TA Seminar:
All new TAs are expected to take PHYS 5072: Teaching Introductory College Physics in both fall and spring semesters. This course will helps TAs prepare for teaching and deals with various issues that can occur in classes. TAs should take PHYS 5072 for one credit in the fall and two credits in the spring

Proctoring:
TAs are often required to proctor exams during the semester. While proctoring, TAs are responsible for answering student questions and deterring/reporting cheating.

• Before the Exam
  • Pick up exams from the student services office the day of the exam, at least 25 minutes before the exam if the exam is held on West Bank
  • TAs are not allowed to print exams on their own

• At the start of the exam
  • Read any special instructions from the professor to the class
  • Remind students that they should put their names, student ID numbers, and x500 all papers including bubble sheets for identification purposes.
  • Explicitly tell students what materials (calculator, crib sheet, etc.) they may use
  • Ensure that students are sitting in every other seat
  • Announce what time the exam ends and write it on the board

• During the Exam
  • Count the number of students in the room
  • Announce when there are five minutes remaining
  • Quietly walk around the room watching students work
  • Answer student questions quickly and quietly
  • Have students who finish early turn in exams quietly and leave the classroom
  • Confiscate any unapproved calculators, to be returned at the end of the exam
  • Watch for suspicious behavior/cheating - If cheating is suspected, TAs should discuss this with their fellow proctors and instructor

• After the Exam
  • Have remaining students turn in complete exams in an orderly fashion
  • Check the room for any lost items
  • Bring all test materials to the students services office right away after the exam
    1. Count and separate each problem (and bubble sheet) of the exam into separate piles and record in the Proctor Log
    2. Turn in separated problems, bubble sheets, scratch paper, extra exams, blank paper, and bubble sheets in neat stacks to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Grading
TAs may pick up their problem for grading as soon as the proctors turn the papers in to the office. Graders must count the papers and record the number in the Grader Log. Upon returning the graded exams, the exams must be counted again and recorded in the Grader Log. Grades must be submitted electronically via MyPhys. Emailed grades will not be accepted. After grading is complete, TAs must enter grades into the class templates using the following procedure on a physics network computer:

1. Download the class template from the Gradebook Templates and uploads page, found under My Classes in MyPhys
2. Enter student scores
   1. NEVER change or alter the template in any way. Do not change the name of the template, the order of the students, or delete students
   2. If a student’s name does not appear on the template, enter the name and score at the bottom of the student list
   3. If a student is listed in the template but did not turn in a paper, do not enter a score
   4. If a student did answer the problem, but did not receive any points, enter a zero
3. Save the file. DO NOT CHANGE THE NAME OF THE FILE.
4. Upload the template to the physics website (link found underMy Classes in MyPhys)
   1. Never upload more than one template
   2. See the Undergraduate Program Coordinator if you need to add or change the template
5. Once the templates have been uploaded, delete the files from any public computer, but keep a backup copy on a secure private computer. Do not keep old templates. New templates are posted for every quiz
6. Grade changes may be submitted online using the link found on the template webpage

Grading typically must be completed two business days after the exam. For example, if an exam is on Friday, grades are due to the office on Tuesday by mid-day. This give the Undergraduate Program Coordinator and faculty time to compile and review the gradebook and make any changes or score adjustments as needed before the papers are handed back during that week’s discussion section.