Attendance & Participation
KIN 610: Quantitative Analysis of Research in Kinesiology
Attendance & Participation
Purpose
Attendance and active participation are fundamental to your success in this course. Statistics and data analysis are subjects best learned through active engagement—asking questions, working through examples, discussing concepts with peers, and practicing skills in real-time. Class sessions provide opportunities for clarification, demonstration, and collaborative learning that cannot be fully replicated through independent study.
Regular attendance and active participation help you:
- Clarify confusing concepts from the readings
- See SPSS demonstrations and procedures in action
- Ask questions when you don’t understand something
- Engage with peers to deepen understanding
- Practice skills and receive immediate feedback
- Stay on track with course content and deadlines
- Build confidence in your statistical abilities
“Showing up is 80 percent of life.” — Woody Allen
In a statistics course, showing up and engaging is even more critical. Complex concepts become clearer through discussion and demonstration.
Components
Attendance & Participation consists of two interconnected elements:
1. Attendance
Attendance is taken at the beginning of every class session. You are expected to:
- Arrive on time (class begins at 7:00 PM)
- Remain for the entire session (through 9:40 PM)
- Be physically present in the classroom
- Come prepared with completed pre-class work (quizzes, major takeaways)
2. Participation
Active participation means engaging meaningfully with course content during class. This includes:
- Completing in-class activities (unannounced assignments during class)
- Submitting exit tickets at the end of some class sessions
- Contributing to class discussions
- Asking and answering questions
- Engaging with group work and activities
- Demonstrating effort and attention during demonstrations
- Supporting a positive learning environment
Participation points are largely earned through unannounced in-class activities and exit tickets at the end of some classes. These assignments cannot be made up if you miss class, even with an excused absence.
Grading
Attendance & Participation is worth 5% of your final course grade.
How to Earn Full Credit
You will earn a perfect score on this component as long as you:
✓ Attend all scheduled class sessions
✓ Complete all required in-class activities
✓ Submit all exit tickets when assigned
✓ Arrive on time and stay for the entire session
✓ Engage actively with course content during class
How Points Are Calculated
- Each class session is worth a set number of attendance/participation points
- Points are earned by being present AND completing any in-class activities
- Late arrivals and early departures may result in reduced points for that session
- Absences result in 0 points for that session
- Your two lowest scores will be dropped at the end of the semester
Your two lowest attendance/participation scores will be dropped when calculating your final grade. This policy provides a buffer for occasional illness, emergencies, or unavoidable conflicts.
Attendance Policy
Expected Attendance
You are expected to attend all class meetings. This is a once-per-week course, so missing even one session means missing a significant portion of course content.
If You Must Miss Class
If you must miss a class:
With a Valid Reason & Documentation:
- Contact the instructor BEFORE the class you plan to miss
- Attach proper documentation of your reason (medical note, official document, etc.)
- Accept that you cannot make up in-class activities or exit tickets
- The instructor may excuse your absence (meaning it won’t count against you)
- You are still responsible for all course material covered
Without Documentation:
- You may still contact the instructor to explain your situation
- The instructor reserves the right not to excuse your absence
- The absence will count as one of your lowest scores (potentially dropped)
- You are still responsible for obtaining notes, assignments, and announcements
What “Excused” Means:
- An excused absence means it won’t negatively impact your grade beyond the work you couldn’t make up
- You still cannot make up in-class activities or exit tickets
- You still must catch up on missed material independently
Whether your absence is excused or not, it is your responsibility to:
- Obtain notes and materials from the missed class
- Review any SPSS demonstrations or procedures covered
- Complete any assigned work for the next session
- Contact the instructor or classmates if you have questions about missed content
Do not expect the instructor to re-teach an entire class session during office hours.
Late Arrivals & Early Departures
- Late arrivals will be noted and may affect your participation points for that session
- Early departures will also be noted and may reduce your participation grade
- Occasional late arrival (1-2 times in the semester) due to unavoidable circumstances is understandable
- Chronic lateness or pattern of early departures will significantly impact your grade
If you know you must arrive late or leave early:
- Inform the instructor in advance when possible
- Enter/exit quietly to minimize disruption
- Take responsibility for any missed content or activities
In-Class Activities & Exit Tickets
What Are These?
In-Class Activities:
- Short assignments completed during class time
- May involve analyzing data, solving problems, or applying concepts
- Sometimes completed individually, sometimes in pairs/groups
- Graded on completion and effort (not necessarily correctness)
- Unannounced — you won’t know ahead of time when they’ll occur
Exit Tickets:
- Brief assignments at the end of some class sessions
- May ask you to reflect on what you learned, ask questions, or solve a quick problem
- Typically take 5-10 minutes to complete
- Submitted before leaving class (via Canvas or paper)
- Help the instructor assess understanding and adjust future sessions
Why Are These Important?
In-class activities and exit tickets serve multiple purposes:
- Encourage attendance: You can’t complete them if you’re not there
- Promote engagement: Active participation enhances learning
- Provide practice: Immediate application reinforces concepts
- Offer feedback: The instructor sees where students are struggling
- Foster accountability: Regular checkpoints keep you on track
Grading
- Most in-class activities are graded on completion and effort, not correctness
- The goal is to try and engage, not to be perfect
- Exit tickets are typically graded complete/incomplete
- Your two lowest scores are dropped, giving you a buffer for emergencies
Cannot Be Made Up
In-class activities and exit tickets CANNOT be made up, even with an excused absence. This is because:
- They are designed to be completed during class time
- They often relate to specific demonstrations or discussions
- Making them up defeats the purpose of encouraging attendance
- The two-lowest-dropped policy already provides a buffer
If you miss class, accept that you’ll receive a 0 for any activities that day (but remember, two lowest are dropped).
Active Participation
Beyond just being present, you’re expected to actively participate in class:
What Active Participation Looks Like
Engaged Behaviors:
- ✅ Asking questions when you don’t understand something
- ✅ Answering questions posed by the instructor
- ✅ Contributing to class discussions
- ✅ Working collaboratively with classmates during group activities
- ✅ Following along with SPSS demonstrations on your computer
- ✅ Taking notes during lectures and demonstrations
- ✅ Completing in-class activities with focus and effort
- ✅ Helping classmates during collaborative work
- ✅ Providing thoughtful responses on exit tickets
Disengaged Behaviors:
- ❌ Using your phone for non-class purposes
- ❌ Working on assignments for other courses
- ❌ Browsing unrelated websites during class
- ❌ Not following along with demonstrations
- ❌ Sitting silently without attempting to engage
- ❌ Arriving unprepared (without completing pre-class work)
- ❌ Leaving class repeatedly for extended breaks
- ❌ Sleeping or appearing inattentive
Creating a Positive Learning Environment
Active participation also means contributing to a supportive classroom culture:
- Respect diverse perspectives and backgrounds
- Listen attentively when others are speaking
- Encourage classmates who are struggling
- Ask questions without fear of judgment
- Avoid side conversations during lectures or presentations
- Support an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable participating
Tips for Success
Before Class
- ✓ Complete all pre-class assignments (quizzes, major takeaways)
- ✓ Review previous class notes to maintain continuity
- ✓ Plan to use lab computers (recommended for SPSS work, or bring your own laptop if preferred)
- ✓ Plan your arrival to ensure you’re on time despite traffic/parking
During Class
- ✓ Arrive on time (or even a few minutes early)
- ✓ Sit where you can see the projector and hear clearly
- ✓ Take notes on key concepts, procedures, and examples
- ✓ Ask questions when something isn’t clear
- ✓ Follow along with demonstrations on your computer
- ✓ Engage with in-class activities fully
- ✓ Stay focused on class content (minimize distractions)
- ✓ Complete exit tickets thoughtfully before leaving
After Class
- ✓ Review your notes while the material is fresh
- ✓ Practice any SPSS procedures demonstrated
- ✓ Reach out to classmates or the instructor with questions
- ✓ Begin assignments early rather than waiting until the deadline
- ✓ Connect new concepts to previous learning
Common Questions
Contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to discuss your situation. Chronic absences or late arrivals may make it difficult to succeed in this course.
No. Class runs until 9:40 PM, and leaving early is disruptive. Exit tickets are often distributed at the end of class.
Stay home if you’re contagious. Contact the instructor and use proper documentation if possible. You’ll miss in-class activities (which can’t be made up), but it may be excused as one of your dropped scores.
Not necessarily. Participation primarily comes from completing in-class activities and exit tickets. However, engaging in discussions demonstrates your learning and benefits everyone.
That’s okay! You can participate by completing activities, asking questions during small group work, or visiting office hours. The goal is engagement, not public performance.
Attendance is typically taken at the beginning of class. However, the instructor reserves the right to take attendance at other times, especially if students are leaving early or arriving late habitually.
Medical notes, official university documents, court documents, or similar official documentation. Personal explanations without documentation may not be sufficient.
Technically yes, but this is unwise. You’ll miss important content, demonstrations, and opportunities to learn. Save your dropped scores for genuine emergencies.
Impact on Learning
Research consistently shows that attendance and engagement are the strongest predictors of academic success. Students who attend regularly and participate actively:
- Score higher on exams and assignments
- Understand concepts more deeply
- Retain information better over time
- Feel more confident in their abilities
- Perform better in subsequent courses
- Develop stronger professional skills
Missing class creates gaps in understanding that are difficult to fill independently, especially in a cumulative subject like statistics where each topic builds on previous ones.
Summary
Attendance & Participation are worth 5% of your final grade, but their impact on your learning is far greater:
- Show up: Attend all class sessions on time
- Stay present: Remain for the entire session
- Engage actively: Complete in-class activities and exit tickets
- Ask questions: Seek clarification when needed
- Support peers: Contribute to a positive learning environment
- Take responsibility: Catch up independently when you miss class
Your two lowest scores are dropped to provide flexibility for emergencies, but consistent attendance and engagement are essential for success in this course.
Remember: This course meets only once per week for 2 hours and 40 minutes. Each session covers significant content that builds toward your ability to conduct and interpret statistical analyses. Missing even one class can put you behind. Make attendance and participation a priority, and you’ll maximize your learning and success in the course!