Course work and grading policy
For most of you this is your first class in the
science of computing. You will be thrown into an almost entirely
new world of objects and concepts and your first steps there may turn
out to be very difficult. In order to be successful you have to be
thoroughly determined to master this new land. You have to dedicate
a considerable amount of study time for this class. For each hour
spent in class the estimated preparation time is minimum three hours.
Course work
Class work
Do you want to learn the secrets of good
programming? If yes, then come prepared for class.
We have a lot of serious work to do and its success
depends mainly on you. You will find on the web page of our
class a description of the topics to be discussed each class
session and guidelines how to read the scheduled chapter.
While it is expected that certain topics will be confusing
and unclear when examined for a first time, this preliminary
reading will help you a lot to understand what's going on in class.
Some of the material in each chapter will be skipped or postponed
for a later presentation, and each week we will study concepts
outside the scheduled chapter. Thus it is extremely important that
you follow the instructions and do the preparation for each
class session.
Here are some recommendations about how to work with the text
Assignments
All assignments have due dates. They have to be turned in by
e-mail on or before the due date by 5 p.m.
You will have the right to turn late two assignments without penalty,
but not later than 48 hours after the deadline.
Use this right in case of unforeseen emergency.
No other late assignments will be accepted.
Here are instructions how to send your assignments.
Please, read them carefully and follow them.
-
Homework assignments
The purpose of the homework assignments is
to consolidate the acquired knowledge in class and to stimulate
your creativity in problem solving. The assignments will be posted
on the class web page with specific instructions.
Programs must run on the computers in the lab.
Laboratory work
During our laboratory sessions we shall do various programs
to exemplify the language constructs taught in class.
Most of the exercises will constitute
the basis of your programming projects assigned as homework.
At the end of each lab you will have to turn in the programs you have
developed even if they are not completed, sent by email.
If you have not completed the programming task in lab time,
you have to do so at home and sent the programs on or before the posted due date.
Your work in the lab will be graded.
You have to do each lab assignment even if you happen to be absent
in order to pass the course.
Quizes
Each Friday except when specified otherwise
you will have a 10-minute quiz on the material studied during the
week. The purpose of the quizes is to regularly check your progress
and spot potential difficulties. The quiz with the lowest score will
be dropped when computing the final grade.
Mid-term and Final exams
The mid-term exam and the final exam will consist of
several multiple-choice questions and problems,
similar to the exercises done in class, lab and homework assignments.
Your midterm grade will be based on the Mid-Term exam and all currently
turned in assignments. The final exam will be comprehensive.
There will be a programming exam on 04/11 during the lab hours. If you pass
it successfully (with A or A-) you will be exempt from the final written exam.
Instructional help
For any questions, problems, issues, etc. you are welcome to call me
by phone, send me an e-mail, come to my place or to my office
(please call me before coming).
Policies
Attendance
I will take attendance as required for financial aid
purposes.
However, the basic reason I want you to be in class is the importance
of class
and lab attendance for efficient learning. Take vitamin C and flu
shots and try not to get sick.
Remember that you are
required to do all kinds of homework and lab assignments no matter whether you are present or
absent.
If you miss a quiz or a test
You have to make personal arrangements with me in case some
very serious event prevents you from taking and exam or a quiz
on the scheduled date. No more than two make-up quizzes will be
allowed.
Grading policies
The final grade will be determined by (but not necessarily equal to) the
ratio of the points you have earned and the total number of points. The
assignments and tests will be weighted as follows:
Laboratory work 10%
Homework assignments 20%
Quizzes 10%
Mid-Term exam 25%
Final Exam 35%
The following rules apply when computing the final grade:
- If for any of the above graded items the grade is less than 50%
you fail the course.
The difference between the lowest average grade of any type of course work
and you final grade is limited to 15%. For example, if you have 72% (C-) on lab work,
your final grade cannot be more than B+ (87%). If you have 66% (D) on the midterm,
then you final grade cannot be more than B- (81%).
Grades follow a normal distribution as shown in the
following table where the percentage is the lowest percentage allowed to
obtain that grade.
|
|
|
B + |
87.0% |
C + |
77.0% |
D + |
67.0% |
|
A |
93.0% |
B |
83.0% |
C |
73.0% |
D |
63.0% |
|
A - |
90.0% |
B - |
80.0% |
C - |
70.0% |
D - |
60.0% |
Talk to me. You are strongly encouraged to talk with me
about any difficulties and problems. You can find me in my
office during my office hours, you can make appointments outside
the office hours, you can send me questions by e-mail.
Policies on plagiarism
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Discussing a problem with
other students is encouraged,
however you have to be able to explain and justify
each step of your solution.
Working on a problem/program with another student means understanding
the problem together and outlining the steps of the solution.
The implementation of the solution has to be entirely your own work.
An assignment that is not your own work gets 0 points.
If two students submit almost identical work, both get 0 points.
Miscellaneous
Any issues not discussed above will be solved
on a case by case basis.