General
Q: When does the course end?
You have until 10/23/2018 to complete the course. After this date, the course will be set to archive mode. (In archive mode, you can still access course materials, but you can no longer earn a certificate and discussion boards will be disabled.)
Q: When is work due? Are there deadlines?
The course is self-paced, so the only deadline is the course end date.
Q: How long does it take to complete the course?
There are 7 modules of content. The team estimates approximately three to five hours of work per module.
Grades
Q: What grade do I need to earn in order to pass the course?
To pass the course, learners must earn a 60% or higher.
Q: How do I view my grade?
A summary of your performance in the course is available via the "Progress" tab.
Q: I am doing well on the assessments, but when I look under "Progress," I have a low grade. Why?
Your grade is calculated based on ALL of the assessments in the course, meaning those you have completed and those you have not yet completed. (EdX says you have a "zero" on those assessments until you have attempted them.) You will see your overall grade improve as you progress through the course.
Help
Q: Whom can I contact if I have a question or problem?
For questions about the course, use the course discussion board.
Q: How do I post math notation in the discussion forums?
The edX platform supports the use of LaTeX notation in the discussion forums. To add LaTeX notation to your posts, enclose your LaTex code in dollar sign “$” characters. Here are some examples with frequently used symbols in this course:
| Symbol | LaTeX Notation | Notation for Forums |
|---|---|---|
| less than or equal to \(\leq\) | \leq |
$\leq$ |
| greater than or equal to \(\geq\) | \geq |
$\geq$ |
| approximately equal to \(\approx\) | \approx |
$\approx$ |
| exponential \(e^{x} \) | e^{x} |
$e^{x}$ |
| square root \(\sqrt{x} \) | \sqrt{x} |
$\sqrt{x}$ |
| multiplication \(a \cdot b \) | a \cdot b |
$a \cdot b$ |
| fraction \(\frac{1}{2}\) | \frac{1}{2} |
$\frac{1}{2}$ |
| subscript \(x_{1} \) | x_{1} |
$x_{1}$ |
| binomial coefficient \(n \choose k \) | n \choose k |
$n \choose k$ |
Q: Whom should I contact if I've identified an error?
If you have identified an error in the course, report it using the error-report form.
Q: I have a question about verification or payment for certificates. Whom should I contact?
Please contact edX if you have questions related to certificates. The course team cannot resolve certificate issues on behalf of learners.
Verified Certificates
Q: What is a verified certificate?
The following edX page provides an overview of the verified certificate option.
Q: How do I earn a verified certificate?
To be certificate eligible, you must:
- Upgrade to the certificate track
- Complete the verification process
- Earn a passing grade in the course before the course closes
Q: How much does the certificate cost?
The certificate price is $49.
Q: How do I upgrade to the verified certificate track?
The option to upgrade is available via the edX "My Courses" dashboard or from within the course itself.
Q: How do I receive my certificate?
Certificates for self-paced courses are available on demand once you've earned a passing grade. The option to generate the certificate will appear within the "Progress" page and the edX "My Courses" dashboard. Once your certificate has been generated, it will be available within the edX course dashboard. EdX does NOT mail or email certificates to learners.
Q: I have a question about verification or payment for certificates. Whom should I contact?
Please contact edX if you have questions related to certificates. The course team cannot resolve certificate issues on behalf of learners.
Q: What information is included on my certificate?
The edX verified certificate includes your name, the course name, the HarvardX logo, the edX logo, the names and signatures of the faculty leads, and the unique url for your web-based certificate. The certificate does NOT include your specific grade or any information about hours of instruction. An example can be found on the edX help page.