Analytical Foundations of Economics Extra credit option: The QWizPlus program

Description: Your performance on the required assignments of the course determines  your basic course grade, and there is no penalty at all for failing to pursue the extra-credit option described here. However, you can use the self-paced QWizPlus program to earn a grade of "A" with a weight of up to 10 percent of your course grade.

The self-paced QWizPlus program for Econ.102 is an interactive, computer-based program designed to complement the class problem sets. The program is meant to be a non-stressful, extra-credit option to help you further sharpen your problem-solving skills. Unlike a professor or tutor, QWizPlus gives you immediate feedback and is always available for your
use, as long as you have access to a PC connected to the school's computer network.

QwizPlus is divided into units which correspond to the subject areas of the course. Each unit is basically a problem set consisting of several problems of various types: multiple choice, true-false, computational, etc. Most of the problems have several variations, so each of you is likely to see a different set of problems. You can use QWizPlus in a variety of ways:

• Since the computer keeps a record of which problem you are on in each unit, you can attempt as many or as few problems as you wish in a single sitting.
• You can choose to work on a unit for no credit at all.
• You can repeat a unit as often as you wish, either to study some more, or to try to improve your score (your score can go up but never down).

Scoring: The extra credit you earn depends on how well you do in answering the QWizPlus problems. If you get a perfect score on a unit before the unit's full-credit expiration date, you will receive a fully-weighted extra credit A for that unit (work completed after a unit's expiration date earns you half-credit). If you receive perfect scores on all of the units before the respective expiration dates, you will receive a total extra-credit A (4.0) worth 10 percent of your course grade. The computer will keep track of your progress, and credit will be awarded at the end of the term. For example, suppose that your course grade without QWizPlus is a C (2.0), and that you earn 10 percent of extra credit from QWizPlus. Then your final overall course grade including the QWizPlus program would be:
  (2.0 x 90%) + (4.0 x 10%) = 2.20,
so you would receive a C+ instead of a C.

To run QWiz Plus
-From a College PC:
   1. Find a campus PC which shows an "Economics" icon. These include the IBM-compatible PCS on the bottom floor of the library, in Fowler 111 and 112, some PCS in Norris Green, and maybe some others.
   2. Use the PC's mouse to double-click on the "Economics" icon. This will display a group of programs used in economics courses.
   3. Double-click on the "QWiz Plus" icon to start the program.

-From a dorm PC:
   1. The dorm PC you use must have an ethernet card and be connected to the campus network.
   2. Use Windows Explorer to open the following folder on the network Q drive: Q\Qwizplus\Qwz. Once you open the folder, you should see a file called 'Qwz.exe'.
   3. Double-click the 'Qwz.exe' file to start the program.

To use QWizPlus:
    Step 1. Start the program by clicking the 'Continue' button when you see the opening screen.
    Step 2. Once you enter QWizPlus:
    a. The first time: Click the 'Register' option, enter your last name and then enter an account name for future use.
Please remember your account name.
    b. After the first time: Enter your account name to log in.
    Step 3: Select a unit to work on and a practice or credit mode, then click 'Proceed'. Remember that QWiz Plus retains only the highest score you earn on any question or unit.

If you run into trouble or have any questions, let me know. And please keep in mind that QWizPlus is purely an extra credit option--it can help you but it can't hurt you. Relax, take as much or as little advantage of it as you wish, and good luck!