See how tardies affect participation grades.
A tardy deduction feels small because it is measured in participation points, but the figure that matters is its effect on the final grade — points lost as a fraction of participation, multiplied by the participation weight. Because participation is usually only ten to twenty percent of the grade, six tardies at two points each often costs under a full point overall, which is worth knowing accurately rather than worrying about vaguely.
Participation impact
Points lost = tardies x points per tardy; participation score = (available - lost) / available x 100
Final grade impact
Final grade points lost = points lost / points available x participation weight
Usually less than students fear. With participation at fifteen percent, losing twelve of a hundred participation points costs under two points overall — real but rarely decisive.
When a course sets participation at thirty percent or more, or when a fixed number of tardies converts to an absence or an automatic penalty. Read the syllabus rule rather than assuming a linear deduction.