Engagement
Engagement is worth 10 course points across two components. Attendance & Participation includes unannounced in-class question-and-answer prompts and participation in the final project presentation session. Canvas Introduction is a separate one-point activity completed near the beginning of the semester.
Component Points
| # | Component | Course Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attendance & Participation | 9 |
| 2 | Canvas Introduction | 1 |
Attendance & Participation
Attendance & Participation combines brief in-class Q&A prompts with participation in the final project presentation session. Together, these activities support regular engagement while allowing students to miss some class meetings when needed.
Point Breakdown
| Activity | Course Points |
|---|---|
| In-Class Q&A Participation | 8 |
| Final Presentation Participation | 1 |
In-Class Q&A Participation
Q&A prompts are unannounced and may appear at any point during class. A prompt may ask you to recall a recent concept, interpret a short example, identify a reasonable analytical choice, or connect the day’s topic to earlier material. Submit an individual response during the announced response window.
Credit is based on timely, good-faith participation rather than correctness. A response counts when it addresses the prompt and is submitted before the window closes; an empty, unrelated, or copied response does not count.
Q&A scoring: Complete at least 80% of the available prompts to earn all 8 Q&A points. Below 80%, the score is proportional: 8 × (participation rate ÷ 80%), capped at 8 points.
Scoring Examples
| Semester Participation Rate | Q&A Points |
|---|---|
| 80–100% | 8 of 8 |
| 60% | 6 of 8 |
| 40% | 4 of 8 |
No individual make-ups: The 80% threshold already allows students to miss some prompts for illness, travel, late arrival, technical problems, or other reasons. You do not need to provide an excuse or documentation for a missed prompt, and individual prompts cannot be made up.
Final Presentation Participation
Earn one point by attending and participating in the final project presentation session on November 30, 2026. Participate in your own team’s presentation as applicable, listen attentively to classmates, and engage in good faith during the question-and-answer portions of the session. No separate written feedback is required.
Canvas Introduction
Post a short introduction on the Canvas discussion board. Share your background and program, what interests you and how you became interested in it, and what you hope to gain from this course. Answer as many or as few of these prompts as you like; a video or audio response works just as well as a written post.
Reply to two or three classmates, especially classmates whose interests overlap with yours. Full credit is based on completing the introduction and replies in good faith.