$\DeclareMathOperator{\p}{Pr}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\P}{Pr}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\c}{^C}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\or}{ or}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\and}{ and}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\var}{Var}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\E}{E}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\std}{Std}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\Ber}{Bern}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\Bin}{Bin}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\Poi}{Poi}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\Uni}{Uni}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\Exp}{Exp}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\N}{N}$ $\DeclareMathOperator{\R}{\mathbb{R}}$ $\newcommand{\d}{\, d}$

Section Attendance Policy

Section Assignments Join Section Zoom

Overview

Discussion sections (or "sections" for short) play an important role in making you a master of probability for computer science. Each section is headed by a section leader, who doubles as one of the awesome CAs for CS109.

Attendance and participation in section will be mandatory for all students. Your attendance will make up 6% of your final course grade. We are offering section times from 6:30AM to 9:30PM Pacific on Tuesday and 9:00AM to 12:00PM Pacific on Wednesday, so we are hopeful that all students will be able to find a section time that works for them. Please email Lisa or Jerry if you have concerns about your ability to attend or participate in section regularly, due to any factor (time zones, technological barriers. etc.), and we will arrange necessary accommodations.

✅ Signups

Signups for sections will go out on Wednesday, September 16 (Week 1) and will be open until 5:00PM Pacific Saturday, September 19. We will let you know which section you are in by Sunday, September 20, and you will have your first section a few days later (during Week 2).

⚠️ View your section assignment

If you would like to change your section, you may freely do so through the above link until the end of Week 3 (Friday, October 2).

For any other signup questions, you should email Lisa or Jerry, who will try to manage your assignment.

Absences and Makeups

Everyone gets one (1) unexcused section absence for the quarter. You can take this absence at any point without notifying your section leader. If you do not use your absence, your lowest section grade will be dropped.

You can make up a missed section by attending another section in the same week. However, we ask that you try to attend your assigned section, because it's in your best interest to know your classmates and your section leader over time. If you would like to permanently switch your section time, please do so. That being said, if you want to attend extra sections just for fun (i.e., in addition to your regular section), it will not negatively impact your grade.

If you cannot make your own section in a given week, you should go to the staff page and pick out a section that works for you (times are listed below each CA profile picture). You should email your section leader and the leader of the section you will be attending in advance. Note that you do not need to receive permission to attend a different section. The email just serves as notification/documentation for the section leaders. Furthermore, it is your responsibility to make sure that the CA whose section you go knows what section you came from and takes down your attendance accordingly.

Everyone can attend two (2) makeup sections with no penalty. However, in order to prevent people from abusing the makeup section policy, we will reduce your section grade for every makeup section you attend after the first two. That being said, if you want to attend extra sections just for fun (i.e., in addition to your regular section), it will not negatively impact your grade (you should still email in advance).

Grading

Your section grade makes up 6% of your overall course grade. Your section grade takes both attendance and participation into account, on a scale from 0 to 2.

  • 2: Showed up to section on time, followed section norms, participated in an engaged manner
  • 1: Showed up to section late, or minimal participation
  • 0: Did not show up to section, or did not follow established section norms and policies

Section meets Weeks 2 through 10. In Autumn 2020, Week 8 section was cancelled, so there are a total of 8 graded sections. Since you get 1 excused absence OR your lowest section score dropped, your final section is scored out of 7 graded sections.