OPTIONAL REPORTS

Because writing scientific essays is difficult, this course allows students to earn extra credit by . . .

  • submitting short reports on optional reading.
These readings are not required.   Every year students earn A's in this course without doing any optional reading.   Nevertheless, the extra credit is added to your final score and can affect the grade you earn.   Some students also earn straight C's without ever managing to write a C essay.

To get full credit for your reports on optional reading -- follow all of the rules for good reports (see the link for EXTRA CREDIT FOR READING).   To be fair to others who do follow the rules, I cannot give full credit to reports that do not follow the rules.   If you have questions about the rules, please ask a question in class (others are probably interested too) or come see me!

I will not return these reports.   If you followed the rules, you can assume you have earned the extra credit.   So far, nearly all reports and outlines have followed the rules . . . but there are a few that have not!