Attendance

Grading

Daily homeworks and labs will be graded on a 10 point scale. Programming projects and tests/exams will be graded on a 100 point scale. Late homework assignments will be penalized 2 points for each day they are late. Homework assignments can be done with pencil and paper, but you will learn lots more if you do the homework assignments that involve writing programs on a computer.

Course letter grades will be assigned according to the table below. If the final course average is

>= 90 = A
>= 88 < 90 = B+
>= 82 < 88 = B
>= 80 < 82 = B-
>= 78 < 80 = C+
>= 72 < 78 = C
>= 70 < 72 = C-
>= 68 < 70 = D+
>= 62 < 68 = D
>= 60 < 62 = D-
< 60 = F

However, project and homework grades cannot raise the course average more than ten points (normally, one letter grade) above the average on the exams. This policy was instituted at the time that I raised the weight of homework, project, and lab grades to 50% of the overall grades in recognition of the fact that those assignments are of special importance is a course like this. However, as a practical matter, I have less control over who does these assignments. If you conscientiously work on these assignments, you will do well on the tests as my test questions often are closely related to previous exercises. So the purpose of this policy is not to penalize poor test takers, but, on the contrary, to enable more emphasis on "homework" assignments and less on tests in the grading formula. Normally, this policy affects few, if any, students.

Special consideration will be given to students who fall just below a grade cut-off. The special consideration will take into account such factors as class participation, punctual completion of projects, "bad days" suffered in exams, and other intangibles. Such considerations will never lower your grade but can raise it in a few cases.

I consider anyone that aids another with work that is expected to be done without collaboration to be as guilty as the person who seeks help. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the University's Policy of Academic Dishonesty found in The Official Student Handbook.

Rather than simply following the rules because of the negative consequences if you do not, I hope that you will be inspired by values such as the following expressed by William Cobbett.

"It is the mind that lives; and the length of life ought to be measured by the number and importance of our ideas; and not by the number of our days. Never, therefore esteem [persons] merely on account of their riches or their station. Respect goodness, find it where you may. Honor talent wherever you behold it unassociated with vice; but, honor it most when accompanied with exertion, and especially when exerted in the cause of truth and justice."
A Grammar of the English Language, 1819.

Faculty-Student Interaction