam 2 + Final Exam +  Final Exam again) ÷ 4] + Extra Credit

J. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STUDENT AND PROFESSOR     [top]

YOU contacting ME: My email address, phone numbers, etc. are listed at the beginning of this syllabus. You may call any time night or day and leave a message in my office phone mail. If you leave a message I WILL call you back. If your message is inaudible or you speak so fast that I cannot get your #, or you fail to tell me who you are, I CAN NOT return your call. So if you do not hear from me within a few days...CALL ME BACK. My email address is also listed above and this is the BEST WAY to get in touch with me. I can not give out grades over the phone or via email, do not call for grades. Exam grades are distributed via US Post and final grades are available on the college website in the usual fashion (and I will mail out a final grade summary to you).

ME contacting YOU: It is important that I be able to contact you too. PLEASE E-MAIL ME EARLY IN THE SEMESTER AND GIVE ME YOUR PRESENT MAILING ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND STUFF TO YOU.  PLEASE NOTIFY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOUR ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER CHANGES!!!  My college web-site also has some oceanography-related info on it.

I WILL NOT BE MAILING OUT THE POSTCARDS I MENTION IN THE ORIENTATION VIDEO

PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR CORRECT MAILING ADDRESS EARLY IN THE SEMESTER (first week)

After each exam I will return your exam to you by mail. Along with your exam, you will receive a summary of the class' performance on the test (range, average, number of A's B's C's, etc.) I will also notify you when I receive extra credit assignments from you so you know that I received it and how many points you earned. There is a real live person who cares about you and your learning oceanography, me. If you need my help all you need do is ask. I can't help you if you do not ask.

Course Newsletter: CLICK HERE PLEASE There are 3 Course newsletters on the Oceanography webpage of my CSM website. These contain some hints for studying for exams and occasionally some secret hidden extra credit opportunities. BE SURE TO READ EACH ONE BEFORE YOU GO TO TAKE THE CORRESPONDING EXAM.

K. OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT ACTIVITIES     [top]

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You may earn up to TEN points of extra credit. These points are added to your final average.
There are two ways to earn extra credit:  1. Various Supplemental Studies and  2. Various "Field Trips."

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1. OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL STUDIES FOR EXTRA CREDIT
    To fulfill this OPTION, choose ONE FROM A,B,C, or D. You may only do ONE of these!

A) BOOK REPORT: (0-5pts) Read any book of an oceanographic nature, but NOT A TEXTBOOK. Your title must be chosen and approved by me by Fri Jun 20 (or sooner). Your report (approx 5-7 standard double-spaced, 250 word, typed pages) dealing with some of the ideas brought out in the book is due on Fri Jul 11. Examples of acceptable books are given in a bibliography; call to request it. YOU MUST GET MY APPROVAL OF THE BOOK YOU CHOOSE IF IT'S NOT ON MY BIBLIOGRAPHY. CALL, OR WRITE! (This bibliography has not been revised for several years. It still has many fine books on it but there are lots of newer ones too. This summer's recommended reading is a book written by my good friend Gene Kaplan, "The Sensuous Seas." It's funny and engaging but a little racy. If you have delicate sensibilities, read something else.)

 

The report should not be a mere chapter-by-chapter summary nor should it be a book review. I'm not particularly interested if you liked or disliked the author's style or how fond you are of dolphins! I am interested in some solid scientific information you learned from the book and how well you can convey it to me.

 

Choose one or a few topics presented in the book and discuss them in some scientific depth. If the book is not particularly deep scientifically, compare it to things you learned in the course or embellish it with research material gleaned from other sources to make a hybrid book report/research paper.

 

B) RESEARCH PAPER: (0-5 pts) Sorry, no more research papers; too many students are just ripping them off from the Internet and I have to spend too much time policing the papers for plagiarism. If I am to be a policeman, the college must give me a badge, Glock, hat, cool sunglasses, hand cuffs and a Taser. They don't do that.

 

C) MINI-REPORTS: (0-4pts) You will prepare 4 reports on articles from my bibliography (available on my website). You may also use any feature article (they are usually 8 or more pages long; do not use the news articles or other short reports) from "Scientific American" listed in the "Additional Readings" section at the textbook website for any of the text chapters.  Reports must be 4-5 standard, 250-word, double-spaced, typed pages. The body of the report should include a critical evaluation of one or two ideas brought out in the article. When possible, focus on the research aspects of the article. Describe the problem(s) the author(s) are trying to solve and the experimental or observational information they collected to come to their conclusions. YOUR REPORT SHOULD NOT BE A MERE PARAGRAPH BY PARAGRAPH SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE. Be sure to include the journal, title, author, and date of the article on your title page. You must complete all 4 reports to earn any extra credit. You must submit a xerox copy of the article with your report.

 

Assiduously avoid plagiarism!!! Plaigiarism = ZERO. Period, end of story. If you are detected plagiarizing material for these supplemental study extra credit papers, YOU WILL GET A ZERO ON THE PAPER, YOUR FINAL GRADE WILL BE REDUCED BY ONE LETTER AND YOU WILL BE REPORTED TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS !

 

In the Summer Semester: The first report is due Fri Jun 20. Another is due every week until Fri Jul 11. (i.e. 6/20, 6/27, 7/3 (Thu), 7/11.)

 

D) ORGANISM COLLECTION: (0-10 pts) You may prepare a collection of 25 marine organisms (collected by you). Each specimen must be properly preserved, classified to Phylum, Class, Genus, and species and described in an accompanying journal. Each specimen will have its own page in your journal and include:

Its classification and where and when it was collected.

The type of habitat it was collected from (e.g., sandy beach, muddy beach, rocky shore etc.).

Some original and/or research-derived notes, observations, information etc., about the organism's lifestyle, behavior, abundance, economic importance, ecology, etc. One short paragraph per organism is sufficient. Details are available in a handout. Ask for it. Your collection and notebook are due Fri Jul 13. Collecting should be conducted when weather is warm (e.g., before October 31 in the Fall semester and after April 1 in the Spring semester) ALTHOUGH IT MAY NEVER GET WARM ENOUGH IN THE SPRING SEMESTER FOR SUCCESSFUL SPECIMEN COLLECTING.

REQUEST A SPECIAL HANDOUT IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS PROJECT. I WILL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU GET STARTED WITH YOUR CLASSIFYING AND LOAN YOU BOOKS TO ASSIST YOU. DROP BY MY OFFICE (AFTER CALLING). 

 

THE SUMMER IS THE "BEST" SEMESTER (WEATHER-WISE AND CRITTER-WISE) TO DO THIS PROJECT. BUT THIS EXTRAVAGANZA IS WORTH UP TO 10 POINTS. IT IS QUITE TIME CONSUMING AND NOT A GOOD CHOICE IN THE SHORT SUMMER SEMESTER IF YOU HAVE A BUSY LIFE.

2. OPTIONAL FIELD TRIPS FOR EXTRA CREDIT

You may also participate in one or more of the following field trips to earn extra credit. You may do as many of these as you like but the maximum extra credit for the course is 10 points.

ALL FIELD TRIPS ARE OPTIONAL COURSE ACTIVITIES (i.e., not required), but participation will add greatly to your learning experiences in this course and earn you extra credit points. Individual field trips are worth 4-5 points. Maximum allowable extra credit is 10 points.
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A) Class trip to Cape Henlopen, Delaware (not available this semester)

B) Class trip to Nanjemoy Environmental Learning Center (NELC) (not available this semester)

C) Smithsonian: Self-guided tour of "The Hall of the Sea" etc. at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. (request handout.) THIS FIELD TRIP IS WORTH UP TO 4 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS.(being, not available until 2008)

 

D) Baltimore Aquarium: Self-guided tour of the Baltimore Aquarium. (request worksheet.) (or you may download the worksheet from my webpage.)  THIS FIELD TRIP IS WORTH UP TO 5 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS. The Aquarium is GREAT but this is probably the most time-consuming and expensive of the field trips so plan accordingly if you choose this one. The Inner Harbor is always crowded in the summer. Admission is about $20+ and parking another $20. (See magenta Box above)

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E) Calvert Marine Museum: Self-guided tour. (request worksheet) (or You may download the worksheet from my webpage.) THIS FIELD TRIP IS WORTH UP TO 4 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS. (See magenta Box above)

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F) Planet Ocean Virtual Field Trip: This virtual field trip, WORTH UP TO 5 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS, is done on the Internet. Request a worksheet. (or You may download the worksheet from my webpage.) (See magenta Box above)

 

G) Human Population Explosion and the Global Environment: This project, WORTH UP TO 4 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS, is done at home. Request a worksheet. (or You may download the worksheet from my webpage.)

 

ALL WORKSHEETS FOR SELF-GUIDED FIELD TRIPS ARE DUE BY

 FRIDAY JULY 11.

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LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

 

 

[top]

Wed. Jun. 4  Lesson #01: The Water Planet (Introduction and Origins)
Sun. Jun. 08  Lesson #02. First Steps (History)

Sun. Jun. 08  Lesson #03. Making the Pieces Fit (Plate Tectonics I)
Sun. Jun. 08  Lesson #04. World in Motion (Plate Tectonics II)
Sun. Jun. 08  Lesson #05. Over the Edge (The Seabed)
Sun. Jun. 15  Lesson #06. The Ocean's Memory (Marine Sediments) This lesson will not be on the test,
Sun. Jun. 15  Lesson #07. It's in the Water (Physical and Chemical Properties of Seawater)
Sun. Jun. 15  Lesson #08. Beneath the Surface (Ocean Structure)

Sun. Jun. 15  Lesson #09. Going to Extremes (Polar and Tropical Oceans)
Sun. Jun. 15  Lesson #10. Something in the Air (The Ocean and the Atmosphere)

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*** EXAM 1: Deadline for taking Exam 1 is FRI. JUN 20 (Lessons 1-10, except 6) *** Exam 1: Grace Period: Sat. 6/21, one day only !  (15 point late penalty, make-up exams are available at LaPlata Campus ONLY)

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Sun. Jun. 22 Lesson #11. Going With the Flow (Ocean Currents and El Nino)
Sun. Jun. 22  Lesson #12. Deep Connections (Thermohaline Circulation)

Sun. Jun. 22  Lesson #13. Surf's Up (Waves)
Sun. Jun. 29  Lesson #14. Look Out Below (Tsunami, Seiches, etc.)
Sun. Jun. 29  Lesson #15. Ebb and Flow (Tides)
Sun. Jun. 29  Lesson #16. On the Coast (Coastal Oceans)
Sun. Jul. xx  Lesson #17. Due West (Case Studies along the California Coast) This lesson will not be on the test,
Sun. Jun. 29  Lesson #18. Building Blocks (Introduction to Biology)

Sun. Jul. 06  Lesson #19. Water World (Introduction to Marine Biology)
Sun. Jul. 06 Lesson #20. Food for Thought (Marine Ecology I, Primary Production)

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*** EXAM 2: Deadline for taking Exam 2 is TUE. JUL. 8 (Lessons 11-20, except 17) *** Exam 2: Grace Period: Wed. 7/9, one day only !   (15 point late penalty ; make-up exams are available at LaPlata Campus ONLY)

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Sun. Jul. 13  Lesson #21. Survivors (Marine Invertebrates)
Sun. Jul. 13  Lesson #22. Life Goes On (Marine Vertebrates)
Sun. Jul. 13  Lesson #23. Living Together (Marine Ecology II, Communities)
Sun. Jul. 13  Lesson #24. Treasure Trove (Marine Resources)

Sun. Jul. 13  Lesson #25. Dirty  Water (Marine Pollution)
Sun. Jul. xx  Lesson #26 Hands On (Ocean Science and Ocean Scientists) This lesson will not be on the test,

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*** EXAM 3: Deadline for taking Final Exam is MON. JUL 21 (Lessons 1-25, except 6,17,26 ) *** Exam 3: Grace Period: Tue. 7/22  (15 point late penalty and available at LaPlata Campus ONLY) I will pick up the exams on the 22nd at LaPlata. THE COURSE IS TOTALLY OVER 7/22 and I am leaving the country. I return in the Fall. If you absolutely must have your grade on time for graduation, another college, financial aid reasons etc., take the test on time.

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**MONDAY 7/14: LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW OR CHANGE BETWEEN AUDIT/CREDIT**
**FRIDAY 7/11: DEADLINE FOR ALL EXTRA CREDIT WORK. NO EXCEPTIONS ! !  **

DISCLAIMER: I'm sorry I have to seem to be mean and tough; I'm actually a nice guy (ask any of my ex-wives/girlfriends) and willing to help you with oceanography any way I can within reason. If I don't set strict guidelines some students will try to take advantage of my good nature or adopt a lackadaisical approach to the course and then end up failing or withdrawing. You really do have to be self-motivated, not procrastinate and work seriously at succeeding in order to succeed in this course. The most common final grade is usually A (because a lot of students who might've gotten a B get an A through extra credit). THE NEXT MOST FREQUENT GRADE IS W (withdraw). These are students who did not take the course seriously, and never took the first exam or took it without studying and got low F's and fell hopelessly behind and gave up. (Read Newsletter #1 on the first day of the semester.)